India  

Rhythm and blues

Music genre originated in the 1940s

Rhythm and blues    ▸ Facts   ▸ Comments   ▸ News   ▸ Videos   

Rhythm and blues: Music genre originated in the 1940s
Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to African Americans, at a time when "rocking, jazz based music ... [with a] heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of a piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American history and experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of societal racism, oppression, relationships, economics, and aspirations.

0
shares
ShareTweetSavePostSend
 
How 'Bastards of Soul' Doc Director Captured the Sudden Loss of a Rising Star | THR Video [Video]

How 'Bastards of Soul' Doc Director Captured the Sudden Loss of a Rising Star | THR Video

Director-producer Paul Levatino and his directors of photography Jeremy Ward and Zack Tzourtzouklis sat down with The Hollywood Reporter and revealed how a short film about the popular Dallas soul/R&B..

Credit: The Hollywood Reporter     Duration: 17:04Published

You Might Like


Usher Delivers Emotional Acceptance Speech at NAACP Image Awards

Usher won big at the NAACP Image Awards Saturday night, lassoing statues for Entertainer of the Year and the President's Award -- but it was his speech of sheer gratitude for his mom that took everyone..
TMZ.com - Published

Deion Sanders' Daughter Pregnant With R&B Singer Jacquees' Baby

Deion Sanders is on his way to being a grandpa ... his eldest daughter, Deiondra, just revealed she's pregnant with R&B singer Jacquees' baby! The 31-year-old called the pregnancy "a miracle" when she..
TMZ.com - Published

Liam Gallagher Slams Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees As Non-Rockers

Liam Gallagher says a lot of the people who've been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year don't deserve to be there -- taking aim at hip-hop/ R&B acts specifically. The singer is..
TMZ.com - Published

Keyshia Cole Surprises Atlanta Students With Performance Of Hit 'Love'

Keyshia Cole's music has transcended several generations ... just ask the group of middle schoolers the R&B songstress just floored with a surprise performance of one of her earlier hits!!! A choir of..
TMZ.com - Published

Usher Joined By Alicia Keys, Luda & Lil Jon For Super Bowl Halftime Show

Usher brought out a ton of special guests for his Super Bowl Halftime show -- most of whom were expected -- but one person he didn't trot out ... Justin Bieber, who was in town. The legendary R&B..
TMZ.com - Published

'California Soul' Singer Marlena Shaw Dead at 81

Marlena Shaw -- best known for her song "California Soul" -- has died ... according to her daughter. The legendary jazz and R&B singer passed away Friday afternoon Marlena's daughter Marla said in a..
TMZ.com - Published

Kali Uchis & Don Toliver Expecting 1st Child Together

Kali Uchis and Don Toliver are the latest musical couple expecting a bundle of joy -- the R&B stars popped the lid off their baby-making secret with an IG reveal on Thursday. The soon-to-be parents..
TMZ.com - Published

Chaka Khan Drops 'Silly Grudge' With Kanye West For Sampling Her Voice

Chaka Khan isn't mad at Kanye West for sampling her voice on his debut single ... and admits she was just clueless about how the Hip, Hop, the hippity hop operated at the time!!! The R&B songstress..
TMZ.com - Published

Chris Brown Announces Plans to Leave California: 'Time For Something New'

Chris Brown could be the next California resident to pack up and find some new surroundings -- the R&B megastar says he's moving on from the Golden State. Chris posted Monday ... "LA it's been FUN...
TMZ.com - Published

Mario Says He Belongs on the R&B Mt. Rushmore

Mario believes he belongs among the greats ... making a case for why he says he should be on R&B's Mt. Rushmore with the genre's greats. TMZ Hip Hop engaged in a friendly R&B debate with the "Let Me..
TMZ.com - Published

Usher Says Keke Palmer Situation Blown Out of Proportion, Talks Super Bowl Halftime

Usher is downplaying all the fallout his viral moment with Keke Palmer caused, at least on his end ... he thinks the whole debacle was sensationalized so he simply used the situation to their..
TMZ.com - Published

DJ Envy & Wife Claim Tyrese Friendship Became Too Inappropriate For Comfort

DJ Envy and his wife Gia Casey are coming in hot with allegations against Tyrese ... claiming the actor/R&B star attempted to wedge himself into their marriage!!! Tensions have still been high in the..
TMZ.com - Published

Russell Wilson, Ciara Expecting Third Child Together, We're Pregnant!

The Wilson family is getting bigger -- Russell and Ciara just announced they have another baby on the way ... courtesy of a sexy silhouette video of the singer showing off her bump!! The Denver Broncos..
TMZ.com - Published

'Peaches & Cream' Singers 112 'Memba Them?!

American R&B group 112 made waves in the music world with the hit song "Peaches & Cream" back in 2001. The group originally consisted of Daron Jones, Michael Keith, Reginald Finley and Aldon Lagon .....
TMZ.com - Published

Trey Songz -- Good Genes Or Good Docs?!

