National Recording Registry: R&B

Rhythm and blues may be the hardest genre in the National Recording Registry to define, if it isn't folk. It is unclear when rhythm and blues emerged from blues (perhaps around 1945), and why some works after that are still blues, and whether genres like funk and reggae can be considered a sub-genre of it.

The Registry acknowledges a number of the hits of Black artists of the 1950s and 1960s, including popular apolitical love songs and dance songs ("Dancing in the Streets", "Tracks of My Tears") as R&B, alongside the more historically and politically significant works of the Civil Rights movement, such as Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come", a James Brown concert, and Marvin Gaye's masterpiece What's Going On?. Later works in the genre steer towards the funk style (George Clinton's Mothership Connection) and the disco style (Stevie Wonder's double album Songs in the Key of Life).

Though R&B is still a genre today, the Registry does not observe as many more recent R&B recordings, likely because as a genre of historical importance it fell to hip-hop in the 1980s. There are nine hours of R&B music in the National Recording Registry.

EntryTrackComposer(s)Performer(s) DurationRecorded (Compiled)InductedGenre 🎧
single“Dust My Broom”“Dust My Broom”Robert JohnsonElmore James2 min, 55 sec 19512013R&B✅✅
single“Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)”“Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)”Curtis Williams, Jesse Belvin, Gaynel HodgeThe Penguins2 min, 59 sec 19542004R&B✅✅
single“What'd I Say”“What'd I Say”Ray CharlesRay Charles6 min, 27 sec 19592002R&B✅✅
single“At Last”“At Last”Mack Gordon and Harry WarrenEtta James2 min, 59 sec 19612008R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Opening Fanfare”James BrownJames Brown and his Famous Flames1 min, 51 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“I'll Go Crazy”James BrownJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 6 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Try Me”James BrownJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 27 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Think”Lowman PaulingJames Brown and his Famous Flames1 min, 59 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“I Don't Mind”James BrownJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 40 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Lost Someone”James Brown, Bobby Byrd, Lloyd StallworthJames Brown and his Famous Flames10 min, 44 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Please, Please, Please/You've Got the Power/I Found Someone”James Brown, Bobby Byrd, Sylvester Keels, Sol Marcus, Lloyd Stallworth, Johnny Terry, Guy WoodJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 10 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Night Train”Jimmy Forrest, Lewis Simpkins, Oscar WashingtonJames Brown and his Famous Flames3 min, 25 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Think”Lowman PaulingJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 1 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad”James Brown, Bobby Byrd, Sylvester Keels, Lloyd StallworthJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 11 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“Lost Someone”James Brown, Bobby Byrd, Lloyd StallworthJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 43 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
albumLive at the Apollo“I'll Go Crazy”James BrownJames Brown and his Famous Flames2 min, 18 sec 19632004R&B✅✅
single“Dancing in the Street”“Dancing in the Street”Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson, Ivy Jo HunterMartha and the Vandellas2 min, 43 sec 19642005R&B✅✅
single“A Change is Gonna Come”“A Change is Gonna Come”Sam CookeSam Cooke3 min, 13 sec 19642006R&B✅✅
single“Mississippi Goddam”“Mississippi Goddam”Nina SimoneNina Simone4 min, 59 sec 19642018R&B✅✅
single“I've Been Loving You Too Long to Stop Now”“I've Been Loving You Too Long to Stop Now”Otis Redding, Jerry ButlerOtis Redding3 min, 1 sec 19652003R&B✅✅
single“Tracks of My Tears”“Tracks of My Tears”Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, Marv TarplinSmokey Robinson and the Miracles2 min, 57 sec 19652007R&B✅✅
single“People Get Ready”“People Get Ready”Curtis MayfieldThe Impressions2 min, 43 sec 19652015R&B✅✅
single“In the Midnight Hour”“In the Midnight Hour”Wilson Pickett, Steve CropperWilson Pickett2 min, 37 sec 19652016R&B✅✅
single“Wang Dang Doodle”“Wang Dang Doodle”Willie DixonKoko Taylor3 min, 3 sec 19652023R&B✅✅
single“Reach Out (I'll Be There)”“Reach Out (I'll Be There)”Holland-Dozier-HollandThe Four Tops2 min, 58 sec 19662022R&B✅✅
single“Respect”“Respect”Otis ReddingAretha Franklin2 min, 27 sec 19672002R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“We've Got to Get Ourselves Together”Bonnie Bramlett / Gary Rable / Rable / Carl RadleThe Staple Singers2 min, 44 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay”Steve Cropper / Otis Redding3 min, 12 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“Top of the Mountain”Bettye Crutcher / E. Thomas3 min, 3 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“Slow Train”William Bell / Steve Cropper2 min, 48 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“The Weight”Robbie Robertson4 min, 35 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in ActionLong Walk to D.C.Homer Banks / E. Thomas / Thomas2 min, 33 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“Got to Be Some Changes Made”Leroy Crume2 min, 40 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“The Ghetto”Homer Banks / Bonnie Bramlett / Bettye Crutcher3 min, 45 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“People, My People”Homer Banks / Steve Cropper2 min, 33 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“I See It”Edwards / James Edwards / Roebuck "Pops" Staples3 min, 0 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“This Year”Steve Cropper / Dennis Riley1 min, 59 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“The Lady's Letter”Roebuck "Pops" Staples2 min, 19 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumSoul Folk in Action“Pop's Instrumental”Roebuck "Pops" Staples2 min, 10 sec 19682009R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Stand!”