Studies conducted in 2009 determined that R&B music had the most explicit lyrics among musical genres and featured more songs about love than any other form of musical entertainment.
Singers like Toni Braxton made powerful feminist statements with their dance R&B hits, such as her 2000 hit “He Wasn’t Man Enough”. This song made sure to highlight women’s own sexuality.
Rhythm & Blues
R&B (rhythm and blues) music emerged after World War II as an amalgam of elements drawn from pop, gospel, and blues with an energetic beat. Rooted in African American culture and often featuring political or emotional lyrics. Many artists who created R&B also dabbled in rock ‘n’ roll such as James Brown or Fats Domino (both considered both R&B artists and rock musicians by Chicago Chess Records).
Early on, “rhythm and blues” was simply an industry term to encompass black music. Over time however, R&B became distinct due to its particular musical traits which distinguished it from other popular forms – these differences being heavily influenced by societal racism, postwar mood shifts, and civil rights activism.
Rhythm and blues music has its origins in twelve-bar blues, while most jazz is composed from thirty-two bar blues. Both styles share similar swing-influenced characteristics; however, R&B often boasts faster beats that bring greater energy. R&B also incorporates other bedrock African-American musical traits like call and response and melisma; additionally it has taken on second line street beats from South Louisiana as well as Afro-Cuban three count tresillo rhythms from traditional jazz brass bands into its compositions.
Music of this genre is typically performed by small ensembles, featuring an ensemble with vocalist, rhythm section and horn section; typically using instruments such as bass drums, piano, guitar and saxophone as primary accompaniment for vocalist. Early instrumental arrangements were heavily influenced by jazz; early recording artists like Louis Jordan (1908 – 1975) even played jazz alongside established bandleaders such as Chick Webb and Earl Hines.
R&B music’s lyrics depict African Americans’ history and experiences – their hardships as well as triumphs – with regards to social injustices, relationships, economics and aspirations. R&B has become a catalyst for civil rights activism while simultaneously informing other genres such as rock country soul and hip-hop music.
Soul
Soul music first emerged during the 60s. A secular version of Black gospel, popularized by artists such as Aretha Franklin, Smokie Robinson & the Miracles, Al Green & Ray Charles among others – soul was instrumental in shaping both funk music and hip-hop’s formation; its social/political messages have further encouraged activism among African Americans as well as wider American culture.
The 1980s and ’90s saw the birth of contemporary R&B, with artists like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston creating sophisticated commercial R&B. Younger artists who loved funk and soul melding it with hip-hop urban beats to form a unique genre called Neo Soul; Me’Shell Ndege Ocello and D’Angelo were pioneers of this sound with albums like Plantation Lullabies and Brown Sugar furthering this sound forward.
Modern R&B blends classic styles with contemporary production techniques. Drum sampling and chord arrangements may shift R&B closer to trap for some artists; other artists prefer keeping it grounded with acoustic drum kits and soulful vocals. R&B producers frequently utilize long reverbs that emphasize intimate vocal qualities while autotune is sometimes applied but is often determined by singer brand and personality.
R&B has long been a genre with multiple influences from different musical disciplines, incorporating elements of rock and jazz as well as other popular styles into its sound. Usher pioneered mainstream R&B through his breakthrough Confessions album that set an example for new generations of pop stars to follow suit.
As R&B artists become more influenced by hip-hop’s sexually explicit lyrics, which is popular with younger audiences, this trend will likely continue. Yet despite this increase in explicit content it remains unlikely that many top songs require this label; indeed most tracks on last year’s Luminate Year-End chart were non-explicit.
R&B & Hip-Hop
R&B (rhythm and blues) music is known for its soulful vocals, danceable beats, smooth production, catchy melodies and relatable themes. It has long been a beloved genre influenced by artists such as Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Beyonce – iconic recording artists who have all recorded R&B albums themselves.
R&B first gained popularity during the Great Migration of rural Southern African-American communities to metropolitan areas during the 1960s, leading to an explosion of African American culture and arts such as fashion, film and music. When R&B reached new commercial heights during the early 1990s it also underwent a significant stylistic transformation with hip hop influences becoming prominent such as more edgy production styles, provocative lyrics and hardercore singing becoming part of its repertoire.
Toni Braxton made an audacious feminist statement during the mid 2000s when she released the dance-R&B track, “He Wasn’t Man Enough.” This track became one of Braxton’s signature tracks and remains one of the most powerful and influential R&B songs ever.
Today, R&B is an influential genre within popular music worldwide and continues to influence popular musical tastes worldwide. Current R&B often blends elements from other genres like hip hop, dance music, funk and pop into its composition. Vocal arrangements of modern R&B often incorporate melisma and laid back styles while production often utilizes electronic instruments such as synthesizers, bass guitar, turntables and auto tune for production purposes.
R&B music has an expansive history, yet remains vulnerable to the challenges presented by the music industry. One significant challenge R&B faces today is managing explicit content; when radio was an important source for R&B artists it was rare for an artist to include swear words in their work; in its peak period during the 1990s no songs on Billboard’s year-end R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart required explicit labels or explicit content labels in order to make the top 25 charts.
Although R&B fans typically enjoy listening to their favorite artists without explicit lyrics, many prefer listening cleanly when possible. Luckily, there are various resources for finding R&B music without explicit lyrics online.
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B music fuses elements of rhythm and blues with pop, soul, funk, disco and hip hop music for an original sound that features smooth vocal arrangements with electronic elements or dance influences.
Modern R&B artists have expanded the boundaries of R&B genre in order to develop an entirely unique sound. Artists such as Beyonce, Ty Dolla $ign, and SZA have become notable for pushing artistic boundaries within this genre – creating soulful yet contemporary R&B tracks renowned across the world as a result of their contributions. Their influence can be felt today!
R&B music’s roots can be traced back to African American culture. From 1916 – 1970, rural African Americans moved into cities in search of opportunity; many brought with them an extensive culture expressed through music, fashion and other forms of art that was manifested through music genres such as traditional African and jazz styles that gave rise to R&B music as part of this migration movement.
R&B music evolved over time into an expressive form that captured the essence and emotion of African-American culture. It gained mainstream appeal during the 1960s as musicians experimented with syncopated rhythms and instruments inspired by African traditions. Furthermore, artists utilized r&b as a form of political activism; Toni Braxton’s 2000 song “He Wasn’t Man Enough” made an aggressive feminist statement regarding self-preservation through her music.
By the late 90s, R&B had evolved into more of a pop-oriented genre. Artists such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson became widely celebrated for their emotive vocals and performances that brought joyous love songs into listeners’ homes worldwide.
By the 2000s, R&B had integrated more contemporary influences, such as hip-hop and dance music. Musicians began using drum machines and synthesizers in their recordings. This changed its sound significantly and led to the development of funk and disco music genres. Later in 2010, Frank Ocean and The Weeknd took R&B even further by mixing R&B with alternative styles such as electronica; their lyrics also addressed themes related to personal growth as well as racism.