R&B Genre Research

R&B:

R&B, also know as Contemporary R&B, is a music genre that combines the elements of rhyme and blues, soul, funk, pop, hip hop and dance. Contemporary R&B originated at the end of the disco era, which was around the late 1970's, when Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones added more electronics elements to the black music sound of the time. This created a smoother dance floor-friendly sound. One of the first results of this was 'Off the Wall' (1979), according to Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic, "was a visionary album, that found a way to break disco wide open into a new world where the beat was undeniable, but not the primary focus - it was part of a colourful tapestry of lush ballads and strings, smooth soul and pop, soft rock, and alluring funk". In addition to the new found R&B music Richard j. Ripani wrote that Janet Jackson's 'Control' (1986) was "important to the development of R&B for a number of reasons", as she and her producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, "crafted a new sound that fuses the rhythmic elements of funk and disco, along with heavy doses of synthesizers, percussion, sound effects, and rap music sensibility." Moreover, R&B that we know today has changed in many ways along with its time. Many things have been added or changed it order to make R&B music more modern and interesting. An example would be; the use of Auto-Tune and new computerized synths have given R&B a more futuristic feel while still attempting to incorporate many of the genre's common themes such as love and relationships. The evolution of the genre's production and instrumentation have spurred the successes of performers such as Beyoncé, Christna Aguilera, Usher, John Legend, Frank Ocean, Drake, Tianshe, Ne-Yo etc. Todays R&B is far more diverse and incorporates more sonic elements than before, as it expands its appeal and commercial viability. Other examples of things that have changed are how R&B artists will sometimes collab with non-R&B artists, e.g. combining R&B artists with wrappers.

The Weeknd:

Abel Makkonen Tesfae was born on the 16th February 1990. He is known professionally as The Weeknd and is a Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer. In late 2010, Tesfaye anonymously uploaded several songs to YouTube under the name 'The Weeknd'. He released three nine-track mixtapes throughout 2011. The names of those mixtapes are 'House of Balloons', 'Thursday' and 'Echoes of Silence', which were critically acclaimed. In 2012, he also released a compilation album 'Trilogy', thirty tracks consisting of the original mixtapes and three additional songs. It was released under Republic Records and his own label XO. In 2013, he released his debut studio album 'Kiss Land' and 'Live For'. His second album, 'Beauty Behind the Madness', which became his first number one album on the US Billboard 200, including the number-three single 'Earned It' and produced the number one singles 'The Hills' and 'Cant Feel My Face'. In addition to his success, The Weeknd has won two Grammy Awards and nine Juno Awards. In september 2016, the release of the third album 'Starboy' was announced along with the release of the title track single 'Starboy', which subsequently reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The type of genre his music has been described as having conventions of Contemporary R&B, Alternative R&B, R&B/Soul and Pop music. His music shows clear characteristics of R&B music and has been that way since the very beginning.

Ne-yo:

Shaffer Chimere Smith, or more commonly know as Ne-yo, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. His fame began when many people started noticing his songwriting abilities after he penned his 2004 hit 'Let me Love You' for singer Mario. The success from this in the United States allowed Ne-yo to get a meeting between him and Def Jam's label head, and the signing of a recording contract. He released an album called 'In My Own Words' in 2006. It turned out to be a success and reached number one on the Billboard 200. It is certified platinum in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. Ne-yo's first single 'Stay', was released in September 2005. The song made a big impact on the R&B charts. In April 2007, he released his second album 'Because of you'; this was the second the second number one platinum-selling album debuting on the US Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. In addition, the album also won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Ne-yo went on to have a lot of success with his musical talents and continued to get nominated and win awards. His upcoming seventh album, entitled Good Man, is expected to be released sometime in September 2017, with 'Another Love Song' released in May 2017 as the albums first single.

Boyz || Men:

They are an American R&B vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. However, before they reached their fame the group would practise in the high school bathrooms, because of their excellent acoustics but lack of any other place to rehearse. This was convenient, considering they all attended the same high school. Boyz || Men are a trio which includes Nathan Morris alongside tenors Wayne Morris and Shawn Stockman; they were also one of the most memorable boy bands from the 1990's. They found fame in the 1990's through Motown Records. During this time they gained international success, which began with the release of the number one single 'End of the Road' in 1992, which reached the top of charts worldwide. In addition, this songs remained number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 13 weeks. The only person who was able to achieve such a feat before them was Elvis Presley. In 2012, the music industry rewarded Boyz || Men for their remarkable longevity. The group received a star Hollywood Walk of Fame and they remain popular around the world, especially in North America, Europe and Asia. Moreover, Boyz || Men still remain one of the most truly iconic R&B groups in music history. The group redefined popular R&B and continues to create timeless hits that appeal to fans across all generations.