Best 90's R&B songs?

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Well, to clarify: Do you want '90s R&B as in that neo-soul stuff that started to pop up in the mid-to-late '90s, or do you want New Jack Swing?

There's a big difference between the two, tonally.

Either way, GET SOME JODECI IN YOUR LIFE.

edit: Time travelin' from the end of the thread to post the link to the 14 hour Spotify playlist made from the thread's picks.

New Jack Swing & Beyond: The Best of '90s R&B
 
She kind of turned to pop later, but I would suggest Mariah's more R&B 1990 release Mariah Carey


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Also Mary J Blige's 411:

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  1. Mary J. Blige - Love Is All We Need (f/Nas)
  2. R. Kelly - Be Happy (f/Notorious B.I.G.)
  3. 702 - Steelo
  4. Aaliyah - Back & Forth
  5. TLC - Creep
  6. Toni Braxton - You're Making Me High
  7. Adina Howard - Freak Like Me
  8. Brandy - Sittin' Up In My Room
  9. En Vogue - Give It Up, Turn It Loose
  10. Groove Theory - Tell Me
  11. Kelis - Caught Out There
  12. Shanice - I Love Your Smile
  13. Des'ree - You Gotta Be
  14. Diana King - Shy Guy
  15. Soul For Real - Candy Rain
  16. SWV - Right Here
  17. Yvette Michele - Everynight & Everyday
  18. Dru Hill - In My Bed (So So Def Remix) (f/Jermaine Dupri & Da Brat)
  19. Mark Morrison - Return of the Mack
  20. Mokenstef - He's Mine Remix (f/Grand Puba)
  21. Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine
  22. Mary J. Blige - Be Happy Remix (f/Keith Murray)
  23. SWV - You're The One
  24. Brand New Heavies - Dream On Dreamer
  25. TLC - Unpretty Remix
  26. Total - Sitting Home
  27. 112 - Only You Remix (f/Notorious BIG & Mase)
  28. Allure - Head Over Heels (f/Nas)
  29. Ralph Tresvant - Sensitivity
  30. Yvette Michele - I'm Not Feeling You
  31. Zhane - Saturday Night (f/The Lox)
  32. En Vogue - My Lovin'
  33. Eternal - Stay
  34. Raphael Saddiq - Get Involved
  35. Montell Jordan - Get It On Tonight
  36. Next - Too Close
  37. Soul For Real - Every Little Thing I Do
  38. Tamia - Imagination (f/Jermaine Dupri)
  39. Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up
  40. Aaron Hall - Don't Be Afraid
  41. Lisa Stansfield - All Around The World
  42. Usher - U Make Me Wanna
  43. Missy Elliot - All In My Grill
  44. SWV - Can We Get Kinky Tonight (f/Missy Elliot)
  45. Brandy - I Wanna Be Down
  46. Jodeci - Come & Talk To Me
  47. Total - Can't You See (f/Notorious BIG)
  48. Case - Touch Me Tease Me (f/Foxy Brown & Mary J. Blige)
  49. Mary J. Blige - I Can Love You (f/Lil' Kim)
  50. Monica - Don't Take It Personal
  51. Aaliyah - If Your Girl Only Knew
  52. Aaron Hall - Curiousity Remix (f/Redman)
  53. Blackstreet - No Diggity (f/Dr. Dre & Queen Pen)
  54. Mona Lisa - Can't Be Wasting My Time
  55. New Edition - Hit Me Off
  56. Destiny's Child - No, No, No (f/Wyclef Jean)
  57. Janet Jackson - Got 'Til It's Gone (f/Q-Tip)
  58. Skin Deep - No More Games (Part II) (f/Keith Murray)
  59. Total - No One Else Remix (f/Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim & Da Brat)
  60. Gina Thompson - The Things You Do (f/Missy Elliot)
  61. TLC - Baby, Baby, Baby
  62. Brandy - Baby
  63. 702 - Where My Girls At (f/Missy Elliot)
  64. Usher - You Remind Me
  65. Mary J. Blige - Real Love (f/Notorious BIG)
  66. Yvette Michelle - I'm Not Feeling You
  67. En Vogue - Hold On
  68. SWV - Anything Remix (f/Wu-Tang Clan)
  69. Samuel - So You Like What You See
  70. Bobby Brown - On Our Own
  71. Zhane - Hey Mr. DJ
  72. Hi-Five - She's Playing Hard to Get
  73. Mariah Carey - Fantasy Remix (f/Ol' Dirty Bastard)
  74. Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
  75. Donnell Jones - U Know What's Up Remix (f/ Left Eye)
  76. Jade - Don't Walk Away
  77. Pebbles - Giving You The Benefit
  78. Damian Dane - Exclusivity
  79. Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It
  80. Guy - Do Me Right
  81. Joe Public - Live & Learn
  82. Michal Jackson - Scream (f/Janet Jackson)
  83. Hi-Five - I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)
  84. TLC - Get It Up
  85. TLC - What About Your Friends
  86. Jade - I Wanna Love You
  87. Tyler Collins - Girls Night Out
  88. Guy - Groove Me
  89. Michael Jackson - Remember The Time
  90. Zhane - Shame
  91. Dino - I Like It
  92. Bobby Brown - Humpin' Around
  93. Bobby Brown - My Prerogative
  94. Yvette Michelle - DJ Keep Playin'
  95. Michel'le - No More Lies
  96. Tony Toni Tone - House Party
  97. Bel Biv DeVoe - Poison
  98. Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall In Love
  99. Johnny Gill - Rub You The Right Way
  100. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Let The Beat Hit 'Em
  101. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Head To Toe
  102. Boyz II Men - Motown Philly
  103. Monifa - Touch
  104. Tony Toni Tone - Feels Good
  105. Pebbles - Girlfriend
  106. Paula Abdul - The Way That You Love Me
  107. Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl
  108. Paula Abdul - Cold Hearted Snake
  109. Aaliyah - One In A Million
 
