Billboard’s special salute to Black Music Month continues its rollout with the next 25 artists on our all-time top 75 list, and Stevie Wonder is the happiest name.

25

Patti LaBelle

Patti LaBelle performs on the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20, 2024.
Photo : CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

Patti LaBelle is one of the most beloved songstresses in R&B. She launched her five-decade career in the 1960s as the frontwoman of The Blue Belles, a group that eventually rechristened itself as Labelle and released the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart-topper “Lady Marmalade” in 1974 before disbanding a couple years later. From the late ‘70s onward, the prolific LaBelle earned the nickname “The Godmother of Soul” owing to more than a dozen solo albums and the crafting of classic slow jams like “If Only You Knew” and “Love, Need and Want You,” her emotion-wringing “On My Own” duet with Michael McDonald and her energetic vocal flexing on “New Attitude” and “Stir It Up” from 1985’s Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. — W.K.

Must-Listen Song: “Love, Need and Want You”

 

24

Bill Withers

Arriving on the scene at the relatively late age of 33, Bill Withers didn’t waste any time playing catch up. The former commercial aircraft worker made a lasting impression in 1971 with debut single “Ain’t No Sunshine” (Withers reels off the phrase “I know” in the song 26 times). Helping to set the firestorm created by that career jumpstart: his bluesy/folksy guitar playing and easygoing, southern-flavored vocals by way of his West Virginia upbringing. More hits ensued with themes involving love won/lost, family and social activism. Those classics range from the friendship anthem “Lean on Me,” “Use Me” and “The Same Love that Made Me Laugh” to “Grandma’s Hands,” “Lovely Day” and the wartime ode “I Can’t Write Left-Handed.” Though the self-described “left-field singer” opted not to sign with another label after 1985, Withers’ short career still stands the test of time: The three-time Grammy winner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015. — G.M.

Must-Listen Song: “Use Me”

23

Teddy Pendergrass

The band wasn’t named after him, but there was no question who the star was: Philly’s Teddy Pendergrass had the Force 10 gale of a voice and the cool to match, powering Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes slow-burners like “I Miss You” and disco barnstormers like “The Love I Lost” to near-double-digit-minute lengths and still leaving audiences begging for more. And when he went solo in the mid-‘70s, Pendergrass quickly became the baddest dude in R&B, scoring hits with lushly produced loverman classics like “Close the Door” and “Love TKO” and inspiring a live audience fervor that would make Tom Jones blush – even playing women-only concerts in the late ‘70s. A 1982 car crash left him paralyzed from the chest down, but the soul ran too strong in Pendergrass for that to stop him, as he still delivered an iconic performance at 1985’s Live Aid benefit and scored a late-‘80s R&B Songs chart-topper with the ecstatic “Joy.”

Must-Listen Song: “The Love I Lost”

22

Luther Vandross

Luther Vandross performs onstage at the Aire Crown Theater, Chicago, Illinois on January 12, 1984.
Photo : Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Luther Vandross will always be on a first-name basis with R&B lovers. A gifted singer, producer and songwriter, Vandross initially established himself as a backup vocalist for icons such as Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and David Bowie before starting his solo reign in the 1980s-’90s as one of R&B’s most dominant forces. Beyond a long list of Vandross-stamped songs such as “Never Too Much,” “Any Love” and “Dance With My Father,” there are the dulcet-toned duets with Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Janet Jackson, plus his unique reinterpretations of songs like Dionne Warwick’s “A House Is Not a Home.” Years after his passing in 2005, the “Velvet Voice” was introduced to a whole new generation when Kendrick Lamar sampled Vandross and Cheryl Lynn’s 1982 take on Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell’s “If This World Were Mine” for their own chart-topping duet “Luther,” further underscoring Vandross’ lasting legacy. — W.K.

