Rihanna and Jhene Aiko led an alternative-sounding R&B revival during the 2010s that was more dance and electronic-oriented, altering how R&B is currently perceived by its listeners. This development fundamentally altered its landscape.
Contemporary R&B draws its inspiration from neo-soul, disco, and funk; often exploring themes of love and relationships through emotive vocals and sensuous melodies.
What is R&B?
R&B (rhythm and blues), commonly referred to as R&B, originated during the 1940s and 1960s during The Great Migration which saw large numbers of African American families relocate from rural America to urban centers across America bringing their culture, styles, and music with them. R&B incorporates elements from multiple genres including blues, jazz, gospel, funk and disco to produce its signature sound.
R&B music features soulful singing styles complemented by an upbeat bassline or beat in the background, typically slower than pop and often focused on love, heartbreak and relationships. R&B musicians are known for their emotional expression; much R&B lyrics focus on social injustice or advocating for social change.
Contemporary R&B began to emerge during the 1980s as a combination of funk, disco and pop music with soul and gospel influences to form its distinct sound. Since then it has transformed and grown increasingly popular over time, merging with hip hop to become one of the most widely consumed forms of music today. Though still using traditional instruments such as drums, guitars and pianos for its arrangements; more contemporary arrangements may feature vocals backed up by electronic keyboards or synthesizers as part of its sound.
R&B is an influential genre, having had an effect on other genres like pop and hip hop. Beyonce, Rihanna and Mariah Carey are among the biggest names in R&B; all three artists are well known for their R&B albums and singles.
As hip-hop evolves and flourishes, we may see its boundaries broaden to become something entirely different. Already we’re witnessing artists such as Kehlani, Mary J Blige and SWV performing sold out tours across the nation which blend hip-hop with R&B influences – this trend will likely only increase its success further.
What is Pop?
Pop music can be broadly defined as any style that is widely accepted by mainstream culture and has the ability to reach a wide audience. Pop songs typically feature catchy melodies and repeated sections (usually verses and choruses), along with a tight and concise structure designed to hold listeners’ attention. Pop songs traditionally focused mainly on vocals and lyrics; however, in recent years their style has expanded considerably by including more instrumentation.
Pop music covers an expansive spectrum, but its subgenres can be further subdivided. Examples of these subgenres are:
Art pop: This subgenre blurs the lines between low and high culture to produce music that is both commercially successful and critically acclaimed. Artists such as Ed Sheeran and Lana Del Rey are examples of artists composing this music style.
Pop rock: This genre combines elements from both pop and rock music genres to produce energetic yet accessible tunes that have gained great renown since the British Invasion in 1960, when artists like the Beatles reigned supreme on charts with their distinctive sound and charismatic performances.
Bubblegum Pop: This style of pop is targeted towards younger audiences with cheerful tunes and simple lyrics, appealing to an energetic yet nostalgic sound. Artists such as the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears became icons during this era with songs about first love and growing up that are loved by young listeners.
Electronic pop: This genre blends electronic elements with pop song structures and tempos for music that is both current and familiar, exemplified by artists such as Robyn, Billie Eilish, and Halsey.
Commercial pop: This genre specializes in marketing and promotion to mass audiences through visual media such as music videos. As digital streaming services have made promotion simpler for artists, commercial pop has grown increasingly popular in recent decades.
Pop music is an ever-evolving style that keeps musicians at the cutting-edge of creativity and development. Now with streaming platforms enabling independent musicians to release their work without being constrained by traditional record labels, there has been an explosion of diverse and eclectic new pop music which continues to define today’s musical landscape. Pop has long remained relevant in modern musical circles. The success of modern day pop artists proves this.
What is Contemporary R&B?
Contemporary R&B music is an eclectic genre encompassing soul, funk and hip hop influences. This style has quickly become one of the most listened-to genres today with listeners from diverse backgrounds coming to enjoy its sounds. Contemporary R&B typically includes piano, one or two guitars, bass drums and vocals as its primary components; artists may add additional musical genres such as rap to add depth and variety into their songs.
R&B music first gained recognition during the 1940s. Black communities were migrating from rural areas into cities with larger populations from various ethnic backgrounds, and these city dwellers brought their culture and music with them when migrating to urban centers; many musicians then combined elements such as Jazz, Blues and Gospel into what eventually became known as R&B.
R&B music remains an innovative genre today; with soulful vocals and strong backbeat that set it apart from other music types, as well as lyrics that focus on topics related to love and relationships.
Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Bruno Mars are among the most well-known r&b artists of today. Each performer utilizes various production techniques such as synthesizers and drum machines in their music making process. Neo-Soul was an emerging subgenre of R&B in the 1990s that is distinguished by smooth vocals and rhythmic beats; also drawing upon elements of jazz, funk and hip hop to produce its unique sound.
Pop and r&b may often be mistakenly used interchangeably, yet it is essential to differentiate them as distinct genres of music. Pop is a broad genre that encompasses rock, country, dance and reggae music styles; typically lighter and upbeat than its counterpart, without explicit language used within lyrics or song titles. Furthermore, performers in pop often collaborate with writers in crafting song lyrics that capture personal experiences while still reaching an audience with powerful songs that reflect who they are as performers.
What is Neo-Soul?
Neo-Soul is a relatively recent subgenre of R&B music that emerged during the 1990s. It can be described as a soul revival movement that draws from classic soul music while adding hip-hop, rock and funk influences. Artists such as D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Maxwell and Jill Scott often channeling 1960s soul singers such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson in their voices while taking political issues such as Vietnam war and police brutality into account within their music.
Neo-soul is different than contemporary R&B in that it doesn’t rely on drum machines for its rhythm, instead employing electric guitars, bass instruments, keyboards and more as its instruments of choice. Neo-soul’s signature sound features smooth yet lush vocals along with various chord structures such as major and minor major chords as well as altered chords such as diminished or augmented chords; more advanced harmonics may also feature.
Neo-soul music reached its pinnacle during the early 1990s with albums by artists like D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar and Voodoo, Macy Gray’s On How Life Is, Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, as well as Erykah Badu, Questlove and members of musical collective known as Soulquarians –Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Q-Tip and Common. These artists set the groundwork for further developments of this genre that continues today.
Younger artists such as Australian-American musician Jordan Rakei are creating a new era of neo-soul. He draws influence from older generations of musicians while adding something fresh with cinematic production techniques and an emphasis on soulful vocals reminiscent of D’Angelo or even Jeff Buckley in his voice – as demonstrated on 2016 album Cloak by D’Angelo influence as well as jazz/R&B fusion featured on it – not forgetting Ravyn, 19, who combines elements of R&B/R&B jazz/hip hop/funk into her music!