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Post subject: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled R&B?
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:16 am
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I am the young age of 41 and for the life of me I don't understand how or why all these half rap, half soul wannabe's in gold chains and track suits are getting away with labeling their crap music as R&B!!
It stands for RHYTHM & BLUES people!!
You know, to me R&B is music like Curtis Mayfield, Otis Redding, etc...how the hell did Mariah Carey and all these high pitched squealing love song milking idiots be labeled R&B at all??!!??!!
I am confused every time I hear someone say "I like R&B" because I seriously don't know what they are referring to anymore!
There is definately nothing bluesy to Beyonce that I can hear!
Does anyone out there know how this atrocity came about?!
:?

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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 8:44 am
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Something that I've wondered about for a long time too. I guess that's the music biz :roll:


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 9:09 am
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This has bugged me for a long time too. My response has been to ignore this and most other labels (like "indie", "alt-country", etc).

Good background stuff on Wikipedia that acknowledges the shift as something happening over a long period of decades:

The term rhythm and blues has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s it was frequently applied to blues records.[4] Starting in the mid-1950s, after this style of music contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term "R&B" became used to refer to music styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music. By the 1970s, rhythm and blues was used as a blanket term for soul and funk. In the 1980s, a newer style of R&B developed, becoming known as "Contemporary R&B". It combines elements of rhythm and blues, soul, funk, pop, hip hop and dance. Contemporary R&B vocalists include Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder,[5] Whitney Houston,[5][6][7] and Mariah Carey.[6][8][9]


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:00 am
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That wiki entry was an interesting read but it still didn't really give an explanation as to how it happened, more like just a statement of it happening.
I'm still confused. Somehow, however it started, it has been formally recognized -even though it's name has nothing to do with the type of music it represents!
One of modern life's mysteries I guess! :shock: :arrow: :?

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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:54 am
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I guess it's just an example of pop culture seeking it's own level. Over time, labels lose their original meaning, which is why I've personally avoided pigeon-holing stuff.

Alternative rock? What's that mean anymore? Alternative to what?
Metal? I remember a time when Sabbath and Zeppelin were lumped into the same bucket. Today, there are as many flavors of "metal" as there are shades of red.
Even Jazz, which is probably the most stable in terms of its meaning over time, has some pitfalls as a label. That bubbly, overly happy-sounding New Orleans Jazz uses that label, but so does Miles Davis' stuff, Wes Montgomery, etc.

It's been out of control for a while. I feel your pain on R&B and it makes my skin crawl too, but.... I'm over it!


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 1:06 pm
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Same problem with "Urban" which now excludes people based on race.
I mean, what could be more urban than The Velvet Underground?


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2014 10:28 pm
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With regard to Beyoncé ,a quote that Steve Earle made about Shania Twain comes to mind."She's not hard to look at,but she's awfully hard to listen to."In the case of Beyoncé, R&B is an acronym for Repugnant and Blasé.Too bad these young'uns don't listen to Billie Holiday,Aretha Franklin,Etta Fitzgerald and Big Momma Thorton et al and find out what R&B really is,it definitely isn't that over the top warbling they do while stretching out a single syllable word to have 5 or 6 syllables in it when they throw in their ay-ay -ay -ay, oo-oo-oo-oo etc. in the middle of a particularly inspired warble.

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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 1:12 am
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Lots of validity to what has been said here. However do not leave out Country or Country and Western either. Most of what is on the Country chart today isn't really COUNTRY either. The same can be said for the Pop charts or Rock music too.

Today all commercial music no matter the genre is hooey meant to appeal to the masses, like Budweiser or Pabst Blue Ribbon. In short it is "swill for the masses."

If the Little Richard, The Beatles, Stones, Elvis, Otis Redding, Hank Williams Sr, Bob Wills, Keith Whitley, Lefty Frizzell, Vern Gosdin, Patsy Cline or Bessie Smith came along for the first time right now I wonder if anyone would sign them? Or would the powers at all the majors find their appeal too narrow?

To me a key component integral in all real R&B is what is referred to as "Call & Response" which had it's birth in gospel spirituals. That key component is lacking in at least 99% of what passes for contemporary R&B today, but at one time it was the impetus that gave it birth and an essential element in the art.

In every genre what is happening I view as REVERSE EVOLUTION. Everything is becoming a homogenized goop of bland uniformity. No matter the genre it has one or two formulas upon which about every single is based.

Today's Country hits have more in common with 50's and early 60's Rock & Roll and Pop than with Country music of that same era. And the beat goes on.


