@KEVIN Schultz

The ’90s was a revolutionary time in R&B: Not only had the mature, quiet-storm-oriented sound evolved to its most sophisticated state, you started to really hear the influence of hip-hop—a shift that changed not only R&B, but the sound of modern pop in general. From neo-soul to new jack swing, the classic-sounding to the more cutting-edge, these are the tracks that shaped R&B in the ’90s and early 2000s. Our editors update picks regularly, so if you hear something you like, take a minute and add it to your library.

Picking up where disco left off, the ‘80s were a time of unprecedented experimentation, with singers and producers weaving strands of funk, soul, and pop into bold new patterns while also incorporating futuristic electronic elements. Changing the very idea of rhythm ‘n' blues, albums like Janet Jackson's <I>Control</I> in 1986 utilized synthesizers and drum machines for a sound that was smooth yet aggressive, just like the lyrics themselves. But there was still a core of impeccable pop songwriting, with artists like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston perfecting the form and giving it staying power for decades to come.

This is the space for all that’s new in R&B. Crossover ballads, modern hybrids, fresh sounds that call back to the past—if it’s got that vibe, you’ll find it here. Selections are updated regularly, so if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

A hand-picked mix of hits and album cuts by the stars that shaped '90s R&B. Our editors regularly update this playlist—if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

R&B is one of the most dynamic, adventurous sounds in modern music, a place where art both personal and provocative meets the mainstream. From the alt vanguard to modern vets, straightforward to left-field, these tracks capture where R&B is now and point the way to where it’s going. This week, Ari Lennox’s “High Key” off her newly released album <i>Vacancy</i> is at the top of the playlist. The sultry track finds the singer-songwriter anticipating a night of intimacy with her lover. We update this playlist regularly. If you like a track, add it to your library.

Bound together by soul, the stars and fast-rising artists in this playlist are remaking the R&B sound in their own image—with a proud British twist. Frankfurt-born, Oxford-raised Elmiene’s “Reclusive” is a song so sweet that, were he actually holed up somewhere far away from a stage, we’d track him down and demand he share more of that angelic voice with the world. Listen to “Reclusive” on the UK R&B playlist, and if you hear something you’re into, add it to your library.

Memphis-based Stax Records was the beating heart of the Southern soul scene in the ‘60s, with artists like Otis Redding and Carla Thomas. In the racially divided South, Stax was a progressive anomaly with their integrated groups—including the label's house band, Booker T. & The MG's. Isaac Hayes was an early songwriter for the label before launching his own career at the end of the decade.

Good R&B can be balm for the soul. Here's a playlist of new and contemporary stuff highlighting the mellower, more acoustic side of the sound: some retro, some progressive, some ballads, some with just a slight bump in the beat. Tracks here change regularly, so if you hear something you like, add it to your library.

Feelings of sincerity, tenderness, and sensuality are what listeners seek from great slow jams—and that's exactly what they get from the leaders of the form. While the term itself is elastic enough to include R&B ballads of many eras, the slow jam is epitomized by a more contemporary variety of love song whose rich, deep texture bears a hip-hop influence yet still boasts the sultry feel and slower tempo that allows for a full expression of emotion. For divas like Mariah Carey and Beyoncé, the key to making slow jams that connect is about balancing subtle inflections with more impassioned moments. Smooth crooners such as Marvin Gaye and Maxwell know what a falsetto can do to turn listeners into objects of desire. No matter what means these singers use, their straightforwardness and use of buttery grooves make for slow jams that go straight to the heart of the matter.

Rod Temperton's best-loved songs—such as the dance-floor standard “Boogie Nights”—added bright, ecstatic choruses and breezy sophistication to the heartbeat of disco. He was Quincy Jones' go-to song doctor, writing effervescent hits like George Benson's “Give Me the Night”. And with “Thriller”, he gave Michael Jackson a crucial boost from his Jackson 5 past to his King of Pop future.