30 R&B songs that defined the 2010s

Just two years after his debut studio album All I Want Is You, Miguel returned in 2012 with his sophomore album Kaleidoscope Dream. On the album’s lead single “Adorn,” Miguel reflects on how he wants to shower his partner with love. As he sings on the hook, “You just gotta let my love / Let my love, let my love adorn you.” 

In 2016, Solange released her sophomore album A Seat at the Table to rave reviews. She teamed up with Sampha on “Don’t Touch My Hair,” an anthem that encourages the Black community to have autonomy over their bodies and appearances, despite having to deal with racial microaggressions. As she sings in the second verse, “Don’t touch my pride / They say the glory’s all mine / Don’t test my mouth / They say the truth is my sound.” 

Bryson Tiller took the world by storm in 2015 when he released his breakthrough hit single “Don’t." It was the lead single off his debut album Trapsoul and the track finds Tiller seeing how badly a girl is being treated, and wishes he was with her to treat her with the love and respect she deserves. His stance is evident in the first verse as he sings, “Shawty, you deserve what you’ve been missing / Looking at you I’m thinking he must be trippin.’” 

In 2017, Ella Mai released her third EP READY which featured her breakthrough single “Boo’d Up.” Produced by frequent collaborator Mustard, the track finds Mai head over heels with her partner. The song became a top-five hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. 

Childish Gambino is known for making sure his albums sound different from his previous works. It was no different in 2016 when he released his third album Awaken, My Love! which was inspired by a psychedelic and funk R&B sound. On the track "Redbone," Gambino describes the feelings of dealing with infidelity and how his partner wants to right her wrongs. 

After a four-year hiatus, Monica returned in 2010 with her sixth studio album Still Standing. Co-written by fellow R&B powerhouse Jazmine Sullivan and co-produced by Missy Elliott, the album’s lead single was “Everything To Me.” Including a sample of Deniece Williams’ 1981 track “Silly,” Monica uses the song to express her unrequited love for her partner. It’s evident from the beginning of the song as she sings, “Boy if you ever left my, my side / It’d be like taking the sun from the sky.”  

Just a year after releasing his critically-acclaimed mixtape Nostalgia, Ultra, Frank Ocean returned with his debut album Channel Orange. The lead single “Thinkin Bout You” finds Ocean reminiscing on a past relationship that didn’t work out. He also reflects on spending forever with their ex-lover, but wonders if they feel the same way. 

In 2011, Beyoncé released her fourth solo album properly titled 4. She teamed up with The-Dream and Shea Taylor to produce the album’s fourth single “Love On Top,” an upbeat R&B song that uses inspiration from old school R&B acts such as the Jackson 5 and Whiney Houston. On the track, Beyoncé sings about how she knows how much work a relationship can take, but she’s ready to tell the world that she’s madly in love. 

In 2011, Chris Brown released his fourth studio album F.A.M.E., which featured the hit single “Look At Me Now.” This time around, Brown adds more hip-hop elements to his lyrical flow and has a little help from rap veterans Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes. Produced by Diplo, Afrojack, and Free School, Brown uses the track to brag about his wealth and success. 

As a follow-up to her 2009 debut album The Bridge, Melanie Fiona returned in 2012 with her sophomore album The MF Life. The lead single “Gone and Never Coming Back” is a powerful ballad that finds Fiona reflecting on a breakup and the emotional pain of dealing with it. Sometimes heartbreak can take an emotional and physical toll on a person, and Fiona describes it perfectly. 

Daniel Caesar made his presence known in the R&B world in 2017 with his debut album Freudian. He teamed up with fellow R&B newcomer H.E.R. on the gorgeous love ballad “Best Part.” Since the song highlights how much a couple admires and values each other, it’s no wonder the song has become quite a hit for wedding ceremonies. As H.E.R. sings on the hook, “You’re the coffee that I need in the morning / You’re my sunshine in the rain when it’s pouring / Won’t you give yourself to me? / Give it all.” 

Jazmine Sullivan is no stranger to singing about love and it was no different in 2015 when she released her third studio album Reality Show. On the final single “Let It Burn,” Sullivan describes how love can put people in the heat of the moment. As she sings on the hook, “You feel that fire, just let it burn / ‘Cause there’s no running when it’s your turn / Call me crazy but I think I found the love of my life.” 

In 2010, Usher released his sixth album Raymond v. Raymond, which featured the hit single “There Goes My Baby.” In typical Usher fashion, the crooner knows how to perfect a love song, as he uses the track to describe how enamored he is by his lover’s beauty. His stance is evident on the first verse as he sings, “Bet you ain’t know that I be checking you out when you be putting your heels on / I swear your body’s so perfect, baby / How you work it, baby.” 

In 2015, The Internet released their third studio album Ego Death to rave reviews. On the second single “Girl,” the protagonist gives the point of view of seeing a woman who isn’t being treated right and deserves better. The success of “Girl” helped The Internet earn a Grammy nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album. 

