Popular R&B: Western Music Artist Rankings [2025]

Good GoodUSHER, Summer Walker, 21 Savage92rank/position

USHER, Summer Walker, 21 Savage – Good Good (Official Music Video)

Usher, the R&B singer who was hugely active in the 2000s.

He’s an R&B singer with a large fanbase in Japan as well.

His collaboration with two artists who are currently thriving in the R&B scene—Summer Walker and 21 Savage—is the track “Good Good.” The track is notable for evoking late-2000s R&B, and while it features many contemporary sounds, it’s crafted with a tone that retains the remnants of the revival boom.

SOS (Sex on Sight)Victoria Monét93rank/position

Victoria Monét, USHER – SOS (Sex on Sight) (feat. USHER) (Audio)

Grammy-nominated, powerhouse singer-songwriter Victoria Monét drops a sexy, playful R&B number.

The American artist has crafted hits for industry heavyweights, including Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next.” For this track, she welcomes R&B icon Usher as a guest, channeling an urgent physical and emotional longing—so intense it’s likened to a rescue from a natural disaster.

Released in August 2024, the song serves as the lead single from the deluxe edition of the album Jaguar II.

Romantic and timeless, it’s a perfect recommendation for anyone nursing a bittersweet end-of-summer crush.

I Will Always Love YouWhitney Houston94rank/position

Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You – Lyrics

When it comes to the pinnacle of R&B ballads that sing of eternal love, this song is indispensable.

Whitney Houston’s overwhelming vocal power and emotional expression can’t help but move every listener.

Captivating people around the world as the theme song for the 1992 film The Bodyguard, it held the number one spot on the Billboard chart for 14 consecutive weeks.

In 1994, it won two Grammy Awards, cementing its status as a truly historic masterpiece.

The lyrics, which portray profound love amid parting, will deeply resonate with anyone experiencing the joys and sorrows of romance.

Land of a Thousand DancesWilson Pickett95rank/position

Land of 1000 Dances

This is a gem of a dance number left by American soul legend Wilson Pickett.

With a voice that explodes with emotion and a dynamic sound, it vividly conjures the heat and excitement of a party crowd dancing themselves into a frenzy.

Featured on the album “The Exciting Wilson Pickett,” it became a major hit upon its 1966 release, topping the R&B chart and reaching No.

6 on the pop chart.

The heavy groove laid down by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and the Memphis Horns underpins Pickett’s powerful vocals.

Featured in the film “The Full Monty” and in Samsung Galaxy commercials, it remains a landmark of dance music beloved across generations.

It’s the perfect track for moments when you want to crank up the energy—at parties, on drives, and beyond.

Love The Way You LieEminem96rank/position

Eminem – Love The Way You Lie ft. Rihanna

This shocking work portrays a destructive love story where sorrow and hatred intersect, powerfully delivered by America’s Eminem and Rihanna.

Released in June 2010 as a single from the album “Recovery,” it dominated music charts worldwide and spent seven consecutive weeks at No.

1 on the U.

S.

Billboard chart.

The song depicts the torn emotions of two people caught in a violent relationship, conveyed through urgent, hard-hitting rap and a poignant yet powerful chorus.

It also encompasses social issues such as abuse and dependency, and the music video features actors Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan delivering soul-stirring performances.

This is a must-listen track for anyone who wants to reexamine the complexities of human relationships and the essence of love.

All of MeJohn Legend97rank/position

John Legend – All of Me (Official Video)

A gem of a ballad that sings of deep love and resonates with everyone.

Released in August 2013 from the album “Love in the Future,” John Legend’s piece is a beautiful song in which piano and vocals intertwine exquisitely, imbued with his feelings for his wife, Chrissy Teigen.

The lyrics, which embrace and celebrate every part of a loved one, speak to many couples and have made it a beloved wedding staple.

Topping the U.

S.

Billboard Hot 100 and selling over 12 million copies worldwide, this heartwarming love song is recommended for a quiet evening spent with someone special.

Uptown Funk ft. Bruno MarsMark Ronson98rank/position

Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars

Speaking of songs that loudly proclaim the revival of 80s disco and funk and became massive hits in the 2010s, it has to be 2014’s “Uptown Funk.” It’s the smash collaboration between music producer Mark Ronson—who has worked on countless albums by major artists since the 2000s and is also active as a solo artist—and hugely popular singer-songwriter Bruno Mars.

The track was a colossal hit worldwide, and in Japan it was even used in commercials, so even those who don’t often listen to Western music have likely heard it at least once.

Its flawless pop sensibility and funkiness need no explanation, and its timeless appeal—so compelling that Akiko Wada, known as the queen of Japanese R&B with a career spanning over 50 years, chose to cover it—transcends eras.