R&B is at a crossroads.
The once thriving genre is now in a creative and commercial rut. It hasn’t produced a real superstar since the era of Beyonce and Usher (who’ve long since transcended R&B and crossed over into the pop world). The R&B artists that have managed to sell well recently – Maxwell, Sade, Keyshia Cole, Mary J. Blige – have done so without any pop radio support whatsoever. Songs routinely make it to number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts without even cracking the Top 40 of their Hot 100. For example, current R&B number 1 ‘Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)’ is at number 46 on their Hot 100. Here’s a look at 10 artists we think have what it takes to save R&B, and what they bring.
UP NEXT: THE TWO VOICES THAT CAN BRING R&B BACK.
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R&B, moreso than any other genre of music, has always been about the vocals. In this auto-tuned era, these two artists take it back to what really matters.
Artist: Janelle Monae
What She Brings to the Game: VISION.
Along with her incredible voice, Janelle brings a creative vision and fearlessness to R&B that has been sorely missing. Her epic new album The Archanroid has no boundaries when it comes to genre – drawing from indie, funk, psychedelic, classical, fusion, and electronica. Janelle is the kind of visionary artist that R&B needs, and her success could lead the way for other like-minded artists (such as J*Davey, Georgia Anne Muldrow, etc.).
NEXT PAGE: THE FEARLESS VOICE OF A GENERATION…
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Artist: Jazmine Sullivan
What She Brings to the Game: RAW TALENT.
Jazmine Sullivan is arguably the most talented vocalist to emerge in years. On top of that, she writes all of her songs and has written hits for others (Christina Millian “Say I,” Fantasia “Free Yourself,” Monica “Everything to Me,” etc.). Her debut album Fearless stunned listeners with it’s soulfuless and managed to go gold. Here’s hoping her upcoming sophomore album takes her to superstar status.
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