Is R&B Music Dead? - The Fall of a Genre

R&B music was once a dominating force in mainstream culture. However, in the past decade its popularity has significantly declined. In this video, we explore the pinnacle years of R&B and compare the trajectory of decades past to the current state of the genre.
0:00 - Intro
2:10 - Current State of R&B
4:25 - The History of R&B
5:50 - The 90s
9:54 - The 2000s
13:39 - Conclusion

[@Pain-wk2dz]

It's not hard to bring this vibe back, people just shame it for being old. We need that energy back

[@musermusings]

We need them vocals and sanging back!

[@jamesjenkins400]

@@musermusings facts but one thing I will say is that Chris Brown still makes good rnb music and he done well vocally on his new album breezy good rnb is still around but it's rare lol

[@musermusings]

@@jamesjenkins400 my next video is actually about Chris Brown. Subscribe and stay tuned as it will be up soon!

[@jamesjenkins400]

@@musermusings most definitely and shout out to Chris Brown for staying consistent

[@remuspierre7573]

Yes of course

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

I miss the golden eras of R&B music 1970s-early 2000's. I hope R&B makes a massive comeback. This was a very good breakdown on R&B. I dearly miss neosoul music too.

[@musermusings]

Thank you! I miss neo soul so much as well. Perhaps I will do a video on that in the future. ;)

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

@@musermusings You're welcome and ok awesome I'll check it out if you do.

[@rogerebertjr.]

I don't know if it's exactly what you're looking for, but the genre along with soul/funk influences has been coming back through Childish Gambino, Silk Sonic, Anderson .Paak, Thundercat, and Steve Lacy in a phenomenal resurgence

[@charedits333]

it won't until black people reclaim the title. it doesn't feel the same having others do it and we need that classic feel to it. we're too crazy and ghetto rn to have it back tho.

[@maiara1948]

Onggggg brooo😩😩

[@elmulatodonovan1303]

I do feel like R&B will make a huge comeback someday!

[@musermusings]

I hope so too!

[@bluedalia1114]

@@musermusings r&b will back when we start to buy albums

[@saptieujobe9293]

We have FLO who’s bringing back that vibe

[@corieydadon]

​@@saptieujobe9293 flo kinda ass. Uk stay copying black Americans

[@ladyluv66.19]

Personally I just feel like the r&b artists we have today are generic and no one is really outshining. The vocals that the r&b vocalists use today are minuscule compared to old school r&b. I missed when artists actually put their all into a song instead of whispering and barely singing on the track. I’m so ready for a new powerhouse vocalist to step on the scene cause we don’t have ANY in r&b right now.

[@musermusings]

This is true, we don’t have bridges and full out singing anymore.

[@tristan6967]

Their last couple albums have been meh, but I would definitely check out SEPT. 5th or Morning After by dvsn. Daniel Daley is definitely a powerhouse!

[@shawnjohn7783]

Some of em really can sing and are told to dumb down their talents to fit more with the polished pop sound, they don't recommend or honor soul singing like they used to 💯 but there are some cold vocalist out there today you just gotta dig thru their music or see them covering someone else songs

[@josetul6969]

I kind of agree they all have a very similar sound, it's not terrible but it's definitely not Toni Braxton , Mariah Carey, Anita Baker, or Patti LaBelle.

[@terrelljackson1995]

@@tristan6967that true tho no lie you don’t had albums that you still be listening to and still talking about for decades like jodeci diary of a mad band r Kelly 12 play mjb my life boyz ll men ll tlc crazy sexy cool usher confessions aayilah on in a million these days you got albums for the moment

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

I miss the golden days of R&B male and female groups too like The Supremes, Earth, Wind and Fire, The Isley Brothers, The Jackson 5, En Vogue, TLC, SWV, Jade, Changing Faces, Zhane, Total, Xscape, Destiny's Child, 702, Cherish, New Edition, Tony!, Toni!, Tone!, Bell Bei Devoe, Guy, Boyz 2 Men, Jodeci, Shai, Silk, H-Town, Soul 4 Real, Portrait, Next, Dru Hill, B2K, Pretty Ricky, Day 26 etc!

[@musermusings]

All great names!

[@Yehyeh613]

All those! Don't forget Kut Klose, Intro, Mint Condition

[@NorthPhilly-zr7xc]

@@Yehyeh613 people sleep on mint condition

[@themezzymahon]

@@Yehyeh613 Mint Condition are criminally underrated!

[@anthonymcken6050]

This generation of young Black people is more obsessed with producing rap records which doesn't take much talent to do in all truth. Added to the fact that the Powers That Be are more infested in seeing Black people produce murder music and degeneracy about ourselves calling our women all sort of names. As opposed to producing music singing about love and loving Black women.

[@TheColeTruth]

I love that you gave India Arie and Craig David some kudos. Both criminally underrated talents.

[@musermusings]

I had to! Firstly, they’re some of my fav artists of the 2000s and it points to the layers of mainstream popularity that has been lost. Those artists were also producing hits and selling millions of albums.

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

I agree both deserve more recognition.

[@91toinfinity]

Right? Those two are sooo good!

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

I agree I especially love India Arie's music. Donnell Jones, Anthony Hamilton and Avant are underrated too.

[@YaaaBishhh]

I 100% agree!

