As a radio format that prized legacy artists plays more acts in their 20s and 30s, staples of the genre face intense competition. By Elias Leight In March, the singer Maeta hit No. 1 on Billboard’s ...

Host Erykah Badu attends the 2016 Soul Train Music Awards at the Orleans Arena on November 6, 2016 in Las Vegas. The combination of rhythm and blues spurred the development of the culture and genre ...

This week, Jacquees anointed himself the undisputed ruler of R&B— and all hell broke loose. “I just wanna let everybody know that I’m the king of R&B right now, for this generation,” said the ...

Before crossing over into the more commercial “contemporary” sound of keyboards, synths, and the bass-and-drum pop of the 1980s with the likes of Stephanie Mills, Debarge, and Al B. Sure, 1970s R&B ...

Welcome to The State of R&B, ESSENCE's look at the past, present and future of rhythm and blues. In this piece, writer Jaelani Turner-Williams addresses claims that today's R&B is too sexual. R&B’s ...

Billboard's R&B/hip-hop team reveals the talented players who made major impressions this year. ‘Tis the season again: to make a list, check it twice (and a couple more times for good measure) and ...

For many decades, going as far back as the 1940s, artists from the world of R&B couldn’t really claim mainstream success until they’d crossed over to Top 40 radio and the pop charts. This century, it ...

But '90s R&B connoisseurs know that the song's ultimate expression of ecstasy/comedy comes at 2:37, with the triumphant “YOUYOUYOUYOU” chorus. It is the epitome of everything awesome and hilarious and ...

Love can be a good thing, but unfortunately, there are times when partners betray their loved ones. When a partner cheats on their lover, the trust between them is typically broken and they come to a ...

The smoothest, strongest jams of the decade, and the visual accompaniments that went with them— these are the Best R&B Videos of the '90s.