The singer’s sultry vocals glide over a mellow groove that effortlessly recalls Aaliyah’s cover of the Isley Brothers’ classic “At Your Best (You Are Love)” - never a bad thing. Is a potential lover for real or not? That’s the question Sevyn Streeter asks on this standout track from her Girl Disrupted debut album. But it doesn’t need it: The song’s hypnotic beachside bounce (assisted by Skrillex, apparently on permanent dubstep vacation) is warmly evocative of the dancehall crossovers of 20 years ago on its own, while its squawking pseudo-drop keeps it rooted in 2017 without sounding so trendy to risk Airport Reggae drubbing. One of the few Ty Dolla-graced singles this year not to hedge its bets with some sort of ’90s hit interpolation, “So Am I” probably could’ve worked in some Inner Circle or something if the singer-producer was really determined to maintain brand consistency. You’ve been here before and it’s nice to be back. With a chorus anchored by those familiar cries of “Ay!” “Don’t Matter” is like home cooking. Nola’s August Alsina released this perfectly The-Dream-indebted single in June and real ones haven’t let it leave the rotation since. As the R&B legend told The Insider in September, “I wanna say what I feel. The feel of the melodic cut and its piercing lyrics portend what’s in store on Toni’s forthcoming Sex & Cigarettes LP. The voluptuous-voiced singer prefaces her upcoming eighth studio album with this left-of-center, guitar-driven track about a complicated romance. Sullivan’s soaring-voiced dismay at her significant other’s insecurities provides the perfect counterpoint to Tiller’s crooning tenor.
ROSS SCARANOġ9. Jazmine Sullivan & Bryson Tiller, “Insecure”įeatured on the season two soundtrack of the popular HBO series of the same name, this mid-tempo track showcases two of contemporary R&B’s game-changing players. “I did crazy things and she still waited on me” is the sort of lyric you recognize in your chest. “Peace of Mind,” from COLOURS 2, had the most staying power, standing out from the pack for its frank songwriting and straight-to-the-point hook. OVO Sound’s resident sad-boy R&B songsmith stayed busy in 2017, releasing two EPs of material. Here are Billboard’s 20 favorite R&B songs of 2017.