There’s no question that the ‘90s was the golden era for R&B music. However, the 2000’s wasn’t too bad for the genre either. In fact, R&B artists were still selling a lot of records and landing high positions on the Billboard chart. Let’s go ten years back to 2007. It was the year Rihanna became the Rihanna we today — a dominating force in the digital music era. Her single “Umbrella” shattered records, becoming the highest digital debut in the U.S. since Nielsen Soundscan began tracking downloads. The JAY-Z-assisted tune opened first week sales with over 277,000 downloads.
From Trey Songz’s “Can’t Help But Wait” to Keyshia Cole’s “Heaven Sent,” 2007 was also the year where some of today’s A-list R&B stars made some of their signature songs. Meanwhile, artists like The-Dream, Chrisette Michele and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks were just getting started with the release of their respective debut albums.
Rated R&B has compiled a list of 26 R&B/soul albums that celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2017.
Random fun fact: 2007 also marked the debut of the first iPhone (OK, you can scroll now).
Lloyd — Street Love
Release Date: March 13
Record Label: Universal Motown Records
Singles: “You,” “Get It Shawty” and “Player’s Prayer”
Jacquees teams up with Trey Songz for his latest track “Inside.” On the mid-tempo bedroom banger, which contains an interpolation of Usher’s hit single “Nice & Slow,” Quees and Trigga ask their respective lady to keep her legs up as they please her in every way imaginable.
“When you call up my phone like you war ready/ I’m already strapped up, girl you already know / When your legs need to go, I ain’t gon’ tell you no more,” Jacquees sings on the babymaking jam. Trigga comes in at the second verse, “Lemme remind that pussy, you know it’s mine, that pussy / Know how to find that pussy, taste sweet as wine that pussy.”
“Inside” is the follow-up to Jacquees’ platinum-selling single “B.E.D.” Both songs will appear on his long-awaited debut album, 4275, which arrives on June 15 via Cash Money Records.
Every legendary artist has a career-defining album; for Janet Jackson, janet is that album. Released on May 18, 1993, the album followed Rhythm Nation, a collection of songs that herald the pop icon joining the social and political conversation on the state of the world.
Although the socially conscious theme shined on Rhythm Nation, it wasn’t nearly as potent on janet. As her first album to be released on Virgin Records, the youngest Jackson sibling made some daring yet liberating choices for her new era. For starters, she dropped her surname for the album’s title to show her independence from the weight behind her family’s name. She updated her sound from industrial, and incorporated diverse genres including jazz, opera and hip-hop on many songs. She became more comfortable with her body, showing it off in the September 1993 issue of Rolling Stone. Lastly, janet highlighted her newfound confidence as a musician, taking charge of her lyrics and its accompanying production with the guidance of producing duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.
Less about world news, and more messages about eroticism (but safe practices: “Be a Good Boy”) and femininity, janet. brewed a larger, yet taboo conversation that Jackson didn’t explore fully discuss until this album.
“Sex has been an important part of me for several years. But it just hasn’t blossomed publicly until now,” Jackson told Rolling Stone in 1993. “I’ve had to go through some changes and shed some old attitudes before feeling completely comfortable with my body. Listening to my new record, people intuitively understand the change in me.”
The changed resulted in her first album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 350,000 copies sold in its first week. At the time, it was the highest debut sales for a woman since Nielsen Music began tracking sales in 1991.
The album spawned six top 10 singles on Billboard’s Hot 100, including two No.1 singles: “Again” and “That’s the Way Love Goes.” The latter track, the album’s lead single, earned Jackson a Grammy win for Best R&B Song.
On the 25th anniversary of janet, producer Jimmy Jam shares how he views this groundbreaking album today and how it compares to a milestone project by Marvin Gaye.
“I view [janet] as a really good album,” he exclusively tells Rated R&B. “I think the album is very reflective of where we all were in our lives at that time. We always said Rhythm Nation was our What’s Going On and janet was our Let’s Get It On album. [janet] was definitely the love album.”
Jam also shares his thoughts on Jackson being honored with her “long overdue” Icon Award at the Billboard Music Awards this Sunday.
“It’s obviously well-deserved and it’s probably a little overdue. But that’s okay,” he says. “She’s still alive to see it. And not only alive but she’s thriving. She’s about to go back on tour and show everybody’s how it’s been done. She’s had an amazing career thus far but I think she’s one of those people who’s done a lot but still has a lot more to say and do.”
Rated R&B revisited janet on its 25th anniversary and crafted a list of our top 5 songs.
1. “Any time, Any place”
Driven by a burning saxophone and deliberate finger snaps, the sensual song is fueled by lyrics of voyeurism, making it arguably the best record on this album.
2. “That’s the Way Love Goes”
Blended with hip-hop’s edge and Jackson’s flourishing sureness on intimacy and the powers of her own body, she takes us (and her love interest) to a places we’ve never been; and the trip isn’t bad either.
3. “Throb”
Bring your stamina. Over an oversexed-house beat, Jackson commands her mate to “boom, boom, boom until noon, noon, noon.”
4. “Funky Big Band”
Sampling “I’m in the Mood for Swing” by jazz giant Lionel Hampton, Jackson’s vocal improvisations are welcomed on this lively track.
5. “This Time”
“You’re dismissed,” says Janet after finally breaking it off with her ex. Now although she’s done with her lover’s drama, the song’s featured opera vocals from Kathleen Battle and accompanying production is packed with it.
Stream janet. below.
What’s your favorite track from janet? Tell us below.
Let’s be clear, Missy Elliott is and will always be universally relevant in the world of music.
Misdemeanor Elliott has been an unstoppable force since establishing herself as a trailblazer for R&B and hip-hop music and its culture in the early 90s. Some people, such as myself, may say they first heard Elliott and her iconic “hee-hee-hee-hee-how” line on Gina Thompson’s hit “The Things I Do.” Others may remember Elliott’s artistic expression in a large black trash bag from her 1997 video “The Rain.”
What remains consistent with those possible introductions to Ms. Elliott is R&B has been the meeting place. For instance, the chorus on “The Rain” samples “I Can’t Stand the Rain” by ‘70s soul diva Ann Peebles. Missy Elliott not only lent her rap talents to the remix of Thompson’s lead single – she co-penned the track too, which is one of the reasons why we’re here.
For the past few months, Elliott has been on Twitter sharing memories of writing and producing R&B songs for past and present artists. Rated R&B has compiled a list of Elliott’s top 15 R&B hits that she either produced, wrote or was featured on, along with a reason why they are absolute FIYAH (as Elliott would say).
Aaliyah – “One in a Million”
Written by: Melissa “Missy” Elliott & Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley Produced by: Timbaland
“One in a Million” is FIYAH because it helped shift the direction of R&B and way we heard it with its advanced melting pot of melody and rhythmic. From Kanye West and BJ the Chicago Kid to Jay Z and Tink, the cultural impact of this record is undeniable. The song spent six weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
Now this gem right here CHANGED THE SOUND OF MUSIC! @Timbaland & I recorded Aaliyah in Detroit & 1 thing about her she NEVER 2nd guessed our sound she was ahead of da game! Tim & I style was bounce so I wrote 2 da tracks like Rap/Sing because I wasn’t a great singer🤷🏾♀️ pic.twitter.com/2aGEb9m9yV
