It’s time we stopped asking about the state of R&B. In case you haven’t noticed, the genre has been in great hands for quite some time. In the wake of the tiring “R&B is dead” debate, Essence published an editorial capsule reporting on it in the fall of 2022, exploring the ever-changing sound of R&B with a deep dive into how today’s artists are carrying the torch for the genre their way.
Maybe some music lovers just haven’t been looking hard enough for the old-school sounds they’ve been begging new artists for. Or perhaps they’re still adjusting to the changing times of music. Whatever the case may be, the new school of R&B have taken a page out of their predecessors’ books and added their own spins on a genre that’s been nurtured for years and years.
Whether they’re crooning over smooth instrumentals or adopting the modern fusion of melodic trap, there’s no doubt that contemporary R&B artists are representing their roots well. Household names like SZA, H.E.R., and Summer Walker have the game on lock whenever they drop, but there are plenty more veterans – and a handful of newcomers – who are taking their rightful places at the forefront of R&B. Ahead, check out all the R&B artists who should be in your playlist rotation.