I think why r&b has lost its luster is due to the heavy influence of entertainment media in this generation. No matter how much you try to entertain people, they want more every following performance. R&B is no exception to this. While many r&b singers are amazing vocalists, the traditional female R&B image is of a diva who croons standing still using only her voice to capture her audience maybe with 2 background singers and 2 flashy dresses. BUT today: Everything is about ENTERTAINMENT. If you are not 5 seconds away from dancing until your heart falls out, half naked, accompanied with Pyrotechnics, lasers, 12 dancers on the stage, with 10 ft high wigs and about 10 gossip stories out about you.... most write your show/video off as "boring". In these days of Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna and the influence Hollywood/movies/TV/ joined in the Marketing and Sales of Music (Hence the Industry's creation of 360 deals) Artists who have spent more time and effort focusing on what SHOULD be most important as a "SINGER" are falling short to demographics and expectations of today's definition of an "ENTERTAINER". At the end of the day today's YOUTH runs the world.