R&B is on a respirator. Once a celebrated genre that has given the music industry some of its most praised acts (see Luther, Whitney, Aretha, Marvin), the musical styling has unquestionably lost its identity to hip hop and now Electro-Pop.
The question at hand: is R&B on its last breath or is revival in its future? In a three part series, That Grape Juice will analyze three sectors of the fallen genre: ladies (songstresses), males (crooners), and groups (both male and female) to determine if resurrection is in its future or if it will find permanent rest in the history books
Ladies first, gentlemen next. So, last, but certainly not least, groups.
Recently browsing a Billboard chart, I was tempted to do an R&B roll call. Single ladies? (spare, but here). Fellas? (few but still there). Groups? (*insert cricket sound*). Let’s face it, the R&B group is extinct. Gone are the glory days of Motown where The Temptations and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles dominated airwaves and The Supremes reigned supremely on radio and charts alike. The Motown movement paved a precedent by which the 70s (Isley Brothers, O’Jays, too many to mention) and 80s (Levert, Debarge, Guy, New Edition) eased on down the road to chart success. Assisting R&B’s lead solo acts in solidifying the African American presence on Billboard, they effortlessly constructed the soundtrack to this generation (and its parents’) ‘old school’.
But, while the groups of yesteryear provided launching pads for some of R&B’s brightest stars (The Supremes – Diana Ross, Levert – Gerald Levert, Labelle – Patti Labelle, Jackson 5 – Michael Jackson), the 90s saw a new brand of R&B group. While Boyz II Men and En Vogue led the pack and were arguably the greatest grandchildren of their R&B forefathers (in terms of comparability), many other 90s groups unveiled an unparalleled blend of sass, attitude, and sex appeal. TLC, SWV, and Jodeci, later followed by Dru Hill, 112, and Jagged Edge are just a few of the groups from that era who helped redefine R&B while fusing with other popular genres of the era. And with the late 90s and early 2000s being dominated by Destiny’s Child, R&B groups were still proving that they were truly ‘survivors’.
Oh, how the times change. With Destiny’s Child’s subsequent disbanding, rebanding, then re-disbanding, no other R&B groups have risen to such pop prominence since. The mid-2000s saw B2K and later Danity Kane be sole representatives of the genre on the Pop charts. That, however, was surely short-lived.
Where, oh where, did the groups go?
We’ve seen many-a-90s group reband (SWV, Jodeci, TLC, Dru Hill), while some never left. But even collectively, their presence on Pop charts is nondescript. And with no noteworthy new class in waiting to take the reins:
That Grape Juice wants to know:
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um… TLC never DIS-banded. and Lady GAGA among many others said so themselves that TLC indeed DEFINED the 90’s.
umm TLC never officially disbanded but T-BOZ did put out solo stuff and even before lisa left eye died she was very vocal about wanting to do solo stuff.
so they took a long break, but they never OFFICIALLY disbanded
I thought Aretha was a “Soul” artist not R&B…
There are still acts doing R&B Like Marsha Ambrosious, Ledisi, Tank, Angie Stone but they do not get the support of mainstream or black radio. There sales remain low also because we would rather buy meaningless, derogatory rap music rather than uplifting and intelligent Soul and R&B. Another issue is why mainstream radio and tv would rather suppprt and elevate white Soul singers like Adele, Jessie J, Joss Stone and ignore black singers.
I still listen to Chaka Khan, Marvin, Luther, Prince more than I do modern music I hope it makes a comeback.
R&b is not dead. However, it has not been translated into a sound that this generation can comprehend and enjoy. Get rid of the 90’s sounding r&b. MOST OF ALL, pop artist need to stop doing r&b because they lack soul and imbrue the genre that is r&b. Prince couldn’t pull off a Sam Cooke song and you got b****** like Kerry Hislon singing songs like I will always love you #DEAD. that’s what’s killing r&b.
Let’s break it down shall we:
1. R&B as a genre is on life support (which R&B act has managed to pass 1 million in sales in the US?)
2. Girl and Boybands are a thing of the past (Backstreet Boys were HUGE in the 90’s and early 00’s but their recent foray in the musical industry have been embarrassing to say the least).
