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Artist: Janet Jackson
Few celebrity siblings can emerge from the shadows of their already famous relations to become superstars in their own right and with their own distinct personalities. That's exactly what Janet Jackson did in becoming one of the biggest female pop and R&B stars of the '80s and '90s. Since her breakthrough in 1986 with the album Control,... [+] Read More
Artist: Ashford & Simpson
Nickolas Ashford (b. May 4, 1942, Fairfield, SC) and Valerie Simpson (b. Aug 26, 1946, New York City) have two careers, as songwriters and as performers, with the former seemingly more important than the latter until the mid-'80s. The two met in 1964 and scored their first songwriting hit in 1966 with Ray Charles' recording of their "Let's Go... [+] Read More
Artist: Chris Brown
Pop-oriented R&B vocalist Chris Brown debuted with the Scott Storch-produced "Run It!" and became the first male solo artist to release a single that went straight to the top of the Billboard singles chart. Only 16 at the time, Brown came from a small town in Virginia called Tappahannock and, like a lot of kids born since the early '80s, was... [+] Read More
Artist: Too Short
Born in Los Angeles, but an Oakland resident by the age of 14, Too Short was the first West Coast rap star, recording three albums on his own before he made his major-label debut with 1988's gold album Born to Mack; his next four all went platinum. Anticipating much of the later gangsta phenomenon, he restricted his lyrical themes to tales of... [+] Read More
Artist: Steve Archer
This premier soloist from the veteran Archer family recorded a number of R&B-influenced pop albums in the '80s. ~ Thom Granger, All Music Guide [+] Read More
Artist: Moby
Moby was one of the most controversial figures in techno music, alternately praised for bringing a face to the notoriously anonymous electronic genre, as well as being scorned by hordes of techno artists and fans for diluting and trivializing the form. In either case, Moby was one of the most important dance music figures of the early '90s,... [+] Read More
Artist: The Barrio Boyzz
The Barrio Boyzz are a popular Latino quintet known for their versatility, as can be heard on their 1995 release How We Roll, an English-language album on which they perform everything from R&B and hip-hop to soul. Since their inception, the New York group have had numerous hits on the Latin charts, two platinum albums in Spanish, and have even... [+] Read More
Artist: Nu Shooz
The husband/wife team from Portland, OR -- guitarist/composer John Smith and vocalist Valerie Day -- attracted some attention on the R&B and disco circuit in the late '80s. "I Can't Wait" reached number two on the R&B charts and number three pop in 1986 for Atlantic. But they were so linked to trendy sounds that by the third single, "Should I... [+] Read More
Artist: UGK
Southern gangsta rappers Pimp C and Bun B formed UGK (aka Underground Kingz) in the late '80s and signed to Jive Records for their major label debut album, 1992's Too Hard to Swallow. After second album Super Tight..., UGK hit the R&B charts with 1996's Ridin' Dirty, which ascended to the number two spot. Dirty Money followed in late 2001. ~... [+] Read More
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is a much-beloved American icon and an indisputable genius not only of R&B but popular music in general. Blind virtually since birth, Wonder's heightened awareness of sound helped him create vibrant, colorful music teeming with life and ambition. Nearly everything he recorded bore the stamp of his sunny, joyous positivity; even... [+] Read More
Artist: Paul Jackson, Jr.
