What are some good R&B Songs?

U

UW_Husky88

Rookie
I was wondering what are the classic R&B songs? I've gotten into artists like Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige, and like some of the stuff by old R&B singers such as KCi and Jojo, Joe, etc. I don't know much about R&B and what the classics are and such, so I was wondering if you guys can help me figure out who the legendary artists and sogns are of this genre.
 
Hot Sauce

Hot Sauce

Hall of Fame
Babyface, Boyz II Men, Jagged Edge, Jamie Foxx, Dru Hill, Usher,

and who can forget, Sisqo's Thong Song.
 
Slazenger

Slazenger

Professional
UW_Husky88 said:
I was wondering what are the classic R&B songs? I've gotten into artists like Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige, and like some of the stuff by old R&B singers such as KCi and Jojo, Joe, etc. I don't know much about R&B and what the classics are and such, so I was wondering if you guys can help me figure out who the legendary artists and sogns are of this genre.
Click to expand...

Are you dating a black girl, or a girl that likes R&B?
 
S

slice bh compliment

G.O.A.T.
I like that tune called Family Affair by Mary J. Blige. Also Family Affair by Sly and the Family Stone, of course.

I like Word Up by Cameo, though that's probably way more funk than R and B.

Big props to The Reverend Al Green and Marvin Gaye.

Kid, you're in Seattle. They must have an R and B wing at the EMP, yeah? iTunes will be a decent place to start, too.
 
Last edited:
T

tennis-n-sc

Professional
Most of the stuff posted is modern R & B. For the classic stuff, go rent the movie "The Committments" and listen to a white Irish band do a great job on the true classics.
 
S

slice bh compliment

G.O.A.T.
Slazzy, what's wrong with dating a black girl.....a Nubian princess?

Yeah a lot of 80s and recent R&B is girly. Girlfriend R&B I used to call it....Janet Jackson/Jennifer Lopez and stuff. But there's plenty of really hip R&B out there. R&B/Soul is the name they use to categorize it in iTunes, I think.

Billy Preston, the 5th Beatle.
Digable Planets (1 hit, really, but they are cool like dat).
Eddie Floyd (knock on wood.....forbear to a certain disco hit).
John Legend.
Nicole Richie's father, Lionel.
US 3.
Otis Redding.
Quad City DJs.
Michael Jackson.
Lakeside.
The O'Jays.
Soulfinger by the Bar-Kays.
Early Bee Gees, George Benson. Lou Rawls.
Some Rolling Stones (basically the masters degree candidates of the original school of rhythm and blues artists).
A lot of black crowes and lenny kravitz are riffs on that vibe.
Commodores.
Nelly Furtado's first album.

Well, there's more to it than the Black Eyed Peas, man.
 
zapvor

zapvor

G.O.A.T.
i am a r&b fan, so i am glad to see all the suggestiosn listed. i am looking to expand my r&b collection too, so thanks.
 
M

MEAC_ALLAMERICAN

Legend
UW_Husky88 said:
I was wondering what are the classic R&B songs? I've gotten into artists like Alicia Keys, Mary J Blige, and like some of the stuff by old R&B singers such as KCi and Jojo, Joe, etc. I don't know much about R&B and what the classics are and such, so I was wondering if you guys can help me figure out who the legendary artists and sogns are of this genre.
Click to expand...

If your looking for classic R&B, listen to the vintage R. Kelly "12 Play", Keisha Coles (both albums :oops:), TLC "CrazySexyCool", Robin Thicke *Yep, the boy can sang*, anything Craig David, also get the new Mary J Blige on the 18th, it should be her best yet, aside from "The Breakthrough", Outkast " Stankonia" & "Speakerboxxx/The Love Below".


If you want to get into the neo-soul genre, which is another branch of R&B, you can't go wrong with Musiq Soulchild, Erikah Badu, Angie Stone.

That's all I got off the top of my head.
 
35ft6

35ft6

Legend
How could I forget: Maxwell

Urban Hang Suite. Personal favorites, 'Til the Cops Come Knockin' and Whenever, Wherever, Whatever.

And while you're checking out Neyo (So Sick), check out Avant (Read Your Mind and Now You Got Someone) and Jaheim.
 
zapvor

zapvor

G.O.A.T.
man the list keeps getting better. i forgot about outkast.

the new r kelly is great i think. need ne-yo's first cd.
 
