Bill Withers　

Songwriter/singer/guitarist Bill Withers is best remembered for the classic Lean on Me and his other million-selling singles Ain’t No Sunshine and Use Me, but he has a sizable cache ..more

Tyler the Creator　

The RZA and maybe even GZA of Odd Future, Tyler, The Creator is the alternative rap crew’s main rapper, producer, and source of inspiration. Tyler Okonma got his first taste of fame whe ..more

Alva Noto +Ruyichi Sakamoto　

Sly & The Family Stone　

Sly ＆ the Family Stone harnessed all of the disparate musical and social trends of the late ’60s, creating a wild, brilliant fusion of soul, rock, R＆B, psychedelia, and funk that bro ..more

Sheila E　

During the mid-’80s, Sheila E. was the biggest and brightest of Prince’s protegees, unique in seeming that she could stand toe to toe with the Purple One. Certainly during his post-Revoluti ..more

TLC　

The best-selling female R＆B trio of the decade, TLC stands for T-Boz (b. Tionne Watkins, 26 April, 1970), Lisa Left Eye Lopes (b. 27 May 1971) and Rozonda Chilli Thomas (b. 27 February, 1971). A ..more

Al Green　

Al Green was the first great soul singer of the ’70s and arguably the last great Southern soul singer. With his seductive singles for Hi Records in the early ’70s, Green bridged the gap ..more

Rockie Robbins　

Born Edward W. Robbins, Jr. in Minneapolis, balladeer Rockie Robbins began singing at an early age. Working with famed arranger/producers Richard Evans (Natalie Cole, Peabo Bryson) and ..more

Dr Dre　

More than any other rapper, Dr. Dre was responsible for moving away from the avant-noise and political stance of Public Enemy and Boogie Down Productions as well as the party vibes of old-sch ..more

Kool & The Gang　

Formed as a jazz ensemble in the mid-’60s, Kool ＆ the Gang became one of the most inspired and influential funk units during the ’70s, and one of the most popular R＆B groups of the ’80s af ..more

Maurice White　

Singer/drummer/songwriter/producer Maurice White founded the ’70s supergroup Earth, Wind ＆ Fire. White, a former session drummer for legendary Chicago-based labels OKeh Records and {@Chess ..more

Lil Uzi Vert　

A rapper who grew up on the beats of Marilyn Manson and Kanye’s 808 ＆ Heartbreak, Lil Uzi Vert came out of North Philadelphia with a relaxed style that connected the dots between Young T ..more

Hiatus Kaiyote　

Self-termed future soul band Hiatus Kaiyote -- akin to a progressive neo-soul group with a little left-of-center hip-hop production -- formed in Melbourne, Australia in 2011. Fronted by singer, son ..more

Orbital　

Orbital became one of the biggest names in techno during the mid-’90s by solving the irreconcilable differences previously inherent in the genre： to stay true to the dance underground and, at th ..more

Tom Misch　

London-based producer/singer/songwriter Tom Misch blends hip-hop-inspired beats with smoothly soulful vocals and guitar. The son of an artist and a psychiatrist, he grew up in a home that encourage ..more

Justice　

Sam Cooke　

Sam Cooke was the most important soul singer in history -- he was also the inventor of soul music, and its most popular and beloved performer in both the black and white communities. Equally ..more

Max Richter　

Blending classical, electronic, and rock influences into a style he calls post-classical, composer/programmer Max Richter ignores boundaries in favor of haunting, strangely familiar sounds. This ..more

Erykah Badu　

She grew up listening to ’70s soul and ’80s hip-hop, but Erykah Badu drew more comparisons to Billie Holiday upon her breakout in 1997, after the release of her first album, Baduizm. The groo ..more

Mayer Hawthorne　

A practitioner of his own variety of playful but sincere blue-eyed soul, Mayer Hawthorne is the stage name of eclectic DJ/producer Andrew Cohen. Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan and a onet ..more