To celebrate the launch of the 2000s R&B section of the site, I figured it would be a good chance to take up a battle. What was better, 90s R&B or todays R&B? Since I was too lazy to coordinate it, I'll be fielding up both sides of the battle. Not only that, but the battle will be done predominantly through songs. What better way to argue eras, than by fielding up the best in the business?
R&B Guy Groups
Guy groups were a dime a dozen during the 1990s. With great harmonies, these guys lit up the radios and sold albums like crazy. Today, guy groups are on their way out and there's a limited selection to choose from. So to kick off the fight, we've got on one side: After 7, Boyz II Men, Dru Hill, H-Town, Hi-Five, Immature, Jodeci, Mint Condition, Shai, Silk and more. On the other we've got: B2K.
90s R&B: Jodeci - Cry for You
Modern R&B: B2K - Girlfriend
R&B Girl Groups
Much like the guys, 90s R&B fielded an arsenal of solid acts. En Vogue, SWV, Xscape, TLC, Destiny's Child all lit up the radios. In the 2000s, we've had... well, I guess Destiny's Child, who threw away their independence to find a man they could "Cater 2."
90s R&B: En Vogue - Giving Him Something He Can Feel
Modern R&B: Destiny's Child - Cater 2 U
New Jack vs Hip-Hop
Before today's R&B artists started catering to the clubs and the tracks to keep the car bouncing, 90s R&B fielded their own similar movement with New Jack. Disjoint beats and hard hitting tracks dominated the radios during the early 1990s. How did they fair against today's sounds? In the past, we had artists like After 7, Bell Biv DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Guy, and Johnny Gill. Today, we've got Chris Brown, Lloyd, and Ray J.
90s R&B: Bell Biv DeVoe - She's Dope!
Modern R&B: Lloyd - Get It Shawty
Lovers vs Soulsters
One of the 90s key contributions to R&B, was the offering of hundreds of tracks to swoon and tell a woman how much a man loved her. I'll be your lover and your friend, or he can't love you like I can. Whatever the message, it was delivered. In the 2000s, a major growth in the industry was the presence of soul artists. Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Anthony Hamilton, Maxwell, Raheem DeVaughn and more joined a movement that took the industry by storm. Which movement was the better of the two?
90s R&B: Gerald LeVert - How Many Times
Modern R&B: John Legend - Ordinary People
Era Spanning Artists
Some artists crossed into the 2000s and didn't slow down at all. These artists include Brian McKnight, Boyz II Men, Mariah Carey, Mint Condition, and Usher. Some changed their sound while others stayed true to their roots. Which side of the field do you think these artists performed better?
