This is probably going to be my last blog post in a while with school starting and me having to focus on homework, tests, and all the s**t in between (the next one will be about Biggie’s Ready to Die turning 30 and then the best sample flips from the south). So I thought I’d go out with a bang and talk about my favorite genre: R&B. Criteria is simple: only one song per year, artists can pop up twice, and we will be going in backward chronological order (for those who don’t get what that means, Rise of Skywalker to Phantom Menace). Without further ado, let’s get it! (“Nights like this I’m a knight like this, sword in my hand I fight like this…”)
2024: “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” – Coco Jones
When I first heard Coco Jones, I was very impressed, but knew that it would take time for her to mold into her own and have a real breakout hit (“ICU” was carried by Justin Timberlake – change my mind). But then my editor and I loaded up the “R&B Now” playlist in Apple Music and listened to “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”. We first were excited that it had the same sample as Twista and Kanye West’s “Overnight Celebrity”. But then the drums kicked in, and we heard Coco’s monotone singing. I loved the build up during the pre-chorus – but then that hook hit like crazy. The piano notes being perfectly on key with Coco’s voice and flow was the absolute punch in the gut that sealed the song as my favorite of 2024.
2023: “Suspended” – Sampha
In my opinion, Sampha has the most angelic voice of my generation, which made me love his features on songs like “MY EYES”, “Father Time”, “Too Much”, and of course “Saint Pablo”. So, I was so excited last year when I heard he had a new album coming out. It ended up being my personal album of the year, and my favorite song was “Suspended”. I love the way Sampha sings “I feel lifted from above”, the piano on the verses is great, and the song feels like one big build up for when the drums come in, and oh my god do they make your ears levitate. Then, he keeps going and his flow for the rest of the song is insane.
2022: “CUFF IT” – Beyonce
I remember exactly where I was when I first heard this. My dad and I put the full RENAISSANCE album on our speaker system and listened all the way through, while we were taking turns playing video games. Once “CUFF IT” started playing, we got so hyped that we paused the game, restarted the song over, and paid our full attention to it, because that’s how good Beyonce & Nile Rodgers are. My favorite part is the post-chorus with the “Cause I feel like falling in looooveee”. Also, check out the KAYTRANADA remix, which is just as amazing, if not better (edit: I found a reddit post that has the download link to the full version, not pitched up).
2021: “Put On A Smile” – Silk Sonic
I really hope Silk Sonic makes another album again because what we got in 2021 was so great, yet it was undermined by how badly their management team handled it. At first, the album was supposed to drop in 2022, but then they pushed it forward to November, on the same day as Taylor Swift and a week before Adele. So, what was an amazing album got shoved to the side by Swifties and Adele superfans. But, anyways, at least the album came out, and we got “Put On A Smile”, which has some of my favorite instrumentation in R&B. And the build up to the chorus with the piano and strings is so good. Anderson P.a.a.k.’s drumming is absolute perfection. And of course, Bruno Mars’s falsetto is just unmatched. And rest in peace to the vocal cords of anyone trying to sing the part at 3:27 during karaoke.
2020: “Heartless” – The Weeknd
“Heartless” sees The Weeknd at his worst, with all of his sins turned up to 11. His greed (“I want it all now”), lust (“I’ve been running through the p***y need a dog pound”), wrath (“duffel bags full of drugs and a rocket”), etc. But, those qualities make it a good song to play when you’re feeling yourself. And that bridge over Metro’s gloomy synths just makes the song even better. Truly a must listen for all of Metro’s haters that say he can’t produce for other genres.
2019: “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS” – Tyler, The Creator
Quick question: when was the last hit R&B song you heard that was in 6/8? Pretty difficult to name, right? 6/8 used to be a common time signature for R&B songs back in the 70s, but now, it wore out in favor of the more natural 4/4 (this song samples an Al Green song that is in 6/8). Well, what happens when a hip-hop artist wants to make his own 70s Soul project. You get Tyler, The Creator’s IGOR, and it’s best song, “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS”. And, the reason that makes it the best is not because of any lyrics or because it’s in 6/8, it’s because of those damn synths. They feel so war, and fuzzy when you listen to them: it’s like your ears are hugging a teddy bear.
