In 1948, Jerry Wexler of Billboard magazine coined the term ‘rhythm and blues’ as a musical term in the United States replacing the term ‘race music’, which originated from the black community but was deemed offensive.
Often abbreviated as R B, the genre is an African-American sound that originated from the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans at a time when urban, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat was becoming more popular.
In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, saxophone, and sometimes background vocalists. R B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy. Lyrics focused heavily on the themes of triumphs and failures in terms of relationships, freedom, economics, aspirations and sex.
R B has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s, it was frequently applied to blues records. Starting in the mid 1950s, after this style of music contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term became used to refer to music styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, gospel as well as soul music.
By the 1970s, rhythm and blues was used as a blanket term for soul and funk. In the 1980s, a newer style of R B developed, becoming known as contemporary R B. It combines elements of rhythm and blues, soul, funk, pop, hip-hop and dance. Popular R B vocalists towards the early 21st century include Michael Jackson, R.Kelly, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston.
Just over 350 R B songs entered Billboard’s main R B singles chart in 1990. Through 20 October, the chart was known as Hot Black Singles, and then it was re-named Hot R B Singles, despite rap’s looming dominance. The 1990s are considered some of the best years of R B.
1. En Vogue – ‘Hold On’
2. Caron Wheeler – ‘Livin’ in the Light’
3. Bell Biv DeVoe – ‘Poison’
4. Janet Jackson – ‘Alright’
5. Tony! Toni! Toné! – ‘It Never Rains (In Southern California)’
6. The Chimes – ‘Heaven’
7. Prince – ‘Thieves in the Temple’
8. Janet Jackson – ‘Escapade’
9. Tony! Toni! Toné! – ‘Feels Good’
10. Johnny Gill – ‘Rub You the Right Way’
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