Rnb Radio Stations

Introduction to R’n’B

Rhythm and blues, more commonly known as R’n’B or just R&B, is a popular genre of music with roots in African-American communities from the first half of the 20th century. 

For the most part, rhythm and blues was meant for African American audiences made by African Americans. The sounds reflected the pains and joys of ordinary life, often touching upon the topics of love, freedom, and social matters. 

The term rhythm and blues is not the first name for the new genre. It’s actually a term coined after the second war that was meant to pay back the respect that the previous terms and names lacked. Today, the genre still sticks to its R’n’B or R&B stylings (both are accepted). 

Musically speaking, most R&B hits from the 1950s and 1960s carried notes by a pair of guitars, bass, piano, saxophones, and vocals. Therefore, in its beginnings was often covering predominantly blues records – which were connected to jazz – but R&B was significantly more upbeat and faster. With the evolution of rock and roll, R&B evolved as well, and soon included elements found in gospel blues, soul, and electric blues. The decades that followed saw the mix of R&B with soul and funk, but the actual R’n’B that we know today emerged in the 1980s. That is when it came out as ‘contemporary R&B’, a name that stuck to this day. 

If you want to find the best radio stations playing R&B music, explore the decades of its rich history, and enjoy the softest and most popular sounds of rhythm and blues, you are at the right place. 

Top 5 Radio Stations Playing R&B

R’n’B did emerge in the USA within the African American communities, but its popularity outgrew Afro-American neighborhoods and even the US states. Today, you can find R&B music – both played and produced – across the globe. 

With that in mind, we tried making a list of the best 5 radio stations playing R&B music online. You can enjoy the sounds of contemporary R’n’B or try the old-school classics – whatever you want. 

Here are the current top 5 radio stations playing the best R&B sounds worldwide. 

• Blues Radio – Rhythm and blues emerged from blues, and this radio is by far one of the best you can listen to if you want to go back to the roots. It’s a Greek radio station, playing hits online across all Greece (but emerged in Athens).  
• RNB and Hip Hop Radio – This one is a Miami radio station, playing across Miami on every corner! It’s the perfect choice for a radio station playing today’s hottest R&B and Hip-Hop sounds. Tune in right here. 
• Metro FM – Metro FM is an international radio station broadcasting across the world – from London to Cape Town, starting in Johannesburg. The station mostly plays Hip Hop, R&B, Gospel, Contemporary Jazz, House, and Kwaito music. 
• Skyrock – R&B and hip hop is very hard to separate, and most hip hop artists are also big in rhythm and blues. Skyrock is a French radio station specializing in hip-hop music paired with R&B, available across France. 
• WBAV V – Another American radio station, but this time we are travelling to North Carolina. More specifically, Charlotte, the birthplace of WBAV V radio station. The station plays the biggest and latest RNB and hip-hop radio hits. 

Be sure to check out our full list of the best radio stations playing old-school and contemporary R&B and enjoy the best rhythm and blues songs straight from your browser. 

Featured Artists

Many have tried to define and then redefine the R&B genre, but that has remained a complex task for decades, mostly thanks to the versatile nature of the genre. 

Today, we recognize and acknowledge many artists that have contributed to rhythm and blues as we know it today. 

Here are some of the featured artists that come to mind whenever someone mentions R&B music. 

• Aaliyah – American-born singer was dubbed the “Princess of R&B” and the “Queen of Urban Pop”. She stands behind some of the greatest R&B hits such as “Try Again”, “Are You That Somebody”, and “More Than a Woman”. She died tragically in 2001. 
• Mary J. Blige – Blige remains one of the strongest R&B voices, with a career that spans three decades (and counting). Some of her greatest songs are Real Love,” “Not Gon’ Cry,” “My Life” and “Be Without You”.
• TLC – The girl group that has seen a renewed interest in their music by the general public has been around since the 1990s. The mega-famous trio is mostly known for their smash hit “No Scrubs” which was a cultural reset – but they also have the “Waterfalls”, “Unpretty”, “What About Your Friends”, and many other hits. 
• Destiny’s Child – Everyone knows Destiny’s Child, the ultra famous girl group that launched the career of the one and only Beyonce. Beyonce, along with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, launched hits such as “Survivor”, “Bills, Bills, Bills”, and “Cater To You”. 
• En Vogue – Another girl group consisting of Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones is behind the legendary “Don’t Let Go (Love)” that cemented the group’s place as  top-rated R&B act in the early days of the 2000s. 

Popular R&B Hits

Before we list below our favorite R&B hits of all time, we have to note that they are mostly in the ‘contemporary’ category – they were all made during the 1990s and onwards!

The list includes some of the most popular tunes often sampled and remixed even now, and all are nearly unavoidable in today’s pop culture. 

Check out the hottest R’n’B tunes that have been featured on nearly every R&B playlist since 2000. 

• “No Diggity” – Blackstreet
• “Dilemma” – Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland
• “No Scrubs” – TLC
• “Say My Name” – Destiny’s Child
• “Try Again” – Aaliyah

This is literally just the start. There’s more to unwrap, given that the genre spans and covers literal decades. 

Popular Music Festivals and Events for R&B Fans

Not many festivals are labelled as R’n’B music festivals. However, you can catch many rhythm and blues vibes at most popular music events across the globe. 

The biggest and hottest two music festivals to visit if you enjoy rhythm and blues are:

• Primavera Sound (Barcelona, Spain)
• T-Live (London, UK)

Neither is an R&B-only festival, as the genre is often mixed and matched with other genres and styles at festivals. There might be many smaller events across the globe, and you can even research local R&B events in your neighborhood or community. 

Contemporary R’n’B: Top 5 R&B Albums in 2020s

Rhythm and blues evolved over the years, and it is even today seeing both an expansion as well as a redesign. You can find incredible artists experimenting with their sound across the globe. 

If you want to listen to new R’n’B artists, here are our top 5 albums that are entirely delightful – and we guarantee you won’t want to skip any track.

• Kali Uchis: Red Moon in Venus (2023)
• Tkay Maidza - Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 (2020)
• Chloe x Halle: Ungodly Hour (2020)
• Summer Walker: STILL OVER IT (2021)
• Nao: And Then Life Was Beautiful (2021)

This is not all – you can listen to your favorite R&B radio stations and discover the latest hits and new releases from your favorite contemporary rhythm and blues artists.