Check out all those artists :

Brandy
Monica
Toni Braxton
Jon B
Faith Evans
TLC
Usher
Mary J. Blige
En Vogue
R. Kelly
112
Ginuwine
SWV
Browstone
Deborah Cox
Tamia
Syleena Johnson
Joe
Yvette Michele

and your need for good old 90s R&B should be more than fulfilled
 
sisqo - incomplete?

also, isn't boyz ii men ballad and not rnb?
i put them alongside brian mcknight.


there's also joe - i wanna know.

cupid - 112

i dunno my genres.
 
also, isn't boyz ii men ballad and not rnb?
i put them alongside brian mcknight.

i dunno my genres.

Yeah, ballad isn't a genre. It's a type of song, but not a genre unto itself. Rock, Country, even hip-hop can have "ballads."

Boyz II Men & Brian McKnight are R&B artists. Same with Babyface, who ended up writing hits for both of em.
 
Mark Morison - return of the Mack
Shai - if I ever fall in love again.
Swv - I get so weak
Tony Braxton - breathe again
Donell jones - you know that I love you.
The lost boys - Renee ( not an R&B but it got that feel)


Just to name a few
 
Bell Biv Devoe - Poison,

Yeah, BBD was HUGE back then. They're kinda forgotten at this point, or remembered solely for Poison, but at the time, the idea of so closely blending hip-hop and R&B, even beyond what Teddy was doing with New Jack Swing, was really new feeling. That beat was rougher than a lot of hip-hop songs at the time.

But that song, the remix of Do Me, the remix of She's Dope, the first real reunion of New Edition - Word to the Mutha - that fucked some heads up back in the early 90s.
 
H-Town - Beggars Can't Be Choosey

Blackstreet

Dave Hollister

R. Kelly

Jodeci

Myron - Destiny

Playa

Case



off the top of my head. I know I'm missing a lot more.
 
Blackstreet

That's another group that isn't really considered so much today, but the sound Teddy landed on for their first two albums really shook people up back then. In fact, I think you could argue that BBD sorta stole some of the shine from Teddy for a hot minute on the production side, and then they disintegrated, and Teddy picked up that particular baton and ran even harder with it on Blackstreet.
 
Next - Too Close was my club shit.

That song cracks me up.

If there was a dance song about having a giant boner on the dance floor and being too scared you're going to nut in your shorts, nobody would take it seriously. It'd still be popular, but it'd be some Lonely Island parody shit these days.

But that shit was a legitimate hit back then.
 
That's another group that isn't really considered so much today, but the sound Teddy landed on for their first two albums really shook people up back then. In fact, I think you could argue that BBD sorta stole some of the shine from Teddy for a hot minute on the production side, and then they disintegrated, and Teddy picked up that particular baton and ran even harder with it on Blackstreet.

Yeah, they credited Teddy for that "New Jack Swing" R&B like Guy used to do. I thought that the group was awesome with or without Dave Hollister.
 
Yeah, BBD was HUGE back then. They're kinda forgotten at this point, or remembered solely for Poison, but at the time, the idea of so closely blending hip-hop and R&B, even beyond what Teddy was doing with New Jack Swing, was really new feeling. That beat was rougher than a lot of hip-hop songs at the time.

