In the 1990s, R&B underwent a sea change. Though the songwriting was still steeped in traditional romance and courtship, the influence of hip-hop brought about edgier production styles, raunchier attitudes, and new commercial peaks. Hardcore crooning and freaky ballads were everywhere, alongside vocally deft girl groups and harmonized ensembles who took begging and pleading to another level. At the same time that the genre was extending its reach, its sound was evolving too, from Teddy Riley’s danceable percussion and neo-soul’s live instrumentation to Timbaland and Missy Elliott’s gravity-defying experimentation.
The following list, presented alphabetically by artist, includes R&B tracks featured on our 250 Best Songs of the 1990s, plus 21 more that are integral to the genre’s commercial and artistic expansion.
Read Pitchfork’s list of the best songs of the 1990s here and best albums of the 1990s here, and check out our full ’90s package here.