Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences, first performed by African American artists. It is now performed worldwide by people of many cultures and ethnic groups.
| Rhythm and Blues (R&B) | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Jazz • Blues • Jump blues • Gospel • Electric blues |
| Cultural origins | 1940s; United States |
| Typical instruments | Drum kit • Double bass • Saxophone • Horns • Piano - Organ • Electric guitar • Vocals • Background vocalists |
| Derivative forms | Soul • Funk • Doo-wop • Hip hop • Ska • Rocksteady • Reggae • Rock and roll • Punk rock • Electro • Post-disco • Urban • Hard bop |
| Subgenres | |
| Contemporary R&B • Smooth R&B • Slow jam • Neo soul • Hip hop soul | |
| Fusion genres | |
| Juke Joint blues • rockabilly | |
| Local scenes | |
| New Orleans R&B | |
| Other topics | |
| List of R&B musicians | |
Contemporary R&B
During the 1980s, James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone had used parts of psychedelic rock and other styles in their music. Funk became a big part of disco music. In the early 1980s, funk and soul had become sultry and more sexual with the work of Prince and others. The modern style of contemporary R&B came to be a major part of American popular music.
R&B today defines a style of African-American music. It combines elements of soul music, funk music, pop music, and (after 1986) hip hop in what is now called contemporary R&B.
It is sometimes called "urban contemporary" or "urban pop".
R&B in the 2000s
By the 2000s, the only big difference between a record being a hip hop record or an R&B record is whether its vocals are rapped or sung. R&B started to focus more on solo artists than groups. By 2005, the most famous R&B artists include Usher, Beyoncé (formerly of Destiny's Child), Ashanti, and Mariah Carey.
Soulful R&B continues to be popular, with artists such as Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, John Legend, and Toni Braxton. Some R&B singers have used parts of Caribbean music in their work.