But that song, the remix of Do Me, the remix of She's Dope, the first real reunion of New Edition - Word to the Mutha - that fucked some heads up back in the early 90s.

I liked "When Will I See You Smile Again" as well. They could really change it up whenever they wanted.
 
That song cracks me up.

If there was a dance song about having a giant boner on the dance floor and being too scared you're going to nut in your shorts, nobody would take it seriously. It'd still be popular, but it'd be some Lonely Island parody shit these days.

But that shit was a legitimate hit back then.

THE biggest single of 1998
http://www.avclub.com/article/the-blatant-brilliance-of-nexts-too-close-102631

Too Close was the last hurrah for legit R&B as some of the most popular music.
After that was the white-washing of the music in pursuit of more money by playing it safe. Boy Bands could cash in far more than anything with an edge to it.
 
'Cause I will be a freak
Until the day, until the dawn
And we can
(Pump, pump)
All through the night till the early morn
Come on and I will take you
Around the 'hood on a gangsta lean
'Cause we can
(Pump, pump)
Any time of day it's all good for me
 
Check out all those artists :

Brandy
Monica
Toni Braxton
Jon B
Faith Evans
TLC
Usher
Mary J. Blige
En Vogue
R. Kelly
112
Ginuwine
SWV
Browstone
Deborah Cox
Tamia
Syleena Johnson
Joe
Yvette Michele

and your need for good old 90s R&B should be more than fulfilled
No love for Babyface?
 
No love for Babyface?

Pretty sure Babyface wrote a fair amount of hits for those artists, though. Dude was on some Holland/Dozier/Holland shit for awhile there. Except for the part where it was just him without two other people to help him make all that R&B magic.

Tender Lover got a LOT of play in my tape deck back then, but that was 89, so it doesn't count. The Cool in You was 93, though, and that had some bonafide R&B classics on it, like "Never Keeping Secrets" and "When Can I See You" - that last one was a monster, really. It was everywhere on all sorts of radio stations. I think even country stations gave it some run.
 
1. Tevin Campbell- Always in my Heart

2. Intro- Ribbon in the Sky

3. Total- Kissing You

4. Blackstreet- Joy

5. Prince- Eye Hate You

6. Swv- Use Your Heart

7. Mista- Blackberry Molasses

8. Divine- One More Try

9. Brownstone- I heard it Through the Grapevine

10. Shai- If I ever fall in love again

11. Dru Hill- 5 steps

12. Dru Hill- April Showers

13. Boyz 2 Men- I'll Make Love To You

14. D Angelo- When We Get By

15. Silk- Freak Me

16. ABC- Jealous Guys

17. 112- Crazy Over You

18. Jodeci- Feenin

19. Mary J Blige- My Life

20. Gina Thompson- That Thing You Do


R&B in the 90s was something incredible.
 
My list after thumbing through my memory bank for the last 45 minutes. Sorry for length, but it's worth reviewing.

