View source for Contemporary R&B

{{Short description|Rhythm and blues music genre}}
{{For|the parent genre|Rhythm and blues}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox music genre
| name              = Contemporary R&B
| stylistic_origins = {{hlist|[[Rhythm and blues]]|[[Pop music|pop]]|[[Soul music|soul]]|[[funk]]|[[Hip-hop|hip hop]]|[[Electronic music|electronic]]}}
| cultural_origins  = Late 1970s and early 1980s, [[North America]]
| derivatives       = {{hlist|[[Neo soul]]|[[nu-funk]]|[[2-step garage|2-step]]|[[alternative R&B]]|[[afroswing]]}}
| subgenres         = {{hlist|[[Hip-hop soul]]|[[RnBass]]}}
| fusiongenres      = {{hlist|[[Crunk&B]]|[[Latin R&B]]|[[new jack swing]]|[[pluggnb]]|[[raï'n'B]]|[[Grime (music genre)#Rhythm & grime|rhythm & grime]]|[[snap&B]]}}
| other_topics      = 
}}
'''Contemporary R&B''' (or simply '''R&B''') is a [[popular music]] [[Music genre|genre]], originating from [[African Americans|African-American]] musicians in the 1970s that combines [[rhythm and blues]] with elements of [[Pop music|pop]], [[Soul music|soul]], [[funk]], [[Hip-hop|hip hop]], and [[electronic music]].

The genre features a distinctive [[Record producer|record production]] style and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. [[Electronic music|Electronic]] influences and the use of hip hop or [[electronic dance music|dance]]-inspired [[beat (music)|beats]] are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop may be reduced and smoothed out. Contemporary R&B vocalists often use [[melisma]], and since the mid-1980s, R&B rhythms have been combined with elements of hip hop culture and music, pop culture and pop music.

==Precursors==
According to [[Geoffrey Himes]] speaking in 1989, the [[progressive soul]] movement of the early 1970s "expanded the musical and lyrical boundaries of [R&B] in ways that haven't been equaled since". This movement was led by soul singers, songwriters and producers such as [[Curtis Mayfield]], [[Marvin Gaye]], and [[Stevie Wonder]].<ref>{{cite news|first= Geoffrey |last= Himes |title= Curtis Mayfield |newspaper= [[The Washington Post]] |date= August 29, 1989 |access-date= February 1, 2021 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1989/08/29/curtis-mayfield/3256d94e-05a3-4c63-aaf9-58b7a563aab3/ |archive-date= March 29, 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210329042750/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1989/08/29/curtis-mayfield/3256d94e-05a3-4c63-aaf9-58b7a563aab3/ |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Norman Whitfield]]'s productions at [[Motown]], the record label of Gaye, were also pioneering for setting the soul vocals and simple [[hook (music)|hooks]] of earlier [[rhythm and blues]] records against strong [[backbeat]]s, vocal harmonies, and orchestral sounds, all of which thickened the [[texture (music)|texture]] of the music. Gaye's own music on albums such as ''[[What's Going On (Marvin Gaye album)|What's Going On]]'' (1971) incorporated [[jazz]] influences that led the genre into a looser musical direction.<ref name="circ"/>

The nearest precursor to contemporary R&B came at the end of the [[disco]] era in the late 1970s, when [[Michael Jackson]] and [[Quincy Jones]] added more electronic elements to the sound of the time, creating a smoother dancefloor-friendly style.<ref name="circ">{{cite web|first= David |last= Ward |title= R&B and Influence: The Producer as Ephebe |work= Circulation Mag |date= November 2011 |access-date= August 27, 2015 |url= http://www.circulation-mag.com/2011/11/rb-and-influence-the-producer-as-ephebe/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200728192100/http://www.circulation-mag.com/2011/11/rb-and-influence-the-producer-as-ephebe/ |archive-date= July 28, 2020}}</ref> The first result was ''[[Off the Wall]]'' (1979), which—according to [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] from [[AllMusic]]—"was a visionary album, that found a way to break disco wide open into a new world where the beat was undeniable, but not the primary focus" and "was part of a colorful tapestry of lush ballads and strings, smooth soul and pop, soft rock, and alluring funk".<ref>{{cite web|first= Stephen Thomas |last= Erlewine |author-link= Stephen Thomas Erlewine |title= Michael Jackson – Off the Wall |publisher= [[AllMusic]] |access-date= August 27, 2015 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/album/off-the-wall-mw0000190332 |url-status= live |archive-date= December 20, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151220235825/http://www.allmusic.com/album/off-the-wall-mw0000190332}}</ref>

