POP & SOUL STYLE

R&B drum patterns.

A laid-back pocket where the snare sits a little late, from Motown backbeats to new jack swing and neo-soul.

124 grooves
1955–2021
5 landmarks

The R&B timeline

18 of 18 grooves

1955
Tutti Frutti Open Tutti Frutti in a new tab
Little Richard
Root: Earl Palmer drums on the New Orleans session; his hard afterbeat became the backbone of R&B and rock and roll
1962
Green Onions Open Green Onions in a new tab
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Stax house band with Al Jackson Jr.: a spare, unshakable backbeat that became the Memphis soul pocket
1965
Landmark
I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)Open I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) in a new tab
Four Tops
Benny Benjamin and James Jamerson lock the driving Motown dance beat; producers would not cut sessions without Benjamin
1965
Landmark
In the Midnight Hour Open In the Midnight Hour in a new tab
Wilson Pickett
Al Jackson Jr.'s delayed backbeat, reworked from the Jerk dance Jerry Wexler showed the band; a defining Stax feel
1967
Respect Open Respect in a new tab
Aretha Franklin
The Muscle Shoals rhythm section drives Aretha's faster rearrangement with a relentless, persistent soul backbeat
1971
What's Going On Open What's Going On in a new tab
Marvin Gaye
Chet Forest's loose drumming doubled by Gaye's own box drum and congas: a softer, percussion-rich soul groove
1971
Let's Stay Together Open Let's Stay Together in a new tab
Al Green
Al Jackson Jr. at Hi Records: a hushed, laid-back pocket that set the sound of 70s Memphis soul balladry
1972
Use Me Open Use Me in a new tab
Bill Withers
James Gadson's drums and percussion weave a busy, intricate rhythm around a repeated bass figure
1981
Never Too Much Open Never Too Much in a new tab
Luther Vandross
Buddy Williams and Marcus Miller's tight post-disco pocket: live-band dance R&B at the start of the 80s
1987
Landmark
I Want Her Open I Want Her in a new tab
Keith Sweat
Co-produced by Teddy Riley and considered the first new jack swing hit: swung, hard-hitting machine drums under R&B
1988
My Prerogative Open My Prerogative in a new tab
Bobby Brown
Teddy Riley's production pushes new jack swing's loud snare and swung programming to No. 1 on the Hot 100
1992
Real Love Open Real Love in a new tab
Mary J. Blige
R&B vocals over Audio Two's Top Billin' drums: the hip hop soul template of sampled breaks under singers
1995
Brown Sugar Open Brown Sugar in a new tab
D'Angelo
Lazy, snapping hip-hop-feel drums under organ; the single that opened the neo-soul era
1998
Landmark
Are You That Somebody?Open Are You That Somebody? in a new tab
Aaliyah
Timbaland's stuttering programmed kicks, beatbox and baby samples: off-kilter, syncopated R&B drums go mainstream
2000
Landmark
Untitled (How Does It Feel)Open Untitled (How Does It Feel) in a new tab
D'Angelo
Live kit with machine-like evenness, cross-stick on 2 and 4 and a loose kick: the dragged Voodoo-era neo-soul pocket
2004
Goodies Open Goodies in a new tab
Ciara
Lil Jon's whistling crunk beat under a singer: the crunk&B blueprint of hard club drums in R&B
2005
1 Thing Open 1 Thing in a new tab
Amerie
Rich Harrison loops Zigaboo Modeliste's Oh, Calcutta! breakdown and adds cowbell and bongo: a go-go-driven R&B hit
2021
Leave the Door Open Open Leave the Door Open in a new tab
Silk Sonic
Anderson .Paak on drums for a 70s-soul ballad: the live-band R&B pocket back at No. 1