Alt-R&B
tagStarted 2011Peak 2014-2021Last big hit still active
Located in 2 routes
Left-of-center R&B that bends the polished template with woozy synths, unexpected chord changes, lo-fi textures and genre-blurring detours into pop, electronic and psych-soul. Vocals stay intimate and falsetto-leaning but production turns hazy, off-kilter and atmospheric, prioritizing mood, experimentation and personal aesthetic over clean radio convention.
History
Coalesced in the early 2010s as a press shorthand (sometimes 'PBR&B') for artists pushing R&B toward indie and electronic edges. Frank Ocean's channel ORANGE, Miguel's psych-soul and SZA's hazy songwriting reframed the genre's possibilities, opening space for the warmer, weirder, more idiosyncratic strands of modern R&B.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_R%26B
- https://pitchfork.com/
- https://www.theguardian.com/music/rnb
- https://www.allmusic.com/