rhythm and blues

[ rith-uhm uhn blooz ]

noun

1. a folk-based but urbanized form of Black popular music that is marked by strong, repetitious rhythms and simple melodies and was developed, in a commercialized form, into rock-'n'-roll.

rhythm and blues

noun

1. functioning as singular any of various kinds of popular music derived from or influenced by the blues R & B

Word History and Origins

Origin of rhythm and blues¹

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50

Example Sentences

“To me, it was just great music. And it was mixed with the rhythm and blues. Between hearing the rhythm and blues and the bluegrass, I always wanted to put ‘em together.”

From Los Angeles Times

Fans of New Orleans rhythm and blues artists will be watching to see if the legendary group performs “Time Is On My Side,” which was an early hit for the band.

From Seattle Times

He never learned to read or score music, but he had a strong ear for pop idioms, including country, jazz, and rhythm and blues.

From New York Times

"Muscle Shoals, being between those two places, has been able to combine those two styles into a real Southern rhythm and blues that was very appealing."

From BBC

But rock music was born in New Orleans, where African and Caribbean rhythms evolved into jazz, and rhythm and blues.

From Seattle Times