TnTBigman

TnTBigman

Professional
outkast, Quad City DJ's aint RnB. Nelly Furtado????

Mary J Blige.
Baby Face. some really really good songs.
Brian McKnight. really good songs.
Boyz II Men.
R Kelly got some sweet hits from the late 90's.
Maxwell
Joe
Jodeci (Kci and Jo Jo)
DruHill
Jaheim
Tony Braxton (about 3 good songs)
Tony Toni Tone
Usher.....for the guys with broken hearts. excellent.
Groove Theory
 
TnTBigman

TnTBigman

Professional
the real good stuff. the classics. back in the 70's and 80's

Marvin Gaye..the legend.
The Isley Brothers
Al Green
Teddy Pendergrass

time life music has a 8cd collection of all the top Soul/Rnb songs of that era. check it out.
 
Sanyi

Sanyi

Banned
you people who mistake pop that has been dressed up with urban sound effects as the Rythm & Blues make me LAUGH! Losers!

tru R&B is hard to find these days and 98% of the names mentioned in this thread are not R&B musicians. At all.
 
iradical18

iradical18

Professional
Slazenger said:
Are you dating a black girl, or a girl that likes R&B?
Click to expand...

So I guess only black people listen to R&B right?

Sanyi is right by the way, I stick with my first post. For some great R&B get some stuff from the 70's and early 80's. Al Green, The commodores, The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, Midnight Star, Smokey Robinson, and The Temptations are all great. Some of the contemporary R&B of today is good as well, not nearly as good as back in the day but Anthony Hamilton, Gerald Levert (rip), Craig David, and Keith Sweat to name a few.
 
Tennis-Chris

Tennis-Chris

Rookie
Sanyi said:
you people who mistake pop that has been dressed up with urban sound effects as the Rythm & Blues make me LAUGH! Losers!

tru R&B is hard to find these days and 98% of the names mentioned in this thread are not R&B musicians. At all.
Click to expand...

Alright, Sanyi, you're screaming about your obvious knowledge or you are starved for attention. To state that current or recent artists are not REAL R&B is a little goofy. That is like saying rock bands today are not real rock bands. It doesn't have to to be the original to be "GOOD OR REAL." It's called evolution - look it up. But, since you are screaming for attention here is your chance. What have you got?:mrgreen:
 
zapvor

zapvor

G.O.A.T.
yea sanyi...i mean it may not be r&b liek it used to, but it's classified as r&b, and its what i consider r&b. but music can be subjective, so to each their own.
 
C

croatian sensation

Professional
Sanyi said:
you people who mistake pop that has been dressed up with urban sound effects as the Rythm & Blues make me LAUGH! Losers!

tru R&B is hard to find these days and 98% of the names mentioned in this thread are not R&B musicians. At all.
Click to expand...

And oh mighty genius...if he likes Alicia Keys and Mary J Blige...of course we're gonna suggest listening to En Vogue or Usher.
If it offends you as a fan of true RnB :roll: go whine somewhere else.
 
Sanyi

Sanyi

Banned
croatian sensation said:
And oh mighty genius...if he likes Alicia Keys and Mary J Blige...of course we're gonna suggest listening to En Vogue or Usher.
If it offends you as a fan of true RnB :roll: go whine somewhere else.
Click to expand...
croatians wouldn't know real R&B if it walked up to them kicked them in the face.
 
Phil

Phil

Hall of Fame
Sanyi said:
croatians wouldn't know real R&B if it walked up to them kicked them in the face.
Click to expand...
Well, I wouldn't generalize and paint all Croatians with such a broad brushstroke. But we do now that CROATIAN SENSATION wouldn't know real R&B if...well, what you said.:)
 
Phil

Phil

Hall of Fame
iradical18 said:
So I guess only black people listen to R&B right?

Sanyi is right by the way, I stick with my first post. For some great R&B get some stuff from the 70's and early 80's. Al Green, The commodores, The Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, Midnight Star, Smokey Robinson, and The Temptations are all great. Some of the contemporary R&B of today is good as well, not nearly as good as back in the day but Anthony Hamilton, Gerald Levert (rip), Craig David, and Keith Sweat to name a few.
Click to expand...

