R&B

Mac Ayres‘ new album, cloudy, is a love letter to his past. The slow-burning album consists of 15 tracks, including popular uploads on SoundCloud such as “alone with you,” “games” and “she just wanna see me rn.”  Lyrically, the album explores themes of love, grief, isolation and self-transformation over mellow soundscapes. “This project is an homage

Grammy-winning singer Tyla has released a new track, “Tears,” in partnership with Coke Studio.  On the guitar ballad, the South African star sings about offering emotional support to someone who is experiencing hardship.  “Give all your tears to me / If you and you try and nothing works / Baby you don’t have to hurt,”

Jon B. has released his new single “Natural Drug.”  On the self-written and self-produced track, the R&B veteran sings about being hooked to his woman’s love like a narcotic. “Every time I always get reminded / When I pull to you close from behind it’s / Like we on a natural drug / ‘Cause you

R&B duo Koffee Brown is back with their new single “Simple Things.”  The euphoric groove was produced by their longtime collaborator KayGee Gist of the hip-hop trio Naughty by Nature. The irresistible track hears Koffee Brown basking in the wonders of love.  “I’m steady loving you / You bring me back to life / With

Jack Freeman is spreading holiday joy this season. The emerging R&B heartthrob has released his festive EP, The Gift, via Bryan-Michael Cox‘s Illustrate New Ideas. The five-track set includes Freeman’s rendition of “The Christmas Song” and original tracks such as “Feels Like Christmas,” which Freeman co-wrote with Cox.  On the latter velvety track, Freeman sings about

Usher‘s ninth album, Coming Home, secures him his first nomination in the Best R&B Album category for the 67th Grammy Awards in 2025. Coming Home is also Usher’s first independently released album considered for a Grammy. The album, released in February via Usher’s mega imprint in partnership with gamma., belongs to a category that includes

Monica and Brandy captured the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal Grammy in 1999 for “The Boy Is Mine.” The Darkchild and Dallas Austin-produced duet, featured on Brandy’s Never Say Never and Monica’s album of the same name spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In June,

FLO is set to release their debut album, Access All Areas, on Nov. 15. Today (Nov. 10), the rising group has revealed the official tracklist. Access All Areas consists of 16 tracks, including the previously shared “AAA,” “Walk Like This,” “Check,” “Bending My Rules,” and “Caught Up.”  The album will feature appearances from singer and actress Cynthia

In a June interview with Rated R&B, Marsha Ambrosius recalled telling Dr. Dre she was ready to end her recording career. He urged her to rethink this decision, believing she still had one more album to share with the world. Casablanco turned out to be that album, which arrived via Aftermath Records/Interscope Records. The Dr.

Twenty years after his debut, John Legend is still reaching new heights. The singer, songwriter and musician’s album My Favorite Dream has been nominated for Best Children’s Music Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards. It’s Legend’s first nomination in this category. Here are the nominees for Best Children’s Music Album at the 2025 Grammys: Brillo,

Amerie is returning to music, announcing on social media that she is recording new tracks with renowned producer Troy Taylor. On Friday (Nov. 8), the two shared a collaborative post on Instagram featuring a video of them jamming to an unreleased song titled “Undeniable.” With Taylor’s encouragement, Amerie shared insights about their collaboration, stating they

It’s undeniably a season of ‘gratitude’ for Mary J. Blige. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul joins the relatively long list of new holiday titles with her latest song, “Christmas Without You.” Blige teams up with her longtime collaborator, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, for the track. Jerkins is known for his work with Blige on acclaimed albums

Alt-R&B singer Corinne Bailey Rae has won favor with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), recently securing her second award of the year within just two months. “Like A Star,” the opening track from her self-titled debut album, has been certified platinum, with over one million equivalent units sold. It’s her second song release

Queen Naija bears her heartbroken soul following a tragic loss on her new single, “Missing You,” produced by OG Parker, Mike Woods, and G. Ry. As an admirer of the ’90s music, the singer’s latest “Missing You” is noteworthy alone for its opening, which features a pitched-up bridge from Faith Evans‘ “Never Gonna Let You

Fantasia and Adam Blackstone dazzle in evening attire in the video of their bright version of “Summertime.” Directed by 12vy, the sophisticated video unfolds at Middle C Jazz in Charlotte, North Carolina, showcasing both Blackstone and Fantasia in their finest attire. In it, Blackstone enchants with his double bass mastery, while Fantasia delivers powerful vocals

Tinashe and Urban Outfitters, a global lifestyle brand founded in 1970, will unveil a new collection in 2025. According to the company, the collection of lifestyle designs merges Tinashe’s passion for fashion with dance and street-style culture. Tinashe designed and curated the collection in partnership with the company’s in-house design team. According to the announcement,

Sade Adu, the frontwoman of the band Sade, has returned with a new song, “Young Lion,” her first in six years. She co-produced the song with Aaron Taylor Dean and they co-wrote it with Ben Travers. “Young Lion” is a heartfelt ballad that honors Adu’s transgender son, Izaak, and offers him a sincere apology. “Young

Blaq Tuxedo, the musical duo consisting of brothers Darius and Dominique Logan, is more than a stage name; it’s a way of life. “It’s an expression of everything we do musically [and] visually,” Dominique tells Rated R&B over Zoom. “It’s like when it’s the highest level of an event or when you’re stepping out, you

R&B veterans Joe, Eric Benét, and Musiq Soulchild are headlining the R&B Invitation Tour, presented by North American Entertainment Group. The North American leg kicks off Feb. 14, 2025, at the Altria Theater in Richmond, Virginia, and will conclude the Valentine’s Day weekend celebration on Feb. 15 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. The

Genre-bending singer-songwriter Eric Bellinger has teamed with Konshens for his new single “Special.”  On the groove-tinged track, which delectably blends R&B and afrobeats, Bellinger shows appreciation for his woman and reaffirms his devotion to her. “Baby girl, you’re special / Woman of my dreams / Don’t need another ting / How could I ever let