The moral of the story R&B+Boy/Girlband = Recipe for disaster…Just ask Day 26. Even with the benefit of a reality show they (D26) could not move their album…how then will any other band without this platform be able to do better?
S/N: I am well aware that BSB have never been R&B. I simply used them as an illustration of the fact that even former boyband TITANS could not bring boy/girlbands back into fashion again.
very well stated KD. truth is, bands of all genres are dead. POP boy bands and girl bands are even dead since the t*** idol wave fell flat. so mix that dead thing with R&B overall being dead…well dead plus dead equals dead
will it ever comeback? probably. everything goes in cycles. But if it does come back, it will probably be in the form of a B2K-esque group
R&B is fairly stagnant genre that hasn’t seen that much innovation in years
For some reasons, I think that groups in r’n’b, pop and hip hop are dated.I don’t know why people just aren’t interested in groups, but I really can’t imagine a group making it big in those genres.MAYBE an urban pop BOY band of VERY hot guys could make it (like all of those “t*** sensations” made it), but it is kind of difficult for a full-on r’n’b’ group to make a splash.And that’s not a new thing either.R n’b groups were having a hard time, especially boy bands, since the beginning of the 00’s.It just seems like everyone wants a solo artist (to stan for most probably) and are not that interested in a group of people anymore.I don’t know.However, if an executive puts together an r’n’b band of hot guys (hot being the key word…*sigh*) then they can pull a Trey Songz and blow up based on s** appeal and provocative lyrics.
*for some reason
mainstream radio and tv would rather suppprt and elevate white Soul singers like Adele, Jessie J, Joss Stone and ignore black singers.
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In total agreement with the above statement. Another example is Melanie Fiona, who I believe is a remarkable talent, she was not even given a smidgen of the attention that the above artists have.
Without the proper support from mainstream media we will forever lose out on talented BLACK artists i.e. Jazmine Sullivan while other equally talented (or less talented in certain instances) WHITE singers are hyped to the heavens.
The only hope that R&B has lies with the few black artists that are killing it…(Beyonce, Rihanna, Mary, Alicia)…if they would bring R&B back into the spotlight then maybe just maybe the genre may gain some relevancy again.
S/N: I have nothing against the above artists. In fact I have all of their albums.
@Savonn and King Z, I was thinking the same thing…. I thought I was losing it at first.
We have too many male DIVA’S (Trey Songz) in the R&B game who just need to have several seats. Acts like Tyrese, Joe, Marsha Ambrosious, Ledisi, Tank, Mario, Brandy, and others keep the blood that is R&B pumping. Hopefully “our” artist will go back to what made them who they are today and start making music that will stand the test of time and not just be convenient to the ear for the moment.
http://www.JuicyBS.com
Ray J and Fab’s fight caught on tape- Check it out. (The real deal, not something fan made.)
I don’t think a genre can ‘die’. R&B is just not popular at the moment, especially here in Europe. Other music genres like Rock, Country, Ska, Reggae, etc. are not famous/popular all over the world too, BUT they’re still around and all of them have fans.
The same thing goes for Hip Hop. A lot of people say Hip Hop is dead. Maybe it’s true. But it’s just a matter of time until there’s a new revolutionary Rap-star.
On boy/girl-groups, these bands have had always problems. TLC, En Vogue & SWV were big during the 90’s because of R&B and so were the ‘teenie’-bands.
I haven’t seen a successful Pop/R&B-group in years.
We need another well run and go hard Motown to push R&B acts with great songs not 1 hit wonders who soon disappear. From radio airplay, awards ceremonies and press attention black acts still struggle and face prejudice.
Another issue is how we see ourselves, most R&B acts are not flashy, loud or ignorant. We have accepted the worst media representation of ourselves in the form of low life rappers lil wayne, guccie mane, wiz khalifa who the mainstream media are willing to give attention and airplay only because they are negative.The R&B singers from Melanie, Marsha, Ledisi, Chrisette Michelle, Tank all conduct themselves well but they do not make good headlines.
beyonce killed r&b with her wack ass music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
R&B is dead because R&B singers with BIG names left it behind their back and went to “pop” to get money ! And we all know their names !