Great recommendations. I'd add some more of the obvious-Sly & the Family Stone, James Brown, Parliament/Bootsy's Rubber Band, Aretha, Kool & the Gang, AWB, Jr. Wells, et al.

And hey, give it up for this now almost-forgotton GODDESS (worth a viewing just for the heavy breathing and the guitarist sportin' the leather stovepipe hat):

http://youtube.com/watch?v=P23WCKgZGgo

This is how I always imagined it would sound like if SEX was run through amplifiers.
 
Dedans Penthouse

Dedans Penthouse

Legend
Live!.....from the Mississippi Delta.......Ashanti??!!!----NOT! :)

slice bh compliment said:
Rufus, Chaka (and Mahboob) Khan.
Click to expand...
Rufus Rednose Johnson Brown...what 'cha gonna do when the rain comes down?

Chaka (and Mahboob) Khan?
Hey slice, let's not forget their Uncle Genghis--now THAT guy could knock 'em dead! Total killer "live." :cool:

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Just to name a few: Ike & Tina, Otis Redding, Eddie "Knock on Wood" Floyd, Holmes Brothers, Sam & Dave, Bo Diddley, and a lot of earlier "roots-based" R&B artists from the Delta and later Chicago, etc....

Motown Records ( a slew of artists)

Stax Records ( e.g. Johnny "Who's Making Love" Taylor. Even though he'll probably be best remembered for the song "Disco Lady", "Who's Making Love" was a great song, imho. "Who's making love, to your old lady...while you were out making love?" Good schstuff. Taylor also had a great R&B song that had a great title: "Cheaper to Keep Her"

Philadelphia International Records ( e.g. Jerry Butler, Billy Paul, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes/Teddy Pendergrass, The Stylistics, O-Jays)

...and.......the man who taught Marvin Gaye and a slew of others about the meaning (and 'rhythm') of "smooooooth" ..... the truly great Sam "Darling, You-u-u-u Send Me" Cooke.
--------------------------------------------------------------------


Today you have 'evolution-variations' such as the "street" vibe of e.g., Mary J. Blige (a solid talent), Dave Hollister, Transitions, Lyfe Jennings & Urban Mistic. SWV, boyzIImen and jodeci are also 'variations-on-the-theme' as well. Brian McKnight is pretty a good example of 'new school does old school' R&B.

Sidebar: sanyi, your point about "modern blues" is well taken, but please, croation sensation is one of the "top shelf" posters here; no need to jump ugly pal.

Now for the bad news: unfortunately, much of today's *cough* "R&B" involves a lot of adolescent angst or bedroom bragging with faint respect for the music's roots, not to mention, the core elements when presenting it "live" such as:

--great background singers
--a great band

It seems like every other "R&B" act brings 100 people up on stage....and 90 of 'em don't sing or play an instrument. :neutral:

Once upon a time, Public Enemy wrote: "911 is a joke." Well, I dunno about that, but Ashanti and Sean Kingston sure as hell are....imho.....
 
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
Don't forget the Wicked Wilson Pickett, Rufus and Carla Thomas, James Brown and Curtis Mayfield.
 
M

MEAC_ALLAMERICAN

Legend
Sanyi said:
you people who mistake pop that has been dressed up with urban sound effects as the Rythm & Blues make me LAUGH! Losers!

tru R&B is hard to find these days and 98% of the names mentioned in this thread are not R&B musicians. At all.
Click to expand...

Since you know it all? What is your contribution to enlighten the rest of us that in your eyes know nothing about R&B? :neutral:
 
V

Vision84

Hall of Fame
Sanyi said:
you people who mistake pop that has been dressed up with urban sound effects as the Rythm & Blues make me LAUGH! Losers!

tru R&B is hard to find these days and 98% of the names mentioned in this thread are not R&B musicians. At all.
Click to expand...

I thought R&B stands for rap and bass? Or are we both right and it is a different entity now?
 
U

UW_Husky88

Rookie
hey, quick update. I've looked into a lot of your suggestions, but it seems that unfortunately, I like 90s+ R&B appealing. I can appreciate the others, but I guess I like the newer sounding R&B, so any suggestions based on that? Oh yeah, and can you guys list a few songs, because it's hard to find good songs by those artists even using iTunes. So far, I can't really find much out of those artists you listed that I really like aside from Mariah Carey and such.
 
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