Richard J. Ripani wrote that [[Janet Jackson]]'s ''[[Control (Janet Jackson album)|Control]]'' (1986) was "important to the development of R&B for several reasons", as she and her producers, [[Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis]], "crafted a new sound that fuses the rhythmic elements of funk and disco, along with heavy doses of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects, and a rap music sensibility."<ref name="The New Blue Music">{{cite book|first= Richard J. |last= Ripani |year= 2006 |title= The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950–1999 |publisher= [[University Press of Mississippi]] |pages= 130–155, 186–188 |isbn= 978-1-57806-862-3}}</ref> Ripani wrote that "the success of "Control" led to the incorporation of stylistic traits of rap over the next few years, and Janet Jackson was to continue to be one of the leaders in that development."<ref name="The New Blue Music"/> That same year, [[Teddy Riley]] began producing R&B recordings that included hip hop influences. This combination of R&B style and hip hop rhythms was termed "[[new jack swing]]" and was applied to artists such as [[Keith Sweat]], [[Bobby Brown]], [[Johnny Kemp]], and [[Bell Biv DeVoe]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Jason|last=Heller|title= New jack swing|date=30 September 2010|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|access-date=January 2, 2025|url=https://www.avclub.com/new-jack-swing-1798222079}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first= Kelley L. |last= Carter |title= 5 Things You Can Learn About ... New jack swing |newspaper= [[Chicago Tribune]] |date= 10 August 2008 |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/08/10/5-things-you-can-learn-about-3/ |archive-date= 7 May 2012 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120507075410/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-08-10/news/0808080318_1_new-edition-new-jack-city-swing}}</ref>

==1990s==
{{Multiple image
| image1            = Michael Jackson 1984.jpg
| image2            = Whitney Houston (cropped3).JPEG
| width1            = 163
| width2            = 174
| footer            = The [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) certified singers [[Michael Jackson]] and [[Whitney Houston]] as the two best-selling R&B artists of the 20th century.<ref>{{cite web|title= The American Recording Industry Announces its Artists of the Century |date= November 10, 1999 |publisher= [[Recording Industry Association of America]] |url= http://www.riaa.net/newsitem.php?news_month_filter=11&news_year_filter=1999&resultpage=&id=3ABF3EC8-EF5B-58F9-E949-3B57F5E313DF |url-status= dead |archive-date= July 24, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110724032619/http://www.riaa.net/newsitem.php?news_month_filter=11&news_year_filter=1999&resultpage=&id=3ABF3EC8-EF5B-58F9-E949-3B57F5E313DF}}</ref>
}}