You Make Me Wanna - Usher
Nice & Slow - Usher
My Way - Usher
Set Adrift On Memory Bliss - PM Dawn
No Diggity - Blackstreet
Before I Let You Go - Blackstreet
Movin On - Mya
It's All About Me - Mya
Touch Me, Tease Me - Case
Whenever You're Ready - The Isley Brothers
Candy Rain - Soul 4 Real
Every Little Thing I Do - Soul 4 Real
Posion - Bel Biv DeVoe
Do Me Baby - Bel Biv DeVoe
Freak Me - Silk
Meeting In My Bedroom - Silk
Rub You The Right Way - Johnny Gill
My, My, My - Johnny Gill
Fairweather Friend - Johnny Gill
Wrap My Body Tight - Johnny Gill
Feels So Much Better - Johnny Gill
Lady Dujour - Johnny Gill
The Floor - Johnny Gill
My Boo - Ghost Town DJ's
I Miss You (Feat. Heavy D) - Monifah
Don't Take It Personal - Monica
You Used To Love Me - Faith Evans
Ain't Nobody - Faith Evans
Soon As I Get Home - Faith Evans
Who Can I Run To - Xscape
Feels So Good - Xscape
The Softest Place On Earth - Xscape
Real Love - Mary J. Blige
You Remind Me - Mary J. Blige
Not Gon Cry - Mary J. Blige
Love Is All We Need - Mary J. Blige
All I Need (Feat. Method Man) Mary J. Blige
Reminisce - Mary J. Blige
Hey Mr. DJ - Zhane
Weak - SWV
Right Here - SWV
Anything - SWV
Lost Ones - Lauren Hill
Doo Wop - Lauren Hill
When It Hurts So Bad
I Used To Love Him - Lauren Hill
Everything Is Everything - Lauren Hill
Nothing Even Matters - Lauren Hill
I Get So Lonely - Janet Jackson
Anytime, Anyplace - Janet Jackson
Miss You Much - Janet Jackson
Escapade - Janet Jackson
Love Will Never Do - Janet Jackson
Good Til It's Gone - Janet Jackson
Majic - Joe
Miss My Baby - Joe
On & On - Erykah Badu
Next Lifetime - Erykah Badu
Tyrone - Erykah Badu
Tenderoni - Bobby Brown
Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown
Every Little Step - Bobby Brown
My Perogative - Bobby Brown
Take Control - Bobby Brown
Shy Guy - Diana King
Crazy Love - Brian McKnight
I Wanna Be Down - Brandy
Broken Hearted - Brandy
Creep - TLC
Waterfalls - TLC
Diggin On You - TLC
Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg - TLC
What About Your Friends - TLC
Baby, Baby, Baby - TLC
No Scrubs - TLC
Pony - Genuwine
Same Ol G - Genuwine
Back & Forth - Aalyiah
If Your Girl Only Knew - Aaliyah
One In A Million - Aaliyah
Are You That Somebody? - Aaliyah
4 Page Letter - Aaliyah
Make It Hot - Nicole Renee
Your Body Is Callin - R Kelly
Bump N Grind - R Kelly
Seems Like You're Ready - R Kelly
You Remind Me Of Something - R Kelly
Down Low - R Kelly
I Believe I Can Fly - R Kelly
I Love Your Smile - Shanice
If I Ever Fall In Love - Shai
It Never Rains In Southern California - Tony, Toni, Tone
It Feels Good - Tony, Toni Tone
Anniversary - Tony, Toni, Tone
What Is Love - Haddaway
Summer Time - Will Smith
Cupid - 112
Come See Me - 112
Only You - 112
No One Else - Total
Can't You See - Total
Kissing You - Total
Giving Him Something He Can Feel - En Vogue
Free Your Mind - En Vogue
My Lovin (Never Gonna Get It) - En Vogue
What Is Love - En Vogue
Breathe Again - Toni Braxton
How Many Ways - Toni Braxton
Seven Whole Days - Toni Braxton
Another Sad Love Song - Toni Braxton
Love Shoulda Brought You Home - Toni Braxton
I'll Make Love To You - Boys II Men
On Bended Knee - Boys II Men
Water Runs Dry - Boys II Men
Tell Me - Groove Theory
Brown Sugar - D'Angelo
Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine - D'Angelo
Crusin - D'Angelo
When We Get By - D'Angelo
Lady - D'Angelo
This Is How We Do It - Montell Jordan
Sumthin Sumthin - Maxwell
Ascension - Maxwell
Everwanting - Maxwell
Luxury: Cococure - Maxwell
Matrimony - Maxwell
Each Hour Each Second Each Minute - Maxwell
You Send Me Swingin - Mint Condition
Pretty Brown Eyes- Mint Condition
Cheers 2 U - Playa
Where Do You Want Me To Put It - Solo
Tell Me - Dru Hill
In My Bed - Dru Hill
5 Steps - Dru Hill
How Deep Is Your Love - Dru Hill
You Are Everything - Dru Hill
Don't Walk Away - Jade
The Best Things In Life Are Free - Luther & Janet
Finally - CeCe Peniston
Power of Love - Luther Vandross
Your Secret Love - Luther Vandross


*And every Michael Jackson album from the 90s.

That's all I can think of. Listening to random songs has a way of generating a ton of fucking flashbacks to other shit. Good luck, and enjoy yourself.

