Billboard crowns Stevie Wonder 'Best R&B Artist of All Time'
R&B lovers had a lot to say about where their favourite artists featured on Billboard's list.
Music icon Stevie Wonder has been crowned the 'King of R&B'.
Billboard released its list of '75 Best R&B Artists of All Time', and the 'Isn't She Lovely' singer came out tops.
While social media users thought Wonder was a worthy winner, many weren't impressed with where some of their favourites appeared.
Usher and Chris Brown, whose success and influence are often compared to Michael Jackson's, didn't even crack the top 10.
Fans noted that Faith Evans, known for hits such as 'I'll Be Missing You', and Grammy-nominated artist Kelly Price didn't even make the list.
The list started strong, with Ruth Brown, Summer Walker, Etta James, Jackie Wilson, Keyshia Cole, and 'Focus' singer H.E.R. claiming spots 70-75.
Singer-songwriter Tank reacted to coming in at #67 on his Instagram page.
"I see these kinds of things and refuse to get emotional... lol. I'm really a MONSTER and I'll leave it at that," he wrote.
Keith Sweat, Musiq Soulchild, Anthony Hamilton, Ashanti and Ne-Yo were also featured in the 60s.
Lauryn Hill was #48, behind The Weekend, Rihanna, D’Angelo, SZA, Barry White, Brandy, and Aaliyah, who were all in the top 40.
Brown, aka Breezy, came in at #26.
"Breezy’s engaging four-octave range and smooth dance moves drew comparisons to Michael Jackson as he’s since evolved into one of music’s premier all-around entertainers," Billboard said about the 'No Guidance' hitmaker.
"The Virginia native also continues to churn out hits with ease: 17 Hot 100 top 10s to be exact, not to mention 118 total entries and counting on the chart."
Usher didn't crack the top 10, but he came pretty close. The 'Confessions' singer was 12th.
"The ultimate triple-threat entertainer, Usher personified the gold standard of R&B hitmaking in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, with songs like 'You Make Me Wanna', 'U Remind Me' and ‘U Got It Bad.'”
In 2024. Rolling Stone magazine named Usher's 'Confessions Part II' the greatest R&B song of the 21st century.
Here's a look at the top 10:
10. Marvin Gaye
9. R. Kelly
8. Mariah Carey
7. Prince
6. James Brown
5. Whitney Houston
4. Beyoncé
3. Michael Jackson
2. Aretha Franklin
1. Stevie Wonder
Fantasia, Tevin Campbell, Joe, Jill Scott, John Legend, Bobby Brown, Maxwell, Frank Ocean, Toni Braxton, Babyface, Alicia Keys, Lionel Richie and Diana Ross were also named among the 75.
There were mixed reactions to the list online. "Rihanna above Fantasia?" one Instagram user asked.
"Mariah at #8? You must be kidding me 🙄," another user scoffed.
A third person said, "Except for R. Kelly being here, I am not that mad at this list. I would obviously love if Mariah was higher on the list, but I am not going to be upset over a list."
Check out Billboard's complete 'Best R&B Artists of All Time' list here.
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Main image credit: Instagram/@beyonce, @mariahcarey; YouTube/ Stevie Wonder