Within this slideshow I will present my research into my chosen genre (R&B) and I will research into it’s conventions. Within this research I will analyse 2 music videos (By R&B artists)

1. R&B and it’s
conventions
Within this slideshow I will present my
research into my chosen genre (R&B) and I
will research into it’s conventions. Within
this research I will analyse 2 music videos
(By R&B artists)

2. R&B
R&B Is a music genre listened to by many people across the
world, young and old. This music genre combines elements of
Rhythm and blues, Pop, Soul, Funk and Hip hop.
The style of
R&B
(http://en.wiki
pedia.org/wiki
/Contemporar
y_R%26B)

3. R&B History and artists
R&B was first known as ‘Rhythm and Blues’. This was first used by the Americans in the 1940’s.
Mainly on billboards, magazine adverts ect. R&B originated from African-American sounds that
came from Blues and Jazz. R&B mainly became popular because of its pure dance ability. It was
described as jazz and rocking based with a heavy insistent beat.
An example of how R&B was seen in the early years is a song written and performed by Paul
Williams and His Hucklebuckers. Paul Williams was A famous saxophone player who in 1947
created his own band. Thus, in 1969 they released their best single ‘The Hucklebuck’. It has been
said my many people that this song create a ‘dance craze’. This song for it’s time was known as
being wild and out there.
In the 1950’s R&B was progressing further and was defining the sound of rock and roll. An
example of this is ‘Jonny Otis, Willie and the hand jive’. Though this song was not one the
‘rockiest songs’ it is one of the most famous R&B songs of the 50’s.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxU995zbfno).
In the 60’s R&B music again progressed and expanded and now includes soul music. An example
of this music is ‘Soul man, Sam Dave’. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn24b5phMG4
Progressing into the 70’s another genre had been added into the R&B genre. This being Disco.

4. R&B Today
Today, R&B Consists more of Hip-
hop and is more based on Rhythm.
R&B now focus’s more on single
artists rather then groups, this is
purely down to what the public
seem to be buying/listening to.
Famous R&B artists to this day
are, Usher, Beyoncé, Alicia
Keys, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Trey
songs ect.
The whole look of an R&B artist has
changed a lot. The female artists are
more influenced by the male gaze
(e.g., wearing seductive clothing)
and the male artists are more
influenced by female dancers within
their videos and how they are
presented. The music is less pure, it
has more editing done to and the
pure sounds of instruments is a lot
of the time un heard.
R&B
1950’s
R&B
2010

5. Short Analysis of R&B song (1950’s)
The camera work throughout this video is very
simple. It consists of a simple long wide
shot, showing all the dancers, then the camera
cuts back to the band playing. This is constant
and repeated throughout the video. The dancing
is cutting with the music which keeps the
audience interested in the video. There is no
movement of the camera, just cutting to and
from the long shots.
There is no influence on the male gaze within
the video, all the female dancers are wearing
normal everyday clothing. The location is a
simple, empty room which has been filled with
the band and the dancers, this bring in normality
for the audience and would have been the
easiest place to film a busy video like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxU995zbfno

6. Video analysis (Ne-Yo)

7. Video analysis (Rihanna Ft. Justin
Timberlake)