Nineteen Fifty-Six Vol. 3 Issue 1

JOLENCIA JONES
ALWAYS
and
FOREVER
MUSIC’S INFLUENCE
ON LOVE
Music has been a staple in the Black community
for centuries. Imagine songs like Never Too
Much by Luther Vandross, All My Life by K-Ci
& Jojo, Love on Top by Beyonce, Let It Burn by Jasmine
Sullivan, or Best Part by Daniel Caesar & HER. The love
is described so passionately in these songs but why have
artists stopped singing as passionately about the topic
than before? How has music influenced love in the Black
community?
Some of the most consumed music within the Black
community is hip-hop and R&B. According to Billboard,
hip-hop and R&B have been dominating the US market
since 2017. As music continues to evolve, the topics explored
have become less emotional but more explicit. Different
genres invoke different emotions. R&B music tends to
cover a range of topics, from love, lust, heartbreak, grief
and anger. In recent years R&B has shifted to a genre of
less passion and more apathy towards love. No one wants
to get played but everyone wants to be the player. In 2004
80% of songs that topped the chart were classified as R&B
but from 2005 to 2013, R&B sales declined. The current
wave of mainstream R&B demonstrates that love does not
have to be expressed in a passionate way anymore.
With a recent increase in artists deeming themselves
“toxic” and the promotion of toxic relationships, R&B has
a different feel. However, current artists are not the only
ones with toxic lyrics. R&B has always had a mix of toxic
songs in the mix of passionate love songs. Rappers and
singers are more inclined to be straightforward with their
feelings today rather than disguising them in metaphors
like previous years. This also could be because songs
do not necessarily need to be radio friendly to become
popular. With streaming taking over, it is easier for music
to be accessible which means people are more inclined to
express themselves explicitly.
Hip-hop, a genre that has always been known for its
aggressive and explicit manner. Often being used for
hypersexuality and violence, also has instances of love.
However, love is often described as a struggle. Most
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