Top Male R&B Singers

List of the Top Male R&B Artists

Today’s rhythm and blues music scene, more specifically for male R&B singers, dates back to the 1980s when artists like New Edition were the main attraction for rhythm and blues. During that time, music was transitioning from the days of the soul music era of the 1970s, to the start of the rhythm and blues music that we have now come to enjoy. 

With the rhythm and blues scene exploding during the 1990s and the 2000s through the successful careers of both group and solo male R&B artists like Boyz II Men, Usher, Keith Sweat, Brian McKnight, Tony Toni Tone, Jodeci, and many more, R&B truly founded its place in music as there were dozens of leading top male R&B singers throughout this time in music.

Now as we enter the 2020s, R&B music has not lost a step. With a mixture of newcomers and veteran male R&B artists, R&B is now at its truest form and in its best position to continuing the legacy of decades worth of rhythm and blues music.

Top 25 Male R&B Artists

1. Chris Brown 

Chris Brown’s debut single “Run It!” raced to first place on the American Billboard charts in 2005 and committed himself there for five weeks. Being a singer, songwriter, a gifted dancer, and sometimes an exceptional actor, Chris Brown’s talent benefits, above all, its versatility, which has led him to be one of the all-time greats in the rhythm and blues category.

Follow on Instagram: @Chris Brown and watch on Youtube: Chris Brown

2. The Weeknd

On a weekend when he was only 17 years old, The Weeknd ran away from home and did not return. Born in Toronto, Canada, he leaped into the music business thanks to Toronto-based colleague Drake. The Weeknd has developed a vast discography that features some of the best R&B songs of today. His tracks “Can’t Feel My Face” and “Starboy” have accumulated over 15 million times being sold.

Follow on Instagram: @The Weeknd  and watch on Youtube: The Weeknd

3. Khalid 

Considered to be one of the fast-rising R&B stars, Khalid Robinson, aka Khalid, suffered an itinerant upbringing. Originally from Fort Stewart, he had to move between Kentucky and New York as well as Heidelberg, Germany, due to his mother’s military career. Just after high school, Khalid made his first debut in 2016 with single “Location.” Since then, all has not been the same for the R&B star, with several of his hit singles receiving Grammy nominations.

Follow on Instagram: @Khalid and watch on Youtube: Khalid

4. Ty Dolla $ign

Ty Dolla $ign started his music career with appearances on a couple of singles until 2010 when his feature on rapper YG’s “Toot It and Boot It” gained massive recognition. In 2013, Ty Dolla signed to rapper Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang Records, under which he released his debut album Free TC, which peaked at number 14 on the Billboard 200.

Follow on Instagram: @Ty Dolla $ign and watch on Youtube: Ty Dolla $ign

5. Giveon

Fresh off the release of his latest project, Give or Take, the heartfelt sounds of Giveon has given this soulful artist a top position among today’s leading male R&B singers. While debuting in 2018, Giveon made his true breakthrough in 2019 with the release of “Like I Want You,” while truly making his mark in 2020 with the hit “Heartbreak Anniversary.” Since, Giveon has been one of the fastest rising male R&B artists in the industry.

Follow on Instagram: @Giveon and watch on Youtube: Giveon

6. Bryson Tiller

Bryson Tiller is a contemporary R&B singer and songwriter, with the self-termed “Trap Soul” artist because of his love for hip-hop. In the early stages of his career, Bryson received approval from renowned artists like Drake and Timbaland. This launched his music into a broader spectrum, while being known for the 7x platinum singles of “Don’t” and “Exchange.” Currently, he has three studio albums, two mixtapes, and is possibly set to release other projects in the near future.

Follow on Instagram: @Bryson Tiller and watch on Youtube: Bryson Tiller  

7. Miguel

American R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Miguel hails from the San Pedro district of Los Angeles. He signed his first music deal at the age of 14, and made his debut to the world with the 2006’s “Getcha Hands Up”. Though a brief hiatus following his 2006 release, Miguel made his official stance in music during the 2010s with the classic albums of All I Want Is You, War & Leisure, and Kaleidoscope Dream. 

Follow on Instagram: @Miguel and watch on Youtube: Miguel

7. 6lack

Pronounced “black,” 6lack has long considered the number six as an essential figure, central to his identity. Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, he started recording music at the age of four in his father’s music studio. His debut album Free 6lack was released in late 2016 and peaked at number 34 on the Billboard 200. He was featured in Rolling Stone “10 New Artists You Need to Know” the same year of his debut. Since 2016, 6lack has long been viewed as one of the top male R&B artists that has a strong presence in the hip hop community.

