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The term "rhythm and blues" has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s, it was frequently applied to blues records. Starting in the mid-1950s, after this style of music had contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term "R&B" became used in a wider context.
Jun 7, 2021 · R&B Music Guide: The Evolution of Rhythm and Blues. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Jun 7, 2021 • 4 min read. For decades, the Billboard Hot 100 and Top 40 charts have been populated with rhythm and blues, an American musical genre first developed by Black artists in the mid-twentieth century.
During the '50s, R&B was dominated by vocalists like Ray Charles and Ruth Brown, as well as vocal groups like the Drifters and the Coasters. Eventually, R&B metamorphosed into soul, which was funkier and looser than the pile-driving rhythms of R&B.
Dec 15, 2023 · Explore the evolution of R&B music from its African American roots to a beloved American genre. This traces the key eras, artists and styles that evolved rhythm and blues from blues and gospel origins into soul, funk, disco, hip hop soul and modern fusions.
Early R&B. Evolving out of jump blues in the late '40s, R&B laid the groundwork for rock & roll. R&B kept the tempo and the drive of jump blues, but its instrumentation was sparer and the emphasis was on the song, not improvisation. It was blues chord changes played with an insistent backbeat.
Sep 20, 2016 · At its core R&B is dance music that compels the listener to respond. It is the creative melding and mixing of antecedent song forms-including blues, gospel, swing, and other harmonic structures-with new innovations that keep the evolving sounds of R&B contemporary.
Carnegie Hall's history and timeline of African American Music. Learn about the reintroduction of R&B in the 1990s and the evolution of R&B in the 2000s.