Must-Listen Song: “Never Too Much”

21

Donny Hathaway

Through such gems as “The Ghetto-Part 1,” “Someday We’ll All Be Free” and the holiday perennial “This Christmas,” Hathaway became an enduring R&B influence, with his mellifluous vocals, gospel keyboards and sensitive songwriting. His 1972 album Live remains one of the best-selling live albums of its era. Pairing with Howard University colleague Roberta Flack for the romantic duets “Back Together Again,” “The Closer I Get to You,” and the Grammy-winning “Where Is the Love” gained Hathaway even more popularity, and added another chapter to his influential legacy. His untimely death in 1979 at the age of 33 cut short his brilliant career. Hathaway — the father of Grammy winner Lalah Hathaway — received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. — J.C.

Must-Listen Song: “Little Ghetto Boy”

20

Otis Redding

Otis Redding
Photo : Otis Redding Foundation/Getty Images

Otis Redding’s death at the age of 26 in a 1967 plane crash is one of the greatest losses in music. Over the course of his brief but incalculably influential career, Redding reinvigorated R&B as rock music threatened to eclipse it in the mid ‘60s, inspiring everyone from Aretha Franklin (whose signature song “Respect” was written by him) to the Rolling Stones. Redding could slide from lost and lovelorn to fervent and furious almost imperceptibly over the course of a two-minute single. As remarkable as his rough, raspy tone was, his pen was just as mighty, with Redding writing everything from the playful “Mr. Pitiful” and “Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)” to the bluesy, begging “Ole Man Trouble” to all-timers like the posthumously released “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and the aforementioned “Respect.” But to get a full picture of the breadth of his talent and the immensity of his loss, go no further than the explosive, runaway train version of “Try a Little Tenderness” that he brought to the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967; more than half a century later, it’s still drenched in sweat. — J.L.

Must-Listen Song: “Try a Little Tenderness”

19

Smokey Robinson

As the debonair falsetto lead of the Miracles, William “Smokey” Robinson was Motown’s ambassador of cool sophistication and style. Penning ‘60s hits like “Tears of a Clown,” “Tracks of My Tears” and the Temptations’ “The Way You Do the Things You Do” and “My Girl,” Robinson married clever Tin Pan Alley lyrics to a soul sound that also clicked with middle America. After leaving the Miracles in 1972, Robinson released Quiet Storm, his debut solo set of midnight moods (featuring the No. 1 R&B hit “Baby That’s Backatcha”) and, in the process, also launched an entire radio format. He went on to notch more R&B/pop crossover hits with “Cruisin’,” “Being With You,” “Just to See Her” and a 1983 duet with Rick James, “Ebony Eyes.” More than six decades into his career, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robinson continues to perform and record, guesting on Anderson .Paak’s 2019 Hot R&B Songs hit “Make It Better.” — J.C.

Must-Listen Song: “Ooo Baby Baby”

18

Al Green

Al Green performing on stage, circa 1980.
Photo : Mike Prior/Redferns/Getty Images

Al Green – who still holds church in Memphis as the Rev. Al Green on Sundays – wasn’t the first artist to seesaw between crooning about God and sex, but he just might be the best. His unmistakable vocal tone is soaked in that push-pull tension: sweet yet lascivious, secular yet spiritual, gritty yet tender. Backed by come-hither horns and a metronome-tight rhythm section, Green set the standard for soul music sensuality in the ‘70s with his nimble falsetto and aching moans, trotting out an effortlessly sexy, smooth run of LPs on Hi Records. While other R&B singers begged or peacocked around their partners, Green played it cool, stating his case on low-key but irresistible soft sells such as “Let’s Stay Together” and “Call Me (Come Back Home).” And when he stretched his Memphis funk muscles on classics like “Take Me to the River” and “Love and Happiness,” Green proved that gospel was part and parcel of his palette well before he officially pivoted to religious music in the ‘80s. — J.L.

