Spotify is shaking the table and sparking heated debates with its latest music ranking list.
An extension of Spotify CLASSICS, their first-ever program to celebrate catalog music launched last February, the music streaming giant ranked the top 100 R&B songs of the Streaming Era.
For its criteria, Spotify defines “the Streaming Era” as the timeframe from 2015 to the present day, including songs released on or after January 1, 2015. Though the list comes from the top streaming platform, the selections here were not based on streaming numbers. Instead, Spotify’s U.S. Editorial team and their Creative Director, Head of Urban Music Carl Chery curated a list based on “quality, impact, replay value, influence, and cultural significance,” according to their official blog.
R&B has notably morphed into a different sound from the early aughts to the 2010’s, and even more as music and streaming have transitioned into the 2020’s. As such, this list features a variety of sonic profiles and influences that fall under the R&B umbrella, with multiple entries from artists like Beyoncé, The Internet, Jazmine Sullivan, Steve Lacy, Summer Walker, Masego, Lucky Daye, Brent Faiyaz, SZA, Jhene Aiko, and Frank Ocean, among others. Check out Spotify’s top twenty R&B Songs of the streaming era below:
20. Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
19. Summer Walker – “Girls Need Love”
18. Miguel ft. J. Cole – “Come Through and Chill”
17. SZA – “Good Days”
16. Beyoncé – “Formation”
15. The Weeknd – “Die For You”
14. Daniel Caesar – “Get You”
13. Ella Mai – “Boo’d Up”
12. SZA – “The Weekend”
11. Childish Gambino – “Redbone”
10. Chris Brown ft. Drake – “No Guidance”
9. Jazmine Sullivan – “Pick Up Your Feelings”
8. Rihanna – “Needed Me”
7. Summer Walker – “Session 32”
6. Solange – “Cranes in the Sky”
5. Bryson Tiller – “Don’t”
4. Beyoncé – “CUFF IT”
3. Daniel Caesar and H.E.R. – “Best Part”
2. Frank Ocean – “Pink + White”
1. SZA – “Snooze”
Did your favorite make the top ten? Check out the rest of the list below, and listen to your faves (and selections you may not be as familiar with) on the list HERE. Let the debates begin…
100. Mahalia ft. Ella Mai – “What You Did”
99. Libianca – “People”
98. Lucky Daye ft. Alex Isley, Masego & Jack Dine – “Good & Plenty (Remix)”
97. PJ Morton ft. JoJo – “Say So”
96. Kali Uchis – “Moonlight”
95. SiR – “D’Evils”
94. Sampha – “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”
93. Ravyn Lenae ft. Steve Lacy – “Skin Tight”
92. Yebba – “Distance”
91. Tiana Major9 ft. EARTHGANG – “Collide”
90. Thundercat – “Them Changes”
89. Kelela “LMK”
88. Oxlade – “KU LO SA”
87. Kehlani ft. Masego – “Hate the Club”
86. Janelle Monae – “Only Have Eyes 42”
85. Snoh Aalegra – “I Want You Around”
84. Ro James – “Permission”
83. Ty Dolla $ign ft. Musiq Soulchild, Tish Hyman & 6LACK – “Your Turn”
82. Masego ft. FKJ – “Tadow”
81. Jacquees – “B.E.D.”
80. Khalid – “Location”
79. Erykah Badu ft. André 3000 – “Hello”
78. Brent Faiyaz – “DEAD MAN WALKING”
77. Solange – “Stay Flo”
76. Steve Lacy ft. Fousheé – “Sunshine”
75. Nao – “Bad Blood”
74. Lucky Daye – “Roll Some Mo”
73. Jazmine Sullivan – “Let It Burn”
72. H.E.R. – “Damage”
71. Chris Brown ft. Wizkid – “Call Me Every Day”
70. DVSN – “Too Deep”
69. Chloe x Halle – “Do It”
68. Snoh Aalegra – “DO 4 LOVE”
67. The Internet – “Special Affair”
66. 6LACK – “PRBLMS”
65. Pink Sweat$ – “Honesty”
64. Jorja Smith – “Blue Lights”
63. Bryson Tiller – “Right My Wrongs”
62. Cleo Sol – “When I’m In Your Arms”
61. Jhene Aiko – “While We’re Young”
60. Tyla – “Water”
59. Kehlani ft. Ty Dolla $ign – “Nights Like This”
58. Bruno Mars – “Finesse”
57. Jeremih – “oui”
56. Brent Faiyaz – “Clouded”
55. H.E.R. ft. Bryson Tiller – “Could’ve Been”
54. The Weeknd – “Earned It”
53. Chris Brown – “Under the Influence”
52. Giveon – “Like I Want You”
51. Teyana Taylor – “Gonna Love Me”
50.Jazmine Sullivan – “Lost One”
49. Steve Lacy – “Dark Red”
48. Ari Lennox – “Shea Butter Baby”
47. SiR – “John Redcorn”
46. Coco Jones – “ICU”
45. Tems – “Higher”
44. Summer Walker ft. SZA – “No Love”
43. Miguel ft. Travis Scott – “Sky Walker”
42. Daniel Caesar – “Japanese Denim”
41. Lucky Daye – “Over”
40. Anderson .Paak – “Am I Wrong” (Prod. Pomo)
39. Brent Faiyaz – “Trust”
38. PARTYNEXTDOOR ft. Drake – “Come and See Me”
37. Muni Long – “Hrs & Hrs”
36. Giveon – “Heartbreak Anniversary”
35. H.E.R. – “Focus”
34. Beyoncé – “VIRGO’S GROOVE”
33. Frank Ocean – “Chanel”
32. Victoria Monét – “On My Mama”
31. Rihanna – “Love on The Brain”
30. SZA – “Broken Clocks”
29. Tems – “Free Mind”
28. Solange ft. Sampha – “Don’t Touch My Hair”
27. The Internet ft. KAYTRANADA – “Girl”
26. Summer Walker ft. Bryson Tiller – “Playing Games”
25. Jhené Aiko ft. Swae Lee – “Sativa”
24. Beyoncé – “Plastic Off the Sofa”
23. Bryson Tiller – “Exchange”
22. SZA ft. Travis Scott – “Love Galore”
21. Wizkid ft. Tems – “Essence”