Via Bryson Tiller/ Instagram
Quiz time.
1.) If you're sad you listen to______?
A. DS2~Future
B. DAMN.~Kendrick Lamar
C. Take Care~Drake
D. Rodeo~Travis Scott
2.) What's The Weeknd's best work?
A. Starboy
B. Trilogy
C. Beauty Behind The Madness
D. Kiss Land
3.) Syd's last album was titled_____?
A. Who is Syd?
B. Fin
C. The Internet
D. What is a Syd?
If you answered "C,B,B" chances are you know your R&B, or your opinions are just similar to mine. If you know your R&B, you know there's different types of R&B. No one plays Solange at a party, and no one listens to 'Starboy' when they're sad. R&B is a mood congruent genre, and those moods usually fall under sadness, cheerfulness, and Trey Songzness. There's an artist for every mood. There's also a number of deep R&B artists but let's keep the focus on these three moods.
Sadness
Via Solange/ Twitter
Artists: Solange/6lack/SZA. Occasionals: The Weeknd/Drake/Frank Ocean
Solange makes music for "woke Twitter", and anyone with a Twitter knows that a large portion of "woke Twitter" makes up "depressed Twitter". Solange reaches both of those audiences. 6lack raises faint Weeknd comparisons, due to their descriptions of love and women. Both 6lack and an older version of The Weeknd have a dark aura around them. Frank Ocean touches an audience of people who don't get the attention they want from the people they want. A lot of Frank's lyrics are subtly sad, but when he decides to make an entire sad song it usually refers to failed relationships. Last and based on your opinion maybe least is Drake. Drake's Take care was the answer to #1, and is a go-to sad listen. Take Care, alone, solidifies Drake's spot, but if that's not enough Drake has sprinkled hints of his R&B greatness on every album since.
Cheerfulness
Kai Z. Feng
Artists: Bruno Mars/Kehlani/Jeremih
Is Bruno Mars addicted to cocaine? Who cares, he makes hits. Every song on Bruno Mar's last album, 24K Magic, is radio material. You can take that how you want. Kehlani Irving would've been great, but it didn't work out. On the other hand, SweetSexySavage worked out perfectly. Her debut album wasn't all radio hits like Bruno Mars, but she blended her emotions and a sales-friendly pop sound perfectly throughout the album. Jeremih produces at least two hits a year, yet he still doesn't get the recognition he deserves. He won't get that recognition in this article either.
Trey Songzfullness
Pictured Above: Syd, not Trey Songz Burak Cingi/Redferns
Artists: Syd, Trey Songz, Chris Brown, The Weeknd
Did I make a word up to describe an emotion? Yes, but so did Shakespeare, so sue me. The term Trey Songzfullness is seemingly self-explanatory, but just in case you're still lost I'll provide a textbook definition.
Trey Songzfullness- A term used to describe a person's strong sexual desire. Synonyms- horny, lusty, aroused, stimulated .
Ex. I feel a sense of Trey Songzfullness, during sundress season.
Syd ran with this emotion on her solo album, Fin. Trey Songz is the root of the emotion. Chris Brown has been providing his audience with the sound they need since he was 16. The Weeknd expressed Trey Songzfullness, in his first two albums, in a way that no other artists could replicate.
Not Stated: Bryson Tiller
Bryson Tiller is a form of R&B that only he can classify, and he doesn't really fit a specific mood either. Whether that's good or bad is for the listener to decide.