By: Melissa Berne
Because I adore all of these songs, this list is in no particular order. I love all kinds of music, but I have a soft spot for R&B. This collection spans from the early 1990s to now.
Yes, the Weeknd made the list–twice. Click the title of the song to listen to each song. Without further ado check out my top 10 favorite R&B songs after the jump!
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1. “Anywhere” by 112
This is the ultimate “babymaking” music. “Anywhere” is the kind of song that’s “dirty but sweet.” The lyrics are suggestive but the beat is oh so sexy.
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2. “Right Now” by Danity Kane
If Diddy ever manufactured a great group it was Danity Kane. I loved this girl group so much because EVERY girl sang, which is rare in any musical group. They all were equally talented and provided their voices to the Timbaland produced beat. I still listen to this song almost everyday.
3. “Wicked Games” by The Weeknd
When listening to The Weeknd’s mixtape House of Balloons, this song is the one I listen to the most. It is so emotional that I cannot help but sing along when I hear it (In the privacy of my bathroom of course). The Weeknd focuses on honest, not polite lyrics. In this song he is brave with his disturbing vulnerability.
4. “Weak” by SWV
Although this song came out when I was 2-years-old, I discovered the beautiful ballad when singer/songwriter JoJo covered it on her debut album. It’s a feel-good love song that I love listening to.
5. “Are You That Somebody?” by Aaliyah
I adore Aaliyah and it makes me happy the radio still plays this song. Timbaland just knows exactly what to do to create a dope beat, he really is a genius. I mean who thinks of using a suttle baby cry for a song, and actually pulling it off in making it sound good?! I was 8-years-old when this song was released; I remember being obssesed and having a conniption whenever it came on the radio.
6. “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child
Whenever the video for this song came on TRL I stayed glued to the TV. It was the ever-changing colors and the rooms that moved I found so cool. This song is special to me because it was one of my favorite songs from the first album I ever got–The Writing’s On The Wall. I loved the fisetiness that Beyonce had when suggesting her man was creepin’ around.
7. “Like That” by JoJo
Although this song was never released as a single, it should have. “Like That” from JoJo’s sophomore album The High Road, was a huge fan favortire. The harplike beat combined with JoJo’s sultry voice made this song my absolute favorite on the album. It was the first sneak peek at “sexy” JoJo with lyrics like, “I’m wantin it/ I know you want it too/ Come on, let’s go/ You know just what to do.” Note: Yesterday Nicki Minaj tweeted that The High Road was one of the best R&B albums of all time. DAMN!
8. “Houstatlantavegas” by Drake
This song made me a Drake fan. While the radio played “Best I Ever Had” to death, I wasn’t phased by Drake. It wasn’t until “Houstatlantavegas,” that I really started paying attention to him. Most rappers will rap about how bad they want a stripper or how sexy they find them to be. Drake, however, rapped AND sang about how tragic this girl is. He tells his story: “She knows theres more to life, and shes scared of ending up alone/ Throw your ones up in the air, throw your ones up in the air for her.”
9. “Nikki” by The-Dream
I love this song because the words are so harsh, “You’ve died in my heart, so go head and live in his arms,” but the beat is so dope! The Dream writes, sings, and produces music, making him one of the most sought-after artists in the industry. I could litrally listen to this song 10 times in a row and not get sick of it.
10. “The Knowing” by The Weeknd
I fuckin’ love this song. The Weeknd is a lyrical master as he sings this lament to an ex-lover. He is doing what he does best by serving up the ugly truth:
“Take a look at what you did/ You probably thought that you’d break my heart/ You probably thought that you’d make me cry/ But baby it’s okay/ I swear it’s okay/
‘Cause I know everything.”
Listen to the whole song and prepare to have your heart strings pulled because either you can relate or you can feel the anguish in The Weeknd’s vocals. The man can “sang”!
Til the next Top 10!
Do you like these songs too? What are your favorite R&B songs? Sound off in the comments!
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