R&B is not dead, but companies are not investing in it.

Right now, I could say, "Play an R&B song that everyone knows," and it would be a Love by Keyshia Cole song or Can We Talk By Tevin Campbell. Everyone would sing the song like it was prescribed to them to know it because they are classic R&B records. R&B is stuck in nostalgia, and not for a good reason. We are seeing a decline in three things: one, having an R&B-focused infrastructure; two, the blurred lines of what is considered R&B; and three, streaming algorithms and playlist curation. R&B is not dead, but companies are not investing in it.

Do you remember BET’s 106 & Park? If you don’t, it was a platform that celebrated the best music videos of Black artists. This platform was the cultural hub of R&B. 106 & Park had everything: music video debuts, artist interviews, and fan engagement, providing R&B artists with prime exposure. We saw some of the biggest stars on this platform, many of whom are now considered legends in the genre. But when 106 & Park ended, it marked the beginning of R&B’s decline. Rising artists no longer had a focal point to showcase their talent, and it wasn’t as easy to get the same support from other media platforms that did not understand R&B. The end of this platform, along with others, meant that R&B discovery would no longer be as organic as before. These shows created a sense of community where listeners could engage with R&B in a way that current streaming algorithms don’t replicate. Think about it, some of the biggest legends known today went through 106 & Park or another R&B-focused platform. Now, without these platforms, both rising and established R&B artists struggle to gain visibility unless they go viral or collaborate with a pop artist. R&B artists do not have a main stage to debut their music, forcing them to rely on social media or other outlets outside of their genre. Even veteran artists are affected by these changes. There are fewer opportunities to celebrate their legacies, which leads to less recognition for their contributions. So what needs to happen? We need more R&B-focused spaces, platforms dedicated to R&B performances, interviews, and music video debuts across different mediums.

Moving on, R&B isn’t dead because the music isn’t there—it’s because of what is being considered. Now, I’m going to keep this short because Black artists who do not make R&B music but are placed in the R&B genre simply because they are Black do not control that. However, there is an undeniable erasure of traditional R&B. Artists who are creating music that could be considered classic are not getting a mainstream push, resulting in a lack of visibility. As music constantly evolves, there are many subgenres within R&B, but instead of pushing pure R&B, we now see "cross-genre" artists being placed on traditional R&B playlists, ultimately minimizing true R&B acts. Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music are part of the problem, as they contribute to the minimization of traditional R&B artists. We often see artists who clearly do not make R&B music being placed into R&B playlists, discouraging listeners from continuing to engage with these playlists.

Streaming platforms are yet another cause of the many reasons why R&B music isn’t dead. However, companies are still not investing in it. In today’s world, the majority of people want to create moments rather than movements, and as a result, R&B is underrepresented in top playlists. Shocking news: traditional R&B still exists in 2025. But because the industry prioritizes "vibe" and "chill," we are losing R&B that carries emotional storytelling, bridges, and structured songwriting. Streaming playlists on apps like Spotify and Apple Music control what people hear. Instead of dedicated R&B curation, R&B is often thrown into general "R&B & Chill" or "Vibe" playlists that prioritize laid-back sounds over true, storytelling-based R&B records, songs like Can We Talk. As a result, most artists feel pressure to create short songs to fit into these playlists, knowing that placement will drive their streams. However, this diminishes the ability to create classics or even secure placement on a simple R&B-focused playlist. This has to change. Streaming platforms should be able to create as many different playlists for R&B as they do for other genres. We need storytelling back in R&B rather than just background music. But it also starts with corporations investing in R&B again.

The industry may have turned away from R&B, but that doesn’t mean we have to accept its erasure. The loss of platforms like 106 & Park created a gap in how R&B artists are discovered, supported, and celebrated. Streaming services and major labels have prioritized "chill" and "vibe" music over the raw emotional storytelling that made R&B legendary. And with blurred genre lines, traditional R&B artists struggle to gain visibility. But if we know anything about R&B, it’s that it has always been about resilience. It has always been about the artists who push through, even when the industry doesn’t make it easy. What we need now is a new infrastructure that supports R&B, not just in nostalgia. But as a genre that continues to shape culture. That’s why platforms that center R&B, push for artist visibility, and create space for new legends are more important than ever. At LaFynk, I believe in the power of strategy, storytelling, and movement-building. It’s not just about making noise, it’s about creating a new era where R&B thrives again, where artists are heard, and where real music gets the respect it deserves. The industry may have dropped the ball, but we don’t have to R&B isn’t dead. But it’s time we take control of the narrative and make sure the world listens.