Five Best R&B Albums Released in First Quarter of 2015
The world of hip-hop may be experiencing a renaissance of sorts, however, the same can't be said for R&B. The usual suspects like Beyonce and Rihanna remain dominant figures in the musical landscape and gone are the days of being blessed with a plethora of great love songs.
During the heyday of hip-hop and R&B collaborations, there was a distinct line between a vocalist and rapper, but more than 20 years later, after names like Ron G and Sean "Puffy" Combs put the influences of the concrete jungle into play, R&B is no longer filled with powerful windpipes and tales of romance, but rather lusty sexcapades by artists that serve as hybrids, crooning with the intent of coming across with the aura of a rapper, which is all the rage today.
While artists like PARTYNEXTDOOR and Ty Dolla $ign are dope in their own right, many are wondering when we'll see an R&B revival like what's currently going on in rap or if the days of love ballads having a big presence at the top of the Billboard charts and radio playlists are long gone. The jury may still be out, but what we can say is that there are still a few traditionalists carrying the torch for vulnerability and passion-filled tunes that may not get as much love as they used to.
Taking note of this fact as the first quarter of the year comes to a close (Jan. 1 through March 31), we took the time to run through the major R&B albums we could find and present the best long players that are perfect for the lover in you. Check out the five best R&B albums released in the first quarter of 2015. Enjoy.