[@bombguruENT]

I miss the good old days when R&B music was playing all over the radio mayneee

[@aimirholmond895]

I so miss it too now

[@IZZYGOTDAFLAME]

Rnb is still around is just not as popular is mainly SoundCloud people who get no exposure

[@IZZYGOTDAFLAME]

But I still bump the new dudes even if people say there trash there not , there trying to keep it alive

[@terrelljackson1995]

⁠@@IZZYGOTDAFLAMEI’m not saying they trash but let’s be honest it’s only a couple of artists that can sing plus they have albums you still listening to and still talking about for decades like jodeci diary of a man band mjb my life d Angelo brown sugar boyz ll men ll tlc crazy sexy cool usher confessions 112 112 blackstreet another level rkelly 12 play Toni Braxton secrets these days you got albums that good for the moment

[@toxicgoat341]

Prime R&B was awesome Usher, Neyo, Akon, timberlake, timbaland, omarion, Alicia keys, beyonce, Chris brown, ginuwine,R kelly, Mariah, J holiday, T pain,Keri hilson, Mario, pharrell, John legend, Kelly rowland,nelly,Boyz II men and even more

[@musermusings]

🔥🔥🔥

[@thejademachineunplugged4016]

Everyone has to admit that there are people behind the scenes trying to kill it by lying about it not being impactful and relevant when in truth they just want to ruin its credibility and save a buck by having the autotune rappers do it badly. We need to demand that they bring it back! It is NOT disco. So many of the elements in 90s R&B are timeless and can be played better than before every generation! Demand for it to return as it was in the 90s!

[@musermusings]

We just gotta uplift the artists who are keeping it alive. I mentioned a few of them at the end of this video.

[@HibaraBonde]

It will back when black people purchase albums

[@theofficialVEVOformu]

R&B is my favorite genre of music I don’t think it’s dead it’s just not as mainstream as it once was. However we do lack soulful r&b singers in the industry and people that can write!

[@musermusings]

I agree that it’s not dead either. The main argument here is that it has waned in popularity ten fold.

[@zbreezy88]

It don’t hit the same cause the beats changed. Idk how to explain it but you can hear the difference of 2000 r&b beats and modern r&b

[@Joy-wx6ly]

If it’s not mainstream i feel like that’s proof it’s dead

[@theofficialVEVOformu]

@@Joy-wx6ly sza and summer Walker are very successful

[@cordbarnes]

@@zbreezy88 Producers are no longer real instrumentalists; that’s the difference you hear. Before the mid-late 2000’s, rnb producers were by and large, live performers. They played one or more instruments: bass, guitar, piano/keys, drums. Their understanding of live arrangements can be heard in their more structured production work. Then a generation of inspirationalists who attempted to emulate music they enjoyed without acquiring the same skill sets as its creators gained access to cheaply available peripherals that made it easier to make unsophisticated music that didn’t sound like finger nails on a chalk board. I’d say that began the culture of “close enough” that now pervades r&b music. It’s such that instrumentalists and newer “beat makers” way of thinking about and making music are so dichotomous that it can be low key cringeworthy to watch them try to work in the same room together. They often don’t even speak the same musical languages. The more refined approaches are more of an anathema to the impatient approach to artistry that proliferates in the sounds of today’s non hip hop traditionally black genres.

[@menacemonk4000]

I am someone who is stuck in the past in regards to music. I prefer listening to the music from this era over present day music. Don't get me wrong, I do still enjoy listening to new music but my soul is drawn to the music that was created during the time when R&B was big.

[@musermusings]

I think some of todays music is equally as good as the music back then. It was easier to fall in love with songs back then because the radio and television played them over and over again whereas now we have the agency to listen to music on our own.

[@MoeJaxon]

Same here

[@myboyfriendgonnagetyou97]

Yea mee too. People think im in love because I listen to rnb everyday they think I'm crazy of a simp

[@elijahheart9103]

This generation simply isn't as talented as the 90s and early 2000s

[@kingdomofmusic4614]

I’m 20 years old, and I really want to become a music artist. I’ve noticed that 99.9% of R&B today has a trap esk flair to it, and I can’t stand it - to me that’s very inauthentic to the genre and really taints it. When I’m in a position to make my music I plan on taking inspirations from 90s/2000s R&B music - because that’s when R&B was at its peak.

[@musermusings]

Best of luck on your journey! Who are some of your fav R&B artists?

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

Great luck on your music journey!

[@myboyfriendgonnagetyou97]

I'd hate to be the guy but I'm taking rnb lessons to be an rnb artist one day. I'd hope we can collab one day. In rhe futue

[@myboyfriendgonnagetyou97]

@@musermusings Usher R kelly Bobby V Ginuwine ofc. Trey songs.

[@elijahheart9103]

Yes today's music is trash.

[@kordionmadison5707]

R&b will never die

[@musermusings]

I agree

[@anthonymcken6050]

As long as Black people remain on this planet they will have rhythm and as long as our condition remains the same we will always have blues.

[@myboyfriendgonnagetyou97]

@@anthonymcken6050 but who's gonna sing it?

[@nehemiahgary7536]

@@myboyfriendgonnagetyou97 Black people like Mariah carey

[@Max-jn7gz]

​@@nehemiahgary7536 are you trying to be funny or what? Mariah has a black father, either way even if she wasn't, you know Black artists are the pioneers of the genre

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

We need more singers starting out in the black church and music programs back in our schools again. We need singers singing about love, heartbreak, issues plaguing society etc again. I hope real R&B music makes a comeback!

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

@@cheriparisedwards3468 Great point and I agree. I miss the R&B music from the 1970s-early 2000s.

[@clarissawestbrook2203]

@@cheriparisedwards3468 Yes it just hit different.

[@theofficialVEVOformu]

I recommend listens to jojo Levesque she’s a white r&b artist but she makes really good music

[@anthonymcken6050]

The Black Church has become a social club globally and it has neglected the youth. The Black Church and dare I say these foreign religions that we as Black people have adopted from other groups need to be given back to those people we don't need them. They have done nothing for us. As regards the topic of this video you may have a point but the era is not dead its just that the industry doesn't want to put money behind real Black artists.

[@dbd254]

@@theofficialVEVOformu She can sing but we(black ppl) need less gentrification.

[@MrFrankCandid]

love that you listed all those new artists at the end. gonna check them out!

[@musermusings]

You won't be disapointed!