2018: “Bad Bad News” – Leon Bridges
If there was one album from 2018 that was the most underrated, it was definitely Leon Bridges’s Good Thing. And worse, the public was paying attention to the wrong song. The biggest song from that album was “Beyond”, which is still a great song (I especially love the Dilla-sounding drums). But, “Bad Bad News” is just so much better. The simple, but danceable melody, the call-and-response chorus, Leon’s singing, the guitar solo outro, and more easily makes it a better song. And, if you want a version to play at work without any words, I highly recommend the horns cover.
2017: “Supermodel” – SZA
I feel horribly bad that I snubbed SZA for 2018 with “All The Stars” and 2022 with “Snooze”, but I knew in my mind that those other songs were way better. But, in the case for 2017 with “Supermodel”, I knew that there was no other competition (aside from Thundercat’s “Walk on By”). You could tell that the song was heavily inspired by Back To Black by Amy Winehouse with the subject matter (overcoming your ex), the instrumentation, and how SZA sings (compare her vocal inflections to any Amy Winehouse song, and they are almost 1 to 1). And, while I was doing research to see how the song was made, SZA said her friend, who just taught himself how to play guitar, layed down the chords, and then she got to writing. And, the rest is R&B history.
20- HOLD UP — WAIT A MINUTE!
So before I get into my top pick of 2016, I just wanted to say that this was 100% the most stacked year of this whole whole article. You have “Freedom” (Harris for President), “Don’t Hurt Yourself” and “Formation” by Beyoncé, “Feel No Ways” by Drake, “Blessings” by Chance the Rapper, “Needed Me” and “Love on The Brain” by Rihanna, “Sidewalks” and “I Feel It Coming” by The Weeknd, “Chunky” by Bruno Mars, “Cranes in the Sky” and “Mad” by Solange, and, of course, “Redbone” by Childish Gambino. Without a doubt in my mind, these songs would be far and away the best R&B song of their year if they didn’t drop in 2016. But, they did, and so they had to get absolutely obliterated by my pick. Which is…..
2016: “Nights” – Frank Ocean
Yes, I know it’s the basic pick, yes I know that there are debatably better songs on Blonde, and yes, I know that this song has been talked about so much that the public consciousness feels numb to it. But, frankly, I don’t care. The fact that the song is divided into three sections, a daytime, a sunset, and a nightime, is so f***king genius that most people can’t wrap their head around it for a couple listens. Then, Frank writes lyrics that are so relatable to so many people, so it makes people want to listen to it even more than they already do. And, of course, we have to talk about that beat switch, the most iconic part of the song, and the most iconic moment of Frank Ocean’s career. I mean, what can I say that hasn’t already been said. It perfectly captures what the transition from day to night feels, and the fact that it splits the album perfectly in half is just the cherry on top. And, it has the esteemed honor of being the only song in existence to be ruined by a Kendrick Lamar remix.
2015: “Sugah Daddy” – D’Angelo & The Vanguard
This song is the funkiest I’ve ever heard D’Angelo and his band. The PIano line is so simple, but yet works so well, as it is complemented by amazing horn and guitar work. The drums are great, and I really love the snare hit. And, D’Angelo sounds so much like a mix between James Brown and Ella Fizgerallad. It is so good that it’s beyond words, and the BET performance with “How Does It Feel” is just as good, if not, better.
2014: “Fine China” – Chris Brown
I already talked about this in my Breezy article, so I’m not going to dwell on it for so long. So, long story short: this song is the closest thing that we’re gonna get to Michael Jackson after 2009, with great guitar work, hard-hitting drums, CB’s amazing vocal work, and an amazing one take dance video. A real must listen for anyone who is a fan of 80s R&B.
2013: “How Many Drinks? (Remix)” – Miguel & Kendrick Lamar
I know, I know, “you picked a song by Miguel’s b***h a** over ‘Blow’, ‘Love is The Answer’, ‘Suit & Tie’ and ‘Drunk In Love’”. YES I DID.
First, I still think it is stupid that we disrespect artists based on the fact that we don’t know most of their music. I get that most of the people my age call Miguel “that guy that made the Tik Tok song”, but you have to listen to more of that artist before you make that assumption. And, one of those songs you should listen to is “How Many Drinks?”. First, the production is handled by the amazing Salaam Remi, second, Mugel’s falsetto on the verses is the closest thing the R&B world will get to verbal butter, and, lastly, Kendrick’s verse with the guitar in the background is one of the best things my eardrums were exposed to this year when I first listened to this on the deluxe version of Kaleidoscope Dream.