[[Whitney Houston|Whitney Houston's]] ''[[The Bodyguard (soundtrack)|The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album]]'' (1992) eventually sold over 45 million copies worldwide becoming the best-selling soundtrack of all time.<ref>{{cite web|first= Brooklyne |last= Gipson |title= Adele's "21" Closing in on Billboard Charts Record |publisher= [[BET]] |date= January 26, 2012 |access-date= November 2, 2014 |url= https://www.bet.com/article/hi8ep2/adele-s-21-closing-in-on-billboard-charts-record |archive-date= January 23, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150123095647/http://www.bet.com/news/music/2012/01/26/adele-s-21-sets-new-records.html |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Janet Jackson]]'s self-titled fifth studio album ''[[Janet (album)|Janet]]'' (1993), which came after her multimillion-dollar contract with [[Virgin Records]], sold over 14 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Ashley G. |last= Terrell |title= Jimmy Jam on Janet Jackson's 2018 Billboard Icon Award: It's "Overdue" |magazine= [[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]] |date= May 18, 2018 |access-date= July 22, 2021 |url= https://www.vibe.com/2018/05/jimmy-jam-janet-jackson-billboard-music-icon-award}}</ref> Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey recorded several [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] No. 1 hits, including "[[One Sweet Day]]", a collaboration between both acts, which became the longest-running No. 1 hit in Hot 100 history. Carey also released a remix of her 1995 single "[[Fantasy (Mariah Carey song)|Fantasy]]", with [[Ol' Dirty Bastard]] as a feature, a collaboration format that was unheard of at this point. Carey, Boyz II Men and TLC released albums in 1994 and 1995—''[[Daydream (Mariah Carey album)|Daydream]]''.

In the late 1990s, [[neo soul]], which added 1970s soul influences to the hip-hop soul blend, arose, led by artists such as [[Erykah Badu]], [[Lauryn Hill]] and [[Maxwell (musician)|Maxwell]]. Hill and [[Missy Elliott]] further blurred the line between R&B and hip hop by recording both styles. Beginning in 1995, the [[Grammy Award]]s enacted the [[Grammy Award for Best R&B Album]], with ''[[II (Boyz II Men album)|II]]'' by [[Boyz II Men]] becoming the first recipient. The award was later received by [[TLC (group)|TLC]] for ''[[CrazySexyCool]]'' in 1996, [[Tony Rich]] for ''Words'' in 1997, [[Erykah Badu]] for ''[[Baduizm]]'' in 1998 and [[Lauryn Hill]] for ''[[The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill]]'' in 1999. In 1994 the singer [[Aaliyah]] dropped her debut album and in 1996 she released her second album called "One In A Million" with different sounds and produced by Missy Elliot and [[Timbaland]], unknown at that moment. At the end of 1999, ''Billboard'' magazine ranked Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson as the first and second most successful artists of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Geoff |last= Mayfield |date= December 25, 1999 |title= Totally '90s: Diary of a decade |magazine= Billboard |volume= 111 |issue= 112 |issn= 0006-2510}}</ref>

Simultaneously, in the second half of the 1990s, [[The Neptunes]] and Timbaland set influential precedence on contemporary R&B and hip hop music.<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Sasha|last= Frere-Jones|title= The Timbaland Era|magazine= The New Yorker|date= September 29, 2008|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/10/06/the-timbaland-era|archive-date= October 1, 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081001233024/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/10/06/the-timbaland-era}}</ref>

==2000s==
{{see also|Album era#2000s: Decline in the digital age, shift to pop and urban}}

Writing in 2003, music critic [[Robert Christgau]] describes modern R&B as being "about texture, mood, feel—vocal and instrumental and rhythmic, articulated as they're smooshed together".<ref>{{cite news|first= Robert |last= Christgau |author-link= Robert Christgau |date= September 30, 2003 |title= The Commoner Queen |newspaper= [[The Village Voice]] |location= New York |access-date= October 15, 2014 |url= http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/rock/blige-03.php |archive-date= August 20, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140820130230/http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/rock/blige-03.php |url-status= live}}</ref>

