The style of R&B began to develop in the beginning of the early 50's. But earlier it was known as rhythm-and-blues. This music has plunged into USA. Rock 'n' roll began to exist in Europe and than worldwide. The basis of rock 'n' roll was rhythm and blues. The founders of R&B were Afro-Americans.
The caucasians began to take over the traditions, and with time began to change them. In the fifties, under the influence of Muddy Waters black guitarists, including pianists, made a revolution in rhythm and blues. They created a quick-moving melody that had the frenzied-energetic. Then they added words to the music that were previously taboo. Only after that rock'n'roll has spread itself among caucasians teens, and became the standard style of popular music in Europe and the United States.
In the 60's british rhythm and blues began to develop. The main center of the blues where the popular groups gathered was in London. This style of music had already gained a foothold in the United States and in Europe in those years and had a huge number of fans. When caucasians began to perform rhythm and blues, this style has developed into more emotional style of performance. Therefore, it was named soul. The songs sounded already with intent and feelings.
In the 70's, this music has changed and became more dance-like. The first records of this type belonged to James Brown. The mid 70's has opened a more modern period in the history of this style.
What was in the 80's? Some successful singers, such as Luther Vandross, became famous due to romantic ballads. But Michael Jackson made soul more modern and quite aggressive.
In our time, R&B has become very popular. This wave has overtaken mostly every national artist.
[http://randbhistory.250x.com/]
Contemporary R&B is a music genre of western popular music. Although the acronym âR&Bâ originates from its association with traditional rhythm and blues music, the term R&B is today most often used to define a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in the 1980's. This newer style combines elements of soul, funk, dance, and, from 1986 on with the advent of New Jack Swing branded R&B, hip hop.
The abbreviation R&B is almost always used instead of the full rhythm and blues term, although some sources refer to the style as urban contemporary (the name of the radio format that plays hip hop and contemporary R&B).
Contemporary R&B has a slick, electronic record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, the occasional guitar riff to give the song a rock feel, the occasional saxophone solo to give a jazz feel (mostly common in R&B songs prior to the year 1993), and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. Uses of hip hop-inspired beats are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop is usually reduced and smoothed out. R&B vocalists are often known for their use of melisma, popularized by vocalists such as Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey.
[Wikipedia] .
