What is R&B? Defining the Ultimate Genre

When it comes to recorded music, few genres are as influential, as enduring, and as cool as R&B. The genre is beloved for characteristics such as soulful vocals, catchy melodies, polished production, relatable lyrics, and more. Many of the world’s best-selling artists, including Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Beyoncé are either R&B artists or have major hits that feature R&B sounds. It’s worth asking the question, “What is R&B?” and exploring it as the ultimate genre of music.

Exploring the Genre

In order to define R&B, it’s important to take a look at the name. “R&B” stands for rhythm and blues, providing insight into the genre’s origin and characteristic sounds. R&B originated in the 1940s, among communities of Black Americans. R&B combines elements of older styles such as blues, jazz, and gospel. While the term was originally used as a catch-all phrase for music created by and marketed toward Black Americans, it has come to define a style of music that features the following elements:

• Soulful vocals: Many R&B singers are known for having soulful voices that are strong, resonant, and full of emotion.
• Relatable themes and lyrics: R&B songs often include themes and lyrics that many listeners connect to, including love, friendship, family, and everyday life. Many classic R&B songs also cover themes such as civil rights, social topics, and faith, making them relatable to diverse audiences.
• Catchy melodies: R&B songs often have melodies that are not only easy to learn but get stuck in your head as well. Sometimes these melodies are paired with phrases that become so popular that they become a part of the cultural zeitgeist or public lexicon (e.g., “Put a ring on it.”)
• Danceable rhythms: Regardless of the speed or tempo of the song, R&B songs tend to have rhythms or beats that inspire you to get up and move. When it’s time to get up and get down, R&B classics such as Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration” and Earth Wind & Fire’s “September” can be found on almost any dance playlist.
• Diverse sounds: Within the genre, there are many different sounds and subgenres. There’s R&B music to suit every mood and moment.

These are just a few of the essential qualities of R&B that have helped make it a popular and lasting style of music.

Examining the History

The earliest iterations of R&B date back to the early 1940s, when it was referred to as “race music,” indicating its popularity among Black Americans. This early form of R&B was a mixture of blues, jazz, and gospel genres that lent R&B its soulful vocalizing, danceable rhythms, and harmonies. Record producer Jerry Wexler coined the term “rhythm and blues” by the end of the decade, intending it to appeal to a wider audience than “race music.”

1950s-1960s

Over the next decade, R&B quickly developed a following across racial lines. During the 1950s, artists such as Ray Charles, Little Richard, and James Brown rose to prominence, becoming mainstream. They helped make R&B popular, introducing it to wider audiences. 

The 1960s ushered in a new era in R&B with the emergence of soul music. Distinctive for its implementation of soulful vocals, emotional lyrics, and lush orchestrations, soul music would go on to produce some of the most iconic and influential R&B music of all time. This decade saw the introduction of Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, considered by many to be the greatest singer of all time. This decade also saw the rise of Motown, a record label that is credited with the integration of pop music thanks to its roster of successful crossover acts, including The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Temptations, and the Jackson 5.

1970s

Following the 1970s, two sub-genres of R&B dominated culture, namely funk and disco. Funk artists such as James Brown, Earth Wind & Fire, and Parliament-Funkadelic took R&B to new levels with innovative rhythms, funky bass lines, and theatrical elements. Disco acts such as Donna Summer, Chic, and Gloria Gaynor provided the soundtrack to discotheques and nightclubs with high-energy, upbeat tunes that would serve as the foundation for future dance genres, such as house and techno music. 

1980s and Beyond

With the 1980s came the ascension of Michael Jackson, one of the world’s most successful artists, widely known as the King of Pop. His 1982 album “Thriller” blended traditional R&B with funk, rock, and pop, to yield iconic songs such as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Thriller,” “Human Nature,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” “The Girl Is Mine,” and “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing),” all of which hit the Billboard Hot 100 top 10. This album would go on to sell 32 million albums, making it the best-selling album of all time.