Must-Listen Song: “Tired of Being Alone”

17

Janet Jackson

As the ninth child of America’s musical version of the Kennedys, Janet Jackson could have easily lingered behind her brothers’ shadows. But Jackson didn’t just forge her own success, she ruled the charts for 15 years as a sonic chameleon, pushing her sound to match a changing culture. Trace the journey from Jackson’s early, industrial-grind hits such as “Nasty,” and “Miss You Much” to the carnal, lush odes of an “Any Time, Any Place” or “I Get Lonely” and the jubilation of turn-of-the-century tracks in “Doesn’t Really Matter” and “All for You.” It’s hard to believe they’re all from the same catalog. But Jackson’s range illuminates the five-time Grammy honoree’s unique spot in the R&B canon. Should someone ask what a typical Janet Jackson song sounds like, good luck narrowing it down. — T.A.

Must-Listen Song: “I Get Lonely”

16

Mary J. Blige

Mary J Blige performing at Urban Aid charity show at Madison Square Garden, New York, on Oct. 5, 1995.
Photo : David Corio/Redferns

Mary J. Blige turned her pain into gold and platinum plaques as she rose to prominence in the early ‘90s, singing about love and empowerment, which resonated with millions looking inward as Blige’s brutally honest vocals pierced their souls. The Yonkers native, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, redefined R&B at a time when New York hip-hop was entering its golden age. Rappers from 50 Cent to Jay-Z and Ludacris turned to the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul to further elevate their tracks with a fierce vulnerability they couldn’t get anywhere else. Blige’s triumphant anthems invoking joy and sadness — among them “Love No Limit,” “I’m Going Down,” “Not Gon’ Cry” and the Dr. Dre-produced party jam “Family Affair” — have become as symbolic as the nine-time Grammy winner’s signature thigh-high boots. — M.S.

Must-Listen Song: “Real Love”

15

Isaac Hayes

Paving his way as a session musician, in-house songwriter and producer at pioneering soul label Stax Records (credits include Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man”), Isaac Hayes pushed beyond R&B’s then-traditional boundaries with the release of sophomore album Hot Buttered Soul in 1969. The four-song project included a 12-minute rendition of Dionne Warwick’s pop classic “Walk on By,” which became a Hot 100 top 40 hit in its own right. Hayes then hit a career jackpot with the Shaft movie soundtrack in 1971. He not only scored his sole Hot 100 No. 1 with “Theme From Shaft”; he also won the Academy Award for best original song. Over the years, Hayes’ influence has stretched to hip-hop as his spoken-word lyrical style was a precursor to the way verses have been laid down in contemporary rap. In fact, the late pioneer’s seminal work on Black Moses has been sampled countless times by hip-hop producers. — A.D.

Must-Listen Song: “(They Long to Be) Close to You”

14

Curtis Mayfield

Curtis Mayfield photographed in 1973.
Photo : Paul W. Bailey/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

With his funky falsetto, Chicago-born Mayfield first showcased his brilliance as songwriter and performer with 1960s Impressions hits “People Get Ready,” “I’m So Proud” and “Keep on Pushing.” A knack for civil rights anthems, impeccable storytelling, and grooves like “Freddie’s Dead,” “Pusherman” and the title track made 1972’s Superfly soundtrack into searing social commentary. The landmark album — only Mayfield’s third as a solo artist — is preserved by the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. His 1974 Claudine was a tour-de-force of first-person character development while 1976’s Sparkle gave us the Aretha Franklin hits “Jump” and “Something He Can Feel.” — J.C.

Must-Listen Song: “Superfly”

13

Sam Cooke

Even though Sam Cooke was only on this earth for 33 years, he was still able to change the game during that short time. Born in Mississippi and raised in Chicago, Cooke is often credited with being the King of Soul, a nickname he was given after leaving gospel group The Soul Stirrers to venture out on his own. With his honeyed, versatile tenor, Cooke clocked nearly 30 top 40 hits on the Hot 100. That run, which influenced pop music as we know it today, began in the late ‘50s with his barrier-breaking No. 1 R&B and Hot 100 single “You Send Me.” He reached his stride in the ‘60s with classics such as “Wonderful World,” “Chain Gang,” “Twistin’ the Night Away” and “Another Saturday Night.” After his untimely death in 1964, “A Change Is Gonna Come” was released as the B-side to his top 10 hit “Shake,” and became one of the civil rights movement’s empowering anthems. — A.D.

