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The Ultimate Guide to Contemporary R&B

2014年 Mar 27日 Thursday, 13:49

Introduction - What is Contemporary R&B?

Is there any other genre as misleading and as badly defined as Contemporary R&B? (except for Smooth Jazz).

- Ask your friend or neighbor what they think of Contemporary R&B and chances he/she will say that it is nothing but "commercial music for the clubs with lots of naked chicks, bling bling and luxury/alcohol brands in the videos".

- Ask your parents and they will probably tell you it has nothing to do with the real R&B.

- Ask a stranger in the street about which Contemporary R&B they are aware of and I can bet they'll tell something like "Rihanna, Chris Brown, Jason Derülo, The Black Eyed Peas, Flo Rida, Pitbull, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber" or maybe even "David Guetta or Lady Gaga"… :/ In other words, a mix of pop, hip-hop and dance.

A few years ago, the answer would have been pop-rappers such as Nelly or Ja Rule or people like Akon, Sean Paul and Jennifer Lopez. So Contemporary R&B would be a term encompassing artists coming from pop, dance, hip-hop and dancehall alike. Interesting but…

…well, all of them have a very biased definition of what Contemporary R&B is, or at least was supposed to be. The worst thing is all these artists are broadcasted by so-called "urban medias" such as BET or MTV Base and promoted most of the time as being R&B artists (I highly doubt Pitbull is but Rihanna is promoted as one for sure).

And most of the time, artists who really used to do R&B now have turned to pop or dance such as Usher or Kelis. Chris Brown started his career by doing R&B -mainstream, commercial R&B, that is- but it just adds up to the confusion that the same artist did "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)", which is a real R&B song AND the dance track "Beautiful People", produced by Italian eurodance hitmaker Benny Benassi.

Same for Ne-Yo who is very able to do R&B but also happens to do straightforward dance tracks such as "Beautiful Monster". Same for Usher with "Scream". The list could go on and on. Contemporary R&B used to be cannibalized by hip-hop yesterday, today it has been totally swallowed by (euro)dance.

If your father is a huge fan of Little Richard or Fats Domino, he might tell you that "U Remind Me" was not exactly R&B either. And he'd be both right and wrong. Right because, for sure, Usher is nowhere near of being the new Fats Domino. Wrong because contemporary R&B has to be seen like a very broad term, with a long history and a vast array of influences coming from classic forms of R&B.

Not sure if contemporary R&B relies a lot on the original form of R&B represented by the aforementioned artists but both are part of the same history. Of course, the link between Fats Domino and Usher would be a very indirect one but still, they would still be at the end of the day, respectively at the beginning and at the "end" (at least, by today's standpoint) of the same line.

So what would be an accurate definition of contemporary R&B? I would not define contemporary R&B as a genre but as a group encompassing many genres or a vision quite distinct from the traditional definition of (classic) R&B. Roughly speaking, contemporary R&B is defined by the use of synthetizers, drum machines and other electronic devices (such as talkbox, vocoder or… nowadays, Auto-Tune) and is much less organic than its classic counterpart.

What this guide is all about

So in this "guide", you will find all the elements to help you to have a clearer vision of what is and what is not Contemporary R&B (also called Urban R&B). I will classify albums chronologically, by genres/eras (with only 6 albums per genre/era, very tough job!). The albums selected are albums that I think are of a high standard of quality but they need also to be representative of their eras. Another condition is to select only one album per artist in the whole list.

However, I will not deal with jazz, hip-hop, reggae or house music, even if all these genres entail heavy R&B and soul influences. Even the most R&B-oriented versions of these genres. I will not deal either with the Retro Soul trend of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and the likes because it's just a revival of a very traditional form of R&B, taking away all the influences of contemporary R&B, so it would not be relevant. One condition: all of these albums have to be available on Spotify so you can listen to them easily.

——– MID 70's => EARLY 80's ——–

The origins: Disco-Funk and Smooth Soul

It's very tricky to decide when classic R&B ends and when contemporary R&B starts. Let's consider this as the prequel to contemporary R&B, when the sound started to be smoother and with the first use of synthetizers and a slicker production.

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Smokey Robinson - A Quiet Storm (1975)
This is where the Quiet Storm term stems from. This album is considered to be the origin of the Quiet Storm genre which will become very popular in the 80's.
Listen: Quiet Storm

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Rufus - Ask Rufus (1977)
Listen: At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)

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A Taste of Honey - A Taste of Honey (1978)
This album can be seen as a bridge between disco-funk and boogie funk.
Listen: Boogie Oogie Oogie

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Michael Jackson - Off The Wall (1979)
Listen: Rock With You

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Chic - Risqué (1979)
Listen: My Forbidden Lover

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Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly - Joy and Pain (1980)
Listen: Joy and Pain

——– LATE 70's => EARLY 90's ——–

Boogie Funk

Funk departed from disco and evolved into an edgier, more muscular kind of funk, with tons of glitzy synth layers and a big, loud thumping electric bass instead of violins and sophisticated orchestration. It's often dubbed post-disco.

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The Gap Band - Gap Band I (1979)
The Gap Band have had a tremendous impact on the creation of the new jack swing genre. Not only have they been sampled by many artists, including Blackstreet, but the lead singer Charlie Wilson has earned a successful solo career by working with contemporary R&B masterminds such as R. Kelly.
Listen: Shake

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Zapp - Zapp (1980)
Drawing heavily from the P-funk sound, Zapp and particularly his frontleader Roger Troutman introduced the world to the Talkbox device, which would become a staple in the New Jack Swing era… and the ancestor of Auto-Tune. He would also help 2Pac heralding his biggest hit, "California Love" by lending his vocals.
Listen: More Bounce To The Ounce

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Teena Marie - It Must Be Magic (1981)
Listen: It Must Be Magic

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Rick James - Street Songs (1982)
Rick James had his "Super Freak" sampled by MC Hammer (yes, "U Can't Touch This"). His unique blend of boogie funk, P-funk, soul and rock proved also to be a huge influence on Prince (although the latter was influenced by his earlier work, as Prince was already getting famous at the time).
Listen: Give It To Me Baby

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Mtume - Juicy Fruit (1982)
Listen: Juicy Fruit

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Cameo - Word Up! (1986)
Listen: Candy

Quiet Storm

Quiet Storm can be seen as either the contemporary/urban version of the smooth soul of Al Green and the likes, Philly Soul and Chicago soul singers, as the R&B answer to adult contemporary and soft rock or as the vocal counterpart of smooth jazz. It's an adult style characterized by smooth vocals, jazzy production (often with contribution by jazz fusion/smooth jazz musicians), a late-night, elegant, chic and ultimately sexy atmosphere and romantic lyrics. It became a staple of the urban radio in the 80's (including the famous late-night radio program "The Quiet Storm" featuring slow jams). The term originated from Smokey Robinson's 1975 album A Quiet Storm, who is supposed to have laid the ground for the genre.

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Teddy Pendergrass - TP (1980)
Listen: Love T.K.O.

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Marvin Gaye - Midnight Love (1982)
Listen: 'Til Tomorrow

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The Isley Brothers - Between The Sheets (1983)
Listen: Between The Sheets

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Sade - Diamond Life (1984)
Listen: Your Love Is King

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Luther Vandross - The Night I Fell in Love (1985)
Listen: If Only For One Night

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Anita Baker - Rapture (1986)
Listen: Sweet Love

Urban Pop

Urban pop is R&B's very own take on mainstream pop music of the era, whether it is aimed at a young or adult audience. Indeed, dance-pop artists like Madonna get their R&B equivalents with the likes of Janet Jackson while divas like Whitney Houston rely on the MOR tradition of -say- Barbra Streisand, adding a soulful side to it but not to the extent of Anita Baker's more authentic quiet storm. Prince's music can be seen as a form of rock-oriented R&B while artists like Lionel Richie or Billy Ocean remind the listener of the soft rock brand of Christopher Cross, for instance. Urban pop can be defined both ways: either as pop-oriented R&B or a more soulful, funky and R&B-oriented version of the 80's pop sound. Urban pop is aimed at both black and white audiences/radios (in the same way Motown did back in the day). It's nothing but a crossover, radio-friendly, undemanding style.

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Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down (1983)
Listen: All Night Long (All Night)

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Stacy Lattisaw - Sixteen (1983)

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Prince - Purple Rain (1984)
Listen: Purple Rain

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Billy Ocean - Suddenly (1984)
Listen: Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)

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Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (1985)
Listen: Saving All My Love For You

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Janet Jackson - Control (1986)
Listen: What Have You Done for Me Lately

New Jack Swing

Largely penned by people like Teddy Riley, Babyface or Keith Sweat, New Jack Swing, while an exceptionally ephemeral trend (ranging from late 80's to early 90's), proved to be hugely influential on post-hip-hop urban R&B. It resulted in a backlash against the overly pop-oriented R&B of that time, epitomized by urban pop's heyday (very similarly to the disco => boogie funk transition). While urban pop was as white as it was black, New Jack Swing wanted to put R&B closer to its black roots, delving into soul, gospel, boogie funk and adding for the first time a healthy dose of hip-hop into the mix. It was not the first time R&B and hip-hop met though, as some hits such as Chaka Khan's cover of Prince's "I Feel For You" incorporated rhymes from rapper Melle Mel (in 1984). But this time it was not merely a juxtaposition of both genres but a real fusion of them. It's the first genre of R&B hip-hop-wise (another way to put it: street-wise R&B), paving the way for hip-hop-soul and later neo-soul… and even, ironically, 90's version of urban pop. This is a genre heavily influenced by boogie funk - particularly The Gap Band - as well as by quiet storm (new jack swing ballads can be qualified as such)… using the loud beats of hip-hop, samples plus its visual imagery. Virtually every R&B artist at that era tried new jack swing (including Michael Jackson). But more significantly, a lot of new jack swing pioneers became tremendous contemporary R&B stars, like R. Kelly. From that time onwards, contemporary R&B and hip-hop would become very difficult to dissociate, as it's still the case today.

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Guy - Guy (1988)
Listen: Teddy's Jam

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Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel (1988)
Listen: Don't Be Cruel

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Keith Sweat - I'll Give All My Love to You (1990)

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Boyz II Men - Cooleyhighharmony (1991)
Listen: Motownphilly

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SWV - It's About Time (1992)
Listen: Right Here (Human Nature Radio Mix)

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R. Kelly - 12 Play (1993)
Listen: Bump N' Grind

Acid jazz

A strictly British affair, acid jazz was much less hip-hop-infused than new jack swing but relied instead on a more electronica/dance/club approach as well as more vintage, 70's influences. It's heavily influenced by jazz-funk and can sometimes be instrumental yet it's more a R&B subgenre than a jazz one. Its heyday was short-lived but this genre still has a lot of devoted fans and its artists and bands still record music in that style today.

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Soul II Soul - Keep On Movin' (1989)

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Omar - There's Nothing Like This (1990)
Listen: There's Nothing Like This

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The Brand New Heavies - The Brand New Heavies (1992)
Listen: Dream Come True

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Incognito - Positivity (1994)

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Jamiroquai - The Return of the Space Cowboy (1994)
Listen: Space Cowboy

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Down To The Bone - From Manhattan to Staten (1997)

——– MID 90's => EARLY 00's ——–

Hip hop soul

Hip hop soul is the direct child of new jack swing. Its hip-hop beats may be more subdued but its mixture of upbeat funky numbers and sexy quiet storm slow jams still remain the defining element, although hip hop soul might be slighty more ballad-heavy and confessional at times, in the wake of Mary J. Blige's early recordings - aka the "Queen of Hip Hop Soul". Teddy Riley declared himself that new jack swing was dead with the release of Blackstreet's debut (a group he's part of). Hip Hop Soul was sometimes dubbed Heavy R&B as well.

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Mary J. Blige - What's the 411? (1992)

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En Vogue - Funky Divas (1992)

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Blackstreet - Blackstreet (1994)

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Zhané - Pronounced Jah-Nay (1994)

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Next - Rated Next (1997)

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Montell Jordan - Let's Ride (1998)

Neo-soul

Neo-soul took a whole different approach, claiming to be an alternative to the new jack swing/hip hop soul's domination of R&B at that time. From these genres, it took the hip-hop beats and production, including the use of samples. But neo-soul, somewhat a post-modern movement, wanted to reconnect with the more organic, vintage sound of 70's soul (and sometimes, in a lesser extent, jazz). While new jack swing and hip hop soul took the continuity of 80's R&B, neo-soul dug farther. More Sly & The Family Stone than Luther Vandross, more Curtis Mayfield than The Gap Band. More 70's Marvin or 70's Stevie than 80's Marvin or 80's Stevie. More Fender Rhodes or Hammond Organ than synthetizers. Well, you get the picture. Simply said, it relied on the techniques of contemporary R&B but overlooked its influence.

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D'Angelo - Brown Sugar (1995)

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Maxwell - Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (1996)

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Erykah Badu - Baduizm (1997)

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Rahsaan Patterson - Rahsaan Patterson (1997)

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Lynden David Hall - Medicine 4 My Pain (1997)

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Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

adult contemporary R&B (new wave of Quiet Storm)

Quiet Storm never died and found many practitioners among new jack swing and hip hop soul artists. But while the aforementioned artists aimed younger audiences, there was still a market for artists totally dedicated to the adult romance. Hence adult contemporary R&B was quiet storm with a new name. It's a resurgence of a generation of artists largely (if not entirely) devoted to the art of ballads. These artists had much less rap cameos or uptempo tracks than their peers, although they're often associated with the artists from the hip hop soul genre. With many successful ballads penned for the biggest R&B and pop stars, Babyface sums up the genre more than anyone else.

