20 R&B Albums You Must Own

A true collector's playlist needs these game-changing LPs.

20 R&B Albums You Must Own - For the past 70 years, R&B has been the bedrock for American popular music, giving rise to cultural shifting genres from Rock n Roll to Hip Hop. But to know the history of the music is listen to the artists who've shifted the landscape, changed the paradigm and absolutely rewrote the rules. Here's a look at the LPs you should possess to experience the greats who've shaped the sound of rhythm & blues.

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20 R&B Albums You Must Own - For the past 70 years, R&B has been the bedrock for American popular music, giving rise to cultural shifting genres from Rock n Roll to Hip Hop. But to know the history of the music is listen to the artists who've shifted the landscape, changed the paradigm and absolutely rewrote the rules. Here's a look at the LPs you should possess to experience the greats who've shaped the sound of rhythm & blues.

Michael Jackson –Thriller (1982) - With the help of producer Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson crafted this genre-defying masterpiece which catapulted him from R&B superstar to ground/record-breaking global phenomenon and absolute King of Pop. From the danceable "Billie Jean" to the rock-influenced "Beat It" to the ghoulish title track, the Gloved One not only scored smash hits, but used the tracks to pioneer the use of music video as a means of visually pushing the interpretation of pop music.  (Photo: Epic Records)

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Michael Jackson –Thriller (1982) - With the help of producer Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson crafted this genre-defying masterpiece which catapulted him from R&B superstar to ground/record-breaking global phenomenon and absolute King of Pop. From the danceable "Billie Jean" to the rock-influenced "Beat It" to the ghoulish title track, the Gloved One not only scored smash hits, but used the tracks to pioneer the use of music video as a means of visually pushing the interpretation of pop music.  (Photo: Epic Records)

R. Kelly –12 Play (1993) - R. Kelly's solo debut after his stint with the group Public Announcement, this LP marked the post-new jack swing era of the raunchy male soul singer. The six-times platinum album combined rhythmically thick, sultry tracks with brutally forward lyrics for hits like "Bump n' Grind," "Your Body's Callin'" and "Sex Me." While singer Aaron Hall gave birth to Kells, Kelly's 12 Play gave birth to today's hitmakers, from The-Dream to Trey Songz.  (Photo: Jive Records)

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R. Kelly –12 Play (1993) - R. Kelly's solo debut after his stint with the group Public Announcement, this LP marked the post-new jack swing era of the raunchy male soul singer. The six-times platinum album combined rhythmically thick, sultry tracks with brutally forward lyrics for hits like "Bump n' Grind," "Your Body's Callin'" and "Sex Me." While singer Aaron Hall gave birth to Kells, Kelly's 12 Play gave birth to today's hitmakers, from The-Dream to Trey Songz.  (Photo: Jive Records)

Mary J. Blige –What’s The 411? (1992) - Upon the release of her debut LP, Mary J. Blige not only ushered in a new R&B subgenre — hip hop soul — but she instantly became the queen of it. Masterfully weaving smooth hip hop samples into the sweet and unpolished melody of Blige's voice, What's the 411 gave voice to the soul of a girl next door from the PJs, with hits like "You Remind Me" and "Real Love."  (Photo: Uptown, MCA Records)

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Mary J. Blige –What’s The 411? (1992) - Upon the release of her debut LP, Mary J. Blige not only ushered in a new R&B subgenre — hip hop soul — but she instantly became the queen of it. Masterfully weaving smooth hip hop samples into the sweet and unpolished melody of Blige's voice, What's the 411 gave voice to the soul of a girl next door from the PJs, with hits like "You Remind Me" and "Real Love."  (Photo: Uptown, MCA Records)

D'Angelo – Brown Sugar (1995) - D'Angelo pulled from influences such as Prince, KRS-One and Marvin Gaye to shape this classic disc that single-handedly gave birth to R&B's neo-soul movement of the mid-'90s. Hazy head-nodding snares and kicks twisted around D's simmering jazz-inflected keyboard work for hits like "Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine" and "S--t, Damn, Motherf----r." (Photo: EMI)

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D'Angelo – Brown Sugar (1995) - D'Angelo pulled from influences such as Prince, KRS-One and Marvin Gaye to shape this classic disc that single-handedly gave birth to R&B's neo-soul movement of the mid-'90s. Hazy head-nodding snares and kicks twisted around D's simmering jazz-inflected keyboard work for hits like "Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine" and "S--t, Damn, Motherf----r." (Photo: EMI)