Los Angeles session guitarist Paul Jackson, Jr. was one of the most prolific players in R&B during the '70s and '80s. Jackson played for the Temptations, Gerald Alston, Bobby Womack, Luther Vandross, Patrice Rushen, Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, the Pointer Sisters, Howard Hewett, Dennis Edwards, and Jeffrey Osborne, among others, before earning... [+] Read More
Artist: Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan's influence on popular music is incalculable. As a songwriter, he pioneered several different schools of pop songwriting, from confessional singer/songwriter to winding, hallucinatory, stream-of-conscious narratives. As a vocalist, he broke down the notions that in order to perform, a singer had to have a conventionally good voice,... [+] Read More
Artist: Zucchero
Adelmo Fornaciari is the talented Italian musician more commonly known to the world by his nickname, Zucchero ("Sugar"), given to him by an elementary school teacher. He began playing the guitar in his home province of Reggio Emilia, focusing on music in the blues/R&B mold. As a teenager, he founded a local band called Le Nuove Luci. After... [+] Read More
Artist: Soul II Soul
Led by producer/vocalist/songwriter Jazzie B., Soul II Soul were one of the most innovative dance/R&B outfits of the late '80s, creating a seductive, deep R&B that borrowed from Philly soul, disco, reggae, and '80s hip-hop. Originally featuring Jazzie B., producer/arranger Nellee Hooper, and instrumentalist Philip "Daddae" Harvey, the musical... [+] Read More
Artist: Klique
The obscure early-'80s R&B outfit Klique consisted of members Howard Huntsberry, Debbie Hunter, and Isaac Suthers. Specializing in soul/funk tracks that were custom-made for the dancefloor, the trio issued three releases during its career -- 1981's It's Winning Time, 1983's Try It Out (which included one of Klique's best-known tracks, "I Can't... [+] Read More
Artist: The Phenomenal Cats
Michigan power-poppers the Phenomenal Cats take their inspiration mostly from late-'70s/early-'80s proponents of that genre, including the dB's and the Rubinoos. Led by Keith Klingensmith and Chris Richards, the group released an EP, Seagirl and Five Other Dogs, in 1996. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [+] Read More
Artist: Mellow Mellow
A DJ in Belgium's mid-'80s underground, Marnix B blends house, trance and tribal elements as Mellow Mellow. An A&R manager for Antler Subway, he first recorded a single ("I Can't Stop") in 1993 with Transformer 2's Jeff Hypp. "One for Love" followed early in 1994; both were club hits. With two versions of both singles, Can't Stop Movin' appeared... [+] Read More
Artist: Larry Thurston
Singer Larry Thurston's booming voice has been a recognizable part of soul and R&B since the 80's, when he became the lead vocalist for Matt "Guitar" Murphy's band. It was with Murphy that he proved to be a fiery live performer, fit to sing the standards and Blues Brothers classics that Murphy and his band performed. When Murphy left to join... [+] Read More
Artist: Babyface
As a singer, producer, and songwriter, Babyface was an inescapable presence in virtually every major facet of pop music during the '90s. His own recordings helped rejuvenate the R&B tradition of the smooth, sensitive, urban crooner and made him a staple of urban contemporary radio. Yet their considerable success was eclipsed by his songwriting... [+] Read More
Artist: Stevie B
Singer, songwriter, and producer Stevie B. was among the leading lights of the Miami dance music scene of the late '80s, later reaching the top of the pop charts with the mega-hit "Because I Love You (The Postman Song)." A native of South Florida, he worked a variety of dead-end jobs ranging from car-wash attendant to fast-food server before... [+] Read More
Artist: Kool & the Gang
Formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-'60s, Kool & the Gang became one of the most inspired and influential funk units during the '70s, and one of the most popular R&B groups of the '80s after their breakout hit "Celebration" in 1979. Just as funky as James Brown or Parliament (and sampled almost as frequently), Kool & the Gang relied on their... [+] Read More
Artist: Kid Batchelor
A part of the mid-'80s London soul scene with his friend Jazzie B, Kid Batchelor began working in house tracks in 1987 during his DJ sets at the legendary Hedonism club nights. In the late '80s, he recorded with Keith Franklin (KCC) as Bang the Party; the duo released the first quality British house records, including "Jacque's Theme," "Release... [+] Read More
Artist: Kathy Kosins
Born in Detroit, Kathy Kosins works Motown and pop influences into her jazz singing. She began backing Was (Not Was), Michael Henderson, J.C. Heard's Orchestra and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. During the '80s, she wrote R&B-based songs with producers Rick Chudikoff, Jeff Pesetto, Peter Benetta and Nick Martinelli. However, her debut album, All... [+] Read More
Artist: El DeBarge
El DeBarge was the lead singer of the '80s R&B group DeBarge throughout their career, including the hits "All This Love," "Love Me in a Special Way," "Who's Holding Donna Now," and "Rhythm of the Night." After leaving the group in 1985, he launched his solo career in 1986 with a self-titled debut album that featured the number three hit "Who's... [+] Read More
Artist: Lisa Lisa
Based in Brooklyn, vocalist Lisa Lisa (born Lisa Velez) and her supporting band, Cult Jam (Mike Hughes and Alex "Spanador" Moseley), were one of the most consistent dance-pop/R&B groups of the mid-'80s. Hughes and Mosley were also members of Full Force, the funk group that performed and produced the majority of Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam's albums.... [+] Read More
