There’s something special about ‘90s R&B. We’re not trying to sound like a bunch of old folks who can’t appreciate the new stuff, but let’s be honest, old school is just better. We especially love those groups that made harmonies cool again. Boyz II Men; Jodeci; Dru Hill; All-4-One; and Shai all had us in the palm of their hand with their flawless harmonies and melodies. New Edition is so good, they practically count as their own genre. As creative and beautiful as today’s R&B is, this feels like an element that is sorely missing.
Back then the music and lyrics hit harder, because you could truly feel the emotion behind the song. No matter what you’re doing, when Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” comes on, you immediately stop and sing along because that emotion instantly comes back. Yes, part of it is nostalgia, but it’s also the longevity of how good the music is.
What made many of these groups so special is that all or most of the members were extremely talented singers. When Boyz II Men perform, you’re not going to hear the same sort of song over and over, because Wanyá Morris’ vocals are completely different from Shawn Stockman’s.
Lest you think these acts and their music are only good for nostalgic trips down memory lane, this is where we inform you that many of them are still touring, and selling out shows. Nineties R&B endures. Have you ever been to a Black wedding where they didn’t play K-Ci & JoJo’s “All My Life?” The answer is no, because it’s not a proper celebration of love without it.
By the way, it’s not all about the love songs, because we also got “Too Close” by Next, “In My Bed (So So Def Mix)” by Dru Hill, “No Diggity” from Blackstreet and of course, Boyz II Men’s “Motownphilly.” There was plenty of dancing going on.
Considering how hard these songs still hit, we don’t know why we’re not seeing new R&B groups dominate the charts the way they did in the ‘90s. There’s definitely something to be said for how the rise of hip-hop pushed R&B to the back for a long time. We’re just seeing the genre make a clear comeback, but for the most part, it’s female artists who are doing the heavy lifting.
If we’re gonna get a resurgence of R&B groups, we’re gonna need male singers to start staking their claim on the music. Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak can’t do it all with Silk Sonic.