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Rhythm & Blues Music

Emerging after World War II, R&B was a stripped-down, upbeat form that mixed jazz and blues over a back-shuffle snare beat, laying the foundation for rock 'n' roll. Raunchy lyrics continued an African-American tradition of setting sexual innuendos and double entendres to a danceable beat. Ray Charles & Little Willie John shared the limelight with female pioneers Ruth Brown & Big Mama Thornton. In the 1950s, R&B artists incorporated more pop-oriented time signatures and lyrical topics, moving the infectious sound into the popular mainstream.

Sub-Genres

Sub-Genres

Top Songs

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    1.
    Return of the Mack
    Mark Morrison
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    2.
    What's Love Got to Do with It
    Tina Turner
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    3.
    Best of My Love
    The Emotions
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    4.
    Happy Ending (Original Mix)
    lem
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    5.
    Old Melody (Original Mix)
    lem
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    6.
    Optimistic (Original Mix)
    lem
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    7.
    Darklight (Original Mix)
    lem
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    8.
    Desolate Place (Original Mix)
    lem
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    9.
    Find (Original Mix)
    lem
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    10.
    If You Love Me
    Brownstone
See all top songs »

New Releases this week for Rhythm & Blues

I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Smith
Play
Song to the Siren by Ren
Play
desapercibido by Rod
Play
Imperfections by AK
Play
Almost Midnight Collection by Xian Bell
Play
B'zeh Hashaar (Live) by 8th Day
Play
Mauro Ferrari & La Rhythm & Blues Band by The Rhythm
Play
Eita Carai by William
Play
See all new releases »
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