Beyoncé stopped the world in 2013 when she did a surprise release of her self-titled fifth album. She teamed up with her husband Jay Z on the hit single “Drunk in Love,” which describes a night of love-making after drinking a bit too much. 

Erykah Badu received a lot of criticism due to the music video for her 2010 single “Window Seat.” In the video, Badu is seen walking the streets of Dallas, Texas as she strips off her clothes. While the song became a hit on the radio, Badu was charged with disorderly conduct due to her public nudıty. 

Rihanna and Drake have collaborated a few times throughout their careers. In 2016, they teamed up for the hit song “Work,” the lead single from Rihanna’s eighth album Anti. Produced by Boi-1da, the song highlights how relationships can go through ups and downs, and how couples need to work through what they want. 

Bruno Mars is the type of artist who takes a few years to create a new album, someone who believes that quality is always better over quantity. After a four-year hiatus, Mars returned in 2016 with his third album 24K Magic. The eponymous single had a sound reminiscent of old school funk and disco, mixed with a modern take on R&B. On the track, Mars highlights his aura of fashion and wealth, and how he knows how to own any room he walks in. 

Elle Varner came onto the scene in 2012 with her debut album Perfectly Imperfect. After the success of her first single “Only Wanna Give It to You,” she followed up with “Refill.” On the track, Varner uses being drunk as a metaphor of meeting a potential lover who approaches her. As she sings on the hook, “Can I get a refill? / Yeah, of your time / Cause you’re intoxicating my mind / Feel like a conversational lush.” 

After releasing a couple of EPs, it was 2017 when SZA released her debut studio album Ctrl. On the third single “Broken Clocks,” SZA highlights her work days and living life on her own terms, while reminiscing on her past life. The song became a top-40 hit on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. 

Kehlani and Chance the Rapper make for the perfect pairing on their 2015 single “The Way.” On the track, Kehlani describes being head over heels with her lover and she wants to show him a little appreciation. As she sings in the third verse, “This thing we got is crazy / Only thing I know is you’re my baby / Forever down, I am your lady / Always for sure, never a maybe.”

In 2013, Janelle Monae released her sophomore studio album The Electric Lady, led by the hit single “Q.U.E.E.N.” Teaming up with fellow R&B songstress Erykah Badu, Monae uses the song to empower people to continue showing up as themselves unapologetically. As she sings on the track, “Even if it makes others uncomfortable / I will love who I am.”

In 2016, Beyoncé released her critically-acclaimed sixth solo album Lemonade. The album’s lead single “Formation” was produced by Mike Will Made It and finds Beyoncé taking great pride in her roots and being unapologetically herself. As she sings on the track, “Earned all this money, but they never take the country out me / I got hot sauce in my bag, swag.”

In 2016, Khalid came onto the scene with his debut single “Location.” In a world that is completely taken over by the digital era, Khalid uses the track to emphasize how much people need to communicate face-to-face instead of through a phone and apps. His mindset is evident in verse two as he sings, “I don’t wanna fall in love off of subtweets / So let’s get personal / I got a lot of cool spots that we can go / Tell me what’s the move and I got you.” 

Ciara blends a perfect mix of sensuality and intimacy in her 2013 single “Body Party.” Using a slower sample of “My Boo” by Ghost Town DJs, Ciara uses the track to promise her lover he can have her body. As she sings on the hook, “You can’t keep your hands off me / Touch me right there, rock my body / I can’t keep my hands off you / Your body is my party.”

Janet Jackson doesn’t release a lot of new music these days, but in 2015, she gifted her fans with her eleventh studio album Unbreakable. In pure Jackson form, she teams up with her frequent production duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on the smooth lead single “No Sleeep.” On the track, Jackson describes having an intimate night with her lover. As she sings on the second verse, “Stay wide awake for every moment we spend together / ‘Cause every second you’re away feels like forever.” 

After a few years of dropping mixtapes, Tinashe hit mainstream audiences with her breakthrough single “2 On.” Produced by Mustard and accompanied by ScHoolboy Q, Tinashe uses the track to highlight how much she wants to live life to the fullest. As she sings on the hook, “Live fast, die young that’s my choice / Get money, get money like an invoice / We can mob all in the whip / Make the money, make a grip.” 

In 2014, there was no escaping people talking about the blockbuster film Fifty Shades of Grey, as well as the hit song that accompanied the soundtrack “Earned It.” Still known as one of The Weeknd’s biggest songs to date, the track easily stands out because it blends pop, classical, and R&B all in one. On the track, The Weeknd highlights his love life and how he wants to shower his partner with whatever she wants. 

After releasing a couple of EPs, Summer Walker released her debut studio album Over It in 2019. Typically when artists use sample of a songs, they don’t always feature the original artist on the updated version. Walker teamed up with Usher on her single “Come Thru” which features an interpolation of Usher’s 1997 single “You Make Me Wanna…” On the track, Walker and Usher highlight the yearning for a night of intimacy. 

In 2013, it seems like Robin Thicke’s hit song “Blurred Lines” was heard around the world. It was the longest-running single in the US and topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks.