Meaning & use
RnB
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountablemusic
A style of popular music mixing soulful singing, strong rhythm and elements of blues and pop.
Grammar: Uncountable: I like R&B.
Patterns
- R&B singer
- R&B song
She grew up singing R&B in church.
The radio station plays R&B all evening.
Modern R&B often uses electronic beats.
noununcountablemusic
An earlier form of black American popular music from the 1940s and 1950s that combined blues and jazz with a driving beat.
Grammar: Uncountable; refers to the older style.
Patterns
- classic R&B
Early R&B laid the groundwork for rock and roll.
The band plays classic R&B from the 1950s.
He collects old R&B records.
Common combinations
- R&B singer
- The R&B singer won a prize.
- contemporary R&B
- She prefers contemporary R&B to country.
- R&B track
- This R&B track is on every playlist.
- R&B artist
- The R&B artist released an album.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: RnB or rap?
RnB vs rap
Rap is spoken rhythmic lyrics over a beat, while R&B stresses melodic singing.
Practice
R&B is short for what?
Choose one answer.
R&B stands for rhythm and blues. The other expansions are not what the abbreviation means.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “RnB”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.