2012: “Adorn” – Miguel
Yes, we are running back to back with Miguel, as he has my favorite R&B song of 2012 with “Adorn”. But, the thing is, the only reason why this song is as exceptional as it is, is because of the last 40 seconds, where Miguel hits THEM NOTES. It’s like that meme of Binky from Aurthur floating, except he floats all the way to space. It is so relaxing and powerful at the same time, which fits Miguel to a tee.
I know that you guys are going to complain about Frank Ocean being robbed, but don’t worry because…
2011: “Nature Feels” – Frank Ocean
I’ve never heard a set of instruments work so well together in my life. The guitar and those drums work perfectly on top of Frank’s voice (I just figured out that the song samples MGMT), which is about recreating the Old Testament story of Adam and Eve with his girlfriend. Truly a standout on Nostagia_ULTRA.
2010: “I Need A Dollar” – Aloe Blacc
One subgenre of R&B that I don’t talk about much is Memphis Soul, which was pioneered by Otis Redding and carried on by Al Green. And “I Need A Dollar” is the closest thing we’ll ever get to the good old days of Memphis Soul. The horns, drums, and piano that sound like they were recorded straight out of a 60s Jazz club, the raspiness of Aloe’s voice, that outro, the vocal infections on verse two, all just add up to an amazing track. The story of the song itself is about how Aloe ended up homeless due to alcoholism, getting fired, and gambling. This deserves to be Aloe’s best song, and the R&B community should keep it that way.
2009: “Unthinkable (I’m Ready)” – Alicia Keys & Drake
We really couldn’t go through this whole list without a Drake song, couldn’t we? (“Marvin’s Room” almost took the spot for 2011).
In all honesty, 2009 was one of the worst years for R&B music, as Alicia Keys and Maxwell dropped the only two good R&B albums (I didn’t listen to Trey Songz’s album). But, I can’t lie, this song is a banger. And, I love the soft piano chords. Drake’s verse is ok, but I think Alica nails her deep voice perfectly. But, besides those facts, this song isn’t really that great.
2008: “I Found My Smile Again (Radio Edit / Reprise)” – D’Angelo
I can’t lie, I would usually say that a D’Angelo song in any year is going to win, but, by the fact that I almost chose “I Can’t Feel My Face” over “Sugah Daddy” and “Really Love”, I can’t really talk. But, I have to say that this song completely wipes out most of the competition (and 2008 is a stacked year for R&B). The drums, are great, which makes sense as they are an interpolation of The Detroit Emeralds “You’re Getting a Little Too Smart” (these drums were used for “Get A Hold”, “Incarcerated Scarfaces”, “The Light”, “The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World”, “Looking At The Front Door”, “You Ain’t Gotta Lie” “Carmel City”, and “The Red”). And, I love D’Angelo’s vocal inflection throughout the whole song. I’m telling you, no one does, and will ever do, vocal inflections like him (I am so sorry to everyone that got mad at me for hopping on the 4Batz hype train).
2007: “Valerie” – Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse
What can I say that hasn’t been said: Classic song, Fantastic cover, Mark Ronson slays on the production. This song will live eternally, as will Amy.
2006: “Rehab” – Amy Winehouse
Remember Memphis Soul from a few placements back? If “I Need A Dollar” perfected it, then “Rehab” [insert word better than perfected]. The dark and deep sax and bass lines perfectly go with the theme of the song. And the build up during the pre-chorus into the hook is one of the smoothest and rawest (pause) things I’ve ever heard in music. And Amy’s voice already sounds like she’s from the south, so why not just play into it? In my opinion, “Rehab” is one of the greatest songs of all time, so if you’ve never listened to it, please do.
2005: “Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” – Chris Brown
If “Run It!” was Breezy’s first big pop hit, then “Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” was his R&B breakthrough. The production just screams 2005, with the synth line and drums (which are exceptional). But, like most of his songs, CB is the focal point. He effortlessly croons from verse to hook, all in the smoothest way possible. There is a reason that almost 20 years later, Breezy still plays this song near the end at concerts.
2004: “Confessions Pt. II” – Usher
Sporting the sickest guitar line in 2000s R&B, “Confessions Pt. II” perfectly blends its disco and rock influence with Usher’s smooth voice. But, not only that, it has a convincing story about getting your side chick pregnant, and having to own up to it to your girlfriend. The remix with Twista and Kanye is also flames, but I prefer the original because of the overlapping story with part one (Jermaine Dupri actually said in an interview that part two was recorded first, and then Usher made part one).
The Music In My Mind 
Leave a comment