edit: Added Toni Braxton, En Vogue, PM Dawn
 
  1. Mary J. Blige - Love Is All We Need (f/Nas)
  2. R. Kelly - Be Happy (f/Notorious B.I.G.)
  3. 702 - Steelo
  4. Aaliyah - Back & Forth
  5. TLC - Creep
  6. Toni Braxton - You're Making Me High
  7. Adina Howard - Freak Like Me
  8. Brandy - Sittin' Up In My Room
  9. En Vogue - Give It Up, Turn It Loose
  10. Groove Theory - Tell Me
  11. Kelis - Caught Out There
  12. Shanice - I Love Your Smile
  13. Des'ree - You Gotta Be
  14. Diana King - Shy Guy
  15. Soul For Real - Candy Rain
  16. SWV - Right Here
  17. Yvette Michele - Everynight & Everyday
  18. Dru Hill - In My Bed (So So Def Remix) (f/Jermaine Dupri & Da Brat)
  19. Mark Morrison - Return of the Mack
  20. Mokenstef - He's Mine Remix (f/Grand Puba)
  21. Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine
  22. Mary J. Blige - Be Happy Remix (f/Keith Murray)
  23. SWV - You're The One
  24. Brand New Heavies - Dream On Dreamer
  25. TLC - Unpretty Remix
  26. Total - Sitting Home
  27. 112 - Only You Remix (f/Notorious BIG & Mase)
  28. Allure - Head Over Heels (f/Nas)
  29. Ralph Tresvant - Sensitivity
  30. Yvette Michele - I'm Not Feeling You
  31. Zhane - Saturday Night (f/The Lox)
  32. En Vogue - My Lovin'
  33. Eternal - Stay
  34. Raphael Saddiq - Get Involved
  35. Montell Jordan - Get It On Tonight
  36. Next - Too Close
  37. Soul For Real - Every Little Thing I Do
  38. Tamia - Imagination (f/Jermaine Dupri)
  39. Color Me Badd - I Wanna Sex You Up
  40. Aaron Hall - Don't Be Afraid
  41. Lisa Stansfield - All Around The World
  42. Usher - U Make Me Wanna
  43. Missy Elliot - All In My Grill
  44. SWV - Can We Get Kinky Tonight (f/Missy Elliot)
  45. Brandy - I Wanna Be Down
  46. Jodeci - Come & Talk To Me
  47. Total - Can't You See (f/Notorious BIG)
  48. Case - Touch Me Tease Me (f/Foxy Brown & Mary J. Blige)
  49. Mary J. Blige - I Can Love You (f/Lil' Kim)
  50. Monica - Don't Take It Personal
  51. Aaliyah - If Your Girl Only Knew
  52. Aaron Hall - Curiousity Remix (f/Redman)
  53. Blackstreet - No Diggity (f/Dr. Dre & Queen Pen)
  54. Mona Lisa - Can't Be Wasting My Time
  55. New Edition - Hit Me Off
  56. Destiny's Child - No, No, No (f/Wyclef Jean)
  57. Janet Jackson - Got 'Til It's Gone (f/Q-Tip)
  58. Skin Deep - No More Games (Part II) (f/Keith Murray)
  59. Total - No One Else Remix (f/Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim & Da Brat)
  60. Gina Thompson - The Things You Do (f/Missy Elliot)
  61. TLC - Baby, Baby, Baby
  62. Brandy - Baby
  63. 702 - Where My Girls At (f/Missy Elliot)
  64. Usher - You Remind Me
  65. Mary J. Blige - Real Love (f/Notorious BIG)
  66. Yvette Michelle - I'm Not Feeling You
  67. En Vogue - Hold On
  68. SWV - Anything Remix (f/Wu-Tang Clan)
  69. Samuel - So You Like What You See
  70. Bobby Brown - On Our Own
  71. Zhane - Hey Mr. DJ
  72. Hi-Five - She's Playing Hard to Get
  73. Mariah Carey - Fantasy Remix (f/Ol' Dirty Bastard)
  74. Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
  75. Donnell Jones - U Know What's Up Remix (f/ Left Eye)
  76. Jade - Don't Walk Away
  77. Pebbles - Giving You The Benefit
  78. Damian Dane - Exclusivity
  79. Montell Jordan - This Is How We Do It
  80. Guy - Do Me Right
  81. Joe Public - Live & Learn
  82. Michal Jackson - Scream (f/Janet Jackson)
  83. Hi-Five - I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)
  84. TLC - Get It Up
  85. TLC - What About Your Friends
  86. Jade - I Wanna Love You
  87. Tyler Collins - Girls Night Out
  88. Guy - Groove Me
  89. Michael Jackson - Remember The Time
  90. Zhane - Shame
  91. Dino - I Like It
  92. Bobby Brown - Humpin' Around
  93. Bobby Brown - My Prerogative
  94. Yvette Michelle - DJ Keep Playin'
  95. Michel'le - No More Lies
  96. Tony Toni Tone - House Party
  97. Bel Biv DeVoe - Poison
  98. Jane Child - Don't Wanna Fall In Love
  99. Johnny Gill - Rub You The Right Way
  100. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Let The Beat Hit 'Em
  101. Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Head To Toe
  102. Boyz II Men - Motown Philly
  103. Monifa - Touch
  104. Tony Toni Tone - Feels Good
  105. Pebbles - Girlfriend
  106. Paula Abdul - The Way That You Love Me
  107. Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl
  108. Paula Abdul - Cold Hearted Snake
  109. Aaliyah - One In A Million

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