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 10 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Don't Call Me [That]”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone5 min, 59 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“I Want to Take You Higher”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone5 min, 24 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Somebody's Watching You”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 21 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Sing a Simple Song”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 57 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Everyday People”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone2 min, 22 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Sex Machine”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone13 min, 48 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“You Can Make It If You Try”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 43 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Stand! (Single Version)”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 9 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“I Want to Take You Higher (Single Version)”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 2 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“You Can Make It If You Try (Unissued Single Version)”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 40 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“Soul Clappin' II”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 27 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
albumStand!“My Brain (Zig-Zag)”Sylvester StewartSly and the Family Stone3 min, 18 sec 19692014R&B✅✅
single“(The) Revolution Will Not Be Televised”“(The) Revolution Will Not Be Televised”Gil Scott-HeronGil Scott-Heron3 min, 7 sec 19702005R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“What's Going On”Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland, Marvin GayeMarvin Gaye3 min, 53 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“What's Happening Brother”Marvin Gaye, James Nyx, Jr.Marvin Gaye2 min, 42 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)”Anna Gordy Gaye, Marvin Gaye, Elgie StoverMarvin Gaye3 min, 48 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“Save the Children”Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland, Marvin GayeMarvin Gaye4 min, 1 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“God is Love”Anna Gordy Gaye, Marvin Gaye, James Nyx, Jr., Elgie StoverMarvin Gaye1 min, 41 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”Marvin GayeMarvin Gaye3 min, 17 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“Right On”Earl DeRouen, Marvin GayeMarvin Gaye7 min, 29 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“Wholy Holy”Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland, Marvin GayeMarvin Gaye3 min, 7 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
albumWhat's Going On“Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”Marvin Gaye, James Nyx, Jr.Marvin Gaye5 min, 28 sec 19712003R&B✅✅
single“Let's Stay Together”“Let's Stay Together”Al Green, Willie Mitchell, Al Jackson Jr.Al Green3 min, 19 sec 19712010R&B✅✅
single“Theme from Shaft”“Theme from Shaft”Isaac HayesIsaac Hayes4 min, 40 sec 19712013R&B✅✅
single“Ain't No Sunshine”“Ain't No Sunshine”Bill WithersBill Withers2 min, 4 sec 19712024R&B✅✅
single“Lady Marmalade”“Lady Marmalade”Bob Crewe, Kenny NolanLaBelle3 min, 15 sec 19742020R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Love's in Need of Love Today”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder7 min, 5 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Have a Talk with God”Calvin Hardaway, Stevie WonderStevie Wonder2 min, 42 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Village Ghetto Land”Gary Byrd, Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 25 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Contusion”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 45 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Sir Duke”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 54 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“I Wish”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder4 min, 12 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Knocks Me Off My Feet”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 36 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Pastime Paradise”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 27 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Summer Soft”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder4 min, 14 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Ordinary Pain”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder6 min, 23 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Isn't She Lovely”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder6 min, 34 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Joy Inside My Tears”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder6 min, 29 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Black Man”Gary Byrd, Stevie WonderStevie Wonder8 min, 29 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Ngiculela/Es Una Historia/I Am Singing”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 48 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“If It's Magic”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 12 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“As”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder7 min, 8 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Another Star”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder8 min, 28 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Saturn”Michael Sembello, Stevie WonderStevie Wonder4 min, 53 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Ebony Eyes”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder4 min, 8 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“All Day Sucker”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder5 min, 5 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumSongs in the Key of Life“Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)”Stevie WonderStevie Wonder3 min, 56 sec 19762005R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)”George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie WorrellParliament7 min, 39 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“Mothership Connection (Star Child)”George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie WorrellParliament6 min, 11 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“Unfunky UFO”George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Gary SniderParliament4 min, 24 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication”George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Gary Snider, Bernie WorrellParliament5 min, 4 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“Handcuffs”George Clinton, Glen Goins, Janet McLaughlinParliament4 min, 3 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)”Jerome Brailey, George Clinton, Bootsy CollinsParliament5 min, 46 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples”George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Gary SniderParliament5 min, 11 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumMothership Connection“Star Child (Mothership Connection)”Bootsy CollinsParliament3 min, 8 sec 19762011R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Brother John”Cyril NevilleThe Wild Tchoupitoulas3 min, 37 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Meet the Boys on the Battlefront”George LandryThe Wild Tchoupitoulas3 min, 24 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Here Dey Come”George LandryThe Wild Tchoupitoulas4 min, 7 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Hey Pocky A-Way”George Porter, Jr., Ziggy Modeliste, Art Neville, Leo NocentelliThe Wild Tchoupitoulas3 min, 59 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Indian Red”George LandryThe Wild Tchoupitoulas7 min, 21 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Big Chief Got a Golden Crown”George LandryThe Wild Tchoupitoulas4 min, 1 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Hey Mama (Wild Tchoupitoulas)”George LandryThe Wild Tchoupitoulas4 min, 46 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
