R&B, or Rhythm and Blues is a musical genre born in the middle of the 20th century that, perhaps, bridged the gap between the mainly black audience of early blues and what eventually became an international audience that transcended racial and social barriers. The musical term rhythm and blues was coined as a musical marketing term by Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler in 1948 as a substitute for the term “race records”. This distinctive music style described as rocking and jazz based with a heavy beat, was an African-American urban sound that evolved from blues and jazz. With several stylistic similarities, R&B could be considered one of the founding fathers of rock ‘n roll.
Through the movement of African Americans to the urban industrial …show more content…
At the time, each record label used their own terms to promote African-America music. Label RCA Victor records began using the term blues and Rhythn in 1948 as a general marketing term for black music, other companies used the term “sepia” or “ebony”. In 1949 Billboard magazine executive, Jerry Wexler, coined the term rhythm and blues to rename its "race records" chart, reflecting changes in the social status, economic power, and musical tastes of African Americans. The lyrics of R&B were about everyday life. The songs were about work, sex, and drinking. Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers recorded “The Huckle-Buck that became an R&B hit. The song was called dirty boogie and was considered raunchy and risqué for its time. Their concerts were hot and wild, sometimes shut down. In 1951, influential DJ Alan Freed debuted a new radio show to showcase the music, entitled "The Moondog Rock and Roll House Party," thereby coining the term for what this form of R&B would become before long. The same year, Little Richard began recording for RCA, but it would take him three years to break through to a wide audience. However, he would soon become one of the most influential and enduring figures of the young scene. Wexler was later signed as a partner to Atlantic Records, his role was to make sure that all the records had a good sound and feel. By 1952, Atlantic had signed singer Ray …show more content…
By the end of the 70s disco and funk we dominating the charts. The genre transition back to R&B with new stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince in the mid 1980s. During the late half of the 80s Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson became popluar, and Tina Turner came back with a series of cross over hits. In 1986 producer Teddy Riley began recording tracks that had hip hop influesnces, with artists such as Keith Sweat, Guy, Jodeci, Bell Biv Devoe and later work of Michael Jackson. The 1990 the most successful R&B male group was Boyz II Men. During this time Miraiah Carey and girl groups TLC, En Vogue, and SWV brought contemporary R&B mainstream. Other top selling artists from this era include Vanessa Williams, Toni Braxton, Blackstreet, Monica, Brandy, Destiney’s Child and Usher. By the 2000s mainstream modern R&B had a sound based more on rythym that hip hop soul had and focused more on solo artists than groups. Soufoul R&B still popular by artists such as Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, and John Legend, has a 1970s soul music influence with influences from jazz, funk and hip-hop, know as “nu soul”. R&B today encompases a range of black musical genres, including funk, disco, hip-hop and
Through the movement of African Americans to the urban industrial …show more content…
At the time, each record label used their own terms to promote African-America music. Label RCA Victor records began using the term blues and Rhythn in 1948 as a general marketing term for black music, other companies used the term “sepia” or “ebony”. In 1949 Billboard magazine executive, Jerry Wexler, coined the term rhythm and blues to rename its "race records" chart, reflecting changes in the social status, economic power, and musical tastes of African Americans. The lyrics of R&B were about everyday life. The songs were about work, sex, and drinking. Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers recorded “The Huckle-Buck that became an R&B hit. The song was called dirty boogie and was considered raunchy and risqué for its time. Their concerts were hot and wild, sometimes shut down. In 1951, influential DJ Alan Freed debuted a new radio show to showcase the music, entitled "The Moondog Rock and Roll House Party," thereby coining the term for what this form of R&B would become before long. The same year, Little Richard began recording for RCA, but it would take him three years to break through to a wide audience. However, he would soon become one of the most influential and enduring figures of the young scene. Wexler was later signed as a partner to Atlantic Records, his role was to make sure that all the records had a good sound and feel. By 1952, Atlantic had signed singer Ray …show more content…
By the end of the 70s disco and funk we dominating the charts. The genre transition back to R&B with new stars such as Michael Jackson and Prince in the mid 1980s. During the late half of the 80s Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson became popluar, and Tina Turner came back with a series of cross over hits. In 1986 producer Teddy Riley began recording tracks that had hip hop influesnces, with artists such as Keith Sweat, Guy, Jodeci, Bell Biv Devoe and later work of Michael Jackson. The 1990 the most successful R&B male group was Boyz II Men. During this time Miraiah Carey and girl groups TLC, En Vogue, and SWV brought contemporary R&B mainstream. Other top selling artists from this era include Vanessa Williams, Toni Braxton, Blackstreet, Monica, Brandy, Destiney’s Child and Usher. By the 2000s mainstream modern R&B had a sound based more on rythym that hip hop soul had and focused more on solo artists than groups. Soufoul R&B still popular by artists such as Alicia Keys, Amy Winehouse, and John Legend, has a 1970s soul music influence with influences from jazz, funk and hip-hop, know as “nu soul”. R&B today encompases a range of black musical genres, including funk, disco, hip-hop and