[[File:Usherraymond (300dpi).jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Usher (singer)|Usher]] was cited by ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' as the no. 1 [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] artist of the 2000s decade, with 7 number-one singles that accumulated 42 weeks at the top.<ref>{{cite web|title= Usher Crowned Top Hot 100 Artist of Decade |website= Singersroom |date= December 22, 2009 |access-date= June 27, 2016 |url= http://singersroom.com/content/2009-12-22/Usher-Crowned-Top-Hot-100-Artist-of-Decade/ |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181110042126/https://singersroom.com/content/2009-12-22/Usher-Crowned-Top-Hot-100-Artist-of-Decade/ |archive-date= November 10, 2018}}</ref>]]
Following periods of fluctuating success, [[Urban contemporary|urban music]] attained commercial dominance during the early 2000s, which featured massive [[crossover (music)|crossover]] success on the [[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] by R&B and hip hop artists.<ref name="Molanphy">{{cite web|first= Chris |last= Molanphy |date= July 16, 2012 |title= 100 & Single: The R&B/Hip-Hop Factor in the Music Business's Endless Slump |website= [[The Village Voice|The Village Voice Blogs]] |access-date= July 16, 2012 |url= http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2012/07/sales_slump_usher_chris_brown.php?page=2 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120720033330/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2012/07/sales_slump_usher_chris_brown.php?page=2 |archive-date= July 20, 2012}}</ref> 
[[File:Alicia Keys, Lisboa 08 c.jpg|thumb|170px|[[Alicia Keys]] ranked fifth on Billboard Artist of the Decade list. "[[No One (Alicia Keys song)|No One]]" ranks No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 songs of the decade.<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Artists of the Decade |magazine= Billboard |date= December 11, 2009 |access-date= October 1, 2016 |url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266420/artists-of-the-decade |url-status= live |archive-date= September 12, 2014 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20140912052329/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266420/artists-of-the-decade}}</ref>]]

In 2001, [[Alicia Keys]] released "[[Fallin' (Alicia Keys song)|Fallin']]" as her debut single, peaking at number one on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]], [[Mainstream Top 40]] and [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] charts. It won three [[44th Annual Grammy Awards|Grammy Awards]] in 2002, including [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]], [[Grammy Award for Best R&B Song|Best R&B Song]], and [[Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance|Best Female R&B Vocal Performance]]. It was also nominated for [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web|title= "Fallin'" Wins Song of the Year |website= Grammy.com |date= December 2, 2009 |access-date= October 1, 2016 |url= http://www.grammy.com/videos/44th-annual-grammy-awards-song-of-the-year |archive-date= October 2, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161002105614/http://www.grammy.com/videos/44th-annual-grammy-awards-song-of-the-year |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Beyoncé]]'s solo studio debut album ''[[Dangerously in Love]]'' (2003) has sold over 5{{nbsp}}million copies in the United States and earned five [[Grammy Award]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Keith |last= Caulfield |title= Beyoncé's 'Dangerously in Love' Album Surpasses 5 Million Sold in U.S. |magazine= Billboard |date= December 30, 2015 |access-date= October 1, 2016 |url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6828205/beyonce-dangerously-in-love-surpasses-5-million-sold-us |archive-date= August 11, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160811052418/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6828205/beyonce-dangerously-in-love-surpasses-5-million-sold-us |url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|first= Todd |last= Leopold |title= Beyonce tops with five Grammys |agency= [[CNN]] |date= February 9, 2004 |access-date= October 1, 2016 |url= http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/08/grammy.night/index.html |url-status= live |archive-date= October 19, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151019030701/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/08/grammy.night/index.html}}</ref>