It will be back when they decide to go back to what made their ” big names” ! R&B !
Local acts , WW UNPOPULAR and young/new R&B artists are just playing … They don’t have any Ww impact !!
so For now ….
RIP R&B !
i only listen to singers from the 90’s when im chillin
the only new r&b singers i f**** with is neyo, keri hilson ,jazmine sullivan, and algebra blessett they are all soulful . keri hilson hustler jazzie in love with another man algebra what happened neyo everything…………….
IF DESTINY’S CHILD WERE TO COME BACK THEY WOULD KILL THE CHARTS, I SEE IT …
T-BOZ NEW CD COMES OUT THIS TEAR CALLED STILL COOL , KAMEELAH OF 702 COMES OUT MAYBE 2012 SHE IS ON TWITTER , LIL MO COMES OUT THIS YEAR SWV COMES OUT THIS YEAR BRANDY NEXT YEAR , LETOYA LUCKETT THIS YEAR.
FORGOT TAMIA COMES OUT THIS YEAR………..
IDK about R&B Groups……I will say however Groups(Boys in Particular) in Urban music/pop unfortunately have the stereotypes & connotations to deal with.I mean hell we all know the formula for a boyband
The D*****
The One who always keeps their damn shirt off(or always lift up their damn shirt)
The Out of Place Member
Throw a little “Girlfriend Drama” and some Gay speculation into the mix and thers’s a “Boyband”
There needs to be someone who can break MOST of the Aforementioned stereotypes and still make good,fresh music…Otherwise,this segment of R&B will remain with a VOID…
As for Girls…Some Girl-Bands need to just get along period….and NO TLC have NOT officially disbanded.(SN Did ANYONE remember that show they came out with back in the early/mid 2000s to find the new member after Left Eye died????)
Sorry if this post got a little long…Just my two pence.
i agree beyonce has been making stupid songs over the years but yet and still she has become the biggest media w**** in music today. beyonce never sings from the heart . rihanna is just a beyonce clone with better pop songs . what happenened to singers singing with soul and emotion , moving people . it seems like the top people today gotta sell s** to stay relevant .
I’m so happy U people R starting 2 realize R&B needs 2 come back.
what about underrated artist ? TANK? DONNELL JONES , DRU HILL , JESSE POWELL , KEKE WYATT , JAZMINE , MONICA , FANTASIA, KERI HILSON ? THESE SINGERS ARE BETTER THAN THE SINGERS U SEE ON TV EVERYDAY WINNIG AWARDS.
DRU HILL DROPPED A CD LAST YEAR ALONG WITH DONELL JONES NOBODY BOUGHT THAT S*** AND LETS NOT FORGET TOUCH ME TEASE ME CASE DROPPED A 2010 CD ALSO
what about amerii she was hot at one point untill beyonce copied her song with greenlight.
ashanti had at least 3 number 1 albums and she is a good singer but people hate on her because shes not oversinging. when jarule and ashanti was big they were killing the charts .
slim from 112 went solo
remember silk?????? they were my fav
I usually come to TGJ just to read the comments…I love how everyone is passionate about the artist they suppport and music overall!! I have never post a comment but I take notes to the ideas of all the folks that make these artist feel appreciated…
I have new music out that I would love TGJ bloggers to check out and tell me what you think. Listen to “Tim’s & Stiletto’s” Mixtape. I am bringing Urban/Soul/Pop to the R&B genre.
But I take pride in the lyric content and I think you would enjoy the passion I put into every delivered song. http://tweetmymixtape.com/3k86q5
Thanks,ShawnLee
See how people want real R&B/Soul back like in the 90s!! These artists that are out now are gimmicks!! I will support the new Joe, SWV, Kamella from 702, Brandy, Monica, Mary, Boyz II Men, Tamia, Tyrese and Jon B, Janet albums, because they have substance in there music from back from the 90’s until now. Faith Evans brought an album last year and everyone slept on it, I’m sorry, Rihanna, Nicki, Trey, won’t be around in the next 10 years!! Shoot I still listen to 80’s R&B music in 2011 because it has substance. Chaka Kahn, DeBarge, New Edition, etc. The artists that are out now in mainstream are fast food artists, they don’t last, and already people are sick of them already. Don’t get me wrong, I still love my Usher, Ne-yo, Bey, those are the only artists I listen to their music in R&B with the R&B feel in their tracks. R&B is turning around, if we support the true artists that made R&B in the 80’s and 90’s by buying there albums and not be ghetto and downloading it, then R&B will be in the forefront again. Also the youngins need to expand on their music besides Trey, Rhianna, Nicki and all those people who does fast food music without substance by listening to the 90’s music and learn that half of the stuff is out is not new, its been done before. I will always support real R&B music!
