The history of the musical genre called RNB goes back to 1948, when the company RCA Victor was marketing black music under the label Rhythm and Blues. It was in that year that Louis Jordan entered the limelight and took RNB to a whole other level. Louis Jordan was born on July 8, 1908, in Brinkley, Arkansas. His father was a local music teacher and Brinkley Brass Band leader, so no wonder that Louis Jordan was drawn to music, as well. He studied the piano, saxophone and clarinet, while still performing in his father’s band.

After performing in several bands, Louis Jordan was invited by lead drummer Chick Webb to join the Savoy Ballroom orchestra, which was very influential at that time. He then formed a band together with the same Webb, who unfortunately passed away in 1939 after a spinal operation. Since then, Louis Jordan released numerous hit singles, such as Saturday Night Fish Fry, Ain’t Nobody Here but Us Chickens, Ain’t That Just Like a Woman, Caldonia, and Choo Choo Ch’Boogie. Louis Jordan was on the rise, as well as RNB. He dominated the charts until 1951, and people were starting to appreciate RNB more and more. Louis Jordan definitely contributed to the popularity of this musical genre, so no wonder that many people consider him to be the father of RNB.

The life of Louis Jordan abruptly ended in 1975, after a heart attack. Although he is no longer with us, his legacy is still very much alive. Thanks to Louis Jordan, we are now able to enjoy RNB and to delight our senses with this southing musical genre. Many artists nowadays take after the great Louis Jordan, as he was a complex artist. No wonder, thus, that Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Louis Jordan #59 on the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time list. Also known as The King of the Jukebox, Louis Jordan was definitely one of the most popular and successful RNB African-American artists of the past century. This singer, songwriter, saxophonist, actor and bandleader was truly an RNB pioneer and a music legend.

RNB music is, without a doubt, amazingly popular nowadays. Everyone loves listening the great quality music and many of the RNB songs released during the years have been placed in this category. Although the original RNB genre was created in the 1940s, throughout the years the music genre has suffered numerous changes. Nowadays, songs are included into the musical genre known under the name of contemporary RNB. Contemporary RNB combines elements of hip-hop, soul, R&B and also funk music.

The origins of contemporary RNB are placed in the 1980s, the style also being known under the name of “urban contemporary music.” One of the latest trends in contemporary RNB actually is the introduction of electronic influences into the musical style. Hip hop dance beats are also a common element of contemporary RNB. Well, one of the most important aspects of this music genre is the use of melisma, which has actually been introduced to contemporary RNB and highly used by some of the most popular singers in the world, including Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, but also Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. These artists have definitely managed to make history with their unique songs and great performances.

Actually, Michael Jackson was among the first singers who revolutionized this music genre. The change occurred in the 1980s when Jackson gave a new approach to RNB, which became more pop-oriented. And Jackson wasn’t the only singer to do so. Tina Turner and Whitney Houston also joined the trend. Janet Jackson created a series of hits which became amazingly successful during the same period. Well, if in the 1980s, the music genre got many pop influences, in the 2000s, contemporary RNB is mostly based on hip-hop influences. Singers such as Usher, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey and also Rinanna or Ne-Yo released some amazing songs, which can easily be included in this musical genre. And since the success was so impressive, stars also added other influences into their songs, including contemporary pop, rock, but also electro pop elements. And since fans loved them so much, there is no wonder that chances have been brought to the original RNB style.

In today’s music industry, there are many successful artists that sing according to a specific genre. Hip hop, rap, rock, pop, RNB are just a few of the musical niches that have a great impact on people. One of these genres, RNB has known many changes throughout the years, ever since it first appeared. The term RNB, or rhythm and blues is a genre of popular African American music that originated back in the 1940s.

One of the best selling RNB female artists in the past decades is Beyonce Knowles. Her music belongs mostly to RNB, but she also incorporates pop, funk, hip hop and soul into her songs. Beyonce started her music career singing in the female group Destiny’s Child and received co-writing credits for most of the songs recorded by the group. Beyonce is known for writing personally driven and female empowerment themed compositions. Most of her songs are autobiographical, admitting she has taken her inspiration from her personal experience. In 2003, when Beyonce released her first RNB solo album, she won the International Artist Award. Since then, her career went upward and she takes pride in having a plethora of awards and nominations. Beyonce is the third most honoured woman in RNB Grammy history, with a total of sixteen awards and forty-two nominations.

Beyonce’s debut RNB album Dangerously in Love was released in 2003 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Chart, with first week sales of 317.000 copies sold. the album was certified four times platinum. Dangerously in Love sold over 4.6 million copies and it remains as one of her best sold RNB albums. The album’s single, Crazy in Love, featuring Jay-Z spent eight consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Top. Her next single, Baby Boy featuring Sean Paul also spent nine consecutive weeks on the first position of the Billboard Hot 100 Top. 2003 was a rewarding year for Beyonce, since she then won the Grammy for the best Contemporary RNB Album, Best Female RNB Vocal Performance, best RNB song and Best RNB Collaboration. Beyonce has continued to be one of the most empowering RNB female artists and one of the most successful.

Rhythm and Blues, or RNB, has become a wide-spread musical genre that has launched many talented artists along the way. Although the abbreviation RNB originates from the traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term RNB is more often than not used to describe a particular African American music originating after the demise of disco in the 1970s. RNB has evolved a lot and nowadays, it has a more polished production style, drum backed rhythms and an occasional saxophone beat to give a jazzy feel to the tune. RNB has intertwined with electronic influences, dance and hip hop.

One of the most important RNB icons that was one of the best selling RNB artist, is the late Whitney Houston. Her music sold over 170 million albums, singles and videos worldwide. Whitney Houston released seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. Who could forget such heart wrenching RNB tunes, such as I Will Always Love You, I Wanna Run to You, I Have Nothing, or I’m Every Woman. Whitney Houston broke a record with the best selling single, I Will Always Love You, becoming the best-selling RNB single by a female artist in music history.

With the outcome of the soundtrack album of the movie Bodyguard, Whitney Houston became the first RNB act to sell more than a million copies of an album within a single week. Both the movie and the music album were a hit. Whitney Houston recorded album after album, and was constantly granted recognition by the music industry. Unfortunately, her personal struggles with drug and alcohol abuse did not let her continue her music career. The only legacy she left to the RNB world are her movies, her one of a kind music and her unforgettable voice. Aside from Whitney Houston, there are more artists, such as Beyonce Knowles and Mariah Carey, that try to rise up to her level and bring their own personal contributions to the RNB niche.