The previous 12 months in rhythm and blues music has seen its justifiable share of excessive and low notes relying on the way you have a look at issues.
We noticed Beyoncé lastly win the coveted GRAMMY Award for “Album Of The Yr,” albeit for a undertaking that’s predominately thought-about to be a rustic providing. Granted, the previous three-decades-and-counting has seen the celebrity diva incorporate soul into just about something she touches sonically, which might arguably put Cowboy Carter within the class of ‘country-soul‘ even because it took house “Finest Nation Album” on the GRAMMYs along with “Favourite Nation Album” on the American Music Awards.
Lest we point out that Beyoncé additionally broke data with every passing present this previous summer time within the Cowboy Carter Tour, together with holding the title of highest-grossing tour at MetLife Stadium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Soldier Area and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
SZA was successful each on the Billboard charts and field workplace alike, grossing main ticket gross sales in her movie debut with the Keke Palmer-assisted One in every of Them Days, whereas concurrently nabbing “Finest R&B Track” on the GRAMMYs for her Lana album lead single, “Saturn.” 2025 additionally noticed her prime the Billboard Scorching 100 because the prime visitor on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX sleeper hit, “Luther,” and ended the 12 months proper alongside him a couple of weeks in the past (December 11) by closing out what’s now been formally deemed the highest-grossing co-headlining tour in music historical past.
Oh, and she or he’s going into 2026 because the Inventive Director for VANS in a multi-year partnership. We will for certain see SZA run!
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Awards season noticed the vets getting their flowers as effectively, from Alicia Keys receiving the particular GRAMMY International Affect Award and Janet Jackson’s Icon Award on the aforementioned AMAs to Mariah Carey raking them in from the BET Final Icon Award to the VMAs Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Amongst those that obtained Lifetime Achievement Award GRAMMYs had been late soul icons Prince (1958 – 2016) and Frankie Beverly (1946 – 2024).
We noticed rising stars persevering with to ascend each from the female and male perspective equally, with Warner Information standout Dijon delivering his critically-acclaimed sophomore follow-up, Child, and Capitol Information’ new Brit-soul babe Olivia Dean having a crossover second on a stage akin to the late Amy Winehouse together with her chart-topping breakout sophomore success, The Artwork of Loving. Nickelodeon-star-turned-genre-breakout Leon Thomas has in all probability been probably the most shocking in addition to intriguing, spending the 12 months doubling down on the success of his 2024 sophomore magnum opus, MUTT, with a deluxe version that arrived in spring earlier than closing out the 12 months with a top quality EP — extra on that later. Though all three have been releasing EPs in their very own proper because the late 2010s, watching them have respective breakout moments in 2025 is just a testomony to trusting the place the blues can take you when you merely keep on with the rhythm and permit timing to work all the pieces out.
Touring is the place R&B stars of previous and current alike had been actually capable of get into their bag. Whether or not it was pioneering soul divas like Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight and Stephanie Mills teaming up collectively for The Queens: 4 Legends. 1 Stage Tour, or ’90s teen-queens-turned-titans Brandy & Monica becoming a member of forces as soon as once more for The Boy Is Mine Tour with Keyshia Cole, Coco Jones, Muni Lengthy, Mya, Jamal Roberts and Kelly Rowland as supporting acts, it actually wasn’t arduous to see your favourite residing soul singer this 12 months. Lionel Richie served the aunties up one thing correct on his Say Hiya to the Hits Tour, as did Trey Songz, Omarion, Ray J, Sammie, Bobby V, Pleasure P and Nivea on The Millennium Tour 2025 for all of the ‘millennial mommies’ within the constructing. Mariah Carey had a grand 12 months all-around, closing it out as she often does with the primary document within the nation whereas additionally grossing in tens of millions on her latest Christmastime In Vegas residency in help of her evergreen 1994 vacation hit, “All I Need for Christmas Is You.” Mary J. Blige had related success on her For My Followers Tour, as did Janet together with her Las Vegas residency and particular one-off reveals from the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Texas to the Yaamava’ Theater in San Bernardino. The fellas of the sport had been merely cashing in as Usher (Previous Current Future Tour), Chris Brown (Breezy Bowl XX) and The Weeknd (After Hours til Daybreak Tour) every grossed effectively over 100 million in gross sales, respectively.
The aforementioned success did include tragic moments as effectively given the unlucky lack of many R&B greats, from Roberta Flack on February 24 and Angie Stone on March 1 to Roy Ayers simply days in a while March 4 and the still-jarring demise of D’Angelo on October 14 amongst a handful of others. We are going to miss each one in every of their voices together with their bodily presence, whereas by no means forgetting the serenading presents that every fallen icon dropped at the world of rhythm and blues.
Float on. Float on…
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