R&B music is definitely on the come up and its slowly getting back to what it used to be through artist such as Melanie Fiona, Charlie Vox, and Tank….artist such as themselves help me realize R&B is indeed resurrecting or hasn’t completely died.
MAYB IF WE DIDNT HAVE NO VOCAL FLOP BIBLES POLOTING R & B MUZIC WITH DER FILTH,DEN R&B MUZIK WOULD BE BACKK 2 NORMAL.I MEAN YHU USED TO SEE QUEEN MONICA & MARIAH RULING DHA CHARTS.NOW ALL YHU SEE IS BEYAWNCE & SHKERI WHISON.BOTH OF THEM R UNTALANTED LIPSYNCERS LIKE TRANDY NOGOOD BUT ERRYBODII B ALL UP N DERE ASSHOLES CALLING DHEM BEYSUS AND S***.AND ALL DA PEOPLE LEFT WHO DO GOOD MUZIC LIKE NEYO SIT THERE AND DO WHITE PEOPLE MUZIK 4 DA TEENY BOPPERS.DATS Y QUEEN MONICA IZ GONNA TURN DHIS R ND B INDUSTRY AROUND HER DAMN SELF.
What about RichGirl they fiahh!!!
I don’t know if I agree with your analysis!
R&B has been shoved to the side by the CORPORATE OWNED MEDIA! There are very few outlets for which to showcase R&B talent. Black folks, the original keepers of the flame, have sold their media outlets to individuals that have NO INTEREST WHAT SO EVER in R&B music. There has always been various forms/ genres of music: Country, Pop, Jazz (yet another dying genre), Hard Rock etc. This is nothing new. The difference is that “we the people” use to support Soul/R&B music in droves. Now, we have allowed the CORPORATE PUPPET MASTERS to dictate what we hear and to select the specific artists from which to hear it (i.e the rise of Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Naked Perry, Ke$ha, Lil Wayne, Nicki, Taylor Swift, Gay-Z etc)! IMO
And let me add this ==> “their presence on Pop charts is nondescript” might be your problem. You are trying to judge Soul/R&B music by the POP CHARTS! O__0 Because one form of music doesn’t necessarily bleed into the next doesn’t mean there are not competent, qualified artists in that genre. With limited ownership and corporate “masters” dictating who we are to love, listen to, appreciate, and in what muscial form (Pop, Dance, Techno, Hip Hop), what do you really expect?
@THE UNIVERSITY OF GAGA.
that show was called ‘R U The Girl’ and no it was not to replace left-eye as t-boz & chilli had stated many times before, during and after the show.
it was simply a show to help get an up an coming artist a chance for exposure by being able to do a ONE time record and performance with them.
essentially the show was also used as a platform to promote their greatest hits lp at the time, but by then that whole promo campaign got lost in the fray with the restructuring of their record label at the time.
anywho, t-boz recently divulged a upcoming tour next year to celebrate their 20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY of still being in the industry. look out for more info coming soon.
mainstream radio and tv would rather suppprt and elevate white Soul singers like Adele, Jessie J, Joss Stone and ignore black singers.
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DAMN…. THIS RIGHT HERE PEOPLE!
I can’t believe that some said R&B is a dying genre because it lacks creativity ==> FTW?? EXCUSE ME?
also, if people knew how to do their homework correctly – TLC has actually been credited by reputed journalists and industry insiders as ushering the ‘New Jill Swing’ sound that defined the 90s.
not to mention that as soon as the millenium turned and as they were gearing up to release their album 3D – their sister and bandmate Lisa ‘Left-Eye’ Lopes died before being able to help finish even half of that album.
and remember that this is a group who have always stated from the start of their career that no member of TLC is replaceable and that each girl is indeed irreplaceable.
get it right and get it together, CHIL’REN.