[[Usher (singer)|Usher]]'s ''[[Confessions (Usher album)|Confessions]]'' (2004) sold 1.1{{nbsp}}million copies in its first week<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Gary |last= Susman |title= Usher sells a record-breaking 1.1 million |magazine= [[Entertainment Weekly]] |date= March 31, 2004 |access-date= October 1, 2016 |url= http://www.ew.com/article/2004/03/31/usher-sells-record-breaking-11-million |archive-date= November 18, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161118220652/http://www.ew.com/article/2004/03/31/usher-sells-record-breaking-11-million |url-status= live}}</ref> and over 8{{nbsp}}million copies in 2004, since then it has been certified [[RIAA certification|Diamond]] by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) and, {{asof|2016|post=,}} has sold over 10{{nbsp}}million copies in the US and over 20{{nbsp}}million copies worldwide. ''Confessions'' had four consecutive ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number one singles—"[[Yeah! (Usher song)|Yeah!]]", "[[Burn (Usher song)|Burn]]", "[[Confessions Part II]]" and "[[My Boo (Usher and Alicia Keys song)|My Boo]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Usher, Keys Duet Keeps Cozy at No. 1 |magazine= Billboard |date= November 4, 2004 |access-date= October 1, 2016 |url= http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/65790/usher-keys-duet-keeps-cozy-at-no-1 |archive-date= October 8, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161008214020/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/65790/usher-keys-duet-keeps-cozy-at-no-1 |url-status= live}}</ref> It won three Grammy Awards in 2005, including [[Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album|Best Contemporary R&B Album]], [[Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals|Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal]] for "My Boo" and [[Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance|Best Rap/Sung Collaboration]] for "Yeah!"<ref>{{cite web|title= Artist: Usher |website= [[Grammy Award|Grammy.com]] |access-date= 30 May 2019 |url= https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/usher |archive-date= June 22, 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200622090152/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/usher |url-status= live}}</ref>

[[File:Beyoncé Knowles GMA 2011 cropped.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Beyoncé]] was named by ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' the most successful female act of the 2000s.]]

In 2004, all 12 songs that topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 were African-American recording artists and accounted for 80% of the [[List of Billboard number-one rhythm and blues hits|number-one R&B hits]] that year.<ref name="Molanphy"/> Along with Usher's streak of singles, [[Top 40]] radio and both pop and R&B charts were topped by [[Outkast]]'s "[[Hey Ya!]]", [[Snoop Dogg]]'s "[[Drop It Like It's Hot]]", [[Terror Squad (group)|Terror Squad]]'s "[[Lean Back]]" and [[Ciara]]'s "[[Goodies (song)|Goodies]]".<ref name="Molanphy"/> Chris Molanphy of "[[The Village Voice]]" later remarked that "by the early 2000s, urban music "was" pop music."<ref name="Molanphy"/>

Between 2005 and 2009 Raymond, Knowles and Keys released albums—''[[B'Day]]'', ''[[Here I Stand (Usher album)|Here I Stand]]'', ''[[I Am... Sasha Fierce]]'' and ''[[The Element of Freedom]]''.

Mariah Carey's ''[[The Emancipation of Mimi]]'' (2005) debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and earned ten Grammy Award nominations. The second single "[[We Belong Together]]" topped the Hot 100 charts for 14 weeks, and was later hailed "song of the decade" and won a [[Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance]] in 2006.

The mid-2000s came with the emergence of new R&B acts [[Ashanti (singer)|Ashanti]], [[Keyshia Cole]] and [[Akon]]. Ashanti's eponymous debut album topped both US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] and [[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]] charts. It earned her three Grammy nominations winning one for the [[Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album|Best Contemporary R&B Album]]. R&B newcomer [[Chris Brown]] released his self-titled album in 2005 which debuted at number two on the [[Billboard 200|"Billboard" 200]]. His debut single "[[Run It!]]" peaked atop on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs]] and the [[Hot 100 Airplay (Radio Songs)|US Radio Songs]].

