NPR said there hasn’t been a male R&B superstar since Usher. Is this true?

[Splakavellie504]

So which the fukk is Bhris????

Not usher

 

[Shadow King]

He got married 4 days ago

For the 2nd time...

He got married in 07/08

 

[Metal Face]

I mean what was the last R&B album that felt like everyone was listening to?

has there been an album as big as Confessions since?

 

[CarltonJunior]

Chris obviously was a superstar

Trey Songz ran the game alongside him at some point but Trey wasn't a crossover act, and now he's problematic outside of the booth just like CB.

Weeknd and Frank Ocean were the superstars of the '10s but since both made music at the time that were a little more niche they didn't become sales dynamos. Weeknd went pop and then did it but him being considered R&B is far too generous.

I mean what was the last R&B album that felt like everyone was listening to?

has there been an album as big as Confessions since?

The last time it felt like that was probably one of Ne-Yo's albums. Miguel and August Alsina can get honorable mentions.

White people weren't in on it tho so it probably doesn't look like that sales wise, but they had big albums in real time.

 

[seabreeze80]

Usher didn't make pop music?? Really?

Usher is predominately r&b with a few pop hits. Weeknd wasn't strictly r&b. His music was alternative like Frank Ocean. He went pop after his mixtapes and don't even like his old music labeled as r&b anymore.

 

[JadeB]

Usher is predominately r&b with a few pop hits. Weeknd wasn't strictly r&b. His music was alternative like Frank Ocean. He went pop after his mixtapes and don't even like his old music labeled as r&b anymore.

The Weeknd and Frank Ocean are both alternative r&b. They just make a specific subgenre of r&b

 

[itsyoung!!]

Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Ty Dolla $ign was singing everybody’s hooks for a good few years, etc.

one of these is not the same...

 

[Mike the Executioner]

Plenty of r&b heads still have r Kelly as king. But he was never the crossover pop star usher was and isn’t the same type of performer. He wouldn’t be having the moment usher is having. Usher’s later music is wildly inconsistent but his previous hits and performing ability allowed him to creep back up into the limelight. A controversy free Kellz still wouldn’t be able to do that. At best, he could be having the moment Babyface has been having the past few years by writing, producing and featuring on tracks with some of the new acts

In 2013, R. Kelly had features with Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, so you're right about that. He would definitely be making songs for the current artists.

 

[2 Up 2 Down]

Chris would never have these old white women acting like that over his music. Maybe the ones with the beige babies

 

[Premeditated]

Does the Weeknd count? I'd say Weeknd is a superstar IMO.

the weeknd sings in r&b but his production is not r&b

but yes, he's the biggest black male singer since Usher(chris reign was too short)

 

[2 Up 2 Down]

Run It, Kiss Kiss, With You, Look at Me Now, Yeah 3x, No Guidance, Deuces, No Air, Forever, Party, etc.

No Air is probably his biggest crossover song. Run It probably a close second

 

[2 Up 2 Down]

Had to bold that for the emphasis. Black community in the past always ranked r&b artists based on vocal skills and not who sell the most or dance the best. He's a great talent but he aint got the voice for me to consider him as a true pure R&B star. You put late teen CB in the 90s with other teens such as Tevin Campbell, Tony Thompson, Tyrese, Dino, Sisqo (they were teens)...he's getting washed vocally. Dont even put grown CB against K-Ci and JoJo, Boyz 2 Men, Stokley, Lil G, Johnny Gill, Gerald, Joe, R Kelly, Babyface, Jon B, Maxwell, D'Angelo, B Mcknight etc. He's nowhere near that level. I aint even mentioning the goats from the 60s,70s, and 80s.

The only person he beats in R&B that had hits in the 90s in vocals is Al B Sure. Al B only got play because he was light skin and women found he attractive.

 

[Kliq_Souf]

Breezy for sure
Weeknd for sure
Neyo had for a few years
Miguel for a couple years
T-Pain?

 

[Kliq_Souf]

the weeknd sings in r&b but his production is not r&b

but yes, he's the biggest black male singer since Usher(chris reign was too short)

He punched Ri, then came back with his biggest hits

 

[maxamusa]

Yes true but keywords in the title R&B SUPERSTAR. I feel like the problem here is that R&B has became so watered down over the last 20 years that we have changed the definition of R&B. The true definition of R&B to me is the strong voices and passion that those artists in the 70s 80s and early to mid 90s had. CB dont have the vocal skills and discography to sit in that tier with the greats of the past. My personal opinion R Kelly is the last true R&B superstar.

So you don't even consider usher to be an R&B superstar....why not?