Hot Buttered Soul offers royalty-free R&B and soul tracks that capture the classic elements of these genres to add emotional depth and narrative arc to any project.
Soul music originated in America during the 1950s and 60s from rhythm & blues, jazz, and gospel music styles. Targeting black youth, its rise on charts corresponded with civil rights activism.
Neo Soul
Neo Soul music fuses contemporary R&B with 1970s-style soul, along with elements of jazz, funk, and hip hop. Neo Soul has had an immense impact on contemporary R&B and soul genres alike, encouraging artists to push the boundaries of their art in unprecedented ways. Neo Soul’s soothing melodies and emotive lyrics have quickly made it popular across global audiences.
Though many believe the genre has taken a nosedive, this is far from being the case. Cleo Sol, Coco Jones and Ari Lennox’s immense popularity demonstrate this reality while new artists like Ariana Grande only serve to increase its relevance.
Neo soul is best known for its soothing melodies and soulful vocals, as well as its politically conscious lyrics that often address topics such as racism, inequality and self-empowerment within its songs. Neo soul artists also often use music as an advocate and activist tool within their communities by using its power as music advocacy or activism tool.
Musical fusion is another unique characteristic that differentiates Neo Soul from other genres. Artists in this style combine elements from jazz, funk, hip hop, and other musical influences into a fresh sound; creating both contemporary and timeless sounds in one genre.
Neo soul is a great choice whether you are searching for new music to listen to, or wanting to expand your guitar playing skills. The genre’s use of chord progressions, harmonic interplay and complex melodies will help you become a better musician while its vast variety of musical influences will open doors that may not have existed previously.
Neo soul is one of the few genres of music with an intimate connection to soul music, known for its emotionally charged lyrics that explore topics like love, social injustice and spiritual growth. Furthermore, its use of diverse musical genres demonstrates its global appeal – perfect if you want a new way to express yourself or simply want to discover music’s history! neo soul should definitely be explored further!
R&B
R&B music consists of smooth rhythms and emotive vocals with influences spanning jazz, blues, gospel and rock/pop music – it has strong links between these genres as well as subgenres such as funk disco and doo-wop. Popular among black people in the US. More recently however, artists have taken to genre bending/fusion techniques, creating an R&B sound which now encompasses more diverse sounds than ever.
In the 1960s, R&B music started to differentiate itself from rock through artists like Etta James and Sam Cooke introducing more refined textures. Motown Records in Detroit and Stax Records Memphis blended southern blues influences with commercially polished vocals for a new style of R&B that later gave way to Neo Soul (a blend of R&B, jazz funk and hip hop music).
R&B music often explores themes related to love and life experiences, with artists like Marvin Gaye and Whitney Houston becoming legendary thanks to heart-felt ballads that reach out and touch audiences directly. Furthermore, R&B genre is known for addressing issues of racial identity and social injustice.
Today’s R&B music has never been more diverse and dynamic. Artists are blending elements of neo-soul with contemporary influences such as electronica and hip hop music while using cutting-edge production techniques to experiment with sounds and harmonies; some artists even incorporate elements of alternative rock into their work.
R&B music has had an enormous influence on contemporary pop songs, serving as the basis for many pop artists’ compositions and even including effects such as autotune or vocal effects within them.
R&B music can have an immediate and powerful emotional effect on its listeners, helping to reduce anxiety while inducing feelings of comfort and joy. Studies have demonstrated how listening to R&B can activate the brain’s reward system, leading to release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin from its listeners’ bodies – ultimately decreasing stress levels while increasing productivity.
Funk
Funk is an American musical genre which emerged from African American soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz music in the 1960s. Typically characterized by heavy emphasis on “the one”, as well as syncopated drum patterns and guitar riffs – hallmarks of funk music originating with James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly & the Family Stone pioneered this style to popular audiences and gained mainstream acceptance.
No one knows for certain where or when the word “funk” originated; however, most experts agree it comes from an archaic term meaning unpleasant smell or odor. Funk music evolved from an amalgam of black R & B, bebop, hard bop and blues played alongside Afro-Cuban rhythms like Samba.
Funk music is distinguished by its energetic tempos and infectious grooves that inspire dancing and movement. Funk also incorporates brass instruments such as trumpets and saxophones for added celebratory effect, groovy bass lines, soulful vocals, as well as its distinct blend of rhythmic flair that has influenced numerous popular artists as well as other genres such as pop and disco music.
Funk was introduced into popular music during the mid-1960s by James Brown’s signature groove that highlighted each measure’s downbeat by accentuating its first beat, with 16th note time signature and syncopation applied throughout his bass lines, drum patterns and guitar riffs. Other musicians quickly picked up on his groove to develop their own versions resulting in numerous forms of funk music today.
Although funk music’s popularity faded with disco’s ascendency in the late 70s, its influence and incorporation into other genres remained influential and pervasive. Funk is still an integral component of hip hop music today and remains one of the most beloved genres – even inspiring the creation of hybrid styles such as G-funk which blends gangster rap with funk grooves.
Jazz
Jazz music is a genre characterized by improvisation and syncopation with an emphasis on individual expression among its musicians. Although jazz has its roots in African-American culture and history, its sound draws from other cultural sources as well. As such, its sound has captured generations of listeners with its complex yet recognizable sound reminiscent of generations past; though its many different styles vary significantly – ultimately all being defined by an expressive swing feel and strong individualism.
Jazz has long been revered and influential to popular artists such as Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Furthermore, its influence paved the way for neo soul to emerge; this form fuses 1970s soul-style vocals and instrumentation with contemporary R&B sounds and hip-hop beats to create its unique sound. Jazz also boasts its own rich legacy which can be heard through its lyrics; plus jazz’s music exudes freedom and spirituality that distinguish it as its own genre.
Experience the rich sound of jazz at live performances by listening to live performances. Doing so allows you to fully immerse yourself in its music while learning more about its history; in addition, this experience will sharpen your listening skills and broaden your horizons of taste.
Jazz provides an art form that fosters community spirit by uniting people together through musical expression and encouraging individual self-expression in creative ways. Jazz also has the added benefit of offering dementia sufferers moments of self-expression, connection and creativity which may improve overall health and wellbeing.
Jazz music is an incredibly flexible genre that can be utilized in virtually every project, from commercials to documentaries to corporate communications. Its smooth rhythms and emotive melodies add sophistication and genuine emotion, making jazz an excellent accompaniment. Its emotional depth makes it the ideal background soundtrack.
No matter whether it’s for commercials or more intimate pieces, royalty-free soul music can bring energy and creativity into any project. At Mixkit we curate our library to include only relevant and timeless tracks so you’re sure to find just the right audio track to meet the requirements of your project.