Contemporary R&B

Contemporary R&B is a form of music that emerged in the US in the early 1980s. The style mixes the vocal techniques associated with earlier R&B genres and Disco, with a form of synthesized and smooth production characterized by lush arrangements, and electronically programmed rhythms sometimes influenced by Hip Hop. Contemporary R&B has been intrinsically connected to the rise of certain forms of Pop music, and to pop music in general. Contemporary R&B typically follows pop songwriting and verse-chorus structures. Lyrically, the genre focuses on love and relationships, though some artists address other subjects. The roots of the genre go back to the late disco era, when producer Quincy Jones created a more eclectic and smoother sound that was still derived from disco, but already presented a departure from it. The resulting album, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall, served as an important early point for the genre. Hip hop became an increasingly prominent influence in the genre throughout the 1980s, both in production and the later incorporation of rapping. This influence was manifested in styles like the American New Jack Swing style and the British UK Street Soul.