Below is a list of rhythm and blues musicians. This includes artists and bands that specialize in R&B music wikipedia, which blends elements from jazz, gospel, soul and funk genres into popular culture.
Contemporary R&B blends vocal techniques of earlier genres with elements from disco and hip hop music styles. Lyrically, this genre often explores love and sexuality themes.
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues became immensely popular among African Americans after World War II (1941-45) until the early 1960s. This form of music combines soulful vocals with an exuberant backbeat, creating an emotionally impactful soundscape. Rhythm and blues is closely related to black gospel and blues music as well as elements from jazz, funk and rock and roll music.
Rhythm and blues emerged alongside the expansion of urban African American communities during the twentieth century. It developed during two distinct waves of migration from southern regions of the US to northern cities: one due to cotton agriculture being decimated due to boll weevil infestation, the second driven by World War II when many African Americans relocated for employment opportunities within defense industries.
At its heart, rhythm and blues can be defined by its signature soulful singing style, often accompanied by drums, guitars, bass and piano. Lyrical content often draws upon personal experiences to emote anger, sorrow, love or longing – something similar to the black African tradition of call and response; whereby a leader sings out one verse while members of an audience respond with their own lyrics in response.
Etta James was an influential figure in the development of R&B. Recognized for fusing various musical genres into one distinct sound, she pioneered rhythm and blues through her emotive singing that helped define its genre and define rhythm and blues music as we know it today. Credited with having inspired artists such as Ray Charles and Little Richard as followers after her, Etta’s influence lives on.
In the 1970s, rhythm and blues evolved further by adopting syncopated rhythms and more Afrocentric lyrics, leading to its incorporation in funk music and disco. R&B continued its rise into the 1990s thanks to acts like Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, and Mary J. Blige whose harmonious ballads topped charts nationwide.
Contemporary R&B continues to evolve, with new technology enabling musicians to experiment with features like autotune. Influences include pop and hip hop styles of music; the lines between R&B and other genres have become increasingly blurred.
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B music combines elements from rhythm and blues, soul music, pop music, hip hop music and funk into one genre characterized by smooth vocals and intricate production. Over its history, contemporary R&B has continually evolved with current trends and styles to keep it current while remaining one of the most beloved genres today.
Contemporary R&B can be traced back to the 1940s and 50s when African Americans first began migrating from rural and southern areas to urban centers across the U.S. This migration lead to a musical style combining elements of gospel, jazz, traditional blues, rock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop singing; many black artists even developed doo-wop sounds with harmony singing or falsetto singing at this time that popularized this new form. These artists popularized R&B among a wider audience than before – helping spread its popularity beyond its initial homegrown roots!
As the genre developed, it quickly became a mainstay of popular music and widely adopted by white audiences. In the late 80s and 90s, a subgenre of contemporary R&B known as Neo-soul emerged, drawing influence from smooth soul and hip hop styles; today considered one of contemporary R&B. Additionally, technology has had an effect on its production and distribution processes which further broadened this subgenre’s scope.
Modern R&B music is often characterized by synthesizer-driven sounds and strong bass lines, with lyrics focused on romance or emotional expression. Recently, however, R&B has expanded further by including elements from other genres like rapping and disco; some artists even incorporate this form into their work, creating what has come to be known as new jack swing.
R&B music can be defined in several ways; three key characteristics that define it include vocals, rhythm and atmosphere. R&B can encompass a broad variety of rhythmic styles from blues shuffles to modified boogie-woogie and syncopated variations on eight-beat rhythm patterns that define rock ‘n’ roll music; its atmosphere often features slow ballads associated with romantic themes.
Soul
Soul music emerged from rhythm and blues music during the 1950s. Influenced by gospel, its deep emotional undercurrent was made popular during the Civil Rights Movement’s increased acceptance of black culture; legendary artists like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Otis Redding gained widespread renown through their music and became cultural icons that used it to address social issues such as race equality while inspiring future generations of artists.
Soul music is defined by soulful vocal performances and live instrumentation with drums, percussions, guitars and keyboards often found at performances. Lyrically it focuses on themes related to love, spirituality and personal growth with subject matter drawn from African American history and culture as well as elements from pop, rock, disco and jazz genres.
Detroit (Motown) style soul can be defined as a mix of R&B and gospel music; Detroit/Southern soul is driving and energetic; Memphis soul boasts rich harmonic sounds while Philadelphia soul features doo-wop vocals with lush orchestral accompaniment; while other styles such as psychedelic soul are composed of elements from soul music mixed with psychedelic rock; blue-eyed soul refers to soul performed by white artists while British soul places emphasis on traditional folk instruments.
Soul music remains an influential and essential genre in contemporary music scene, influencing genres such as hip hop and funk with its influence evident across multiple subgenres such as go-go dancers and b-boys.
Soul music’s evolution has resulted in two distinct genres: neo soul and alternative R&B. Neo soul is a contemporary version of R&B with smooth vocals and sensual beats; its influence can be heard today’s music. Alternative R&B, on the other hand, uses electronic and acoustic instruments to produce moody beats, used by artists such as Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) and Frank Ocean to explore topics such as depression and heartbreak through music.
Crunk
R&B music has evolved through the years into various styles. Artists such as Beyonce (formerly of Destiny’s Child), Usher, and Mariah Carey blend contemporary R&B with different genres such as blues, rap, and funk for an irresistibly fresh sound that appeals to a broad range of listeners.
R&B music is defined by rhythmic beats and soulful melodies that resonate emotionally, featuring lyrics about love, loss and heartache. These slow mellow songs may also incorporate jazz or gospel influences. R&B was first popularized after World War II when African American musicians began performing an amalgam of blues and jazz music at clubs and juke joints; artists utilized techniques such as melismas or vocal runs to express emotions more vividly.
R&B emerged largely in urban areas due to the Great Migration, when many African Americans moved from rural southern towns into major cities for better opportunities. They brought with them a rich culture that greatly influenced R&B; musicians with roots in church music or African-American gospel began performing it publicly in these cities; these performers combined traditional jazz, ragtime, and blues styles into an eclectic sound which later evolved into R&B music.
Timbaland began producing R&B with an innovative syncopated production style known as crunk in the late 90s, inspiring artists such as Ciara, Ginuwine and Missy Elliott. Modern R&B has also seen an evolution away from guitar-heavy R&B towards smooth dance club sounds; artists such as Mariah Carey and Usher have made strides within this genre through collaborations with rappers and electronic producers to craft unique sounds.
Although R&B has evolved significantly throughout its existence, its roots still run deep. It gained significant momentum during the 1950s as white teenagers purchased R&B albums, increasing interest and fueling its expansion. R&B can range from soft ballads by Billie Holiday to hard funk beats by The Rolling Stones; its influences can also span genres outside R&B altogether.