albumWild Tchoupitoulas“Hey Hey (Indians Comin')”George Landry, Cyril NevilleThe Wild Tchoupitoulas4 min, 0 sec 19762012R&B✅✅
single“We Are Family”“We Are Family”Bernard Edwards, Nile RodgersSister Sledge3 min, 21 sec 19792016R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“Let's Go Crazy”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution4 min, 39 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“Take Me with U”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution3 min, 54 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“The Beautiful Ones”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution5 min, 14 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“Computer Blue”Prince Rogers Nelson, John L. Nelson, Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman, Dr. FinkPrince and The Revolution3 min, 59 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“Darling Nikki”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution4 min, 14 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“When Doves Cry”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution5 min, 52 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“I Would Die 4 U”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution2 min, 59 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“Baby I'm a Star”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution4 min, 24 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumPurple Rain“Purple Rain”Prince Rogers NelsonPrince and The Revolution8 min, 40 sec 19842011R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“Intro”Mary J. BligeMary J. Blige1 min, 4 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“Mary Jane (All Night Long)”Rick James, Mary J. BligeMary J. Blige4 min, 39 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“You Bring Me Joy”Mary J. Blige, Joel "JoJo" HaileyMary J. Blige4 min, 13 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“Marvin Interlude”Mary J. BligeMary J. Blige0 min, 36 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“I'm the Only Woman”Mary J. BligeMary J. Blige4 min, 30 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“K. Murray Interlude”Keith Murray, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Nashiem MyrickKeith Murray0 min, 22 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“My Life”Mary J. Blige, Arlene DelValle, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" CombsMary J. Blige4 min, 17 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“You Gotta Believe”Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" CombsMary J. Blige5 min, 2 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“I Never Wanna Live Without You”Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Herb MiddletonMary J. Blige6 min, 17 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“I'm Goin' Down”Norman WhitfieldMary J. Blige3 min, 42 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“My Life Interlude”Mary J. Blige, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" CombsMary J. Blige1 min, 15 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“Be with You”Mary J. Blige, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" CombsMary J. Blige4 min, 26 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“Mary's Joint”Mary J. Blige, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" CombsMary J. Blige5 min, 2 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“Don't Go”Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Chucky Thompson, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Herb MiddletonMary J. Blige4 min, 59 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“I Love You”Mary J. Blige, Sean "Puffy" CombsMary J. Blige4 min, 31 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“No One Else”Cedric "K-Ci" HaileyMary J. Blige4 min, 15 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumMy Life“Be Happy”Mary J. Blige, Arlene DelValle, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Jean-Claude OlivierMary J. Blige5 min, 49 sec 19942025R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Piano & I”Ludwig van Beethoven / Alicia KeysAlicia Keys1 min, 52 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Girlfriend”Jermaine Dupri / Alicia Keys / Joshua ThompsonAlicia Keys3 min, 34 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“How Come You Don't Call Me”PrinceAlicia Keys3 min, 57 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Fallin'”Alicia KeysAlicia Keys3 min, 30 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Troubles”Kerry Brothers / Alicia KeysAlicia Keys4 min, 28 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Rock wit U”Kerry Brothers / Alicia Keys / Tenisha SmithAlicia Keys5 min, 36 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“A Woman's Worth”Alicia Keys / Erika RoseAlicia Keys5 min, 3 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Jane Doe”Kandi Burruss / Alicia Keys / Tenisha SmithAlicia Keys3 min, 48 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Goodbye”Alicia KeysAlicia Keys4 min, 20 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“The Life”Alicia Keys / Tenisha SmithAlicia Keys5 min, 25 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A MinorMr. ManJimmy Cozier / Alicia KeysAlicia Keys feat: Jimmy Cozier4 min, 9 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Never Felt This Way [Interlude]”Brian McKnightAlicia Keys2 min, 1 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Butterflyz”Alicia KeysAlicia Keys4 min, 8 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Why Do I Feel So Sad”Warryn Campbell / Alicia KeysAlicia Keys4 min, 25 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Caged Bird [Outro]”Alicia KeysAlicia Keys3 min, 2 sec 20012022R&B✅✅
albumSongs in A Minor“Lovin' U”Alicia KeysAlicia Keys3 min, 49 sec 20012022R&B✅✅