The Best R&B/Soul Albums of 2024 So Far

NxWorries – ‘Why Lawd?’

Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge’s second collaborative album could’ve been a depressed downer — the record largely focuses on the fallout that follows a relationship’s end. Instead, Why Lawd? shines as an addictively replayable collection of grooves that pull from a wonderland of musical influences, from lo-fi hip-hop (“MoveOn”) to throwback soul (“FromHere”). Knxwledge serves up more samples than an ice creamery, his delicious boardwork and collage-like instrumental breaks helping to cement the duo’s hard-earned status as neo-soul’s answer to Madvillain. As for Anderson, dude is going through it. He details both sides of the infidelity equation with “Where I Go” (with H.E.R.) and the Thundercat-guested “KeepHer,” and laments the loss of an ex who’s already onto the next one on “HereIAm.” Amidst all of the longing, love songs like “OutTheWay” and “FallThru” are saccharine flourishes while “WalkOnBy” is a refreshingly honest vent session. Rejoice: NxWorries messed around and topped its stellar debut. Thank you, lawd. —by John Kennedy

Andra Day – ‘Cassandra (Cherith)’

On Andra Day’s sophomore studio album, the soul singer doesn’t just close the door on a past relationship — she slams it shut, hits both latches and fastens the chain lock. This is a deeply personal record that finds a world-class vocalist at her artistic and petty peak. “Mad because in songs about my past, I mention my ex / Don’t worry, nigga, you next / And this one might be my best,” Day sings on “Maybe Next Time.” Yet just because Day has changed the metaphorical locks doesn’t mean she’s not still peeking out the peephole. Cassandra (Cherith) wrestles with the impracticality of making a clean split and the complicated emotions that tend to linger like a past lover’s belongings you hesitate to return. Her musical bag is deep as a canyon. She channels Erykah Badu on the woozy “Narcos,” while the spirit of Amy Winehouse comes through on “Bottom of the Bottle,” a song about romantic incompatibility. With a voice that’s consistently breathtaking, Cassandra (Cherith) brings rousing soul cuts (“Probably”) and grown-as-hell R&B vibes (“In the Meantime”). We won’t be breaking up with this album anytime soon. — by John Kennedy

Normani – ‘Dopamine’

Sure, it took a very long time—upwards of six years—for Normani to deliver her maiden solo album, much to the impatience of her diehards. That doesn’t matter now. What’s important is that the Fifth Harmony alum delivered. Dopamine is a dope debut that’s every bit worth the delay, a blend of bouncy earworms (“Take My Time”), moody duets (the James Blake-featured “Tantrums”), and frisky seducers (“Grip”). Normani establishes herself as a singular R&B/pop princess with hip-hop sensibilities: Witness how she flips a Kendrick Lamar quotable (“Lights On”) and completely deconstructs and reassembles Mike Jones’ 2005 classic “Still Tippin’” for “Still.” Yet for all of the confidence Normani exudes, there’s room for vulnerability on songs like the conflicted “Insomnia” and the it’s-not-me-it’s-you breakup ballad “Distance.” True to its name, Dopamine will make you feel good. —by John Kennedy

UMI – ‘Talking to the Wind’

UMI’s fifth EP feels like a much-needed escape from reality. The intro, “Why Dont We Go,” sets the mood, putting the “lust” in “wanderlust” with a funky two-stepper about various means of exploration with a new lover. “Climb into me, into my waterfall,” the 25-year-old Seattle native sings. The voyage continues with “Happy Im,” which finds the songbird reveling in the thrills and terror of falling in love, seamlessly alternating between English and Japanese vocals (she speaks both fluently) over folksy guitar strumming and whistling. There’s an impressive array of cohesive sounds packed into four songs; UMI also incorporates atmospheric vibes that recall Jhené Aiko and So Far Gone-era Drake. At a tight 10-minute runtime, Talking to the Wind is a breeze. Get lost in it. — by John Kennedy

Usher – ‘Coming Home’

At this point, the greatness of Usher in the R&B realm is cemented. The ATL singer and entertainer is 30 years into his career, and he’s still as relevant as ever. 2024 has been a truly special one for Mr. Raymond. He delivered a blockbuster Super Bowl performance to kick off the year, and earlier this summer, he was honored with a BET Lifetime Achievement Award. On his lengthy new album Coming Home, he proves yet again that he’s R&B royalty. The album boasts 20 songs, and it’s immediately clear that he’s swinging for the fences with this outing.

