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- Glitter Up the Dark: How Pop Music Broke the Binary. Sasha Geffen. University of Texas Press, 2020. Geffen’s 2020 book is a gem. Glitter Up the Dark chronicles and argues for pop music’s critical role in disrupting dominant gender expressions and norms.
- The Meaning of Soul: Black Music and Resilience since the 1960s. Emily J. Lordi. Duke University Press, 2020. Though in some ways more an aesthetic survey than history, Lordi’s The Meaning of Soul may be the most important, game-changing book on soul—the music, the concept, and its history—ever published.
- Good Booty: Love and Sex, Black & White, Body and Soul in American Music. Ann Powers. Dey Street, 2017. Powers is easily one of the most important music writers of the last few decades, and in 2017 she published the best contemporary survey text on music history.
- Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop. Danyel Smith. Rock Lit 101, 2022. Smith’s Shine Bright is more autobiographical and less scholarly than, for example, such excellent books as Maureen Mahon’s 2020 survey, Black Diamond Queens: African American Women and Rock and Roll, or Daphne A. Brooks’ 2021 book on archives of Black female creativity, Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound.
- 1920s – 1940s: Jazz and Blues
- 1950s and 60s: The Golden Age of R&B
- 1970s and 80s: Funk, Disco and New Jack Swing
- Mainstream Contemporary R&B, Hip Hop Soul and Neo-Soul
The origins of R&B can be traced back to the Jazz and Blues of the 1920s and 30s. When African American musicians were performing a mixture of Blues, Jazz, and Gospel music in the clubs and juke joints of the South. Singers like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey, sang about the hardships of life and the struggle for civil rights. Their music was raw, emot...
The contemporary sound of R&B really started to take shape in the 1950s and 60s. Crucially, during this time was the rise of doo-wop, a vocal style that relied heavily on harmonies and falsetto singing. Doo-wop groups like The Drifters and The Platters had a string of hits during this time and helped to popularize the sound of R&B. Soul music also ...
In the 1970s, R&B took a turn towards Funk. Credited as an invention of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, Funk emphasises rhythm and groove over melody. It’s characterised by heavy bass lines and percussion-led rhythms, rather than melody and chord progression. This combination gives the music a distinctly danceable, infectious feel. Importantly,...
With the popularity of New Jack Swing, came a mainstream sound in 90s R&B that heavily leaned into contemporary Hip Hop production. Dominated by the likes of TLC, then Puff Daddy and his Bad Boy label signees, Faith Evans, 112 and Mary J Blige. The term ‘Hip Hop Soul’ was originally used to describe this sound. In the late 1990s, R&B saw the emerge...
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Jan 7, 2024 · 5 min read. ·. Jan 7, 2024. Contemporary R&B, often abbreviated as R&B, is a genre that has undergone significant transformations over the years. From its roots in the African American...
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.
Nov 1, 2023 · The Roots of R&B: A Historical Overview. To understand contemporary R&B, it’s essential to delve into its historical roots. R&B, which stands for Rhythm and Blues, emerged in the United States during the early 1940s. It was initially used to describe music that combined elements of jazz, gospel, and blues.
Dive into the world of contemporary r&b with our detailed guide. Discover the most popular artists and landmark songs that define contemporary r&b. Ideal for enthusiasts and newcomers, this page offers insights and highlights to enhance your festival experience.
History Of Contemporary R&B. The roots of contemporary R&B music can be traced back to the 1940s and 1950s when rhythm and blues music emerged as a popular genre among African American musicians. This music was characterized by its use of blues chord progressions, call-and-response vocals, and a strong emphasis on rhythm.
