Tropical R&B

tagStarted 2014Peak 2015-2018Last big hit 2019

Located in 2 routes

R&B / Soul → Pop-R&B Reggae / Caribbean → Reggae Soul / Caribbean R&B

Sun-bleached R&B-pop riding tropical-house and dancehall textures: plucked marimba and pan-flute synth leads, a bouncy dembow-leaning drum lilt, warm island percussion and a breezy, swaying chorus. Vocals stay soulful and laid-back, falsetto-friendly, floating over airy, mid-tempo grooves built for beaches and festival sunsets.

History

Blossomed mid-2010s as pop-R&B fused Caribbean dancehall rhythms with the tropical-house lead sounds popularized by Kygo. Justin Bieber's Skrillex/BloodPop-produced singles made it inescapable in 2015; producers leaned on dembow bounce and plucked-synth hooks, with Drake and Rihanna carrying the island-tinged sound through the late 2010s.

Defining artists

Justin BieberSpotify YouTube
DrakeSpotify YouTube
RihannaSpotify YouTube
DJ SnakeSpotify YouTube
KygoSpotify YouTube
Sean PaulSpotify YouTube

Essential listening

Sorry — Justin BieberSpotify YouTube
One Dance — DrakeSpotify YouTube
Work — RihannaSpotify YouTube
Let Me Love You — DJ SnakeSpotify YouTube
Cheap Thrills — SiaSpotify YouTube
What Do You Mean? — Justin BieberSpotify YouTube

← Explore R&B / Soul

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorry_(Justin_Bieber_song)
https://www.spin.com/2016/01/rihanna-tropical-house-dancehall-kygo-charlie-puth-justin-bieber-selena-gomez/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_house