1940sReputable sourceWell documented
Rhythm and Blues
On the timeline · around 1940s · The Recording Age
What happened
As African Americans moved to northern cities, the blues went electric and urban, blending with jazz and gospel into a hard-driving dance music. In 1949 the trade magazine Billboard adopted the term 'rhythm and blues' (R&B) for the genre, replacing the older label 'race records.'
Why it matters
Rhythm and blues was the direct parent of rock and roll and soul, and its beat, energy, and vocal style reshaped American popular music. It carried Black music toward the mainstream.