R&B continued to dominate the charts and radio, introducing a slew of artists who would become standard bearers of the genre, including Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Luther Vandross, and Anita Baker. The use of synthesizers, drum machines, and high-production techniques gave rise to newer styles of R&B, particularly new jack swing. New jack swing artists such as Teddy Riley and Bobby Brown melded elements of hip-hop and funk, introducing a new and danceable sound that was popular with audiences.

Contemporary R&B also began to come to the fore in the 1980s, emerging as the most dominant style of R&B. Smooth production styles, lush vocal arrangements, and more sophisticated instrumentations became more widespread in R&B. Many R&B heavyweights continued their pop culture dominance into the 1990s, but new talents came on the scene, including Mariah Carey, TLC, Toni Braxton, and Mary J. Blige, dubbed the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.” Younger artists such as Usher, Brandy, Alicia Keys, and Beyonce incorporated elements of hip-hop, electronic music, and pop, expanding R&B’s stylistic sounds and reach into the 2000s and today.

Breaking It Down

R&B has many subgenres, several of which were prominent during a particular time period, such as soul, funk, disco, and new jack swing, among others. R&B has birthed other subgenres and styles that have enjoyed popularity and crossover impact, such as the following:

• Neo Soul: Neo Soul is a style of R&B that emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is characterized by its soulful vocals, hip-hop beats, and jazzy instrumentation. Neo Soul artists such as Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, Jill Scott, and D'Angelo are considered to be pioneers of the genre. Neo Soul was also noted for having a retro approach, reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s, combined with modern production techniques.
• Alternative R&B: Alternative R&B is a broad term commonly used to refer to various styles of R&B that exist outside of the mainstream. Artists in this lane tend to experiment with different sounds and styles, expanding the boundaries of the genre. Prominent alternative R&B artists include Frank Ocean, Solange, and The Weeknd, acclaimed for their groundbreaking approaches to songwriting, production, singing, and album concepts.
• Gospel R&B: Gospel R&B is a style of R&B that incorporates elements of gospel music. Sometimes called contemporary gospel, this flavor of R&B merges themes of faith and spirituality with contemporary R&B approaches to songwriting, production, and instrumentation. Notable gospel R&B artists include Kirk Franklin, Mary Mary, and Donnie McClurkin. Many of these artists' most popular songs were heard on the radio and at the club alongside hits from contemporary secular acts.

Analyzing the R&B Effect

Discussing what R&B is wouldn’t be complete without also exploring its influence on other styles of music. Artists such as Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and Prince have influenced many artists outside of R&B. They and others have collaborated with artists from other genres to create new and innovative sounds, including melding R&B with rock, funk, jazz, and other forms.

Some of the most notable impacts of R&B include these genres:

• Pop: R&B has had a major impact on pop music. It has influenced the sound of many pop songs, thanks to catchy melodies and danceable rhythms. Pop acts such as Adele, Justin Timberlake, and Pink have clear R&B influences throughout their music.
• Hip-hop: The marriage of hip-hop to R&B has provided the world with monster hits such as Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy,” Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love,” and TLC’s “Creep.” R&B also had a major impact on hip-hop music. Many hip-hop artists, such as Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Drake, have sampled R&B songs in their music. R&B has also influenced the way some rappers flow, including those who sometimes sing.
• Electronic music: R&B has also impacted electronic music. Many electronic music artists, such as Skrillex, Diplo, and Calvin Harris, have collaborated with R&B artists to create new and innovative sounds. Many electronic music production elements, including synths, beats, and vocal effects, were inspired by R&B.

Today, R&B music continues to be a very popular genre of music with audiences from around the world.  From soul legends like Stevie Wonder to modern faves like Rihanna and Bruno Mars, you can hear and feel the impact of R&B. Go deeper by downloading digital sheet music of your favorite R&B songs from Musicnotes. Visit our site to learn (and play) more!

Sources:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists
• https://www.statista.com/statistics/1356944/greatest-singers-of-all-time-rolling-stone/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motown
• https://www.musicradar.com/news/the-10-greatest-synthesizers-of-all-time-the-machines-that-changed-music
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thriller_(album)