The document summarizes the history and evolution of R&B music from the 1940s to the 2000s. It notes that Louis Jordan was a pioneer of R&B in the late 1940s with his band Tympany Five. In the 1950s, R&B was dominated by vocalists like Ray Charles and Ruth Brown as well as vocal groups. R&B then began incorporating elements of soul music in the 1960s, with influential artists including Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder. In subsequent decades, R&B blended with different genres like funk, disco, hip hop, and pop music, with popular artists such as Janet Jackson, R. Kelly, Beyoncé

1. WINI CHARITY

2. HISTORY OF R&B MUSIC – 40’s + 50’s
• Louis Jordan was one of the major pioneers of RnB who dominated
the charts with his band the ‘Tympany Five’ in the late 40’s. His
music was described as urbane, rocking and jazz based, also
describes as ‘jump blues’.
General characteristics of rhythm and blues music:
- Integration of country and city blues styles.
- Use of electric or amplified instruments.
- Rhythm and blues music was very popular in the African American
community in the post-WWII years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JgAvWvx_jM - Ruth Brown –
Tears Keep Tumbling Down
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rEsVp5tiDQ - Ray Charles – Hit
The Road Jack
During the ’50’s, R&B was dominated by vocalists like Ray Charles and Ruth Brown, as well as vocal
groups like The Drifters and The Coasters
Ray Charles
Louis Jordan

3. 60’S + 70’S
• Eventually, R&B began to steer more into soul. Soul describes a number of R&B-based music styles, such as
Motown (record label) and Stax/Volt, soul was very diverse. Some of the most famous Motown musicians are,
Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Motown often crossed over into pop orientated
music as well.
• During the early 60’s, soul music generally remained close to the style of R&B. However, artists began to stylize
their music in different ways. This started to happen in different regions of America, where different areas
produced different kinds of soul.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjlSiASsUIs - Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ykv1D0qEE - Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBLNYuKLYD0 - James Brown – Mans World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDZFf0pm0SE - Stevie Wonder – Superstition
Smokey Robinson
Marvin Gaye
Different styles of soul:
Gospel
R&B
Rock + roll
All of these styles formed soul, which ruled
the black music charts throughout the ’60’s
and also frequently crossed over into the
pop charts.
James Brown
Soul then began to split into
different styles. Artists such as
James brown and sly stone
developed ‘funk’, and people
such as Kenny gamble and
Leon huff started off Philly soul.
Later on in the decade,
danceable R&B became a mass
phenomenon with the up rise of
‘disco’.
Stevie Wonder

4. 80’S + 90’S
• During the 80’s and 90’s, R&B began to add stylistic components such as hip-hop into its music.
• By the time of the millennium, rapping was introduced into R&B, and is now a dominant part of the
genre. Artists such as Janet Jackson and R. Kelly, and girl groups such as TLC, were popular in
the 90’s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrLe
qu6dUdM - TLC – No Scrubs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6y_
4_b6RS8 - R Kelly – Ignition

5. 2000’s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e82VE8UtW8A - Rihanna – Rude Boy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1dUDzBdnmI - Beyonce – Check On It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J3vgcE5i2o - Nelly Furtado - Promiscuous ft. Timbaland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WYHDfJDPDc - Dilemma ft. Kelly Rowland
In the early 2000’s, R&B
became more modern
due to artists such as
Beyonce, Rihanna adding
a more pop genre
crossover in their music.
Artists also began to
include rap in their music.
(given examples in
videos)
The music videos all
have a similar aesthetic.
They usually include
dancing/club scenes. Low
key lighting/very colourful
(e.g. Beyonce’s check on
it)