WHAT EXACTLY IS R&B?? Like cause everything now is described as being R&B so how would you characterize it??

Question

i know it stands for rhythm and blues

Answer 1

I'd describe it as... -gag- painful. wailing. screeching. worst music on the planet.

I'm sure there's good stuff out there that's considered R&B, but I'm talking about the top 40 stuff, where everyone's like "OMG!!! I LUV MA RnB its AWESUM!!! TRUE DAT!!!"

(meaning, usher, beyonce, etc - top 40 singers that aren't considered rap or pop/rock = r&b)

Answer 2

It's soul music but not strait blues. More of a pop blues. It became popular just before rock & roll was born. White people took R & Bs and copied it and called it Rock And Roll. This is a historical fact. Not an opinion. Today we have hip hop which borders on r&b. But, when the song comes from the soul it just has that r&b feel to it. Now, r&b is not a black or white thing. It's a human thing. Since hip/hop & rap & yes, even emo have become so popular (though r&b has never went away) now r&b is seeing a resurgence of sorts as people are wanting to hear singing that's 'real' and singing that's 'emotional' again. :-) great question!

Answer 3

This is a small excerpt from 'the history of rock' site

Rhythm and Blues
Rhythm and Blues is a descriptive term that has never had a clear single meaning. In it's broadest sense, R&B denotes black pop music. However, as black pop music changes, it has become a term that is often defined by whatever black musical style it is attached to at a given point in time, rather than the other way around.

In the beginning it was a renaming of "race" music. and later gave way to soul, funk, disco and simply "black" styles. Small rhythm and blues combos revved up Tin Pan Alley pop tunes with rhythms derived from swing jazz and vocals reflecting the blues. They linked the big band jump blues of the Forties with early rock and roll. Early rock and roll hits were often covers by white singers of R&B hits, like Elvis Presley's version of Roy Brown's "Good Rockin' Tonight" or Bill Haley and His Comets cleaned-up take on Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle and Roll."
http://www.history-of-rock.com/indx.html
roots and influences link at the side, name some early artists

Answer 4

Umm... I'm not really sure but I think it is kinda like hip hop (sry if i get it wrong... I listen to pop/rock!)

Answer 5

I think R&B is just regular music..... that every singer is making now every day these days.....its nothing but music!!