Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, 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 piano, one or two guitars, bass, drums, one or more saxophones, and sometimes background vocalists. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American experience of pain and the quest for freedom and joy, as well as triumphs and failures in terms of relationships, economics, and aspirations.
Uncle Sam's Curse is the third studio album by the American hip hop group Above the Law. It was released in 1994, the group's final record on Ruthless Records. The album peaked at number 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 113 on the Billboard 200. Uncle Sam's Curse sold over 250,000 copies.
CrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American girl group TLC, released on November 15, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. Following the group's record deal, they released their debut album Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip in 1992 to positive reviews and commercial success. The following year the group began working on a follow-up with an unproductive recording process due to personal struggles, notably those of member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes who was involved in a volatile romantic relationship and struggling with alcoholism. The album's recording lasted until September 1994, with Lopes' role diminished because she was in rehab.
Breathless is the sixth studio album by American saxophonist Kenny G, released in October 20, 1992 on Arista Records. It reached number 1 on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and number 2 on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The track "Forever in Love" won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition at the 1994 ceremony and reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite negative reviews from critics, the album was still certified Diamond for shipments of over 12 million copies in the US, making it one of the top 100 best-selling albums in the United States.
Contemporary R&B is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music.
The discography of American rapper Snoop Dogg includes 19 studio albums, five collaborative albums, 17 compilation albums, three extended plays, 25 mixtapes, 175 singles, and 16 promotional singles. He has sold over 12.5 million albums in the United States and 37 million albums worldwide. He has garnered 14 top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
American singer Usher has released eight studio albums, ten compilation albums, eight extended plays, and 79 singles. His music has been released on the LaFace, Arista, Jive and RCA record labels. Usher has sold more than 23 million albums in the United States alone and over 65 million albums worldwide. With over 100 million total records sold worldwide, he is one of the best selling music artists of all time. He has nine Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles and 18 Hot 100 top-ten singles. In 1994, Usher released his self-titled debut album in North America, producing three singles that had moderate chart success, and the album sold more than 500,000 copies. His follow-up 1997 album My Way sold over 8 million copies worldwide, becoming his breakthrough album. It was certified six-times platinum in the US, and spawned three successful singles, including his first UK number-one "You Make Me Wanna..." and first US Hot 100 number-one song "Nice & Slow". Usher's success continued in 2001 with his third studio album 8701. It debuted at number four on the Billboard 200. The album produced two number-one singles—"U Remind Me" and "U Got It Bad". In 2002, the album was certified four-times platinum in the US for sales of 4 million copies. Its worldwide sales stand at over 8 million.
Songs is the ninth studio album by American R&B/soul singer-songwriter Luther Vandross. It was released by Epic Records on September 20, 1994. The album, a collection of cover versions, produced the singles "Endless Love", "Always and Forever", and "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now". According to an interview both Vandross and Mariah Carey gave in Japan following the release of their duet "Endless Love", there was mention that Carey had given advice as to what songs Vandross would cover on this album.
The discography of Tupac Shakur, an American rapper, consists of 11 studio albums. Throughout his career, Shakur has sold 75 million records worldwide. He has scored 5 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200 and 8 No. 1 albums on Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums. In 2001, Guinness World Records hailed him as the then Best-selling artist of rap in the US. According to Recording Industry Association of America, he has sold 36.5 million albums and an additional 4 million under his alias Makaveli with "The Don Killuminati", making him the second best-selling hip-hop artist in history.
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, 1965, in an effort by the magazine to further expand into the field of rhythm and blues music. It then went through several name changes, being known as Soul LPs in the 1970s and Top Black Albums in the 1980s, before returning to the R&B identification in 1990 and affixing a hip hop designation in 1999 to reflect the latter's growing sales and relationship to R&B during the decade.
Introducing Joss Stone is the third studio album by English singer and songwriter Joss Stone, released on 9 March 2007 by Virgin Records. Stone began writing the album in April 2006 in Barbados, before meeting up with producer Raphael Saadiq in the Bahamas to record the songs. Introducing Joss Stone also features guest vocal appearances by rapper Common and singer Lauryn Hill.
I'm Ready is the second studio album by singer Tevin Campbell, released on October 26, 1993. With this album, Campbell showed his skill as a soul singer. I'm Ready was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best R&B Album category.
This is the discography of DJ Quik, an American hip-hop artist and Record producer. This list includes all of the official album and single releases, including his albums, Quik Is the Name, which debuted at No. 29 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 9 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1991. Way 2 Fonky, which debuted at No. 10 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1992. Safe + Sound, which debuted at No. 14 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1995. Rhythm-al-ism, which debuted at No. 63 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 1995. Balance & Options, which was his first album not to chart and not to receive a RIAA certification in 2000. Under tha Influence, which debuted at No. 27 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in 2002. Trauma, which debuted at No. 43 on the US Billboard 200 chart, No. 13 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, No. 9 on the Rap Albums, and No. 1 on the Independent Albums in 2005.
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by Billboard. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 positions but was shortened to 50 positions in October 2012.
Sons of Soul is the third album by American R&B band Tony! Toni! Toné!, released on June 22, 1993, by Wing Records and Mercury Records. It follows the success of their 1990 album The Revival, which had extended their popularity beyond R&B audiences and into the mainstream.
Jeffrey Osborne is the debut studio album by American singer Jeffrey Osborne. It was released by A&M Records on May 18, 1982. His solo debut after leaving his band L.T.D. for a solo career, Osborne worked with George Duke on the majority of the album, though legal issues had initially prevented him from signing his solo deal with A&M for a whole year.
In Your Eyes is a 1983 album by George Benson. It is his only album produced by producer Arif Mardin. It includes the hit "Lady Love Me ". The title track would later be covered by Jeffrey Osborne for his 1986 album Emotional.
Xscape is the second posthumous album and the twelveth overall album by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, composed of previously unreleased tracks that were recorded from 1983 to 2001. It was released on May 9, 2014, by Epic Records, MJJ Music and Sony Music Entertainment, and is the tenth release by Sony and/or Motown since Jackson's death in 2009. L.A. Reid, chairman of Epic Records, curated and served as executive producer for the album enlisting Timbaland to lead a team of record producers, including StarGate, Jerome "J-Roc" Harmon, John McClain, and Rodney Jerkins, to remix and contemporize the eight selected tracks. The album was #1 in its first week in worldwide sales.
Christian R&B is a subgenre of rhythm and blues music consisting of Christian-based lyrics or of musicians typically known for writing such songs, with the purpose to uplift, entertain, or to give a Christian perspective on any topic. Some people may view Christian R&B as a subgenre of gospel music, or a cross-genre under both gospel and R&B.
Courtney Shanade Salter, known professionally as Ari Lennox, is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C. She is the first female artist to be signed to J. Cole's record label, Dreamville Records. She first began gaining recognition after the release of her first EP Pho (2016) on the label. That same year, Lennox made an uncredited guest appearance on Cole's song "Change". Her debut studio album Shea Butter Baby followed in 2019.