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Sly and the Family Stone –There’s a Riot Going On (1971) - This legendary LP was titled in response to Marvin Gaye's monumental 1971 album What's Going On. Rejecting the genre-melding anthemic sound his group produced years prior, Sly explored the quiet, more introspective and drug-induced side of his music with classics like "Family Affair," Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa" and "Spaced Cowboy."   (Photo: Epic Records)

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Sly and the Family Stone –There’s a Riot Going On (1971) - This legendary LP was titled in response to Marvin Gaye's monumental 1971 album What's Going On. Rejecting the genre-melding anthemic sound his group produced years prior, Sly explored the quiet, more introspective and drug-induced side of his music with classics like "Family Affair," Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa" and "Spaced Cowboy."   (Photo: Epic Records)

Parliament – Mothership Connection (1975) - On the trailblazing album Chocolate City, George Clinton and his funk mob put Black folks in the White House. But on this phenomenal 1975 LP, they put them in outer space, jumpstarted the P-Funk mythology and reconstructed the sound of funky R&B. Classic cuts like "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" and "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" stretched the rhythmic possibilities of rhythm and blues, taking the notion of "The One" to cartoonish heights and influencing everyone from Cameo to Prince to Dr. Dre and OutKast in its aftermath.  (Photo: Mercury Records)

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Parliament – Mothership Connection (1975) - On the trailblazing album Chocolate City, George Clinton and his funk mob put Black folks in the White House. But on this phenomenal 1975 LP, they put them in outer space, jumpstarted the P-Funk mythology and reconstructed the sound of funky R&B. Classic cuts like "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" and "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" stretched the rhythmic possibilities of rhythm and blues, taking the notion of "The One" to cartoonish heights and influencing everyone from Cameo to Prince to Dr. Dre and OutKast in its aftermath.  (Photo: Mercury Records)

Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life (1976) - The two-disc LP is not only considered Stevie Wonder's most ambitious album it is also considered his best. The 10 million-seller displayed the pop music trailblazer's mastery of genre, crafting hits with big band jazz ("Sir Duke"), socially-conscious classical ("Village Ghetto Land") and spiritually-awashed dance cuts ("As"). Not to mention, pop mega-stars from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston to Mariah Carey cite the LP as an influence.  (Photo: Tamla)

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Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life (1976) - The two-disc LP is not only considered Stevie Wonder's most ambitious album it is also considered his best. The 10 million-seller displayed the pop music trailblazer's mastery of genre, crafting hits with big band jazz ("Sir Duke"), socially-conscious classical ("Village Ghetto Land") and spiritually-awashed dance cuts ("As"). Not to mention, pop mega-stars from Michael Jackson to Whitney Houston to Mariah Carey cite the LP as an influence.  (Photo: Tamla)

Lauryn Hill –The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) - At a time when Black music was expressing an overwhelming fascination with wealth, materialism and male bravado, Lauryn Hill dropped this phenomenon of an LP. Blending the sounds of R&B, neo-soul, hip hop, reggae and jazz, Miseducation unleashed hits like "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and "Everything Is Everything." Lauryn's accoustic approach to R&B and hip hop helped open the door for neo-soul stars like Alicia Keys and India.Arie.    (Photo: Columbia Records)

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Lauryn Hill –The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) - At a time when Black music was expressing an overwhelming fascination with wealth, materialism and male bravado, Lauryn Hill dropped this phenomenon of an LP. Blending the sounds of R&B, neo-soul, hip hop, reggae and jazz, Miseducation unleashed hits like "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and "Everything Is Everything." Lauryn's accoustic approach to R&B and hip hop helped open the door for neo-soul stars like Alicia Keys and India.Arie.    (Photo: Columbia Records)

Live at the Apollo - After scoring several hit singles with the Famous Flames, including "Please, Please, Please" (1956), "Try Me" (1958) and "Night Train" (1962), James Brown bankrolls a live recording of his performance at the famous Apollo Theater. Convincing a reluctant Syd Nathan, head of King Records, to back a live LP, James releases his first album Live at the Apollo in 1963. The LP becomes an instant hit. (Photo: Polydor Records) 

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James Brown – Live at the Apollo (1963) - Released in 1962, this live performance LP of James Brown's hits pushed him into mainstream prominence and sales, introducing the nation to the Godfather's brand new bag of gritty R&B. Hits such as "Think" and "Please, Please, Please" prepared the world for the arrival of Brown's revolutionary subgenre of R&B called "funk."  (Photo: Polydor Records)