During this time also came the emergence of R&B [[songwriter]]s.<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Clover |last= Hope |title= Unsung Heroes: The 36 Best Songwriters of the 2000s |magazine= [[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]] |date= November 27, 2012 |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://www.vibe.com/2012/11/vibe-unsung-heroes-36-best-songwriters-2000s/channel-7/ |archive-date= June 25, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160625003328/http://www.vibe.com/2012/11/vibe-unsung-heroes-36-best-songwriters-2000s/channel-7/ |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Bryan-Michael Cox]] co-wrote Usher's "[[Burn (Usher song)|Burn]]" and "[[Confessions Part II]]"(2005), Mariah Carey's "[[Shake It Off (Mariah Carey song)|Shake It Off]]" and "[[Don't Forget About Us]]" (2006), and Chris Brown's "[[Say Goodbye (Chris Brown song)|Say Goodbye]]"(2006).<ref>{{cite web|title= Bryan-Michael Cox – Credits |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bryan-michael-cox-mn0000731370/credits |archive-date= October 4, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161004220318/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bryan-michael-cox-mn0000731370/credits |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Keri Hilson]] would co-write songs [[Mary J. Blige]]'s "[[Take Me as I Am (Mary J. Blige song)|Take Me as I Am]]" (2006), Omarion's "[[Ice Box (song)|Ice Box]]" (2006), and Ciara's "[[Like a Boy]]"(2006).<ref>{{cite web|title= Keri Hilson – Credits |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/keri-hilson-mn0000664272/songs |archive-date= October 14, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161014001822/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/keri-hilson-mn0000664272/songs |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Rico Love]] co-wrote Usher's "[[Throwback (song)|Throwback]]" (2005), Keri Hilson's "[[Energy (Keri Hilson song)|Energy]]"(2008), [[Pleasure P]]'s "[[Boyfriend#2|Boyfriend #2]]"(2008).<ref>{{cite web|title= Rico Love – Credits |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rico-love-mn0000211579/credits |archive-date= October 14, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161014001812/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rico-love-mn0000211579/credits |url-status= live}}</ref> [[The-Dream]] wrote [[Rihanna]]'s "[[Umbrella (song)|Umbrella]]"(2007), [[J. Holiday]]'s "[[Bed (J. Holiday song)|Bed]]" and Usher's "[[Moving Mountains (song)|Moving Mountains]]" and "[[Trading Places (song)|Trading Places]]"(2008).<ref>{{cite web|title= The-Dream – Credits |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-dream-mn0001028077/credits |archive-date= October 6, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161006080058/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-dream-mn0001028077/credits |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Ne-Yo]] wrote Mario's "[[Let Me Love You (Mario song)|Let Me Love You]]", Rihanna's "[[Take a Bow (Rihanna song)|Take a Bow]]" and "[[Unfaithful (song)|Unfaithful]]", Beyoncé's "[[Irreplaceable]]"(2006) and "[[Me & U (Cassie song)|Me & U]]"(2006) by Cassie.<ref>{{cite web|title= Ne-Yo – Credits |publisher= AllMusic |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ne-yo-mn0000846634/credits |archive-date= October 14, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161014001752/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ne-yo-mn0000846634/credits |url-status= live}}</ref>

According to ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'', the most commercially successful R&B acts of the decade were [[Usher (singer)|Usher]], [[Alicia Keys]], [[Beyoncé]], [[Mariah Carey]], [[Rihanna]], [[Chris Brown]], [[Ne-Yo]] and [[Akon]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title= Artists of the Decade Music Chart |magazine= Billboard |access-date= February 8, 2011 |url= http://www.billboard.com/#/charts-decade-end/artists-of-the-decade?year=2009&begin=1&order=position |archive-date= July 29, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110729050908/http://www.billboard.com/#/charts-decade-end/artists-of-the-decade?year=2009&begin=1&order=position |url-status= dead}}</ref>

==2010s==
{{see also|Alternative R&B}}
{{multiple image
| image1            = Chris Brown 2, 2012.jpg
| width1            = 90
| image2            = Usher at Madison Square Garden by Loren Wohl.jpg
| width2            = 160
| footer            = Contemporary R&B artists [[Chris Brown]] and [[Usher (musician)|Usher]] have experimented with [[Electronic dance music|EDM]].
}}
 
Continuing from the 1990s and 2000s, R&B, like many other genres, drew influences from the technical innovations of the time and began to incorporate more electronic and machine-made sounds and instruments, this evolving style called ''Electro-R&B'' slowly began dominating the genre. The use of effects such as [[Auto-Tune]] and new computerized synths have given R&B a more futuristic feel while still attempting to incorporate many of the genre's common themes such as love, relationships, heartbreak, and loss. 