He dabbles in the trendy Afrobeat sound on tracks like “Ruin” featuring Pheelz and targets a global pop audience with the mid-tempo ballad “Kissing Strangers” and the melodic “Keep on Dancing.” He even experimented with some new wave funk on the electronic-leaning “Big.”

The album’s best moments arrive when he dips into his vintage “Usher” bag with R&B scorchers like “Good Good” (featuring Summer Walker and 21 Savage), “Bop” and “Stone Kold Freak.” Could the album have been trimmed for a leaner and more focused listen? Perhaps. But hey, Usher has fully entered his global superstar era, so regular artist rules don’t apply. Overall, it’s a really good album and certainly worth your time. — by Geo Hagan

Yaya Bey – ‘Ten Fold’

Quippy, self-aware and soulful, Yaya Bey’s Ten Fold is a virtuosic showcase for a crooner at the peak of her powers. Gliding over hazy funk and R&B, Bey renders humanity with nuance, humor and a writerly eye for specifics. For tracks like “career day,” she cruises an ambiently soulful soundscape for a track that’s playful and sultry. Meanwhile, the jazzy “slow dancing in the kitchen” is the sound of delirious love. Everything here emits quiet intimacy. The sounds themselves lean Soulquarian, and it would be easy to call her a millennial Erykah Badu, but house flourishes on tracks like “sir princess bad bitch” help make it clear she’s something all her own.

Bryson Tiller – ‘Bryson Tiller’

It feels lazy to label a project something as hackneyed as a “grown up” album, but that’s very much the vibe for Bryson Tiller’s self-titled latest effort. On the LP, he uses diverse soundbeds to affirm his affection for his lover, leaving the f**kboy tendencies of Trapsoul in the rearview. For “Attention,” Tiller cruises over a celestial cloud of diaphanous synths for a meditation on engrossing love: “So I’m ready to disappear / Let’s just go, my dear (Mm) / ‘Causе the way you put it on / Make me wanna takе it off.” Here, Tiller can shift between island-inflected soundscapes (“Calypso”) and club excursions (“Random Access Memory (RAM)”) with seamless ease. That dynamism threads a svelte 49-minute effort that feels as emotional as it is versatile — a cocktail fitting for one of R&B’s most underappreciated innovators. — by Peter A. Berry

Lalah Hathaway – ‘Vantablack’

Vantablack is the darkest shade of “black” there is, and that title was chosen very intentionally for Lalah Hathaway’s latest album. Right from the intro, the five-time Grammy-Award winner comes out strong with the track “Black” featuring nubian-affirming proclamations from Common and Rapsody. What follows is a beautiful collection of deeply soulful songs that would make the perfect soundtrack for a balmy Sunday morning. “Mood For You” featuring MC Lyte is a seductive, mid-tempo burner with an irresistible groove. It’s followed immediately by “You Don’t Know” featuring Little Brother’s Phonte delivering some choice bars to accompany Hathaway’s soothing vocals. One true standout is the victorious “I AM” — on this song, she belts out expansive lyrics like, “If somebody asks me, as far as I can see, I am the land, the ocean and the seven seas.” The entire album feels like the talented songstress has truly found her groove; she is making music to satiate her own soul just as much as she’s creating for her loyal fans. — by Geo Hagan

SiR – ‘Heavy’

The Inglewood, CA singer has come a long way since the release of his last album, Chasing Summer. Since that release, he has welcomed a new child with his longtime partner and he has also been very vocal about his struggles with addiction. Those major life experiences definitely permeate the album, giving it grit, depth, humanity, and soul. What really shines on this collection of songs are the many faces of the West Coast crooner the listener gets to witness. On “Ignorant” he sounds like the jaded ladies man who’s seen it all, and on “Six Whole Days” he portrays a tormented soul coming to terms with mistakes he’s made in love and life. However, the best moments that truly reveal SiR’s growth as an artist are when he lets his optimism and enthusiasm for life itself shine through. “Life Is Good” is one such moment, and the upbeat album closer “Brighter” drives this uplifting theme home with heartfelt sincerity and candor. SiR is truly a rare talent, and there’s no telling the dizzying heights he could reach in his still-evolving career. — by Geo Hagan