Trey Songz looks over the years are a real "Panty Droppa!" Here is a 24-year-old version of the R&B singer looking dapper AF, accessorized and ready to party at his Birthday celebration in New York..
TMZ.com - Published

Prosecutors ask for R Kelly to serve 25 more years in prison for child pornography convictions

prosecutors ask for r kelly to serve 25 more years in prison for child pornography convictions
Prosecutors have asked a judge to give R&B singer R Kelly 25 more years in prison for convictions for child pornography and enticing minors for sex.
Sky News - Published

G Herbo's 'Superstar' Challenge Doesn't Amuse Usher

G Herbo recorded himself hitting the high notes from Usher's famed "Superstar" challenge Tuesday night — and it elicited a cryptic jab from the R&B star himself. Herb kicked things off by..
TMZ.com - Published

Babyface Relists Longtime L.A. Home After Dropping Price $500,000

Babyface is hoping with a lower price, he'll be able to get his longtime L.A. home off his hands and to a new owner. The R&B legend relisted his Bel Air Crest estate for $7.495 million Monday, a decent..
TMZ.com - Published

R&B Singer B. Smyth Dead at 28

R&B singer B. Smyth is dead ... at a very young age, and after a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis. The singer's brother, Denzil, broke the news to fans ... saying Smyth died Thursday from..
TMZ.com - Published

Singer Keri Hilson 'Memba Her?!

R&B singer Keri Hilson was 25 years old when she put her name on the map and on the top of the music charts back in 2007. After signing with rapper and music producer Timbaland, Keri was hitting the..
TMZ.com - Published

Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown's Former Georgia Home Up For Sale

Fans of R&B and soul music could be livin' it up in a pretty monumental home ... if, of course, you can cough up a ton of cash for Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown's former pad. The 8,022-square-foot..
TMZ.com - Published

Chlöe Bailey Exposes Gunna As a Sometimey Lover In New Song

Chlöe Bailey is spilling the deets on her short-lived romance with Gunna ... hinting she was just another cog in his wheel of women during their time together. The R&B star previously revealed her new..
TMZ.com - Published

R Kelly convicted of at least one charge related to child abuse images

r kelly convicted of at least one charge related to child abuse images
R&B singer R Kelly has been convicted of at least one charge of viewing child abuse images.
Sky News - Published

R&B Singer Jesse Powell Dead at 51

Popular '90s R&B crooner Jesse Powell has died at his home in L.A., this according to his family. His sister, Tamara, broke the sad news Tuesday night on IG, but did not reveal a cause of death. She..
TMZ.com - Published

Brian McKnight Calls Diddy's 'R&B is Dead' Theory Silly, Music is Genre-less

Diddy's view that classic R&B music is a thing of the past upset a lot of artists, but don't include Brian Mcknight in that group -- he's confident it'll live on ... just by a different name, possibly...
TMZ.com - Published

R. Kelly's Standing as Hit-Maker Debated Amid New Kendrick Lyrics

R. Kelly's legacy is being fiercely debated amid new Kendrick Lamar lyrics that touch on the now-disgraced/convicted R&B legend -- question being ... did he make good music??? That's what Twitter's..
TMZ.com - Published

Art Rupe - the music executive who helped R&B go mainstream - dies

art rupe - the music executive who helped r&b go mainstream - dies
Art Rupe - the music executive who helped R&B go mainstream - has died aged 104.
Sky News - Published

Brent Faiyaz Gets Into Scuffle at L.A. Rooftop Hotel Bar, Cops Called

Brent Faiyaz certainly wasn't wasting time this weekend when he got into a bruhaha in L.A. -- one that saw him being held back by security ... and for which the cops had to be called. The R&B singer --..
TMZ.com - Published

Super Bowl Broadcast Mistakes Mickey Guyton for Jhene Aiko

Super Bowl LVI is already off to a bumpy start -- because the folks running the broadcast apparently couldn't tell one of their marquee singers from another ... oof. Shortly before kickoff Sunday, NBC..
TMZ.com - Published

Lady Marmalade singer and Labelle co-founder Sarah Dash dies

lady marmalade singer and labelle co-founder sarah dash dies
R&B singer Sarah Dash, who co-founded the groundbreaking group Labelle which had a number one hit with Lady Marmalade, has died aged 76.
Sky News - Published

R Kelly accuser tells court singer recorded sexual encounters and made her dress up

r kelly accuser tells court singer recorded sexual encounters and made her dress up
A woman accusing R&B singer R Kelly of abuse has told a court he would often record their sexual encounters and sometimes ordered her to "dress like a Girl Scout".
Sky News - Published

Jury selection set to begin for R Kelly sexual abuse trial in New York

jury selection set to begin for r kelly sexual abuse trial in new york
Jury selection is due to take place today for the sexual abuse trial of disgraced R&B singer R Kelly.
Sky News - Published

Tank Happy His & Aaliyah's Catalog Getting Released, Despite Drama

Tank is ecstatic that his early tunes are finally seeing the light of day, officially, alongside Aaliyah's catalog ... this in spite of the drama behind the scenes. The R&B crooner broke down what this..
TMZ.com - Published

Keyshia Cole's Mom Frankie Dead at 61, Suffered Overdose on Birthday

Keyshia Cole's biological mother, Frankie Lons, has died, passing away on her birthday after a several-decades-long struggle with addiction ... TMZ has learned. The R&B singer's brother, Sam, tells us..
TMZ.com - Published