Must-Listen Song: “A Change Is Gonna Come”

12

Usher

Usher photographed circa 2001.
Photo : Tim Roney/Getty Images

The ultimate triple-threat entertainer, Usher personified the gold standard of R&B hitmaking in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, with songs like “You Make Me Wanna,” “U Remind Me” and ‘U Got It Bad.” Then his magnum opus arrived in 2004 with the diamond-certified Confessions album. The Grammy-winning, 14 times platinum project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and produced four No. 1 singles (“Yeah!,” “Burn”, “Confessions Part II” and “My Boo”) for as dominant a commercial run as the genre has ever seen. Two decades later, Usher embarked on a well-deserved victory lap while headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show and showcasing his live performance mastery. Usher has proven to be the blueprint for achieving a sustainable, successful career, rising from childhood star to R&B deity — while his baby face hasn’t aged a day in the process. — M.S.

Must-Listen Song: “Confessions Part II”

11

Ray Charles

Ray Charles, a.k.a. “The Genius,” first struck a powerful chord with music fans in 1955 when the singer-songwriter landed his first No. 1 on the R&B charts with “I Got a Woman.” From there, he lobbed a steady trajectory of hits across the net, featuring innovative genre fusions that stemmed from his no-holds-barred forays into blues, jazz, gospel, rock ‘n’ roll and country. But first came Charles’ soul juggernaut, melding blues, gospel and R&B and fueling an estimable tally of additional hits through the rest of the ‘50s and on through the ‘60s — like “A Fool for You,” “Drown in My Own Tears” and “Hallelujah I Love Her So” — before also crossing over into the pop arena with “What’d I Say (Part I),” “Georgia on My Mind,” “Hit the Road Jack” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” Also known as “Brother Ray,” Charles’ warm, gritty vocals and animated piano playing were also instrumental in molding his still influential, multi-genre legacy. — A.D.

Must-Listen Song: “Georgia on My Mind”

10

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye performs onstage at the Holiday Star Theater, Merrillville, Indiana, June 10, 1983.
Photo : Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Marvin Gaye could have made this list just based on his ‘60s output for Motown as one of the era’s great hitmakers and duet partners, culminating in his defining (and Hot 100-topping) version of Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” at decade’s end. But the smooth soul legend with the heavenly voice – airy and angelic one moment, piercing and guttural the next – really secured his legacy in the ‘70s, when he showcased R&B at its most topical (What’s Going On), its most sensual (Let’s Get It On) and its most devastating (Here, My Dear) with equal brilliance. And the Quiet Storm blissfulness of 1982’s Midnight Love – led by the eternal come-on “Sexual Healing” – demonstrated that Gaye could’ve easily continued pushing the genre forward for a third decade, had his life not been brought to a tragic end two years later at the hands of his own father. Still, Marvin Gaye left behind a catalog of both unprecedented heights-scaling and depths-plumbing – and proved that soul music could be the soundtrack to both, and everything in between. — A.U.

Must-Listen Song: “What’s Going On”

9

R. Kelly

R. Kelly’s lithe vocals took the R&B world by storm in the ‘90s through his debut album 12 Play and its Hot 100 No. 1 single “Bump n’ Grind” — leading to him becoming an omnipresent creative force in the process. He enjoyed major crossover success as well, penning and performing the 1996 Space Jam soundtrack ballad “I Believe I Can Fly,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. A generational talent and innovator, in the 2000s Kelly scored another unforgettable smash with “Ignition (Remix)” and an early viral sensation with the “Trapped in the Closet” series. Along the way, he played an integral role in bridging the worlds of R&B, soul, pop and rap while also penning hits for Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Aaliyah and Whitney Houston. In 2022, Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sex trafficking and racketeering charges tied to decades of sexual abuse, which has tainted the singer’s legacy. But from a purely musical perspective, there’s no denying that Kelly is one of the best contemporary R&B artists to ever pick up a microphone. — M.S