Follon Instagram: @6lack and watch on Youtube: 6lack

8. Brent Faiyaz

Maryland R&B star Brent Faiyaz originally started his career as a rapper. The 25-year-old pop star came to the music scene after releasing the single “Crew” with fellow DMV artists GoldLink and Shy Glizzy. The single was nominated for a 2018 Grammy award. With inspiration from rappers like Lil Wayne and Curren$y, you can’t doubt Brent; the rapper turned R&B singer is versatile in his style and delivery.

Follow on Instagram: @Brent Faiyaz and watch on Youtube: Brent Faiyaz

9. Jeremih

While many artists who began during the 2000s may have lost their edge, Jeremih has stayed persistent throughout his career with no moment of irrelevancy. Despite being known for hit songs like “Don’t Tell ‘Em”, “Birthday Sex”, or “Down on Me”, Jeremih has received much of his recognition from featuring with all of the top hip-hop and rhythm and blues artists, a long list of dozens of hit features with Snoop Dogg, DJ Khaled, Lil Durk, The Game, Big Sean, Wale, Nelly, and many more.

Follow on Instagram: @Jeremih and watch on Youtube: Jeremih

10. PARTYNEXTDOOR

PARTYNEXTDOOR started his music career making electronic dance music, but that changed after signing to rapper Drake’s OVO record label, and the release of the Drake featured “Over Here”. His first mixtape, PARTYNEXTDOOR, dropped in 2013, making it to number six on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart. Since, he has released multiple EPs and received much praise for his PartyNextDoor Two, PartyNextDoor 3, and Partymobile albums.

Follow on Instagram: @PARTYNEXTDOOR and watch on Youtube: PARTYNEXTDOOR

11. Trey Songz 

Having been compared to the greats by many lovers of R&B, Trey Songz made his debut in 2005 with “I Gotta Make It,” which was released through Atlantic Records. The album reached number 20 in the US Billboard charts and sold over 300,000 records. As of 2020, Trey Songz has a total of eight studio albums, along with dozens of chart topping and platinum and gold selling singles. As of today, he is considered one the best when it comes to R&B.

Follow on Instagram: @Trey Songz and watch on Youtube: Trey Songz

12. Pink Sweat$

Nicknamed after the attire he became known for wearing in the recording studio, R&B singer and songwriter Pink Sweat$ is widely known for his ballads consisting of only his voice and the guitar. The Philadelphia native made his music debut in 2018 and has released projects like 2020’s The Prelude, which has created a lasting emotional connection with many R&B fans all around the world.

Follow on Instagram: @Pink Sweat$ and watch on Youtube: Pink Sweat$  

13. Jacquees 

The Atlanta-based singer and songwriter, Jacquees has made a name for himself through delivering his own smooth and slick brand of R&B, but also with an old-school twist. As a kid, Jacquees wanted to be a rapper until one day when his aunt heard him singing a song from the TV show “The Temptations.” Since his debut album “4275,” Jacquees has been a force in R&B music.

Follow on Instagram: @Jacquees and watch on Youtube: Jacquees  

14. August Alsina

The Louisiana native’s career took off with the EP Downtown: Life Under the Gun and his full length album Testimony during the mid 2010s, but somewhat came to a standstill right after. While controversy may have surrounded his career of late, from health issues to his personal relationships, August Alsina has pushed his way through the storm and has had a recent resurgence in music.

Follow on Instagram: August Alsina and watch on Youtube: August Alsina

15. Lucky Daye

Though Lucky Daye may be new to some, the New Orleans native has been grinding for some years now. From making his first appearance on American Idol, to lacing background vocals and receiving songwriting credits for some of music’s top R&B stars, Lucky Daye has come a long way to becoming one of the top rising male R&B singers.

Follow on Instagram: @Lucky Daye and watch on Youtube: Lucky Daye  

16. Mario

A veteran in the industry that went from being a teen sensation with his first appearances during the early 2000s, has now grown with many of his fans and listeners. With the songs “Just a Friend” and “Let Me Love You” we were introduced to Mario at young age.  From high school days and teenage years, to days as adults and grownups, Mario has stayed with many music lovers throughout the journey. 

Follow on Instagram: @Mario and watch on Youtube: Mario

17. Vedo

While starting out as a YouTuber and making appearances on NBC’s The Voice, Vedo has quickly switch gears to becoming a professional recording artist and one of the top male R&B singers. With hit songs like “You Got It,” and releasing numerous albums since 2015, Vedo’s rise has been a long time coming.

