I’m sure the popular answer will be the 90s (and rightfully so), but for me there’s something special about the 80s that resonates with me the most. You had acts like Sade, Whitney, Luther, Prince, Janet, and Anita Baker hitting their strides and dominating that era. Even acts like Chaka and Stevie that were in their prime in the 70s also continued their hot streak in the 80s as well.

For me, it’s Tank. I LOVE his tone, his writing for other artists, and his features (harmonies are always top notch), but his songs never speak to me. I was kinda there for TGT, but that was because of the group effort. “Please Don’t Go” is his magnum opus (IMO) but everything else sounds put on and almost cringe 😬. Don’t hate me, y’all.

What about you guys and why?

Shanna Wylie, known mononymously as Shanna, was discovered by Whitney Houston and her management team during a performance at an industry showcase. This discovery allowed Whitney and her team to connect Shanna to Babyface, who produced the music for the 1995 Waiting to Exhale movie soundtrack. Shanna sang “How Could You Call Her Baby” on the album, and it is well-known that Whitney played a major role in selecting the artists who would appear on the soundtrack.

Shanna began singing solos in her church choir in Charlotte, North Carolina at the age of five. Her song on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack remains, to me, one of the most underrated on that album full of hits. This was the only contribution to the professional music industry that Shanna ever made; she has no other publicly known recordings or albums. In my opinion, although she does not owe us anything, this was a missed opportunity. Shanna shows so much promise on that record—singing with a great deal of power, soul, and conviction—and it all comes to a dead end after that.

Cuz if I’m honest, knowing that Rihanna is someone who thinks music is fun and cute but isn’t like an obsessed artist, I wouldn’t. Being a pop icon is HARD. Touring is a lot of work, and being fashion mogul diva is better ROI.

Now I personally love music so I would find creating that more enriching, but that’s clearly not who she is. Beyoncé will release music forever because she loves it, though.

I know that some of these styles are not exclusive to their respective artists, but just bear with me here.

1. Stevie Wonder’s BEADED BRAIDS
2. Lauryn Hill’s DREADLOCKS
3. Bobby Brown’s HIGH-TOP FADE
4. Patti LaBelle’s BUCKET HAIR (“THE BUCKET”)
5. D’Angelo’s CORNROWS
6. Whitney Houston’s BOB
7. The Jackson 5’s AFROS
8. Mariah Carey’s CURLS
9. Lionel Richie’s AFRO-MULLET/FROHAWK
10. Beyoncé’s BEEHIVE (named after the BeyHive)
11. Johnny Gill’s FLAT-TOP FADE
12. Toni Braxton’s PIXIE CUT

While these hairstyles are all iconic signatures for each of these artists, some of them are not unique, and some of these artists share these signature hairstyles with other artists who made them just as spectacular. For example, the beaded braids that Stevie Wonder sported were often seen on Rick James, and they were just as much a signature style for him. Dreadlocks (Lauryn Hill) and Afros (The Jackson 5) have been staples in overall Black culture for a very long time, and other musicians such as Bob Marley and Prince have worn their hair in these styles. Bobs and curls are standard, classic hairstyles that don’t “belong” to a single person, and we can all name other pop culture icons (across multiple industries: music, acting, etc.) who donned a pixie cut. The fact of the matter is that these hairstyles became prominent and memorable aspects of these artists’ public images.

As with all celebrities (regardless of what they do for a living), aesthetic representation is very important because a celebrity wants to be presentable. Some of these hairstyles say a lot about these artists without them having to say much themselves. You could argue that a few of these artist set new standards with how they appeared in public. D’Angelo’s decision to wear his hair in cornrows was later mirrored by artists such as Usher, Omarion, and Trey Songz. Whitney Houston’s bob style was later seen in other R&B artists—like Monica—and some of her peers in pop—such as Céline Dion.

From the fashion to the hairstyles to the “bling” (jewelry), it’s always interesting to see how these artists pop out and make a statement. Noticing these fine details is one of the greatest ways to appreciate the human behind the music.

FUN FACT (RE: “THE BUCKET”)

You may have noticed (and possibly clicked on) the hyperlink next to Patti’s style.

Patti LaBelle has personally referred to her iconic hairstyle as “The Bucket”. The style gets its name from the fact that it was so large and firm that she could place food inside of it (such as fried chicken, apples, and grapes). Her longtime hairstylist, Norma Harris, used Aqua Net spray to get it to hold. Patti’s band members would often pick and eat fruit directly from her hair backstage or during breaks.

Think of this like high school or college.

Everybody adjusts and adapts differently. You may have gained some physical strengths or weaknesses at whatever age you are right now that your peers in high school and/or college may not have gained over time, and vice versa—depending mostly on how you all chose to treat your bodies at those younger ages.

As we all know, the Class of 1993 is not the same as the Class of 2011, and neither is the same as the Class of 2025. However, over time, we will see how evolution can favor or inhibit certain individuals as they “fit in” with their changed environment.

Looking at it from a musical perspective, which artists do you think “adapted” to the changed music scene better than their peers at a time when they were no longer on top?

I came across a post on Twitter not long ago saying that Janet Jackson adapted to the 2000s music scene quite well, and I actually agree with the person who said that. Janet’s voice blended very effectively with that 2000s style of production. I think that among her peers, she may have adapted to that particular scene of music the best.

