80s R&B Music

The 80's R&B music is much more than just plain old music. It is a culture in itself that many people in America embraced in the 80's. It was just one of many new styles of pop or rock music which came about because of the new instruments used in performing music in the 80's. The new instruments used along with the classic guitars, drums, pianos, etc., were synthesizers, drum machines, and electric keyboards. These new instruments made for a much different sound to the music and this created many net music styles of music in the 80's, depending on how each instrument was used with other instruments. Some of the new styles of music, besides R&B, were disco, hard rock, soft rock, heavy metal, hair metal, thrash metal, gangsta rap, hip hop, synth pop, college rock, heartland rock, and more. There were also many new dances invented to fit the different new styles of music. Some of them were, Cabbage Patch, Pac Man, running man, Roger Rabbit, Robo Cop, the moonwalk, disco, funky twist, break dancing, poppin’, wavin’, lockin’, tickin’, and more.

Many of the artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince, and Whitney Houston were now getting exposure when their music was being played on the mainstream top 40 radio stations and not just on the urban radio, as many R&B artists were exposed to in the past. Other R&B and hip hop artists of the 80's were, Chaka Kahn, Bobby McFerrin, De La Soul, Dr Dre, Eazy E, Gerald Levert, Sade, Irene Cara, Janet Jackson, KRS-One, and LL Cool J, just to name a few. These artists could now be placed in the same categories as others and have the same chances in competition and success as other artists.

The invention of the music videos along with their exposure on MTV, beginning in 1981, also gave many artists a running start at their careers. Many artists were already successful before MTV, VH-1, and others, and the music videos being aired on these stations and television shows. Others were not even recognized until they were seen in their music videos on VHF. This gave them the start they needed to reach much success.

R&B music is a mellow style of music which is very much in demand and the 80's produced many top hits which are still in the hearts and minds of fans all over the world. R&B music is very popular, even today, and there are many famous artists who have much success and feel very comfortable with this style of music. Some other artists from the 80's can not truly say the same for their styles

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