Must-Listen Song: “I Believe I Can Fly”

8

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey performs onstage during the 2018 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on October 9, 2018 in Los Angeles.
Photo : John Shearer/AMA2018/GI For dcp

If Mariah Carey were just a singer, that five-octave voice alone would offer a buffet of options for a successful catalog. But add her Hall of Fame songwriting credentials and ear for sticky production that blends pop smarts with classic R&B flavor, and you see the ingredients for a legendary discography. While Carey’s early material bounced between adult contemporary, pop, R&B and dance, Carey’s mid-career creative consolidation fueled further dives into R&B, with tracks like Butterfly’s “Breakdown” and The Emancipation of Mimi’s “Mine Again” among the lesser-known gems that rival any of the five-time Grammy winner’s string of chart-topping pearls — including such touchstones as “Vision of Love” and “We Belong Together”— in quality. Recently honored as an Ultimate Icon at the 25th annual BET Awards, Carey has collaborated with fellow greats like Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Snoop Dogg and Nick Minaj. In linking the genre’s history – gospel touches, Quiet Storm, hip-hop fusion – with a contemporary freshness, Carey’s best shows she would flourish in any era. — T.A.

Must-Listen Song: “Breakdown”

7

Prince

Prince
Photo : Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

With his extraordinary vocal range, genre-defying catalog and well-heeled dance moves, Prince quickly became one of R&B’s game-changing legends, and the driving force behind what became known as the Minneapolis Sound. The creative wunderkind burst on the scene in 1978 with debut album For You, featuring the sensual “Soft and Wet.” But it was the multi-instrumentalist’s eponymous sophomore LP that spun off his first No. 1 R&B hit (“I Wanna Be Your Lover”) and set the stage for a prolific career. Prince’s seminal moment arrived with the 1984 film and album Purple Rain, which included the hits “When Doves Cry,” “Let’s Go Crazy” and the title track. Topping the Billboard 200 for 24 weeks, the album seamlessly interweaved funk and rock into the Purple One’s slick R&B sound. In a career filled with memorable performances and industry accolades, the seven-time Grammy winner remained focused on what brought him to the party in the first place: his fearless individuality and innovative fusion of genres from R&B, funk and hip-hop to pop, rock, jazz, blues and new wave. Prince’s sophisticated swagger and musical experimentation are still inspiring artists to push creative boundaries nearly a decade after his untimely death in 2016. — M.C.G

Must-Listen Song: “I Wanna Be Your Lover”

6

James Brown

Music Box. Mr. Dynamite. The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. The Godfather of Soul. James Brown earned many a sobriquet (plenty of which he gave himself) during an incalculably influential career that changed the course of R&B and forever impacted Black culture. Born into extreme poverty during the Great Depression, Brown’s electric showmanship, unerring rhythm and obsessive work ethic (no one ran a tighter backing band in the ‘60s and ‘70s) propelled him to 91 hits on the Hot 100. Even on his earliest singles (“Please Please Please,” “Think,” “Night Train”), it was clear Brown had a more ruthlessly rhythmic approach to R&B than his contemporaries. Plus his sweaty, Southern preacher-inspired stage persona drove fans berserk (the shrieking crowd is the real backing band on 1963’s Live at the Apollo) and inspired everyone from Mick Jagger to Prince to Michael Jackson. By the mid ‘60s, America was changing, and Brown was transforming, too. With a backing band of endlessly rehearsed ringers, he deprioritized traditional song structures and leaned into the hypnotic grooves and syncopation of hard-edged R&B, releasing lengthier tunes with nary a wasted syllable, guitar chord or drumbeat.

