One of the greatest gift to the world is probably the list of genres and artists who have changed our way of listening to music. Genres like Jazz, rock, the Blues, R&B, reggae, and hiphop, the world mostly likely would still be doing the two step and waltzing around room. but over the decades the influence of R&B has drop in popularity. R&B artists used to be chart toppers now they are hardly visible on most charts. and they hardly have a presence on the radio. What has happened?
1. Whitewashed
Hate to say it but yea.
Some of the most successful R&B artist are white. Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, Joss Stone (thought she was black too),Adele, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber.
2. More focused on looks than talent
Today too many R&B artists are just eye candy with not much talent and the truly talented artists are not promoted or signed because of the way they look.
3. Too much sex
They seem to spend nearly all their time singing about how hard and how often they gonna get it. there was some sexual content in R&B music back during the 60s and 90s, but it was more cleverly disguised not as explicit. they were love songs. today's R&B is so full of sexual themes that im embrassed to have my seven year old niece sing them (i caught her singing Fifth harmony's Work and All in my head(Flex) ).
4. R&B and Hip-Hop have become one genre
The two were independent styles with their own sound and style. now they are basically the same. almost every r&b song has some type of rap verse or rappers are singing their tracks now.
5. Computerized
Every thing is computerized now. Nobody uses live instruments in the studio, virtually all instruments played have been digitized. bands like Earth, wind and fire, the jacksons and the gap band are acts that made their own music with live instruments.
We cant blame any one on the change. We have all done our part to make way for anything that will crossover, anything that will make you fist pump and dance off beat