Follow on Instagram: @Vedo and watch on Youtube: Vedo

18. Luh Kel

Hailing from St. Louis, Luh Kel is easily the fastest rising rhythm and blues star on the list. While Luh Kel’s sound may have similarities to the recent wave of melodic rappers, the majority of his songs are based around the emotions and love that has built the rhythm and blues genre. Making his debut with the hit song “Wrong,” Luh Kel has proven that he is here to stay and not just some one hit wonder.

Follow on Instagram: @Luh Kel and watch on Youtube: Luh Kel

19. Eric Bellinger 

Not only a talented singer, but Eric Bellinger has also been known to be the man behind the scenes of some of your favorite songs as a gifted songwriter. While his success as a singer is not nearly the same as his credits for songwriting, but Eric Bellinger has been releasing a handful of successful projects since the mid 2010s.

Follow on Instagram: @Eric Bellinger and watch on Youtube: Eric Bellinger

20. Roy Woods

One of the many talented artists north of the border, Roy Woods does not need the Drake cosign that he received to prove his level of talent. Coming into the music industry in 2015, Roy Woods’ freshman album was a complete classic, consisting of tracks like “Drama”, “Get You Good”, and “Jealousy”.

Follow on Instagram: @Roy Woods and watch on Youtube: Roy Woods

21. Gashi

The New York based artist began his career during the beginning of the 2010s, but not until the 2019 release of the self-titled Gashi did this rising R&B star’s career begin to pick up steam. Now, the trajectory for Gashi’s career seems to be headed into the realm of the world’s top rhythm and blues and pop stars.

Follow on Instagram: @Gashi and watch on Youtube: Gashi

22. BLXST 

A mixture of hip hop and rhythm and blues, BLXST has been emerging as a fan favorite for some time now. Known for the hit single “Chosen” with Tyga and Ty Dolla $ign, as well features with a number of the top artists, listeners should expect to hear and see much more from BLXST in the near future.

Follow on Instagram: @ BLXST and watch on Youtube:  BLXST  

23. Marc E. Bassy 

A mixture of pop and rhythm and blues, singer/songwriter Marc E. Bassy began during the late 2000s with the soulful pop band 2AM Club as the lead singer. Since the groups last release, the Bay Area native has been transitioning into a career as a solo artist after years of songwriting for some of the world’s most notarized artists and performing as the lead for the once 2AM Club.

Follow on Instagram: @Marc E. Bassy and watch on Youtube: Marc E. Bassy

24. YK Osiris

Self-proclaimed as the King of R&B on his latest album title, the 23-year-old Rap/R&B star came into the spotlight at the age of 18. After self-releasing just a few of his songs online, YK OSIRIS was discovered by the higher ranks of the music industry and signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2019.

Follow on Instagram: @YK Osiris and watch on Youtube: YK Osiris

25. Tone Stith

Another discovery by the man who founded Drake, Jas Prince, Tone Stith has been grinding much of late. While the New Jersey native may not have a collection of hits, at least not yet, but he has a gift and a talent that has landed him as one of R&B’s top rising stars.

 Follow on Instagram: @Tone Stith and watch on Youtube:  Tone Stith 

Honorable Mention Male R&B Artists:

– Elijah Blake Instagram: @Elijah Blake and Youtube: Elijah Blake

– Jacob Latimore Instagram: @Jacob Latimore and Youtube: Jacob Latimore  

– Ro James Instagram: @Ro James and Youtube: Ro James

– THEY. Instagram: @THEY. and Youtube: THEY.

– Marmar Oso Instagram: @Marmar Oso and Youtube: Marmar Oso

– Ryan Trey Instagram: @Ryan Trey and Youtube: Ryan Trey

– elhae Instagram: @elhae and Youtube: elhae 

– NBDY Instagram: @NBDY and Youtube: NBDY

– Anders Instagram: @Anders and Youtube: Anders

– Kevin Ross Instagram: @Kevin Ross and Youtube: Kevin Ross

– Yo Trane Instagram: @Yo Trane and Youtube: Yo Trane

– Dylan Sinclair Instagram: @Dylan Sinclair and Youtube: Dylan Sinclair

Male R&B Singers Related Topics:

1 Top Female R&B Singers List

2 Top 12 Florida R&B Singers

3 Top 12 Chicago R&B Artists

4 Top Male R&B Artists of 80s and 90s

5 Top 30 All-Time Black Love Movies

*Unofficial Order. The more popular artists that have a combination of the most followers, streams, views, and most recent releases are near the top.

*If any artists are missing from the list email media@kulturevulturez.com