Rhythm and blues is a genre that has captivated generations with its soulful sound, evolving into what we know today as R&B.
While today’s youth may recognize R&B artists like SZA, Brent Faiyaz and Giveon, the classic R&B sound leaned toward jazz-rock rather than the hip-hop and electronic influences in contemporary R&B. The gap between classic and modern R&B becomes evident when comparing early soul singers to those from the last decade. Over the years, this genre has evolved and maintained its popularity despite these changes.
Classic R&B reigned from the 1940s to the late 1970s, while the contemporary style began developing in the 1980s and continues to this day.
According to MRC Data and Billboard, “Over 30% of all on-demand audio and video streams in the United States last year [2021] were of tracks recorded by R&B and hip-hop artists.”
Although this data was recorded in 2021, R&B remains one of the most popular genres alongside pop music.
Hector Jimenez, assistant professor of music, attributes the genre’s popularity to its relatability.
“Because it’s raw and authentic, and it is always centered around love, which is universal. Everybody has a relationship experience. Everybody knows what it feels like to love somebody, or to be hurt by somebody, or to have a relationship fall apart. And so yeah, R&B is always about that, and it will never get old. It will never go away. It’s a universal theme that people will always resonate with,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez added that R&B soul is his favorite subgenre of R&B.
“There’s a bit more of a nod to the live performance element and the traditional R&B elements, like live drums and more live vocal expression,” Jimenez said.
While R&B has evolved over the years, this change is something that Rhema Vincent, senior music major, doesn’t favor. Vincent believes the genre should stay true to rhythm and blues.
“I think the biggest thing that is missing is the state of being genuine in your music. And I think that’s what I plan on bringing back. I wouldn’t say it’s completely gone, but I think it’s like the intimate feeling of listening to a song and being like, I know what she felt when she wrote this song,” Vincent said. “I think what makes it R&B is the rhythm and blues.”
R&B has come a long way, as have many genres, evolving from the 1940s to today. The most notable artists now include SZA, Brent Faiyaz and Giveon, while artists like Babyface, Mary J. Blige, and the widely known Aretha Franklin have all shaped R&B with their own styles.
Christian Edwards, senior studio production major, has witnessed R&B’s adaptability, seeing it blend with other sounds to create new music.
“For me, as an engineer, most of the work I do, as far as recording, I’m open to a lot of different styles. It just happens to be that one of my favorites is R&B, but I’m always open to new ideas, to somebody taking certain parts of R&B sounds,” Edwards said. “just being able to intertwine those things and have fun and be creative.”
While Edwards enjoys the creative freedom within R&B, he also believes the genre’s deep origins should be valued.
“There’s so many people who don’t know it or don’t really cherish it, in my opinion, the way I kind of feel like it should be cherished. So, that’s one thing that I’m always looking for whenever I’m creating is, okay, if it’s R&B, how do I make sure that the foundation of R&B is from jazz, soul, blues—that it still has that sonic feeling,” Edwards said, adding that he wants people to feel, “it kind of struck me emotionally.”
R&B’s evolution is no secret to those in music. As it continues to change, new creations emerge under the R&B umbrella and its many subgenres.
“There’s so many different sounds. And I think, you know, when you define R&B, there’s so many types of sounds and different styles. So it’s definitely grown as far as, you know, your styles and the way so many artists approach R&B,” Edwards said.
Through its changes and collaborations with other genres, R&B remains loved by the majority in the United States.
“That’s why a lot of people love it. It’s deep, it’s intimate, it’s personal,” Edwards said.