[@mgcc9500]

the problem w/ modern r&b is that r&b artists trying too hard to be rappers. why are r&b artist out here rapping or singing over hip hop beats? like tf? that’s why we have the HIP HOP genre and we have RAPPERS. 😭 i can barely tell these rappers and r&b artists apart cause they sound too similar. maybe cause rap is very melodic now so rappers basically singers now. although we still have some incredibly raw r&b artists rn!

[@romeogreen9008]

You right about that they all sound like they rapping

[@musermusings]

Haha, it is true that a lot of singers are trying to be rappers nowadays

[@JaySenju_11]

Facts!!!!

[@tuynanna]

There definitely is a sense that post-2000s music isn't as timeless as they were prior to those eras. Although, you've listed some incredible artists at the end! They definitely are defining and shaping great R&B music of today.

[@musermusings]

Yes! So many amazing new artists. They deserve so much more recognition.

[@allanbahati1942]

Such a beautiful video. Very well put together and thoughtful

[@musermusings]

Thanks a lot Allan! I appreciate it. Check out my other videos, I'm sure you'll enjoy those topics too. :)

[@phillinsogood]

Who else misses the 106 & Park era?

[@musermusings]

We all do!

[@YaaaBishhh]

omg, aj & free especially

[@1sirgrandmastermrkingrober216]

Awesome documentary, expose’, and accurate truthful press package too. The cream of the R&B crop, and they all look great & fantastically ready for the stage, the stage they already all “earned” by bringing us they TOP-FORM every time. Good work!✌️😇♥️📀📜🔒🔐

[@musermusings]

Thanks Sir! I appreciate the kind and thoughtful words! I think you would love my other videos as well, check them out!

[@Progressive.G]

Keep up these great videos...this is phenomenal work you're doing

[@musermusings]

That’s really inspiring. Thanks for the motivating words. 👊🏽

[@YaaaBishhh]

I love Maxwell, he was a true pioneer... wrote and produced all of his own music.

[@musermusings]

Maxwell is the GOAT!

[@mustanggang5.0]

R. Kelly wrote fortunate

[@musermusings]

@@mustanggang5.0 He sure did. That’s the only song of Maxwell’s written by someone else.

[@jbmilly]

@@musermusings This Woman's Work was a cover of a Kate Bush song...so there's another one...

[@musermusings]

@@jbmilly After that immaculate cover, it’s Maxwell’s song now. 😂

[@juniorchandler4669]

The new Jack swing era is legitimately the most important era of the genre 87-93 The years of Bobby Brown Killing the charts, Janet Jackson, Keith Sweat, SWV, Al b Sure, and many more, that was one of most important eras, although me being born in 97, and my era of R&B still iconic with artist such as Usher, Chris Brown, Ne-Yo, Beyoncé, Rihanna and many more, New Jack swing was very important Bobby Brown especially played a huge role in the shift and his 92 album being one of the last huge solo Male R&B new Jack swing albums in the decade and him having a huge Australian tour

[@musermusings]

It surely was… I could do a video on this era alone

[@juniorchandler4669]

@@musermusings that would be amazing 🙏🏾🙏🏾, the successful of the 90’s R&B was because of the influence of New Jack Swing

[@tylerhackner9731]

Am 20, and I wish I grew up with 70s-00s R&B

[@musermusings]

Use a Time Machine!

[@YaaaBishhh]

😇

[@ericmoorejr8033]

Ever since we left the era of 90s and 2000s and entered the era of 2010-present alotta things changed for the worse the trends, the social norms, technology gotten too advanced, streaming became a thing, social media got everyone putting their whole lives on it and social norms got these young women believing its ok to be a city girl with no morals no self respect just thotting it all up which im referring to what they're labeled as "modern women", especially the point of not thinking for yourself and just being a follower into this obsession with easy overnight success. So seeing how r&b went from have multiple subjects to sing about to only one or two subject to sing about and mainly sex is like the only thing they sing about.

[@musermusings]

Sex has been a primary theme in R&B music in the 90s as well. Actually, a lot of the music was about sex, infidelity, etc. I’m actually thinking about doing a video essay on the topic of how infidelity is celebrated in popular music yet looked down upon in general society.

[@ericmoorejr8033]

@@musermusings i know but I'm talking about when back in the day some r&b songs were about a man expressing how much he loves women songs that express what goes on in relationships when people have their ups and down songs where of course sex but wasn't too vulgar and stuff to where you can't let your parents hear what you listening to

[@TheCollector1985]

@@musermusings not true. As a person who's was born in the mid 80s, 90s r&b did sing about sex but they were clever with their words and not as blunt and frank as today's r&b. And today's r&b is too similar to rap and hip hop. And the "artists" today sing too similar like 90s raunchy R&B singers like r. Kelly and jodeci with their provocative and controversial material .

[@user-dv3kq3rm4h]

@@ericmoorejr8033 You're right, a lot of 80's and 90's R&B were men professing their love for women eg. Johnny Gill My my my, Keith Washington Kissing You, Eric Benet, Marc Dorsey, Joe I want to know, Keith Sweat - there were endless songs like this. The explicit sexual antics came in with groups like Jodeci, H-Town etc. but there were still ALOT of love songs which weren't about sex.

[@ericmoorejr8033]

@@user-dv3kq3rm4h yeah and jodeci started doing that freaky stuff in the 95 with freek n you because at first they were popular with forever my lady come and talk to me stay im still waiting and h town of course with knockin boots and like it slow that was the time where you can sing about wanting to fuck but couldn't go too vulgar with it like this modern age of r&b

[@SeanChrisTV]

Thank u so much 4 the analysis

[@musermusings]

🙏🏽

[@RedRypster]

The biggest R&B acts nowadays can barely score radio hits nowadays. R&B surely isn't dead, it's just not AS mainstream anymore.

[@musermusings]

💯

[@musermusings]

@NES You’re actually onto something. It might be revived in a couper yrs.

