Press play: The best R&B songs of 2024

Leon Thomas hasn’t missed a beat since releasing his previous album Electric Dusk back in 2023. The singer returned this year with his lead single "Mutt" from the album of the same name. Thomas blends sounds of R&B and funk on the record as he looks to try his hand at love again, but his potential partner wants him to be patient. Thomas has mentioned in interviews previously that “Mutt” also found inspiration with how some behaviors can be compared to his dog. 

Coco Jones describes how love can be toxic in her single “Here We Go (Uh Oh).” Using a sample of Lenny Williams’ 1975 track “‘Cause I Love You,” Jones describes how an ex-lover always seems to try to re-enter her life every time she moves onto someone new. It’s evident in the first verse as she sings, “How come when I see your name on my lock screen / I know what that means / I was rolling in his bed, you was rent free in my head / I thought I was done with that lease, please.” 

If there’s one artist who’s going to make sure people are going to appreciate different eras of R&B while putting his own spin on it, then that’s Kenyon Dixon. This year, he released his latest EP The R&B You Love: For the ‘99 and the 2000s, which featured his smooth single “Still.” On the upbeat bop, Dixon finds himself reminiscing about a former lover. As he sings in the first verse, “Been searching ever since / Tryna find something new / Every road I take / Just leads me back to you.” 

Over the last few years, Muni Long has established herself as a master who can capture love and relationships through her lyrics. It was no different in her single “Ruined Me,” in which she describes the aftermath of a breakup and the difficulty she’ll face in a future relationship. As she sings on the hook, “After you, I’ll probably never love again / This kind of heartbreak don’t ever end / Baby, you ruined me.”

When Chlöe released her sophomore album Trouble in Paradise, her track “Temporarily Single” became an instant favorite with fans. Using a sample of Tyrese’s 1999 single “Lately,” Chlöe uses the track to describe the entanglements of infidelity and being pleased by someone else other than her partner. As she sings on the hook, “Love me in the ways that he couldn’t, babe / Touch me in ways that he can’t / I don’t think that we doing nothing wrong / ‘Cause for right now, I don’t have a man / Temporarily, yeah I’m single, babe.”

Lucky Daye is encouraging his new partner to have a different outlook on love on his single “Think Different.” On the track, he knows that his partner has certain views of him based on past relationships, but he knows he’s not like any of her ex-partners. As he says on the pre-hook, “And I know you’ll expect guys like me to let you run out / You gonna find out you found your real one that’s true, hold you down.” 

Just two years since releasing her debut album Hypnos, Ravyn Lenae returned with her follow-up Bird’s Eye. She teamed up with Childish Gambino on the single “One Wish,” a track that was inspired by her rocky relationship with her father and how he would make promises but wouldn’t always show up for her. 

October London continues to answer the phone on his single “She Keeps Calling.” On the track, London describes how much a lover has a hold on him and whenever she calls, he keeps coming back to her. As he sings on the hook, “She keeps calling me and I go / Although she takes from me, I follow / She gave me a key to her door / Now she got me coming back for more.” 

Victoria Monét's star just keeps on ascending since the release of her 2023 album Jaguar II. In 2024, she decided to gift fans with a deluxe version and dropped the single “SOS (Sex on Sight)” to support it. She teams up with R&B heartthrob Usher on the track as they describe their desire for a night of lovemaking. Monét is ready for action as she sings, “I’m way too sexy to be alone / Wanna show you what type of time that I’m on.” 

The vocal chemistry between Destin Conrad and Alex Isley is a dreamy match made in heaven on their single “Same Mistake.” On the track, Conrad gives the perspective of a person who wants a love to work, but perhaps their potential partner doesn’t feel the same way. Case in point, he doesn’t want to keep making the “same mistake” he’s made before in relationships. 

British girl group FLO samples Teena Marie’s track “Portuguese Love” on their single “AAA.” On the track, the group sings about their desire for a night of pleasure with a lover. As they sing on the hook, “So let’s explore / Come take a tour / Access all areas / Tonight, it’s yours."

Tinashe asks the question, “Is somebody gonna match my freak?” on her hit single “Nasty.” On the track, the singer is all about finding someone who’s just as sexual as she is, someone who can match her stamina and technique. “Nasty” peaked at No. 15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. 

