Dark R&B
tagStarted 2011Peak 2014-2021Last big hit still active
Located in 3 routes
Moody, nocturnal R&B drenched in minor-key synths, cavernous reverb, sub-heavy 808s and icy pads. Falsetto and hushed vocals trade in hedonism, paranoia and heartbreak; the atmosphere is narcotic and after-hours, with sparse, hard-hitting drums and negative space conjuring a cold, neon-lit dread rather than warmth or comfort.
History
Pioneered around 2011 by The Weeknd's mixtape trilogy, which fused R&B vocals with bleak, drugged-out atmospherics. Toronto's OVO scene and PARTYNEXTDOOR deepened the shadowy palette, and the duo dvsn perfected its narcotic slow jams. The style codified R&B's brooding, sensual underbelly across the 2010s.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_R%26B
- https://www.ovosound.com/
- https://pitchfork.com/
- https://www.complex.com/music