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 3:48 am
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there are r&b artists, as well as rap performers, and even abba ( :roll: ) in the rock and roll hall of fame.

doesn't make any sense to me.


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:39 am
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Yeah, I agree. That Rock'N'Roll hall of fame lost a lot of credibility with me when I heard they considering Green Day! As well as their induction of The Ramones (just because they died really!), those guys rarely played more than 3 chords a song! I mean, Sid Vicious famously said he learnt bass from a week of speed and playing along to the first Ramones record, but really, they had no amazing musical abilities that deserve all this credit.
As far as including rap artists, well that is just out-right wrong...on so many levels. Why don't they have their own "Rap Hall Of Fame" for Christ's sake? Country music has it's own hall of fame!
There are a lot of inconsistencies in the music business though. Even in the late 60's, artists like Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix commented on the future of music...Morrison said that he envisioned a person with a microphone singing or talking to music on tapes or machines...while Hendrix commented on people just becoming products and sung lines like "I sure hope they don't wrap me up in cellophane and try to sell me!".
Now we are in between phazes...there are so many variables to chose from and music is struggling to keep up with technology, where as though in the 60's it was the other way round. Computers getting more and more powerful mixed with better software, one thing though will remain common and that is the human voice will probably be used somehow. Because of the ease to record at a quality at home that was once only possible in a professional studio I believe we will gradually see more and more independant releases. Sites like Soundcloud.com are just truly amazing. No one has an excuse anymore. It's like, well, put your money where your mouth is -record something!!
This will lead to lots more recordings (like digital cameras have resulted in more photos) and with so much more to chose from the listener isn't going to waste time on crap, so therefor, in theory, the good music will get more popular because it is actually good rather than popular because of expensive marketing. Know what I mean? Hopefully soon, there will be an end to the money-spinning girl or boy-band scenarios and eventually we will just be left with great music that wasn't made just for the sake of money or popularity.
"I have a dream!"
Hahaha ha!!
I am a bit of an idealist, I know, but while some people are thinking that the end of the world is nigh, I'm dreaming of a world with a lot of great music to chose from!! (and while we're dreaming, I'd like a bit more of an even distribution of the worlds wealth).

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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:55 am
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Quote:
it definitely isn't that over the top warbling they do while stretching out a single syllable word to have 5 or 6 syllables in it when they throw in their ay-ay -ay -ay, oo-oo-oo-oo etc. in the middle of a particularly inspired warble.


I totally agree, it seems like a trend these days to yodel the long notes and scream out the high notes. If that doesn't work, you can always take off most of your clothes and show the audience your crotch while a dozen chimpanzees jump around you on the stage.


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:44 am
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ras1500 wrote:
I totally agree, it seems like a trend these days to yodel the long notes and scream out the high notes. If that doesn't work, you can always take off most of your clothes and show the audience your crotch while a dozen chimpanzees jump around you on the stage.


Hey now, what do you have against Iggy Pop and David Bowie?


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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 3:45 pm
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There's a fine line between "soul" and "r&b"...just sayin'...

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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 4:48 pm
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SKcoppertele wrote:
Idk. I have a feeling she could be soulful if she wasn't being a puppet to the music industry. She has the talent/voice. Now all she need is to be allowed to go beyond what her producer will let her.

I cant wait for Floyd_The_Barber to stop by and tell us how we're all living in the past ect. ect. :lol:


That is exactly what needs to be weeded out if the music industry -people/artists who have no integrity and just sing or play what will give them more money or fame instead of singing or playing songs they really want to. "...now all she need is to be allowed..." -what a load of rubbish! Sorry, but I don't buy that for 1 second. No-one is stopping her from recording anything she wants. Sure she has some talent but when you listen to any of her songs they're all about either meeting someone and falling in love or breaking up with someone! She must be a bad girlfriend to have so many bloody break-ups!!! Its all just catering to that 13-16 year old market that have more dollars than sense to realize what decent music really is.
While I'm no huge fan of Lady GaGa, at least she's breaking the "normal" mould and doing more of what she wants than what she's told with her new album with Tony Bennett. I bet the "hitmaker clan" of her record company had some sleepless nights before that was a success.

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Post subject: Re: If R&B stands for Rhythm&Blues -why is Beyonce labelled
Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 2:21 pm
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Her father was her manager when she was the lead vocalist with Destiny's Child. She combines pop, soul and r&b but when I heard her sing the Etta James staple "At Last" she was all soul.

It's also nice to know that with her riches, that she supports many charities for good causes. I would rather play in her band than in Mariah Carey's band anyday. :wink:

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