Here's an understatement : R&B evolved along the decades. Formerly applying to what we commonly name "soul music" today, R&B (for "rhythm and blues" of course) nowadays brand a wide range of singers, from Usher to The Internet, from Franck Ocean to D'Angelo (though, the D created his own genre with the unassumed nu soul).
The Guardian has been going through the topic in a brief but synthesizing article.
In all its different forms, R&B still is a dynamic genre, gaining (in a hip-hopish way) from a lot of influences. Usher went electro, and still rides this wave (thanks Diplo) ; The Internet and Franck Ocean emerged from the Odd Future hype, offering a different sound ; the old guys from Sa-Ra Creative Partners have long been doing some cosmic music ; R. Kelly still uses the hormonal formula that brought him so much success (and troubles) ; and D'Angelo is finally back (already the best news of 2012).
And there are all these youngsters I don't know because I'm already too old. But I guess some of them are worth a listen (just listened to Ango's "No ordinary love" and it's crazy... Sade must be glad).
And for a glimpse of nowadays R&B, head to the Indie R&B blog. It's fresh, it's classy. Gotta like it. I even read some deep truth on it, and I can't resist to sharing it :
“I STILL FEEL THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH MUSIC IN THE WORLD. I’M NOT CONVINCED THAT WE NEED TO MAKE ANY MORE MUSIC. I READ THIS STATISTIC THAT SAID 75% OF MUSIC ON ITUNES HAS NEVER BEEN DOWNLOADED ONCE. IT’S DEPRESSING, BUT IT ALSO MAKES YOU THINK THAT WE SHOULD STOP MAKING MUSIC UNTIL WE LISTEN TO IT ALL, AND THEN WE SHOULD START AGAIN.”
– Experimental producer Matthew Herbert
Nuff said. Meditate.
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