[@tyboholley9879]

Child R&B music is dead ☠️ the last R&B mainstream artist was the Weekend everybody after can’t even sell that much …..The main r&b stars are Beyoncé ( 23 years in the game ) Rihanna (retired) Chris Brown , and Bruno Mars

[@musermusings]

@@tyboholley9879 SZA can definitely fall into the mainstream category now. She’s had tons of success.

[@bubeonwuanyi3171]

@@tyboholley9879 rihanna, weekend, and beyonce were more of pop artists

[@TreyMichael]

You forgot to mention Tamia and Deborah! Loved the video though. A part 2 video to elaborate on what makes RnB, well, RnB would do well.

[@musermusings]

There are so many more topics when it comes to R&B music… I will do another one sometime!

[@TreyMichael]

@@musermusings i look forward to it! - Regards from Canada / Salutations du Canada 🇨🇦

[@flyleelee5351]

The soul in RnB music is dead, yes. And it's on purpose too

[@musermusings]

Elaborate pls.

[@flyleelee5351]

@@musermusings the soul in RnB that was prevalent before is gone. And that soul comes from artists who grew up in church. The soul that gospel music produces is what translates into soul music and that feeling in older RnB that's not there anymore. The powers that be know this, and purposely put money behind artists without soul which resonates with the masses. Music now lacks something, and I realize it's soul singing about love in a soulful way

[@jeanettecharlemagne268]

@@flyleelee5351 If I could like this comment more than once. They know what they are doing

[@terrelljackson1995]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@flyleelee5351yeah you right about too me it’s dead bc a lot of today artists doesn’t know who certain artists was like back in the day did like jack Harlow didn’t know who brandy was plus it’s more of a younger r&b sound now that the yesteryears

[@romeogreen9008]

Barry White warned everybody it's an interview he did back in the 70s and he said technology was going to destroy music

[@musermusings]

There’s pros and cons

[@jaquaveonandress649]

What’s it called

[@poetdatwroteit]

Well researched, Sir

[@musermusings]

Thanks, sir!

[@301dell4]

R&b is very far from dead it’s just in this day and age people don’t value music and think mediocre is good music and vice versa

[@musermusings]

I agree, it’s not dead. It’s just not nearly as popular as it once was.

[@darionjackson2599]

It’s more of a trap music sound these days toxic vibe r&b you don’t even know who the best r&b producers is

[@terrelljackson1995]

Let’s be honest when the last time you heard a real dope r&b remixes without the same beat sound and put a rapper on the remixes nowadays it’s the same beat same song the same concept

[@sajryder2541]

Great vid never thought of this topic. I think it's fading away unfortunately

[@musermusings]

Thanks! Are you familiar with the artists I mentioned at the end of the video? The newer ones?

[@remuspierre7573]

Amazing topics

[@musermusings]

Thanks Remus! I’m guessing you had the chance to see some of my other videos?

[@misszee007]

1:54 to 2:07 every album here is simply epic. ❤ gonna take me a trip down memory lane after I watch your vid

[@musermusings]

Haha! The whole point of adding pictures like that in the video. I made it myself! :P

[@madisonh1280]

I think this video should have touched on the attitude of mass audiences and what is mainstream a bit. Of course, this is mostly speculation, but it seems that mainstream artists are swaying more towards brash, materialistic, and raunchy lyricism and tend to rise in charts more because even though the message is not particularly productive for society it still demands attention, it's enticing, and is exciting. There's also this idea of commercial blackness which explains why milder, more tame black artists don't get as much recognition. The crux is that the most prominent representations of black people will be what those who make executive decisions want them to be. This usually means using stereotypes since one-dimensional images are more easily digestible by a large audience than complex individuals.

[@musermusings]

So many great points made here. To be honest, this video could definitely see a Part II that delves into the reasons behind the decline in popularity of R&B and also how the genre has evolved/devolved over time.

[@anthonymcken6050]

In other words, as I've been saying for a while now that the Powers That Be are the Creator's of N word-try.

[@diontenelson1116]

Great job

[@musermusings]

Thanks Dionte!

[@tyreejosey1137]

Everyone is in love with rnb songs

[@musermusings]

So am I.

[@harlonmeeks]

Excellent video. You forgot to mention Jaquees he might be the only current R&B artist to still have a 90's/early 00's more traditional R&B sound. Great work though! 👍🏾

[@musermusings]

Thanks! You’re right, I should’ve mentioned him. Check out my other videos too, I’m sure you’ll enjoy them as well!

[@velioskay3924]

Victoria monét ?

[@DistantLights]

Afro beats might be next up, it's getting more and more popular

[@musermusings]

It definitely is. I love Afrobeats!

[@91toinfinity]

It would actually be so awesome if afrobeat became ubiquitous!

[@anthonymcken6050]

Afrobeats will not last and I think its trash in all honesty. You can never give me that.

[@DistantLights]

Honestly it looks like R&B's due for a revival, it's an extremely versatile genre

[@LaCheleWallace]

I just did a lil' search for a "the current state of opera music" video and I couldn't find anything. There's a reason to that. Labels want music that works well w/ ads, mall speakers, etcetera. Rap just took over because it's super easy to make. It takes more time to make R&B music (supposedly). Folks ain't really playin' instruments all like that anymore. The quickest way to fame is through the garbage can that is 'rap music.' It's not about the art anymore. Fame is the objective. We thought it was bad in the 2000's, but boy, were we in for a surprise present day. When we were physically buying music, it meant something. We lived w/ it. When music became free, the value decreased and the artists' passion decreased as well. In the R&B community, we're told that "you have to look for good music." In the pop community, fans don't have to look for sh¡t. The cultural penetration is just different nowadays and we wonder why we're in the state we're in. Adding insult to injury, black women in R&B are being hit w/ constant issues of colorism. "Yo' skin is too dark." "You'll only work in this particular market." "The general public won't organically gravitate towards you." And then excuses pour in. "It's not the right time." "You haven't worked hard enough." Just all this bullsh¡t. On the male R&B side, they're looking for the next Christopher Brown.

