To the World: R&B’s Global Expansion

A look at how global influences, cross-continental collaborations, and new voices are reshaping what R&B looks and sounds like today.

R&B is the epitome of musical resilience. First emerging in the late 1940s, the genre was initially categorized as “race music,” as Black artists tried to find their footing in a new genre that borrowed from jazz and blues. In the late 1940s, Billboard editor Jerry Wexler erased the derogatory roots of “race music” by mainstreaming the term “Rhythm and Blues” for the magazine’s Black music chart. R&B was born by shattering its pre-determined socio-political confinements, thus signaling the genre’s progression that would continue for decades to come.

The genre is historically rooted in evolution, constantly shape-shifting since its inception seven decades ago. It has since redefined its traditional melodies for the modern era, trading church-born soul for experimental fusion — a pointed reflection of both the streaming and social media ages. This change had many questioning R&B’s impact, as it temporarily took a backseat in the early 2010s as pop and hip-hop battled for the mainstream spotlight. There have been debates in recent years arguing if R&B is “dead.” For those who believe it is, they’re stuck in a mindset that relies too heavily on its nostalgic heydays, choosing to remain stagnant rather than accepting the sound’s growth. But this is ultimately a tired argument.

“A look at how global influences, cross-continental collaborations, and new voices are reshaping what R&B looks and sounds like today.”

Author's note

Здесь сохраняются факты и цитаты, переработаны для ясности и связности, с сохранением смысловой нагрузки оригинала. Добавлена авторская резюме в конце.

Авторское резюме: R&B продолжает эволюцию, расширяя границы через глобальные коллаборации и новые голоса, не забывая историческую устремленность и адаптацию к цифровой эре.

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Okayplayer Okayplayer — 2025-11-20

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