According to Christgau in 2017, "almost all R&B goes for voice-plus-sound rather than voice-plus-song, with the sound ranging from precision track-and-hook to idiosyncratic atmospherics."<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Robert |last= Christgau |title= On Syd's Depth and Resonance: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau |magazine= [[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] |date= March 3, 2017 |access-date= March 4, 2017 |url= https://www.vice.com/en/article/expert-witness-with-robert-christgau-turn-to-eros/ |url-status= live |archive-date= June 2, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170602102143/https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/expert-witness-with-robert-christgau-turn-to-eros}}</ref>

Early 2010s artists Usher and Chris Brown began embracing new electronic influences while still keeping R&B's original feel. Usher's "[[OMG (Usher song)|OMG]]"<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Al |last= Shipley |title= 20 Biggest Songs of the Summer: The 2010s (So Far) |magazine= [[Rolling Stone]] |date= August 6, 2014 |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/20-biggest-songs-of-the-summer-the-2010s-so-far-20140806/usher-feat-will-i-am-omg-20140806 |archive-date= January 12, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170112053930/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/20-biggest-songs-of-the-summer-the-2010s-so-far-20140806/usher-feat-will-i-am-omg-20140806 |url-status= live}}</ref> and "[[DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love]]",<ref>{{cite web|first= Bill |last= Lamb |title= Top 10 Usher Songs |publisher= [[About.com]] |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://top40.about.com/od/Best-Songs-By-Current-Artists/ss/Top-10-Usher-Songs.htm |archive-date= January 5, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170105154935/http://top40.about.com/od/Best-Songs-By-Current-Artists/ss/Top-10-Usher-Songs.htm |url-status= live}}</ref> and Chris Brown's "[[Yeah 3x]]"<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Brad |last= Wete |title= Chris Brown dances through a block party in 'Yeah 3X' video: Watch here |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |date= October 21, 2010 |access-date= October 2, 2016 |url= http://www.ew.com/article/2010/10/21/chris-brown-yeah-3x-video |archive-date= May 18, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160518100541/http://www.ew.com/article/2010/10/21/chris-brown-yeah-3x-video |url-status= live}}</ref> are all EDM-oriented.

Singers [[Miguel (singer)|Miguel]], [[John Legend]] and [[Jeremih]] are popular in mainstream hip hop for many collaborations with rappers such as [[Wale (rapper)|Wale]], [[Rick Ross]] and [[J. Cole]]. Today's R&B is far more diverse and incorporates more sonic elements than before, as it expands its appeal and commercial viability.<ref>{{cite web|author= Bat |title= What is Hypersoul? |website= Riddim.ca |date= November 29, 2001 |access-date= December 11, 2013 |url= https://www.filepicker.io/api/file/kbIINd6gTmSB77DGjV0M |url-status= dead |archive-date= November 2, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141102224456/https://www.filepicker.io/api/file/kbIINd6gTmSB77DGjV0M}}</ref> [[Trap music (hip hop)|Trap music]]'s influence maintained a strong presence on the music charts with R&B singer [[Beyoncé]]'s songs "[[Drunk in Love]]", "[[Flawless (Beyoncé song)|Flawless]]" and "[[7/11 (song)|7/11]]", [[Bryson Tiller]]'s debut studio album, ''[[Trapsoul]]'' and [[Mary J. Blige]]'s "[[Thick of It (Mary J. Blige song)|Thick of It]]".<ref>{{cite web |title= Listen to Mary J. Blige's Powerful New Song 'Thick of It' |website= NPR |date= October 7, 2016 |access-date= November 25, 2016 |url= https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2016/10/07/497019855/listen-to-mary-j-bliges-powerful-new-song-thick-of-it |archive-date= November 25, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161125085428/http://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2016/10/07/497019855/listen-to-mary-j-bliges-powerful-new-song-thick-of-it |url-status= live |last1= Gotrich |first1= Lars }}</ref>

[[Latin R&B]] is gaining ground since the wave of artists began mixing trap with that sound in the middle of this decade.<ref>{{cite web|title= La playlist que inspiró a la nueva generación del R&B latino |website= Heabbi |access-date= August 11, 2019 |url= https://heabbi.com/playlist-inspiro-rnb-latino |language= es |archive-date= March 30, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190330202516/https://heabbi.com/playlist-inspiro-rnb-latino |url-status= live}}</ref> Spanish-language singles by Alex Rose, [[Rauw Alejandro]] and [[Paloma Mami]], which borrow shrewdly from R&B, are captivating a global audience.<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine|first= Elias |last= Leight |title= Latin Artists Changed Trap Music Forever — R&B Is Next |magazine= [[Rolling Stone]] |date= 22 January 2019 |access-date= 11 September 2019 |url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/latin-trap-music-r-and-b-alex-rose-paloma-mami-774772/ |archive-date= December 7, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191207223800/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/latin-trap-music-r-and-b-alex-rose-paloma-mami-774772/ |url-status= live}}</ref> In Latin America, the genre became popular with Alex Rose's "Toda",<ref name="RS"/> and [[Sech (singer)|Sech]]'s "[[Otro Trago]]".<ref>{{cite magazine|first= Leila |last= Cobo |title= How Rich Music's Father-Son Duo Are Leading the Way For Latin R&B |magazine= Billboard |date= 22 July 2019 |access-date= 11 September 2019 |url= https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/8520484/rich-music-label-mendez-interview |archive-date= August 9, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190809154406/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/latin/8520484/rich-music-label-mendez-interview |url-status= live}}</ref>

==2020s==
In the 2020s, R&B continued to diversify and blend with other genres, most notably [[alternative R&B]], a subgenre characterized by its experimental production, introspective lyrics, and departure from traditional R&B structures. Artists such as [[SZA]], [[Victoria Monet]], [[Frank Ocean]], and [[the Weeknd]] have been pivotal in bridging mainstream R&B with alternative styles, introducing ethereal soundscapes, electronic elements, and unconventional storytelling to a broader audience.<ref>{{cite web|title= The Rise of Alternative R&B in Modern Music |website= TrillMag |date= March 29, 2023 |access-date= December 19, 2024 |url= https://www.trillmag.com/entertainment/music/the-rise-of-alternative-rb-in-modern-music/}}</ref>

Streaming platforms and social media, particularly [[TikTok]] and [[Spotify]], have amplified the reach of R&B music. Viral moments have catapulted songs like SZA's "[[Snooze (SZA song)|Snooze]]" and Daniel Caesar's "[[Best Part (song)|Best Part]] (feat. H.E.R)" into global hits.<ref>{{cite web|title= Spotify CLASSICS: The 100 Greatest R&B Songs of the Streaming Era |website= Spotify |access-date= December 19, 2024 |url= https://newsroom.spotify.com/2024-04-09/greatest-rnb-songs-classics-streaming-era/}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Music}}
*[[List of R&B musicians]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite news|first=Robert|last=Christgau|author-link=Robert Christgau|title=Our Love Is the Cl––!!|date=November 18, 1997|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|location=New York|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/rock/top40-97.php}}

{{Rhythm and blues}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Contemporary RandB}}
[[Category:Contemporary R&B| ]]
[[Category:1980s in music]]
[[Category:1990s in music]]
[[Category:2000s in music]]
[[Category:2010s in music]]
[[Category:2020s in music]]
[[Category:African-American music]]
[[Category:American styles of music]]
[[Category:Rhythm and blues genres]]