[@musermusings]

You raised a lot of great points here LaChele. I agree that R&B music with live instruments take much more time and effort from musicians. The vocals back then were also more layered and had a lot more nuance to them. I appreciate the thoughtful comment, I think you'd really appreciate my other videos, especially the one called "Why are Most Hit Songs Written by Men?" 😁

[@LaCheleWallace]

@@musermusings Thanks and I will be following up.

[@Sham31453]

This is such a sad evaluation yet totally true. If this is the case now, what will follow up in the future?

[@LaCheleWallace]

@@Sham31453 I don't even wanna think about the future because the present is always on some ol' BS.

[@icedcocoa221]

I peeped how most of the new Rnb girls mentioned at the end are mixed/non-black.

[@Ultradude604]

I was wondering about this today. What happened to R&B music? So good.

[@prince-richarderiamiator2646]

I find it strange how much they hate Chris brown

[@musermusings]

I think I should cover this topic in a future video essay. Stay tuned and thanks for the idea!

[@mjsmit4841]

Tyrese needs to make a whole new R&B album again!!! 🌹❤️🥀🕊️

[@musermusings]

Tyrese vs Ginuwine? Who do you choose?

[@aimirholmond895]

What has happened to music nowadays.It's not fun to listen to anymore what kind of generation we all living in now.

[@musermusings]

Have you checked out any of the new artists I mentioned at the end of the video?

[@justakidwithballs342]

I’m 14 and I started to notice this when I was 12 when I one day listened back to my mom’s playlist and I noticed that something about the music I heard from Ariana is off I’m not saying it’s bad I’m saying it’s missing something important and essential I couldn’t pinpoint it but I knew it was and when I grew up and actually listened to these songs I noticed it missed the timeless factor and when you look back every artist from the 70s-2000s had one or at-least 2 of them the part where you could hear a song from 10 years ago and still jam with it like it was released yesterday rnb is in a bad state right now it’s losing its core factor i am not trying to say the rnb artist of today are bad I’m just pointing it out

[@musermusings]

You noticed all of this at 14 yrs old?

[@justakidwithballs342]

@@musermusings yes

[@edwincamaro13]

Usher needs to save R&B

[@musermusings]

I think that boat has sailed. Usher has done enough for R&B already.

[@Adaobieistyping]

He’s done

[@archangeljophiel2019]

Only just Usher??

[@taytay1336]

I wouldn't say it's dead but it's in critical condition producers gotta change the range of used instruments and sound instead of this current long song and male and female vocalist have got to utilize there voice differently and fully this is were we can start to repair this sound 🔴

[@musermusings]

I agree, it’s not dead. The main argument in this video is that it’s mainstream popularity has significantly waned.

[@HoneyBee1980]

I miss the golden days and nostalgia of r&b music 🎶

[@musermusings]

Me too!

[@Traffic65]

I just did episode about this on my podcast. It's available on iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, and Spotify.

[@musermusings]

Cool, I’ll check it out

[@woodsd4]

NO IT AINT DEAD BUT IT IS UP TO US TO KEEP IT ALIVE AND TEACH OUR BABIES WHAT IT MEANS TO OUR PEOPLE AND OUR COMMUNITY...

[@musermusings]

I agree that it’s not dead… this video, however, highlights the drastic fall in popularity of R&B.

[@dankbabayyyy]

r&b songs started losing originality around the mid 2010s as all the new gen artists bit bryson tillers flows and beats, feels rare to find an original r&b artist

[@musermusings]

There are actually a ton of R&B artists that are making great music. Refer to the list of singers I mentioned at the end of this video. Problem is, they are no where as successful as previous generations.

[@brandonmuse5532]

EXCELLENT VIDEO !!!!!!! Yes "MUSE" is my real last name

[@fantasybouthour6679]

R&B is not dead but you won't find authentic R&B in the mainstream.

[@musermusings]

Exactly my point

[@jtsy4239]

Good times when R&B was shining 2001-2009

[@musermusings]

Yes! Who were your fav artists?

[@HibaraBonde]

That when black people were purchasing albums

[@reecec8410]

Pleasure P “The Introduction Of Marcus Cooper” album had no skips

[@musermusings]

I actually love that album and agree with you whole heartedly.

[@KoudrRnB]

Usher will reinvigorate the genre this year when he finally drops his highly anticipated 9th studio album 🐐

[@musermusings]

Really? You think so? I don’t think Usher has the power to do that in 2023 any longer.

[@gigirf3022]

From your mouth to God’s ears, let it be that Usher find the path to transform the genre

[@RD-zj6vc]

New Jack Swing did not set a precent for the Golden Years of R&B. NJS came 10 - 15 years *after* the Golden Years, which were the 1970s. The quality of R&B started to decline after the 1970s and fell off a cliff in the mid-2000s.

[@musermusings]

When I say golden years, I mean when R&B music was most ubiquitous.

[@williamcampbell3868]

I would say that it started falling off earlier than that.

[@terrelljackson1995]

Not really that kinda biased all the real good singers came around the new jack swing era plus a lot of good ass groups and producers

[@williamcampbell3868]

@@terrelljackson1995 The real good vocalist and groups already existed way before the New Jack Swing era, which didn't last that long. Typically, most of the artists of that era had careers that lasted only a few years. When the greedy ass criminals in the music business (All big businesses seem to have these undesirables, especially the US government), started cutting costs to increase their profits the music and artists suffered severely in quality. By not using real instruments and musicians, using cheap sampling machines, and not developing their artists for longevity, they instead concentrated on quick profits margins hired the artists on Thursday and terminated their contracts on Monday ( used them for a few years and robbed them)

[@williamcampbell3868]

Added to the above scenarios, music studies and other arts have been cut in public schools by the bums of the federal government. The end result is the sound- alike foul mouthed, musically cheap sounding, low grade produced garbage of today that has no long term musical value that plays out as fast as it arrives. ( Please excuse my broken paragraph, I hit the arrow before I was finished)