I’ve been drifting away from R&B these past months, and slowly siding with contemporary pop, and rock and roll/funk. Reason why is because I think R&B is slowly and will eventually come to an end if certain artists dont do something. I think artists who claim they are going to bring r&b back, dont really do a good job of it. 90’s was the prime time for R&B, it was dominating fiercly, most acts were succeeding and the music was wonderful, however, as time progressed, our concept and perception of r&b CHANGED. With that change of peception the r&b music evovled and not for the better. Most of what people consider r&b to be these days is Trey Songz, Beyonce, Chris Brown, etc… to me, only one makes substantial r&b music,o r at least trys, and thats beyonce. However I think beyonce really fails sometimes at conveying a good r&b song without doing too much. That’s why we have artists like Monica, Jill Scott, Joss Stone, Tank, Joe….they stick to their roots and continue to make GOOD r&b music, the problem is, they arent paid attention to. Our soceity has adapted to the NEW concept of r&b therefore when an artist comes with the OLD perception, it’s not taken well. That constitutes into low album sales, less promotion, less exposure. R&B music (the old concepts) has become boring to our generation. Also, people that flourished in the 90’s, artists who made the best music then try and succeed in this new era of r&b, and fail. I thnk the only way we can bring r&b back, is reaching back into what made the genre THE genre. If r&b dominated the 90’s, with the right direction, production, and songwriting it can come back…
I personally feel that people have this opinion of how R&B SHOULD sound. I look at R&B as a very broad genre that has a broad range and scope. The perfect examples to me are Brandy, Amerie, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Aaliyah, etc. Aaliyah’s last album is a great example of how broad the R&B genre is. R&B comes in many styles and variations and it’s better that way because it creates diversity for the listeners.
there is alot of factors that play in to this i think mainly that for some reason the media has influenced blks to become a part of white culture it used to be oppisite now we listen to what they listen to(see bubble gum pop) where clothes and hair like them (see skinny jeans mohawks)…so thats y pop n pop sounding rap is hot now,,,btw plus the quality of rnb isnt that gr8 anymore when someone from the 90’s drops an album ppl sleep on it most times and they have good material these new rnb artist r horrible anyway lighters up to tlc( the greatest)..boyz to men jodeci monica aaliyah mya usher (old school usher) keith sweat just to name a few i love the f****in 90’s!!
@KD I Agree 100%.
It’s just not commercially viable anymore. And as with anything that is no longer popular or making money, people stop doing it. It’s still a business. LAbel budgets are much smaller, so they spend their money where it will have the most bang–and thats with artist that can reach the most people (pretty people…lol) and they do music that can reach the most people. Doing an R&B album these days, the most you can hope for is to play on Urban Radio all day–and we all know that does not translate to album sales.
Well would you dumbasses stop complaining and do something about it !
@MadonnaLover, TRUTH! R&B today is s**, that’s it. That’s not R&B. But, there are true R&B artist like you mentioned. R&B with resurrect if people accept higher quality & stop taking crap. That’s when it will truly come back.
The only platform that rnb has is CentricTv, Vh1 Soul, and the Soul Train Awards.There’s a lot of rnb music out. Just do what I do.Research my favorite rnb artist ..see if they have a record out or a record coming and support it but the honesty is music in general won’t get better until the price of cd’s decrease, and tv networks get more platforms to promote artists..Hell even Pop music doesn’t have a platform anymore it use to be TRL..just like hiphop had Rapcity, and rnb had Video Soul.
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @HONEY_DIP11 I FOLLOW BACK
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @HONEY_DIP11 I FOLLOW BACK
BEY is one of the FEW R&B Acts today still keeping R&B Alive with BTINH & PARTY.
4 Coming up on 2 MILLION WW, 3 Million in a few more Months. 🙂
What about Trey Songz and Miguel, they’re RnB. They may not sing the typical RnB sound, but they are still doing their thing and their music are getting play on the RnB stations. Plus Chris Brown is in the middle, he could do RnB and pop. People have to understand that electro-pop and auto tune only been in for like 5 or 6 years. Usher did the Confessions album in 2005/ lots of RnB. His 2008 album didn’t hit off too well, but then Usher did something different in 2010 which was eletro-pop. Chris Brown’s 2 albums in 2005 and 2008 were less auto tune, but his music what I call it was upbeat RnB and Trey Songz is more hip hop RnB. Between 2007 to 2011 was full of eletro-pop, but some artists who are coming out with new albums say they will come out with a new sound. I think we might hear something different in 2012!
I usually think that things are cyclical, and that genres that once dominated but are ignored at the moment (R&B and rock) will eventually make a comeback of some sort.
However, I’m a bit doubtful that those genres (R&B in particular) will once again be huge like they were in the 70s and 90s, simply because the music industry is so drastically different now. TV and radio are no longer the sole or even most important venues to discover music. The internet has basically overtaken those two, and it’s affected record sales as well. If you want to find good music to your liking, you have to look for it, and most underrated artists that aren’t mainstream don’t blow up unless they’re extremely lucky. Artists that might’ve had a chance 20 or more years ago.
And major labels these days aren’t very open to signing artists that aren’t guaranteed to be huge in the pop market, mainly because in this age where album sales are at an all-time low, they’re gonna be concerned about making a profit first and foremost. And if that means churning out minimally talented pop stars who make insanely generic music, then so be it.
Oh, and on the subject of girl/boy groups, uh, please. Let’s leave them in the past where they belong. As someone else has stated, it’s a dated concept at this point, and I’m not sure that we can have an R&B girl/boy band that doesn’t come off as contrived. The 90s were the last decade where we had such groups that were genuinely talented, actually had great chemistry and made great music. But I wouldn’t place the likes of Danity Kane and B2K among them.
How about a novel concept that hasn’t been tried before: R&B groups that actually play instruments. Like a rock band, except the difference being in genres of course.
R&B artists need to include more hip hop features as they did in the 90s and the genre will slowly work its way back. Kelly Rowland and Lil Wayne had success with Motivation. I believe Monica would have had greater success with Anything For You with Rick Ross if it were not for the Ms. Wallace/Lil Kim drama.
That’s my two cents.
Whitney R&B????? I just lost respect for this site.
She’s more pop than R&B….
Heck even Mariah is more R&B than Whitney….when a person is black does not mean they’re R&B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also Aretha is a Soul singer…an’t no R&B…..smh
Love Jagged Edge
Mariahhhhhhhhhhhh
It’s alot of great r&b singers/music. R&b radio doesn’t even play good r&b music. Charlie Wilson. Swv is coming back, Tyrese, En Vogue………. I hope that they are all successful.
R&b is to great of a genre to keep performing on a subpar level. Oh and Monica/Brandy…….
I think R&B is not supported as much anymore, groups and solo artists. Generic pop songs are played on radio all the time and people do not want soulful music. I think someday there will be a comeback of R&B if popular artists such as Usher, Rihanna and Beyonce (who is already doing it) release R&B and not follow the crowd and release generic pop.
I really hope R&B will become more popular like it was in the ’80’s and ’90’s.
I am süprised noone has mentioned Monica and Fantasia as the artists that are very mch keeping RNB alive! Last year Monica had a #1 cd Still Standing and it went gold thanks to real rnb fans b/c J Records gave it NO süpport! Fantasia won a grammy for her cd last year bt it’s evident even awards shows are overlooking RNB now and trying to call artists like Rihanna and Beyonce RNB artists and they aren’t and rnb artist don’t get that backing from the indüstry b/c it’s sad these are rthe trüe singers and deserve it! I also wldnt say this generation doesn’t relate to rnb look at Adele and Joss stone that’s exactly what they are sing bt they are white! The indüstry püshes who they want to püsh!
How can you say the genre is dying? 2011 brought us the revival of r&b with artists like The Weeknd and Frank Ocean!
What are you talking about Beyonce? She always was r”n’b. If you can’t decide what kind of music she is playing, that’s your own problem and maybe you are jealous about her success then that’s your problem too.
@MH: aaliyah last LP, was on some other level. that’s for sure!
@BitchPlease: yeah that’s pretty much the platform for R&B.