Can we clap it up for R&B? And I’m not talking about a polite acknowledgment or a paltry Sunday soul clap. I mean a full-blown, rousing standing ovation.
After years of exhausting debates and think pieces questioning the genre’s survival, R&B has not only trudged through the muddy waters of the music industry — it’s found its rhythm again.
In 2025, the genre isn’t just shaking souls; it’s storming the charts, commanding arenas, and reminding the world that emotion still moves the needle.
This year, we watched Chris Brown add another chapter to his admittedly complicated legacy with his sold-out Breezy Bowl Tour. The ambition alone was audacious: attempting to fill stadiums in an era when most R&B acts would be thrilled with arenas. But Brown and company did just that: In August alone, he grossed nearly $100 million across 14 shows, making him the No. 1 touring artist for that month, according to Billboard Boxscore.
And it wasn’t a one-man operation. Brown brought a full R&B coalition with him in Summer Walker, Bryson Tiller and Jhené Aiko, proving that Beyoncé isn’t the only R&B powerhouse capable of pulling stadium-level receipts. Two decades in, despite self-inflicted turbulence and constant controversy, Brown remains a dominant force in both R&B and pop, scoring yet another pair of top 40 hits this year with “It Depends” and “Residuals.” The Breezy Bowl is only the cherry on top for what has been a banner year for Brown, who also nabbed a Grammy for Best R&B album with 11:11 earlier this year.
While Brown’s longevity is headline-worthy, Leon Thomas’s rise to R&B’s upper echelon is just as deserving. After releasing his single “Mutt” last fall, Thomas proved that the record had far more bite than anyone anticipated. What began as an underdog quietly morphed into a 2025 Song of the Year contender, digging its way into the Hot 100’s Top 10 nearly a year after its debut.
Anchored by a steady stream of remixes — including one with Chris Brown — “Mutt” never left R&B’s bloodstream. It cemented Thomas as a potential Grammy darling heading into next year’s awards. But while the single struck gold, it’s the catalog that has the genre buzzing: His mentor Ty Dolla $ign has already anointed him the new “King of R&B,” a title that’s starting to sound less like flattery and more like foresight. Despite releasing Mutt last year, Thomas hasn’t slowed down, dropping the deluxe version Heel in May and another EP, Pholks, earlier this month. The young lion isn’t just happy to be here; he’s eying the crown.
And though fans expressed frustration with what they considered the lack of a true “song of the summer,” it was hard to ignore Kehlani’s glowing presence with “Folded.” A masterclass in songwriting, “Folded” isn’t just arguably the best record of her career — it’s a generational breakup anthem that preaches calmness over chaos. The ’90s DNA running through the production gives it that familiar ache, the kind of R&B Kehlani has long been destined to own. The song’s remix rollout — featuring icons like Brandy, Toni Braxton, Ne-Yo, and Tank all collected on the Folded Homage Pack released on Friday (Oct. 24) — only cemented her status among the greats.
A decade deep, Kehlani has never sounded more comfortable in her power. “Folded” currently sits at No. 14 on the Hot 100, likely to crash the Top 10 next week with the boost from the Homage Pack remixes. Yet what truly defines this run isn’t just her chart presence — it’s her giving as much as she gets. Last year, she blessed Jordan Adetunji with a remix of his viral single “Kehlani,” earning both a Grammy nomination. She also linked with Oakland upstart Karri on the Bay Area love letter “Go,” giving the next generation another heavyweight co-sign. Ten years later, Kehlani’s moment is the long-overdue coronation of a game-changing superstar.
Ravyn Lenae finally found her mainstream footing, a full decade after signing with Atlantic Records. Named Billboard’s R&B Rookie of the Year last September, Lenae had long been one of the genre’s best-kept secrets until “Love Me Not” — her ethereal, shape-shifting single, just as influenced by rock and pop as it is by R&B — stormed into the top 5 on the Hot 100.
With her avant-groove sensibilities and refusal to color inside the lines, Lenae represents the fearless spirit fueling R&B’s new era. Her unorthodox sound and unrelenting fight for recognition remind us that R&B isn’t a monolith — it’s an ever-expanding arena, a no-holds-barred sport where experimentation still wins rounds.
And while we can toast the R&B juggernauts leading the charge, the truth is this resurgence has been a team effort across generations. Legacy acts are shining in 2025: Brandy and Monica finally delivered their long-awaited Boy Is Mine Tour, while The Four Queens — Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Stephanie Mills and Gladys Knight — continue to prove their road warrior status, packing arenas on the second leg of their reunion run.
Meanwhile, the new class is adding fresh seasoning to the stew. Isaiah Falls, Karri, kwn, Destin Conrad and Nippa are each pushing the sound in their own lane, building momentum through personality and penmanship. And artists like Mariah the Scientist and Giveon have returned with a vengeance, dropping critically acclaimed projects and scoring Hot 100 hits that remind listeners that emotion and excellence are still the genre’s most potent tools.
Rap may still be the dominant cultural force, even in a relatively lukewarm year, but when R&B is in full swing, it’s a can’t-miss ride everybody wants to catch.
So yes, don’t give R&B a polite clap. Stand on your seats and give it up for a genre that refused to flatline, even when the think pieces already had the casket picked out. The vulnerability, the soul, and the melody still matter. They still fuel connections. And sometimes, that reads even bigger than the numbers.