[@JohnDeDominicano]

Well Black artists are wrongfully marginalized to the Urban categories of music like Hip Hop and RNB by the white elites that run the music industry. So even if you are a non urban artist, you are still relegated to the urban categories because you are Black. Look at Doja Cat, The Weeknd and Rihanna who are Pop artists but still regarded as R&B because they are black. African Americans created every genre of music from Rock to Country music and white America has wrongfully stolen and white washed every genre of music from African Americans and the white elites that run the music industry have forced Black artists to be regarded as Urban artists in order to perpetuate negative stereotypes surrounding Blackness. Look at how Hip Hop is a multi trillion dollar industry that exploits Blackness and glorifies Black artist to glorify violence, crime, prostitution and forced performative lesbianism among Black woman, yet Black people created Rock music, Country music, House music and every genre of music that has been stolen and used to uplift whiteness 😑😑😑😑

[@musermusings]

You made a lot of valid points here. 👏🏽

[@dbd254]

I agree, besides call Doja black.

[@thehimathan]

sza is bringing it back but with a modern spin

[@musermusings]

The records she’s breaking with SOS is monumental! However, an exception to the rule only makes the rule true.

[@thehimathan]

@@musermusings I feel like r&b isn't dead because frank ocean,brent faizaz, christ brown, Daniel caesar, jasmine sulivan, summer walker, Chloe x Halle, sza, The Weeknd, kali. uchis, giveon but since modern singers don't sing like they used to due to the decline of funding for performing arts in public schools the past decades as well as churches no longer being heavy in choir, but r&b that is still popular is just much different now. just like disco/dance pop having a massive comeback in the past 2 years. the older styles of r&b can as well but it will not be as traditional like renaissance a dance album but FAR from a dance album in the 80s

[@archangeljophiel2019]

Meh

[@claytonallen5428]

Oh how I miss the 90s era of music even the 80s!!!!

[@musermusings]

Who were you fav artists/albums from that time?

[@claytonallen5428]

@@musermusings Mariah Carey, Faith Evans, Kelly Price, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Brandy, Monica, Jodeci, Dru Hill, En Vogue, TLC, SWV, Whitney Houston, 112, 702, Total, Boyz II Men, Usher, Billy Lawrence, Xscape, Jagged Edge, Ginuwine, Aaliyah, Monifah, Immature, and everybody else

[@viewmaster617]

They and you know who I'm referring to destroyed R&B because it was bringing a lot of us together instead of drifting us apart like today's music. The music of today have people more self absorbed and conceited instead of being selfless and spreading love 💯

[@musermusings]

Who is they?

[@viewmaster617]

@@musermusings Troll much?? Lol

[@xgrandchampx8916]

90s R&B was something else tho. Brian mcknight, Boyz II Men, Jagged Edge & TLC to name a few just hit differently.

[@anthonymcken6050]

The era is not dead it is just that this generation of young Black people is more obsessed with producing rap records which doesn't take much talent to do in all truth. To produce a RnB song the basic fundamental is that you have to be able to sing. The same doesn't apply for rap music. However, RnB really needs a major star and producers who can really produce great songs like Babyface and Teddy Riley.

[@musermusings]

Agreed!

[@anthonymcken6050]

@@musermusings But now that I have stumbled across your video after binging on Bobby Brown videos for the past two days. I'll definitely share your video and ask some of my music lovers what they think.

[@musermusings]

@@anthonymcken6050 Wow! That would be awesome! Thanks for all the support. 🙏🏽

[@thecerebralassassin661]

I don't understand why See it's burning me to hold onto this I know this is something I gotta do But that don't mean I want to What I'm trying to say is that I-love-you I just I feel like this is coming to an end And it's better for me to let it go now than hold on and hurt you I gotta let it burn

[@musermusings]

👏🏽 Is “Burn” your fav Usher song?

[@phillinsogood]

I feel like R&B sustained popularity throughout the 00’s mostly because Black culture was still at the for front of conversation in the mainstream. Towards the end of the decade, electrop/dance really took over and became a staple in the 2010’s leaving R&B in the background

[@musermusings]

You’re 100% correct. In fact, every #1 song on the Hot 100 in 2004 was by a black artist.

[@phillinsogood]

@@musermusings yes 🙌🏽 I know I’ve done my research lol. I know there were some notable R&B in the 2010’s like All of me, Bood Up, The hills, & Adorn etc but they didn’t have a strong pull of R&B hits from previous decades. I think another reason why people say R&B is “dead” is because the mainstream vocalist just don’t sing like rent is due anymore lol

[@musermusings]

@@phillinsogood Hahaha, even though rent is at an all time high! Check out my other videos, I think you'll enjoy them as well. 😄

[@Jbeggar]

Babyface please come back and start writing songs again, save music.

[@musermusings]

Actually, Babyface still makes music through producing and writing. He released an album last year with a bunch of contemporary R&B female artists, it’s actually really fire. You should check it out. He also produced SZA’s “Snooze” which has blown up.

[@NXHASTRO885]

I don't think it's dead it's just times are changing,new genres are forming,New styles are forming and people want to jump on that it's not dead fr

[@jutheesavage1448]

can you talk about the decline of rnb/pop groups next

[@musermusings]

That would be a great video actually! Thanks for the idea, I will begin working on it. In the meantime, you can subscribe and check out my other videos. I have a new one coming out about Rihanna soon!

[@jutheesavage1448]

@@musermusings no problem and i definitely subscribed you make great content 🔥

[@proverbs31university]

Church attendance is down this is why r&b isn’t the same.

[@musermusings]

Elaborate pls?

[@proverbs31university]

@@musermusings r&b historically is heavily influenced by the church. Most of the best r&b singers got their start in the church. The powerful vocals and grit that only is developed in the church is gone because for the first time in history black millennials and Gen z are least likely to report attending church or being religious. The musicality that starts in the church is gone. The love songs from r&bs past have turned into emo depressed singing about heartbreak which largely has to do with in my view an atheist mindset. The groovy dance r&b songs are gone too because musicians aren’t coming from the church. Basically r&bs demise has everything to do with people moving away from the foundation of r&b which is gospel music.