The result was funk music. And from 1965 to the late ‘70s, he created the template for the genre and released some of its most unstoppable exemplars (“Cold Sweat,” “Funky Drummer,” “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine”). Onstage, he could outdance and out-glam damn near every one of his contemporaries, but his distinctive voice was truly inimitable (though many tried). Passionate and gruff, pained one moment, peacocking the next, conversational yet studied, Brown’s voice was full of dirt, grease, sweat and steam — particularly on those ear-splitting yelps. Whether wailing about backsides (“Mother Popcorn”), Black pride (“Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud”) or changing times (“Living in America”), Brown continues to inspire singers, rappers, rockers and activists. Well before Don Corleone, he was the Godfather who could not be refused. — J.L.

Must-Listen Song: “Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved (Pts. 1 & 2)”

5

Whitney Houston

What hasn’t already been said about Whitney Houston, one of the greatest singers to ever live? Known as “Nippy” by friends and family (mom was noted vocalist Cissy Houston), the Newark, New Jersey native also gained another nickname as “The Voice.” Blessed with a four-octave, church-honed vocal range, Houston stepped on the scene with formidable back-to-back — and now RIAA diamond-certified — albums right from the jump: 1985’s Whitney Houston and 1987’s Whitney. The former still stands as the highest-selling debut by a female artist. As the first and only artist to land seven straight No. 1s on the Hot 100, Houston and her dynamic voice propelled a host of emotive ballads and up-tempo charmers like “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know” (with mom doing backing vocals), “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and “Exhale (Shoop Shoop).” Her rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” from 1992’s The Bodyguard soundtrack spent 14 weeks atop the Hot 100. Among Houston’s most memorable live performances is her rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” during Super Bowl XXV, which even became a Hot 100 top 10 hit when re-released as a single a decade later. Houston died far too young at age 48 in 2012, leaving behind a catalog that raised the standard when it comes to singing — and still does. — A.D

Must-Listen Song: “I Have Nothing”

4

Beyoncé

Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at MetLife Stadium on July 29, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Photo : Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

Billboard’s Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century also happens to be one of the Best R&B Artists of All Time. In fact, it’s her dedication to her R&B foundation that has helped her become one of music’s most innovative, impactful and impressive artists. The 35-time Grammy-winning Houstonian first hit the Billboard charts as the lead vocalist of Destiny’s Child, the girl group in which she honed her now-signature staccato rap-singing, a vocal approach that can be heard in virtually every contemporary R&B song today. After spinning out R&B classics like “Say My Name” and “Bills, Bills, Bills,” Beyoncé ventured into solo stardom with 2003’s Dangerously in Love, a classic R&B record that combined Bootsy Collins- and Chi-Lites-sampling funk, Donna Summer-nodding disco and sultry soul balladry to the tune of four consecutive Hot 100 top five hits. Shortly after, she reteamed with her DC3 bandmates for another classic ‘00s R&B LP in Destiny Fulfilled, before flaunting her affinity for Southern-rooted up-tempo R&B across 2006’s B’Day.

As her focus shifted away from commercial dominance and toward artistic innovation at the top of the 2010s, Beyoncé used each new album to push the boundaries of contemporary R&B. 2011’s 4 paid tribute to classic R&B at the height of the EDM era, her eponymous 2013 album played with the dark hip-hop and electronic flourishes of alternative R&B and 2022’s Renaissance exemplified the connection between house, gospel and soul. Even when she forayed into country music on 2024’s Cowboy Carter, R&B remained a driving force (“II Hands II Heaven,” “Desert Eagle”), as her dizzying riffs and runs colored her illumination of the genre’s obfuscated Black roots. With 31 top 10 hits on Hot R&B Songs, five R&B Albums chart-toppers, 21 Grammys across the R&B field and nearly $2 billion in cumulative touring gross, Beyoncé isn’t just one of the best R&B artists of all time: She’s a living encyclopedia of Black music, always seeking to add new, rule-defying entries. — K.D.

