Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is the modern form of rhythm and blues, combining soulful singing with pop, funk, hip hop and electronic production.
It emerged in the United States around 1980 as disco faded and drum machines and synthesizers replaced live bands. Records are smooth and polished, with programmed beats, deep bass and vocals full of runs and harmonies, and slow jams and dance tracks are both common. Since the 1990s it has been closely tied to hip hop, sharing producers and guest verses. It differs from older R&B and soul mainly in its electronic, studio-built sound.
Artists it is known for: Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Beyoncé.
- Family
- R&B & Soul
- On Spotify
- A current genre
- What it is
- A genre
- From
- United States, late 1970s to early 1980s
- Also called
- r&b, rnb, modern r&b
- Trackify listeners who play it
- 3%
About 2,800 of 83,000 Trackify listeners with public profiles have contemporary r&b among their top artists of the last four weeks. Rounded; updated 13 November 2026.
Contemporary R&B artists
USHER
Aaliyah
Ginuwine
Masego
Boyz II Men
SWV
Brandy
Keyshia Cole
Jodeci
TLCThe contemporary r&b artists most Trackify listeners have in their top fifty. Each opens on Spotify.
Sources
The definition is written for this site from open sources, and was checked against them on 13 November 2026.