As a radio format that prized legacy artists plays more acts in their 20s and 30s, staples of the genre face intense competition. By Elias Leight In March, the singer Maeta hit No. 1 on Billboard’s ...

Billboard's special salute to Black Music Month continues its rollout with the next 25 artists on our all-time top 75 list. What a difference 10 years can make. That was the last time Billboard ...

For many decades, going as far back as the 1940s, artists from the world of R&B couldn’t really claim mainstream success until they’d crossed over to Top 40 radio and the pop charts. This century, it ...

Welcome to The State of R&B, ESSENCE’s look at the past, present and future of rhythm and blues. In this piece, ESSENCE editor Rivéa Ruff reports on the blending of hip-hop and R&B. Since the ...

A group of young singer-songwriters have transformed the genre by looking backward, without getting stuck in the past. Here and below are seven of the many contemporary artists who are redefining and ...