Allen Stone
Building Balance
The soulful vocalist's third album nicely draws inspiration from '70s soul and the '90s New Jack Swing sound.
Anderson .Paak
Ventura
The Grammy winner's most concentrated and R&B-oriented album yet, recorded at the same time as 2018's Oxnard.
Carlton Jumel Smith
1634 Lexington Avenue
The veteran Harlem singer and songwriter hooks up with Helsinki's premier soul outfit Cold Diamond & Mink on his Timmion debut.
Dawn Richard
New Breed
Showing no signs of artistic depletion after her expansive trilogy, the Danity Kane member delivers another round of authoritative progressive pop.
Devin Morrison
Bussin'
Thoroughly appealing debut from an R&B do-it-all with a novel aptitude for refashioning various late-'80s and '90s modes.
Jamila Woods
LEGACY! LEGACY!
A galvanizing declaration of pride, support, and discontent from the poet and modern R&B singer/songwriter.
Lee Fields / Lee Fields & the Expressions
It Rains Love
The veteran soul singer hits a sweet spot between gritty funk and quiet storm passion on this master class in modern soul.
Lizzo
Cuz I Love You
The boundary-breaking artist's major-label debut is a triumphant showcase for every part of her talent, physicality, and sexuality.
Los Coast
Samsara
The debut of the eclectic Austin-based combo delivers a hip-shaking amalgam of pop, soul, R&B, funk, gospel, and psychedelic rock.
Mahalia
LOVE AND COMPROMISE
The all-caps title is the only unfortunate attribute of this breezy and fun set of modern hip-hop soul.
Mavis Staples
Live in London
The gospel and soul legend celebrates her 79th birthday and shines throughout a set drawn primarily from her 2010-2017 albums.
Michael Kiwanuka
Kiwanuka
On his third long-player, the British singer/songwriter comes into his own in a collection of bracing, affirmative, psychedelic soul tunes.
Nick Waterhouse
Nick Waterhouse
The vintage R&B scholar's fourth album contains some of his sharpest writing and most energizing performances.
P.P. Arnold
The New Adventures Of...
Expansive and fully energized return from the underappreciated pop-soul singer, produced with love by Ocean Colour Scene's Steve Cradock.
Rahsaan Patterson
Heroes & Gods
The veteran R&B artist's sixth album contains several of his best originals and a fine Luther Vandross cover.
Raphael Saadiq
Jimmy Lee
The R&B giant breaks from background work to make the most riveting and autobiographical LP of his career.
Sault
5
Potent mix of psychedelic soul, Afro-beat, funk, and post-punk from figures behind 2010s triumphs by the likes of Michael Kiwanuka and Little Simz.
Shafiq Husayn
The Loop
Nearly a decade in the making, a set of uplifting and progressive R&B made with Erykah Badu, Bilal, Thundercat, and Anderson .Paak, among dozens more.
Solange
When I Get Home
The singer and songwriter follows her deeply pained, chart-topping third album with a luxuriant joy ride.
Steve Lacy
Apollo XXI
Brave and playful debut of the Grammy-nominated Internet member, who was on numerous Top Ten albums by his 21st birthday.
Sudan Archives
Athena
The Stones Throw violinist, singer, songwriter, and producer follows two EPs with an even richer first album.
Summer Walker
Over It
The rising R&B artist's first true album (following a mixtape) is another perceptive and unguarded set of slow jams and ballads.
Tank and the Bangas
Green Balloon
The seasoned R&B band's colorful and generous major-label debut, following their NPR Tiny Desk Contest victory.
Taylor McFerrin
Love's Last Chance
Casually affecting and more song-oriented second album from the R+R=Now member.
The O'Jays
The Last Word
The studio farewell from Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, and Eric Grant favorably emulates their '70s peak on Philadelphia International.
Velvet Negroni
Neon Brown
The project's haunting debut album delivers R&B at its moodiest and most experimental.
Zo!
FourFront
Lorenzo Ferguson's fourth Foreign Exchange LP freshly refines his first three, featuring new collaborators Devin Morrison and Madison McFerrin.