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Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On? (1971) - Just as deep as the master-crafted music on this 1971 LP is the well-known story behind it: Marvin Gaye, affected by stories of his brother fighting in the Vietnam War, tells Motown head Berry Gordy he wants to do a protest album. The result was this concept LP, which tackles issues from the controversial war to racial discrimination to drug abuse.  (Photo: Motown)

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Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On? (1971) - Just as deep as the master-crafted music on this 1971 LP is the well-known story behind it: Marvin Gaye, affected by stories of his brother fighting in the Vietnam War, tells Motown head Berry Gordy he wants to do a protest album. The result was this concept LP, which tackles issues from the controversial war to racial discrimination to drug abuse.  (Photo: Motown)

Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston (1985) - Whitney Houston's self-titled debut wasn't just a runaway smash, it redefined the post-Donna Summer era of the Black female megastar. Upbeat R&B-light pop jams like "How Will I Know" and sanguine love songs like "Saving All My Love for You," while capturing the heart of America, laid the groundwork for future pop divas from Mariah Carey to Beyoncé.

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Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston (1985) - Whitney Houston's self-titled debut wasn't just a runaway smash, it redefined the post-Donna Summer era of the Black female megastar. Upbeat R&B-light pop jams like "How Will I Know" and sanguine love songs like "Saving All My Love for You," while capturing the heart of America, laid the groundwork for future pop divas from Mariah Carey to Beyoncé.

Prince – Purple Rain (1984) - Call this Prince's Thriller, a rock and pop music disc that sent the funky R&B bad boy into pop culture's stratosphere. Where MJ's magnum opus was catapulted by music videos, Prince's 13 million-seller was launched by a hit film starring, who else, himself. Every single from "Let's Go Crazy" to the title track hit the charts and became a part of American music history.    (Photo: Warner Bros)

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Prince – Purple Rain (1984) - Call this Prince's Thriller, a rock and pop music disc that sent the funky R&B bad boy into pop culture's stratosphere. Where MJ's magnum opus was catapulted by music videos, Prince's 13 million-seller was launched by a hit film starring, who else, himself. Every single from "Let's Go Crazy" to the title track hit the charts and became a part of American music history.    (Photo: Warner Bros)

Isaac Hayes – Shaft Soundtrack (1971) - Isaac Hayes's score for the groundbreaking Black film both announced the arrival of the blaxploitation movie era and the soundtrack as a new way to package R&B. The funky, orchestrated "Theme From Shaft" helped land Hayes the first Oscar awarded to a Black musician for a soundtrack.  (Photo: EastWest Records)

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Isaac Hayes – Shaft Soundtrack (1971) - Isaac Hayes's score for the groundbreaking Black film both announced the arrival of the blaxploitation movie era and the soundtrack as a new way to package R&B. The funky, orchestrated "Theme From Shaft" helped land Hayes the first Oscar awarded to a Black musician for a soundtrack.  (Photo: EastWest Records)

Rick James – Street Songs (1981) - In 1981, Rick James took P-Funk's theory of "The One" and merged it with disco and a punk rock attitude to push funk music (or "punk funk" as Rick called it) into the mainstream. While the platinum album spawned dance classics like "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak," it also tackled issues of poverty ("Ghetto Life") and police brutality ("Mr. Police Man"). Via Rick James, MC Hammer would take funk's musical child hip hop to pop heaven, sampling "Super Freak" for the smash hit "Can't Touch This." (Photo: Gordy Records)

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Rick James – Street Songs (1981) - In 1981, Rick James took P-Funk's theory of "The One" and merged it with disco and a punk rock attitude to push funk music (or "punk funk" as Rick called it) into the mainstream. While the platinum album spawned dance classics like "Give It to Me Baby" and "Super Freak," it also tackled issues of poverty ("Ghetto Life") and police brutality ("Mr. Police Man"). Via Rick James, MC Hammer would take funk's musical child hip hop to pop heaven, sampling "Super Freak" for the smash hit "Can't Touch This." (Photo: Gordy Records)

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Guy – Guy (1988) - The hip hop generation's answer to the Gap Band, Guy broke ground for R&B's new sound and attitude with their self-titled debut album. Teddy Riley's mixture of James Brown-ish funk, hip hop and go-go ushered in the new jack swing era via this double platinum disc, which yielded classics like "Groove Me" and "I Like." Not to mention, lead singer Aaron Hall's vocal style and blunt lyrics paved the path for the arrival of R. Kelly.  (Photo: Uptown Records)

