Rhythm and Blues (R&B) is a genre of music that was popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s and originated in African American communities. R&B mixes blues, gospel, hip-hop, and jazz, combined with emotional lyrics and soulful tunes, making it captivating to listeners. This article will go in-depth on five popular R&B artists and what makes them so influential.
1. Destiny’s Child
Destiny’s Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. Their first and third singles, “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Say My Name,” peaked at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100. The album sold over eight million copies in the United States. Unfortunately, in 2006, the group split due to Knowles and Rowland’s favoritism.
2. Micheal Jackson
Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer, born on August 29th, 1958. He started music at six years old with a family pop band called The Jackson 5. In 1971, he began his solo career at Motown and recorded multiple successful singles. His first studio album was called “Got To Be There”, released by Motown on January 24th, 1972, four weeks after Jackson 5’s Greatest Hits (1971). It includes the song of the same name, which was released on October 7th, 1971, as Jackson’s debut single album. On June 25th, 2009, Micheal Jackson passed away from cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, California at age 50.
3. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress born on March 27th, 1969. She released her self-titled debut album in June of 1990, spending 11 weeks atop the Billboard 200. The album also spawned four Hot 100’s: “Vision Of Love”, “Love Takes Time”, “Someday” and “I Don’t Want To Cry”. By her fourth studio album on October 29th, 1994, she relisted her most popular song “All I Want For Christmas Is You”.
4. Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer born on August 9th, 1963. She started music at a very young age by singing in her church choir. By the time she was 19, on February 14th, 1985, she released her first studio album, Whitney Houston. She was an automatic hit, and her rise to success secured her stop as an R&B artist. Unfortunately, on February 12th, 2012, the 48-year-old singer tragically lost her life due to accidental drowning. But even 12 years after her death, she is still remembered as a key artist in R&B.
5. SWV
SWV, or Sisters with Voices, was formed in 1988 with members Jeanne “Lelee” Lyons, Cheryl “Coko” Gamble, and Tamara “Taj” Johnson. They successfully secured their seat as R&B artists with their debut album, It’s About Time, released in 1992. Unfortunately, in the late 1990s, SWV fell out for several reasons. Yet in 2005, the group reconnected and is still together.