[@yahshuayoungeenthenewwave6445]

@@proverbs31university exactly

[@archangeljophiel2019]

​@proverbs31university I keep rolling my eyes everything I hear young people say they don't like church voices. Yet, they are so obsessed with the 90s r&b culture. 😒 If it weren't for the church, we wouldn't have r&b PERIOD. I kind of blame artists like Rihanna when she came out that is when younger people didn't appreciate singers who had voices like Whitney, Monica, Usher, Luther.

[@lowkey_babe77]

Personally, I’d say artists like Erykah Badu, India Arie, Musiq Soulchild and at times, Jill Scott, were more neo-soul than mainstream R&B

[@laj68]

The reason today's so-called r&b is in decline because its never ever will be as great like in the past. Today's r&b singers all sound the same no soul dreary and songs are forgettable.

[@musermusings]

I wouldn’t necessarily agree with this point 100%. Times change, thing go out of style and come back in style as well. There are plenty of other genres that have artists that all sound the same nowadays from Hip-Hop, Pop and even country music.

[@lamarbrown619]

I grew up in South Central Los Angeles in the 80’s and the 90’s I’m in my Late 30’s I started High School in the Late 90’s Being from Los Angeles The Boyz, Brandy and Immature was popular around the City growing up as a Child. And of Course Deathrow Records but Man I am Grateful to be able to Experience this time of Music even the New Jack Swing Movement has to be my Favorite and wearing Cross Colours Gear throughout my Childhood Lol✅Nowadays the New artist I Like to listen to is Brent Faiyaz. It will never be the same though🏆

[@musermusings]

I think you’d enjoy my video about R&B music’s decline over the years, check it out!

[@ShukuraOnline]

Great please include music video next time and music

[@musermusings]

I would love to but then that would make a copyright strike against the video 😫

[@godsfirst1549]

Justin Bieber journals album in 2013 was very very R&B like all the songs but he’s team didn’t push that album and nobody really know he went to R&B that year I recommend is pretty fire

[@musermusings]

Journals is JB’s best album IMO!

[@godsfirst1549]

@@musermusings same my favourite too even purpose was good

[@deshawnoffical]

here after made for me 💗

[@musermusings]

Huh?

[@deshawnoffical]

@@musermusingsbruh

[@theofficialVEVOformu]

Amerie is the bomb she has great music and writing skills

[@musermusings]

Why Don’t We Fall In Love is an R&B classic!

[@SyntheticVibespromo]

Bruno mars might not be black to the world, but he’s a brother to me 😂😂😂 But on a serious note I appreciate this video so much. Rnb is a genre that touches my soul

[@musermusings]

Thanks! I love R&B too, I would like to hear more of it on the radio and mainstream.

[@SyntheticVibespromo]

@@musermusings you and I both 🙏🏽 take care

[@mijomijo96]

idk to me it’s crazy to say r&b is dead when jazmine sullivan, sza, giveon, brent fayaz, summer walker, ari lennox, teyanna taylor, jhene aiko, her, ella mai, kehlani, & tink have put out some amazing work in the last couple of years. just bc some of them haven’t reached the success of Ariana, Justin, or The Weeknd doesn’t mean the genre is dead .

[@musermusings]

Obviously you didn't actually listen to the video and focused too closely to the title. The main point of this video is highlighting how much R&B has waned in popularity over the decades. Watch the video again but make sure to use some Q-tips beforehand. 😀

[@djlivvy46]

To be frank, those people are not exciting and most of them sound like they're singing the same song.

[@dmiller2916]

What your opinion on The Weeknd

[@musermusings]

I love The Weeknd overall. I think despite becoming a insanely successful pop star he’s been able to maintain his essence and integrity as an artist. I think a lot of people unfairly expect him to make the same music as his earlier career but if he did that he would’ve evolve sonically. I’m also from Toronto so there’s a huge pride in seeing an East-African Torontonian make it as far as he has. Kudos to him.

[@samoansojah3886]

It’s a different era I might be wrong but from what I heard a lot of songs that are downloaded of off I tunes is considered be an record or album sold! Also a lot of these new age artist have zero vocals that’s why most of them use auto tune! That’s why usher told T-pain you ruined R&B cause he started a fade and everyone hopped on it! Nothing will ever top Usher that’s why these young heads still listen to him because it’s raw and real R&B also why a lot of them sample old 80s and older tracks!

[@musermusings]

Great points! What topic would you like me to cover next?

[@samoansojah3886]

@@musermusings 🤔 that’s a good one ☝️ can it be anything or is it mostly just music

[@musermusings]

@@samoansojah3886 Can be anything entertainment related.

[@JodaroKujo]

Ushers more is my favorite R&B song

[@musermusings]

More is not an R&B song. It’s EDM.

[@cephas5053]

We need Sisqo back

[@musermusings]

I think his time is long gone.

[@YaaaBishhh]

that thong tha thong thong thong

[@kennybynum4593]

I love mid 1980s-2010R&B

[@musermusings]

Who are some of your fav artists?

[@kennybynum4593]

@@musermusings tyrese,brandy,monica,joe just to name a few

[@matthewfajardo8461]

Every time I like a song its R&B or has R&B roots

[@musermusings]

It is an amazing genre.

[@koragray4794]

No I'm don't think R&B is dead because nowadays you seeing the genre becoming more experimental same thing with Hip-Hop & Pop but there are many good r&b acts out there you just have to find them though.

[@musermusings]

All true but its popularity has waned in terms of mainstream success.

[@archangeljophiel2019]

About half of them have the potential.