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Guy – Guy (1988) - The hip hop generation's answer to the Gap Band, Guy broke ground for R&B's new sound and attitude with their self-titled debut album. Teddy Riley's mixture of James Brown-ish funk, hip hop and go-go ushered in the new jack swing era via this double platinum disc, which yielded classics like "Groove Me" and "I Like." Not to mention, lead singer Aaron Hall's vocal style and blunt lyrics paved the path for the arrival of R. Kelly.  (Photo: Uptown Records)

Curtis Mayfield – Superfly Soundtrack (1972) - Aside from being the iconic soundtrack to a classic blaxploitation film, Curtis Mayfield raised the stakes by turning his movie score into a social concept album. While Superfly glorified narcotics hustling and drug-taking on the big screen, Curtis exposed the dark side of that life via funky classics such as the title cut, "Freddie's Dead" and "Pusherman." (Photo: Curtom Records)

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Curtis Mayfield – Superfly Soundtrack (1972) - Aside from being the iconic soundtrack to a classic blaxploitation film, Curtis Mayfield raised the stakes by turning his movie score into a social concept album. While Superfly glorified narcotics hustling and drug-taking on the big screen, Curtis exposed the dark side of that life via funky classics such as the title cut, "Freddie's Dead" and "Pusherman." (Photo: Curtom Records)

Aretha Franklin – Lady Soul (1968) - A year after her breakthrough success with the female anthem "Respect," Aretha Franklin became the undeniable queen of soul with the release of this platinum-selling album. With the help of producer Jerry Wexler, Aretha offered up soaring R&B mainstays like "Chain of Fools," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and the emotionally-packed "Ain't No Way."  (Photo: Atlantic Records)

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Aretha Franklin – Lady Soul (1968) - A year after her breakthrough success with the female anthem "Respect," Aretha Franklin became the undeniable queen of soul with the release of this platinum-selling album. With the help of producer Jerry Wexler, Aretha offered up soaring R&B mainstays like "Chain of Fools," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and the emotionally-packed "Ain't No Way."  (Photo: Atlantic Records)

Janet Jackson – Control (1986) - Janet Jackson's first collaboration with producer-songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Control's electronic blend of R&B, funk, disco, pop, dance and synth percussion made the singer and her collaborators innovators of rhythm and blues. Hits off the LP included "Nasty," "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "When I Think of You."(Photo: A&M Records)

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Janet Jackson – Control (1986) - Janet Jackson's first collaboration with producer-songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Control's electronic blend of R&B, funk, disco, pop, dance and synth percussion made the singer and her collaborators innovators of rhythm and blues. Hits off the LP included "Nasty," "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "When I Think of You."(Photo: A&M Records)

Jodeci – Forever My Lady (1991) - While Boyz II Men offered a non-threatening, palatable-for-mainstream idea of a boy band, Jodeci, via their debut disc, offered soul packaged in urban swag and hip hop edge with classic ballads like the title song. After Jodeci, it became almost a prerequisite for Black boy bands to have street appeal.  (Photo: Uptown Records)

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Jodeci – Forever My Lady (1991) - While Boyz II Men offered a non-threatening, palatable-for-mainstream idea of a boy band, Jodeci, via their debut disc, offered soul packaged in urban swag and hip hop edge with classic ballads like the title song. After Jodeci, it became almost a prerequisite for Black boy bands to have street appeal.  (Photo: Uptown Records)

Ray Charles – Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962) - Ray's fifth release for major label ABC-Paramount, this commercially unorthodox LP showed the soul music innovator melding Black gospel with country music and pushing the white-associated genre further into the mainstream. Southern ditties like "Bye Bye Love" and "I Can't Stop Loving You" were given a bluesy-pop tint with Ray's vocal interpretation. While turning him into a household name, the LP also pushed Black R&B artists — from Stevie Wonder to Cee-Lo — to push creative boundaries.  (Photo: ABC, Paramount)

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Ray Charles – Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962) - Ray's fifth release for major label ABC-Paramount, this commercially unorthodox LP showed the soul music innovator melding Black gospel with country music and pushing the white-associated genre further into the mainstream. Southern ditties like "Bye Bye Love" and "I Can't Stop Loving You" were given a bluesy-pop tint with Ray's vocal interpretation. While turning him into a household name, the LP also pushed Black R&B artists — from Stevie Wonder to Cee-Lo — to push creative boundaries.  (Photo: ABC, Paramount)