New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley, Bernard Belle, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, new jack swing was most popular from the late 1980s to early 1990s.
Guy is an American hip hop, R&B and soul group founded in 1987 by Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, and Timmy Gatling. Hall's younger brother Damion Hall replaced Gatling after the recording of the group's self-titled debut album. The group released their debut album, which went on to sell over a million copies and was certified double platinum. Following their success, the group released their second album The Future in 1990, which also charted with successful singles and received platinum as well. Following their nearly decade long split, the group returned with their third album before the 2000s, which charted with their hit single "Dancin'".
Edward Theodore Riley is an American record producer, singer, and songwriter credited with the creation of the R&B and hip hop fusion genre, new jack swing. He is the founder and lead vocalist of the musical group Blackstreet, as well as its predecessor Guy. The genre gained popularity from artists who utilized Riley's production and songwriting, namely Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Heavy D & the Boyz, Keith Sweat, Hi-Five, and the Jackson 5, among others.
Aaron Robin Hall III is an American singer and songwriter. Hall joined the R&B and new jack swing group Guy in 1988, which was formed by Teddy Riley and Timmy Gatling, who was later replaced by Hall's brother, Damion. The group's self-titled debut album (1988) was met with commercial success; Hall provided lead vocals on its songs "Groove Me," "I Like," and "Piece of My Love", among others.
"It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Never Gonna Be" is a duet recorded between Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston, and appeared on Franklin's 1989 album Through the Storm. The song was released on June 10, 1989, as the second single from the album by Arista Records.
"Blood on the Dance Floor" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the first single from the remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1997). Jackson and Teddy Riley created the track in time for the 1991 release of Dangerous. However, it did not appear on that record and was worked on further for its commercial release in 1997. One interpretation of the song describes a predatory woman named Susie who seduces Jackson before plotting to stab him with a knife. The song's bassline is interpolated from the song "Last Night a DJ Saved my Life" by the group Indeep. The composition explores a variety of genres ranging from funk to new jack swing.
Make It Last Forever is the debut album of American R&B recording artist Keith Sweat. It was recorded at INS Recording and Power Play Studios in New York City. Released on November 24, 1987, the album went to number one on the Top R&B Albums chart for three weeks, and number 15 on the Billboard 200. Make It Last Forever was one of the earliest R&B albums to showcase the up-and-coming new jack swing sound, as it was mostly produced by Sweat himself and music producer Teddy Riley.
High Hat is a 1989 album compiling tracks from Boy George's second and third UK and European solo albums, Tense Nervous Headache and Boyfriend.
"Jam" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson, released in July 1992 by Epic as the fourth single from his eighth album, Dangerous (1991), where it is the opening track.
Level II is the fourth album by R&B group, Blackstreet, released on March 11, 2003. It was their first and only album released on record label DreamWorks Records. The album's title was a reference to its members' best known line-up during their most successful album, 1996's Another Level. Two of the members returned for the recording of Level II. Mark Middleton returned to the fold after he was replaced by Terrell Phillips on 1999's Finally to launch a gospel music career. Dave Hollister returned on the song "Bygones", as he also left the group to start his solo career.
Guy is the 1988 debut studio album by American R&B band Guy. Released on June 14, 1988, by Uptown Records. It was produced by group member Teddy Riley and manager Gene Griffin. The album peaked at number 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. In July 1994, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, for shipments of two million copies in the United States. In 2007, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the album, Geffen Records reissued the recording complete with a remastered version of the original album and a second CD of remixes.
In Effect Mode is the debut album by Al B. Sure!. It was released on May 3, 1988, on Uptown Records with distribution handled by Warner Bros. Records. It was one of two albums by Sure! that was released under Uptown that were not issued under its parent company MCA Records.
The Future is the second studio album by American R&B group Guy, released in November 13, 1990, on Uptown Records. It was their last album before their reunion a decade later.
Guy III is the third studio album by American R&B group Guy, released on January 25, 2000, by MCA Records. The album reached number five on the R&B Albums chart and peaked at number thirteen on the Billboard 200 chart.
"I Like" is a song by American R&B group Guy recorded for their debut studio album Guy (1988). The song was released as the album's fourth single in 1989. The album version clocks at 4:54 while the single was 12-inch only and was composed entirely of edits.
"Hollywood Tonight" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, included on his posthumous album, Michael. The song was released by Epic Records on February 11, 2011, as the second single from Michael. The spoken parts were performed by Jackson's nephew, Taryll Jackson and written by Teddy Riley. An accompanying music video was released on March 10, 2011. It features Algerian dancer Sofia Boutella dressed in a Jackson-inspired outfit performing a routine with 60 dancers.
The Singles 1971–2006 is a box set compilation of singles by The Rolling Stones spanning the years 1971 to 2006. It covers their output with both Rolling Stones Records and Virgin Records labels.
"Bye Baby" is a song by hip hop recording artist Nas, from his 2012 album Life Is Good. The song was produced by 40 and Nas's frequent collaborator Salaam Remi. Sampling "Goodbye Love" by Guy, the song recounts Nas's failed marriage with Kelis.
Boyfriend is the third solo studio album by English singer Boy George, released in April 1989 by Virgin Records, just six months after his previous album, Tense Nervous Headache, which Virgin Records decided to not release in the United Kingdom, due to its lead-single "Don't Cry" performing poorly.
Rare Cult is a limited edition, six-CD box set from British rock band the Cult, released in November 2000. The chronologically-organized set contains 90 tracks of studio B-sides, radio sessions, 12-inch mixes, alternate mixes, demos and the complete then-unreleased Peace album. The set is packaged in a matte black box with gold lettering, containing three 2-disc gatefold digipaks and an extensive 80-page booklet of liner notes and photos.
