Videos and albums are not always the preferred formats for gaining success as a recording artist--it was an appearance in the hit Will Smith movie MEN IN BLACK that gave Destiny's Child a major boost to their recording career. From there, the all-fem…

With her multi-octave voice and more than 80 million records sold worldwide, it's no surprise that pop diva Mariah Carey is viewed as the successor to Whitney Houston. She emerged as the premier R&B/pop songstress of the 1990s, and by the end of the …

Hailing from Chattanooga, TN, Usher Raymond (best known by his given name) emerged in the '90s as a young R&B singer full of promise. The stars must have been aligned correctly for him, as he snagged Puffy Combs as a producer for his eponymous 1994 d…

Not only is '90s teen sensation Brandy a hit-making recording star, but she is also a noted actress (the TV sitcom MOESHA, 1997's CINDERELLA, etc.). Even with such female pop stars as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera hogging the spotlight and th…

Precocious R&B vocalist/pianist Alicia Keys was hand-picked by Clive Davis as one of the flagship artists for his post-Arista label, J Records. No doubt he was as impressed by her multitude of skills (Keys took a large role in the writing, arranging,…

In the late 1990s, Madonna had long since become a mature artist, turning her back on the carefree dance-pop of her early days ("Like A Virgin," "Holiday," etc.). Teenage singer Britney Spears picked up on this specific Madonna era, albeit with a mor…

New York native Mary J. Blige was one of the first female artists to successfully merge classic soul sounds with modern day hip-hop, resulting in a string of hit singles and albums in the 1990s and early 2000s. Her influence was felt quickly by other…

In the wake of Michael Jackson's monster success with THRILLER, most of his brothers and sisters tried their hands at launching similarly styled solo careers, with varying degrees of success. But the only one to become a major recording figure on her…

Britney Spears proved that the same goldmine that Madonna and Cyndi Lauper mined in the 1980s was again ripe for the picking, and she was immediately followed up the charts by another female teenybop sensation, Christina Aguilera. Closely aligned wit…

Not since Whitney Houston has a female singer reached the top of the charts with such a sultry and sexy voice as Toni Braxton. Beginning with her 1993 self-titled debut she has been one of R&B's most consistent hit-makers. Braxton is also one of R&B'…

Getting her start as a dancer on the TV show IN LIVING COLOR, Jennifer Lopez first found stardom as an actress, then as a pop/dance singer. By the turn of the century, Lopez was one of the world's biggest celebrities. As both of her careers skyrocket…

If you're looking for the perfect music to cap a romantic evening or, for that matter, get one started, slow-jam master R. Kelly might just do the trick. Whether he's turning out heart-on-sleeve love ballads (the R. Kelly-penned Michael Jackson 1995 …

St. Louis, Missouri rapper Nelly (of the St. Lunatics clique) dominated MTV and radio in late 2000 with his debut COUNTRY GRAMMAR, which featured irresistible hooks, a danceable tempo, newly styled bounce beats different from the New Orleans-based No…

The late 1990s saw a new graduating class of single-name female R&B singers hit the big time--Brandy, Monifah, and Monica. An appearance on LL Cool J's "Mr. Smith" and a hit duet with Brandy ("The Boy Is Mine") only strengthened Monica's standing as …

Part Cyndi Lauper and part Madness, No Doubt came out of nowhere in 1995 and exploded on the alt-rock scene with their special brand of mainstream ska-rock. While the focal point of the group was unmistakably the sexy and hyperactive singer Gwen Stef…

While rap music was the music of choice on the urban charts and radio playlists by the late 1980s/early '90s, vocal group Boyz II Men re-introduced the merits of soul and contemporary R&B, laden with perfectly executed harmonies. The group became one…

b. Ashanti Douglas, 13 October 1980, Glen Cove, New York, USA. For urban R&B singer Ashanti it has been a case of third time lucky. Her honey-toned voice and striking looks landed her a recording contract with Jive Records at the age of 14, then agai…

No other 1990s all-female teen-pop dance group enjoyed as much success and popularity as the Spice Girls. With each member going by a personality-fitting name (Scary Spice, Sporty Spice, etc.), the Spice Girls were the subject of a merchandising fren…

Beyonce Knowles rose to fame as a member of the R&B ensemble Destiny's Child. With Beyonce's father as a manager, the group garnered massive success with their 2001 album, SURVIVOR. Soon Beyonce, sporting a sexy yet girl-next-door image, broke out on…

Female R&B foursome En Vogue defined a new image and sound for R&B in the '90s. With the help of producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy (Club Nouveau, Timex Social Club) they combined a sexy girl-group image with '70s soul songcraft and contempor…