[@MrMikkyn]

A lot of modern urban whatever music is autotune crap. Or highly sexualised rap songs by Iggy Azalea (who left the music indistry btw); Nicki Minaj and Cardie B. With Solange’s song “Don’t touch My Hair” you can hear proper vocals and singing. I know that’s not a very mainstream example, but Alicia Keys is a great vocalist. Adele has a bluesy soulful situation going on, and her last album 30? I think, that’s more soulful, dunno if I could call it rnb, I think its more the instrumentals. Ariana Grande is very rnb, but sometimes slurs her words only in live performance though, but she’s been gearing more towards dance and trap songs in her hit singles like “One Last Time” or more time, I forgot; and her other song 7 Rings or whatever it was called. RNB has definitely been replaced by trap and autotune music. The whole Alicia Keys piano situation; or Erykah Badu neosoul situation - Erykah Badu was never mainstream anyway, but still. You don’t have artists like that who are really pushed onto mainstream. Soul is like a subculture. Then you have Blue Eyed Soul like Joss Stone and that other dude I forgot his name James Morrison or something, both one hit wonders. Musiq Soulchild, classic. Bilal, very unknown. Solange Knowles, fantastic. Alicia Keys, more pop than rnb these days. Adele, she’s like more bluesy soulsy pop. Amy Winehouse was jazz soul whatever. Genres are so hard to categorise sometimes. They’re fluid. James Blake, he’s got that post-dub rnb situation. You’ve got Frank Ocean who is very rnb and he’s never done pop, but again, he’s very elusive with his social media presence and marketing. The Weeknd is “pbrnb” whatever the heck that means. Miguel, another artist who is more obscure than others but he is definitely rnb. Tory Kelly; Jasmine Sullivan. So many I wish I could name all of them. But I just can’t. I think Latinos are considered honorary blacks by the black community, or at least some members of the black community. I saw in an interview with a person of African American heritage say that latinos can use the “n” word. So Bruno Mars may be in that category.

[@musermusings]

Thanks for your thoughtful comment. Seems like you think about music a lot, same like myself. Have you checked out my other videos? I think you'll like my "Why are Most Hit Songs Written by Men?" topic a lot!

[@TheAcousticFreak836]

No one is better than brent

[@musermusings]

Brent is 🔥🔥🔥

[@nashaymarie2567]

R & B has a Specific sound, and it seems like today new artist that’s supposed to be R & B don’t have that sound in there music that separates the R&B genre from the other genres. The sound that makes R&B R&B, today so call r&b sounds like trap music or pop music and even island type especially with the way artist sings nowadays and some sound a bit country. That r&b sound and the r&b style of singing is not there anymore. And I tried to listen to underground r&b but they don’t sound r&b either. Everyone is so used to this new sound of R&B, to the point that people ears are deaf for real r&b. And it seems like a lot of people in the industry are not really saying to much about it because they don’t want to hurt the new artist feeling that’s under the r&b genre, they may have to work with them one day or they’re friends.

[@musermusings]

I think that’s just a byproduct of time. You could probably say the same thing about Hip-Hop, Pop, Country, Rock, Reggae, etc. Genres change and mutate over time.

[@nashaymarie2567]

@@musermusings it just seem more crossover. I wanted to put that in my paragraph about people are continually saying that R&B has evolved, I personally think it devolved. If it evolved it evolved into another genre, for specific genre there always should be mostly music that identifies that specific genre and here and there have crossover music, if all of the music that’s in that genre don’t sound like that specific genre then it’s not that genre anymore, the artist name is just under that title, it’s almost like the specific genre was wiped out. This is all my opinion.

[@jayreed93]

I always want to make an R&B girl groups that captures 90's R&B with modern twist however people don't want to list clean cut positively love life music everyone wants dark raunchy depressing music I guess it not me 😔

[@JakilltTv]

Let’s take that back, Sza just ate the girls up

[@musermusings]

SZA ate me up too!

[@yahshuayoungeenthenewwave6445]

Also SZA is running it rn and she’s holding it down

[@musermusings]

SZA is doing great. But she’s an exception. One or two ppl can’t make up for a whole genre losing its mainstream popularity.

[@archangeljophiel2019]

Meh

[@theguythatshotdraketheguyt53]

We need a black version of bts

[@musermusings]

We do!

[@theguythatshotdraketheguyt53]

@@musermusings who

[@djlivvy46]

Exactly! But the problem is that black men boxed themselves into hypermasculinity with the advent of gangsta rap, and it's going to very difficult for them to break out of that prison.

[@archangeljophiel2019]

A black version BTS??? Dude, they are the ones copied Jagged Edge, B2K, 112, Jodeci, Boyz ll Men, Hi-Five, Soul 4 Real aesthetic.

[@theguythatshotdraketheguyt53]

@@archangeljophiel2019 I said a group that ain’t coke heads

[@madelynn6976]

The vibe from 90s R&B hits, is DEAD.

[@musermusings]

It is, but nothing lasts forever right?

[@toddpace4588]

Yes

[@musermusings]

What?

[@Elwrt455]

The 1990's had great R&B music. Maxwell's debut album is one of the last great R&B albums

[@musermusings]

There were definitely a lot of other great R&B albums that came after urbanhangsuite. Janet’s - Velvet Rope TLC - CrazySexyCool D’angelo - Voodoo Lauryn Hill - Miseducation Mariah Carey - Butterfly

[@joelvida2355]

It's still relevant

[@musermusings]

If you’re taking about the genre, I’m not disputing the fact that it’s still relevant. Instead, I’m pointing out how much it has waned in popularity. Do you people listen and watch the video before you comment? I’ve laid out so much evidence in the essay.

[@Katkayz]

Justine Bieber , Ariana grande are pop stars and are white

[@musermusings]

And?

[@quinnbtits]

I've been living 20 years in the west part of this world... And I still don't know what r&b is

[@musermusings]

Maybe it's because you're an idiot?

[@PrettyboyAshtun]

i like what the weeknd did with trilogy

[@musermusings]

The Trilogy is EXCELLENT.