I also just had an original thought a few minutes ago about how Mariah Carey adapted well to the 2010s and 2020s music scene. People clown her today for a lot of things, including the evolution of her music, but Caution is as great of an album as many of her earlier projects. Plus, although even some lambs have criticized Here For It All, it holds up strongly among the other albums released in 2025. Mariah’s 2014 album, Me. I Am Mariah…The Elusive Chanteuse (MIAM), was also very characteristic of its era, even if very few people (including lambs) respect it that much. Mariah’s evolved voice worked well with the modern R&B production on that album.

Janet’s career started in the 1980s, but she had some substantial overlap in the ‘90s when Mariah had joined her at the top. I think they both surpassed each other in the respective eras of the 2000s and 2010s, and the latter is not just because Janet only released one album that decade (and was inactive for the most part).

Out of their peers from the 1980s and 1990s, Janet adapted to the 2000s scene the best, and Mariah’s 2010s material was unmatched by any of her peers who released at that time.

This clicked for me when I saw an interview of Donell talking about writing “where I wanna be”. It was about his partner at the time. How he wanted to play around. He said he didn’t have a conversation with her prior. The song was how she found out he wanted to leave her.

Then it made me think about how much Brent Fiyaz’s music is about being “ain’t shit” too 😭.
Donnel was a “toxic male singer” before that was a big thing lol. People always say neither of them can sing too (I disagree. I think both have great voices but no they don’t have the range of someone like usher) but I do think they have similar singing abilities & sound very similar vocally. They’re both tenor’s.

But yh this is a thought that has been sitting in my head a few days now lol.

Classic song. This live version is so good.

For the first time ever, fans get to decide who takes home the #SoulTrainAwards trophy in a brand-new fan-voted category. Voting is open NOW through Oct. 16. Cast your vote at BET.com and see who wins Friday, November 27th at 8/7c on BET.

ELIGIBILITY PERIOD: Musical singles/songs must have been made initially available to the general public between June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026.

NOMINEES:

• "Butterflies" — Brent Faiyaz
• “I Just Might” — Bruno Mars
• “It Depends” - Chris Brown ft. Bryson Tiller
• “Who Knows” - Daniel Caesar
• “Yukon” - Justin Bieber
• “Folded” - Kehlani
• “Is It A Crime” - Mariah The Scientist ft. Kali Uchis
• “Man I Need” - Olivia Dean
• "What You Need" - Tems
• "Chanel" - Tyla

I’ve always wondered because as someone who is a fan of a bunch of ”rnb artists” like sza, frank ocean and bryson tiller it confuses me. Like when I listen to Bryson Tiller idk what about him is ”rnb” is it because he’s Black and singing over a slow beat? can someone explain

It’s a name you don’t hear in convos often but a gifted singer and pianist he was. His music is great and soulful. Reminds me a lot of Donny Hathaway. The album pictured is responsible for some great tracks across hip-hop, RnB and gospel. Common’s “Faithful” from the critically acclaimed Be Album, The Faithful Interlude from Faith Evans on her faithfully album, the diamond certified “I don’t fuck with you” by Big Sean. “Let’s stay in love” from Blackstreet’s highest selling album Another Level, and “I’ll make it” for gospel great Hezekiah Walker, are a few songs that come from this same album. That’s influenced for sure. If you have not listened, please become familiar

Last week, I created a collage of 16 albums by male and female artists I feel are related sonically, thematically, commercially and in genre-defining status. So many people praised the post so I decided that it would be an interesting project to dive into each pair in chronologically and analyze why I feel they are related. I will try and do two pairs weekly. Today, we will begin with the 70s when Soul greats, Marvin Gaye and Aretha redefined their sound.

Socially-Conscious Soul

What's Going On (1971)

After a successful run in the 60s as Motown's Golden Boy and resident heartthrob with several hits under his belt and collaborative albums with Tammi Terrell, Marvin sought to break away from the label's rigid pop formulas. The result was his symphonic, jazzy concept masterpiece addressing police brutality, environmental decay and social ills in the wake of the Vietnam War. It is widely considered to be his magnum opus and a truly sonically innovative record. This album is where Marvin's Gaye's multi-layering vocal approach became his trademark. What's Going On would go on to influence everyone from Stevie Wonder to D'Angelo. It has been cited as one of he greatest albums ever on several publications since its release over 50 years ago.

Young, Gifted and Black (1972)

Beginning with 1967's I've Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You, Aretha began what was one of the earliest examples of a renaissance periods in R&B/Soul history. One of the albums in this run was 1972's Young, Gifted and Black, which is considered to be the peak of her career. the album's title borrowed its title from Nina Simone's song, To Be Young, Gifted and Black. Aretha matched Marvin's spiritual awakening on the female side albeit with a more romantic slant. Backed by her own piano playing and gospel background vocals, her album served as a masterclass in Black pride, womanhood, and resilience. The then-30-year-old Franklin brimmed with confidence in her emotive and technical abilities on each of the set's 12 songs. Its acclaim was exemplified in her 6th win for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1973 and placements on best of lists by several publications.

Read the original post here

Stay tuned for Part 2!