R&B is not R&B

[Riordan]

the idea for this thread (more a rant with invitation to participate actually) came when i saw the thread about the top 40 problem. one point there was that "too much rap and R&B is in the charts". this made me stop for a moment.

what R&B? when was the last time that R%B was in the top 40?

when did R&B stop to stand for Rhythm & Blues and start to stand for
Whining & Shrieking? there's neither rhythm nor blues in current mainstream "R&B", just hysterical histrionics and enormous doses of vocoder and cleavage.

some years ago that same overblown plastic diva coke pop was called "Soul" - but being the most soulless music ever produced that name had to go. i understand this.

but why "R&B"? i'd really like to know say aretha franklin's opinion on her former "soul"- now "R&B"-sisters (and brothers, wailing along just fine). and i'd like to know yours...

 

[KtoEto]

You're right, every time I hear people calling this pathetic whining R&B, artists like Aretha Franklin, James Brown or Ray Charles come to my mind and I wonder what's wrong with contemporary music classification. Modern R&B has no energy, no creativity, no life. Better call it RB, real blues, because it's really sad.

 

[greenhorn]

I didn't even know that they call "R&B" what's in today's charts...

"BS" would be a more realistic denomination for 99% of what's now in Top40 or whatever.

 

[bong]

i've often wondered the same thing for a long time. what people call R&B these days should be ashamed of themselves, because it has nothing to do with those legendary greats.

great R&B actually invites the listener to experience the artist's feelings, not reel at insipid whining.

the worst part is that modern R&B is so formulaic... let's get some good looking young people and make them whine on top of a manufactured mid-tempo dancebeat.

 

[Absorbine_Sr]

Compare any modern so called R&B to Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now)" and you will see what is lacking. I simply fall apart emotionally when I hear him testify in that song.


A_Sr.

 

[Lisa]

I can't agree more. I love old soul and R&B music. Still discovering new artist in that area every day.
And I'm with greenhorn, they should call modern "R&B" B&S.

 

[Jonny K]

Funny, for the longest time I thought R&B was RAP! Rap and R&B are often classified together (with radio stations playing "Hip-Hop and R&B"). Only recently did I realize that R&B (historically) is nothing like rap. Go figure.