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Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton (1993)

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Babyface - The Day (1996)

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Brian McKnight - Back At One (1999)

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Eric Benét - A Day In The Life (1999)

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Chico DeBarge - The Game (1999)

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Donell Jones - Where I Wanna Be (1999)

2nd wave of urban pop

By the late 90's and early 00's, the frontier between mainstream R&B and mainstream pop became very fuzzy, as the result of a crosspolination between both genres. Teen pop artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera or *NSYNC injected a strong urban flavor into their pop by using R&B producers like, for instance, Rodney Jerkins. The same happened the other way round, when R&B artists use some pop famous songwriters like Diane Warren in order to gain a broader acceptance on the "white" adult contemporary market. One trivia might explain it more than a long speech: Britney Spears' debut smash hit "Baby One More Time" was initially written with TLC in mind… And look at how TLC sounded different (i.e. more pop-oriented) with FanMail compared to their previous - strictly hip hop soul affair - CrazySexyCool. The Timbaland-produced hip hop soul followed the urban pop road as well, but the creative process remained intact and even dug deeper into the left-field areas of oriental-tinged R&B, most notably with Aaliyah's eponymous ultimate album before her passing. Just as much adventurous was Kelis and her debut album, produced by The Neptunes. Urban pop from that era combined musical creativity with radio-friendly hooks, often to the greatest effect.

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TLC - FanMail (1999)

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Kelis - Kaleidoscope (1999)

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Destiny's Child - The Writing's on the Wall (1999)

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702 - 702 (1999)

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Aaliyah - Aaliyah (2001)

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Usher - 8701 (2001)

——– MID 00's => TODAY ——–

contemporary R&B and soul

By the 00's, the distinction between hip hop soul, neo-soul and adult contemporary R&B became highly obsolete. It's not that false to claim that all these three genres become one and the same. Alicia Keys embodied that change with tracks relying on both of those three genres. Whether it is artists coming from these formerly defined genres or newcomers such as Alicia Keys, artists representing contemporary R&B/soul offered a soulful, adult alternative to urban pop of the day. Unlike urban pop, contemporary R&B/soul emphasized melodies over production, influences from 70's, 80's and 90's soul over electronica/avant-garde effects of the likes of Timbaland and The Neptunes.

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Alicia Keys - Songs In A Minor (2001)

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Floetry - Floetic (2002)

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Musiq Soulchild - Juslisen (2002)

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Anthony Hamilton - Comin' from Where I'm From (2003)

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Jill Scott - Beautifully Human: Words and Sounds, Vol. 2 (2004)

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Teedra Moses - Complex Simplicity (2004)

3rd wave of urban pop

Similarly to late 90's urban pop, the urban pop of this decade was very difficult to dissociate from the mainstream pop of the era. Justin Timberlake, formerly a member of the pop boy band *NSYNC, became one of the very prominent figures of 00's urban pop. Even more than in the 90's, urban pop and mainstream pop became almost synonyms since one of the most successful stars of that decade was R&B singer Beyoncé. Urban pop almost became the new pop, sometimes to the extent of losing its urban specificity… (Beyoncé's unabashedly pop ballad If I Were A Boy is a perfect example).

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Justin Timberlake - Justified (2002)

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Ms. Dynamite - A Little Deeper (2002)

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Beyoncé - Dangerously in Love (2003)

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Brandy - Afrodisiac (2004)

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Ne-Yo - Because of You (2007)

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Solange - Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams (2008)

progressive soul and future grooves

Influenced by electronica, p-funk, boogie funk, abstract hip-hop, house music, psychedelia, dubstep and free jazz, the late 00's saw a new generation of state-of-the-art, experimental R&B artists which refused to belong solely to the urban category. Sometimes called alternative R&B, this trend can be found as well in the mainstream thanks to R&B artists such as The-Dream (some of Usher's work like "Climax" could be included too). Its structure is often quite spacy, ethereal, deconstructed and left-field, more melodically impressionist than descriptive. The artists associated sometimes cultivate a very eccentric, uncommon visual image such as Janelle Monáe, reminiscent of the free jazz era masters Sun Ra or Pharoah Sanders.