Back in 2023, songwriter James Fauntleroy was a guest on the R&B Money podcast with hosts Tank and J. Valentine. During their discussion, Fauntelory mentioned that he would like to work on an album with Mario. Fast forward to this year, and he worked with Mario on his single “Space.” On the track, Mario is ready to invite a potential lover into his space so they can spend some much-needed time together. 

It seems like fans were waiting for forever for Normani to drop her debut album, well, they finally got their wish when she releaead Dopamine. She teamed up with rapper Gunna on her lead single “1:59” in which they trade verses about two people being attracted to each other and their sexual desires waiting to be fulfilled. 

Lehla Samia is happy she found the right partner on her track “Proud to Be Your Girl.” Produced and written by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, the track finds Samia praising her partner for treating her like no other. As she says on the track, “Swear they don’t make ‘em like you / There’s no one like you / I hope you feel the same as I do, it’s true.” 

With a career spanning over three decades, Usher has already established himself as the king of R&B. Once it was announced that he was performing at this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, he also announced his newest album Coming Home. Usher teamed up with Afrobeats star Pheelz on the single “Ruin,” a track in which the singer is hoping for closure after a failed relationship so he can navigate the single life with more clarity. 

Kehlani’s track “Know Better” was first leaked in 2019 and fans were ecstatic to find out that the singer was adding it to their mixtape While We Wait 2. Joined by Lil Mo and Vince Staples, Kehlani uses the track to describe how there’s an attraction between her and a potential partner, but they’re keeping things somewhat steady with the playing field. 

Just four years after his previous studio album Anniversary, Bryson Tiller returned with his self-titled fourth album. In his single "Whatever She Wants," Tiller gives the perspective of a man who continues to spoil his lover with lavish gifts, even if she doesn't always deserve it. "Whatever She Wants" became a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. 

SZA speaks for anyone who’s felt like they needed to get away to another place on her single “Saturn.” On the track, SZA reflects on feeling tired of being in the same space with the hope of something new. As she sings on the pre-hook, “Stuck in this paradigm / Don’t believe in paradise / This must be what Hell is like / There’s got to be more, got to be more.” 

Over the last few years, Blxst has been establishing his presence in the R&B world by releasing several EPs. However, this year, he finally released his debut album I’ll Always Come Find You, which featured the Anderson .Paak-assisted single “Dance With the Devil.” On the track, Blxst and .Paak highlight the ups and downs of dealing with temptation for a lover.

Five years after releasing his sophomore album Free Spirit, Khalid returned with this third album Sincere. On the brink of releasing his single “Ground,” Khalid took to Instagram to explain the inspiration behind the song, “Ground is finally getting released tonight. Years ago, through moments of uncertainty, I really began to question what my purpose was as an artist. I started my own personal journey through psychedelics in 2021 and I’ll never forget the moment this song came to my mind. Just like the random mountain I climbed in Arizona, life is an uphill battle. As beautiful as the top may seem, I’m so happy to embrace the ground that I walk on.” 

In Leon Bridges’ single “That’s What I Love,” the crooner reflects on the things that bring him happiness. He mentions everything such as jewelry, denim, Bourbon, and summer nights in his home state of Texas. 

As fans eagerly wait for Summer Walker to release her third album Finally Over It, the singer dropped the lead single "Heart Of A Woman." The track is reminiscent of that smooth '90s R&B production as she lyrically highlights the complexities of being in a relationship. As she sings in the first verse, "Question is, why I do the things I do? / Answer I may never find, but I'll always choose you / Wanna give up on you but, damn, I know I can't / I put the blame on me for giving you chance after chance."

Oakland native Adrian Marcel is making sure that he’s establishing his “R&Bay” sound on his latest EP R&Bay SZN. In his single “Lovin Me,” Marcel reflects on his relationship with his partner and knows that he’s meant to spend the rest of his life with her. As he sings in the first verse, “With you, I feel paradise / You give me butterflies / Still, I can’t help wondering / Through all your sacrifice, you stood by my side.”

The smooth vocals from U.K. singer Nippa and the laidback energy from Bay Area rapper Larry June make for the perfect pairing on their single "Sugar." On the track, Nippa and June trade verses to describe how a lover is making them feel and how much they want to spend time with them.