Guy’s self-titled debut album broke ground for R&B’s new attitude and sound. If you’re a fan of ’90s R&B, this should be in your collection. The disc offers soul sounds wrapped in urban swag and hip-hop mixed with classic ballads. A true queen Aretha was!įorever My Lady is Jodeci’s debut album which was released in 1991. On this album, listeners can enjoy soaring R&B tracks like Ain’t No Way and Chain of Fools. The release of the platinum-selling Lady Soul made Aretha Franklin the indisputable soul queen, only 1 year after her success with Respect. Aside from reaching double Platinum status, this album delivered “Can We Talk” and “I’m Ready”, two songs that defined ’90s R&B. Tevin Campbell came in sweet and innocent and got grown real quick by the time of I’m Ready. RELATED: Is Cardi B Black? Why It’s Complicated The master-crafted What’s Going On? is a concept that addresses issues from the war to racial discrimination to substance abuse. This protest album is mostly based on the stories of Marvin Gaye’s brother fighting in the Vietnam War. It combines sounds of R&B, jazz, neo-soul, reggae, and hip-hop, offering a mesmerizing approach to the genre. Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill can easily make it on a list of not only the best R&B albums of all time but best any type of album of all time.
The singer’s charming vocal interpretation gave Southern tunes like I Can’t Stop Loving You and Bye Bye Love a delightful bluesy vibe. Ray Charles – Modern Sounds in Country and Western Musicīy using a flawless combo between gospel and country music, Ray Charles brought R&B into the mainstream spotlight.
Right off the bat, there are major artists that we left off this list like Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Price because they might be deemed pop and in a league of their own. And many will disagree with our choices.īut, we shall take on this gigantic feat of picking the best of the best R&B music has to offer. Of all the amazing R&B music we have been blessed with, to just pick 40 of the best R&B albums of all time is challenging. We know this article will get us in trouble.