Post-War R&B
tagStarted 1945Peak 1948–1956Last big hit early 1960s
Post-War R&B is broader, deeper, and more backbeat-centered than strict jump blues, combining dance numbers, ballads, shouters, crooners, and piano-led rockers within a still blazingly Black urban idiom. Blues harmony remains central, but the music is now openly building the future of popular song.
History
After World War II, changing migration patterns, regional labels, radio markets, and club networks created space for a powerful new Black commercial sound rooted in blues but no longer limited by it. Artists like Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Big Joe Turner, Louis Jordan, and LaVern Baker became key nodes in the path from blues to rock and soul.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- Britannica on jump blues and first-wave rhythm and blues
- Rock Hall on Louis Jordan’s jump-blues role
- Britannica on Big Joe Turner and the shouter tradition