Must-Listen Song: “Dangerously in Love 2”

3

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson performing on stage, performing Thriller – Bad Tour.
Photo : George De Sota/Redferns

From popular child star (his pre-teen lead on the Jackson 5’s cover of “Who’s Lovin’ You” still amazes) to international phenomenon to hallowed legend, Michael Jackson reimagined the possibilities of contemporary R&B. A student of the game, he accumulated the best parts of the showmanship of James Brown and Jackie Wilson, adapted them for the MTV generation with sticky hooks and innovative visuals, and – never content – incorporated New Jack Swing and other sub-genre pockets for fresh twists to his trademark sound. The results speak for themselves: Off the Wall was the first solo album with four top 10 Hot 100 hits, Bad sparked five No. 1s alone, and Thriller is – well, Thriller. But for all of Jackson’s sonic prowess, the perennial pupil was the master of live performances. A tour, award show spot or Super Bowl performance morphed into its own spectacle, crafting a textbook of Black song-and-dance tradition that artists such as Beyoncé, Usher and Chris Brown have meticulously studied. Yes, he’s the King of Pop – but even as amid his dizzying, global, possibly never-to-be-seen again heights, Jackson forever remained grounded in his R&B roots. — T.A.

Must-Listen Song: “Remember the Time”

 

2

Aretha Franklin

Arriving 12 years after Ray Charles ushered R&B music into the mainstream arena, Aretha Franklin shot to groundbreaking heights herself as one of the genre’s most heralded voices. A talented pianist as well, she signed her first recording contract with Columbia at just 18 in 1960, but nothing fully clicked during her tenure there. It wasn’t until she signed with Atlantic Records in 1966 that she soared to astronomical heights. The earthy, gospel-bred singer’s distinctive mezzo-soprano became one of music’s most uniquely recognizable voices with her explosive cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect” in 1967. Featured on her debut album I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, the single ruled atop both the R&B and Hot 100 charts for multiple weeks, while also becoming an anthem for the civil rights movement and female empowerment.

It was the first of many classic original hits and covers graced by Franklin’s dynamic voice. “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Think,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Freeway of Love,” and her piercing duet with George Michael on “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” are among the dozens of songs that helped crown her the Queen of Soul. During a career spanning over five decades, Franklin was honored with numerous accolades before her passing in 2018, including 18 Grammy Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her unparalleled musical charisma and craftsmanship remain enduring influences on later generations of artists. — M.C.G.

Must-Listen Song: “Respect”

1

Stevie Wonder

Stevland Morris was just 11 years old when he signed with Motown subsidiary Tamla Records. Professionally rechristened Stevie Wonder, the youngster quickly made it understood why that moniker was a perfect fit. The child prodigy notched his first No. 1 R&B and Hot 100 single at 13 with “Fingertips – Pt. 2” in 1963 — and hasn’t stopped since. Having recently celebrated his 75th birthday, Wonder is now a revered pioneer whose formidable arsenal of skills — singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and arranger — paved his yellow brick road to an unprecedented run of musical wizardry and groundbreaking albums in the ‘70s, incorporating R&B, soul, pop, gospel, funk and jazz. But first came his teen-era, career-building classics like “I Was Made to Love Her,” “For Once in My Life,” “My Cherie Amour” and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours.”

Then in his early 20s, with his elastic and emotive tenor in tow, along with a bid for more creative freedom at Motown, a maturing Wonder reintroduced himself with the 1972 releases Music of My Mind (“Superwoman”) and his first No. 1 R&B album Talking Book (“You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Superstition”). And next, the floodgates opened, as three more No. 1 R&B albums — and three Grammy album of the year wins — ensued: 1973’s Innervisions (“Higher Ground”), 1974’s Fullfillingness’ First Finale (“Boogie on Reggae Woman”) and the double-LP opus Songs in the Key of Life (“Sir Duke,” “I Wish”). The string of No. 1 R&B albums continued through the ‘80s, including Hotter Than July and two soundtracks, The Woman in Red (featuring the Oscar-winning best song “I Just Called to Say I Love You”) and Jungle Fever.

While his musical output might have slowed in recent decades, the 25-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member still remains a live concert draw. But above all the accolades and hits, Wonder — like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown, Marvin Gaye and other pioneers on this best-of list — helped erect the foundation on which later and new next-gen R&B artists stand. — G.M.