Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
SZA promised her new album Lana would drop before the year’s end and Khalid came out as gay after he was outed, and the singer received a wave of support from fans. Tems shared a steamy video for “Turn Me Up” while Tyla took the acoustic route for her new song “Tears.” Elsewhere, FLO announced the Access All Areas Tour for 2025.
Here are the new releases you need to have your eye on this week:
Tyla — “Tears”
Tyla adds another record to her monster year with her new track “Tears.” The acoustic record is a departure from her amapiano-leaning sound, but it also gives the singer the room to let her vocals shine. “”My music is all about creating connections, sharing culture and influences from all over the world, and I know fans will feel that in ‘Tears,’” she said in a press release.
Blxst — I’ll Always Come Find You (Deluxe)
Blxst is one of the many West Coast artists who released impressive projects in 2024, thanks to his debut I’ll Always Come Find You. Months after its release, Blxst returns with its deluxe edition which adds five more songs and features from Bino Rideaux, K Camp, and Dej Loaf. “I wanted to add a 5th act to compliment the album,” Blxst said in a press release. “With these new songs, I’m sonically tapping into that undeniable pocket most listeners know me for while closing the series out.”
Highlights: “Said And Done” & “At Least You Know”
JoJo — “Too Much To Say”
In just a few of months, JoJo will set out on the Too Much To Say Tour, but before that, she delivers a song of the same title with another announcement. “Too Much To Say” joins “Porcelain” as singles from her upcoming NGL EP which arrives in January 2024. The former single is a upbeat and lively number that JoJo uses to boast about her fiery spirit.
Eric Bellinger — It’ll All Make Sense Later
Eric Bellinger returns with It’ll All Make Sense Later, his second album of 2024 following The Rebirth 3: The Party & The Bedroom. It’ll All Make Sense Later arrives with 15 songs and features from Gyakie, Konshens, Burna Boy, Reekado Banks, Oxlade, Tempoe, Vscript, Geko, and Taves. “This album is a form of liberation for me,” Eric Bellinger said in a press release. “It’s given me the confidence to move forward, trusting fully in the vision, knowing It’ll All Make Sense Later.”
Highlights: “Special” Feat. Konshens, “Feelings Never Die” & “Shooting Star” Feat. Oxlade
Alex Vaughn — “Hit A Wall”
Alex Vaughn checks in with new music for the first time in two years thanks to “Hit A Wall.” The DMV native impresses with immaculate vocals on the new single, which reflects on the obstacles that appear during a journey. Luckily, Vaughn was able to breakthrough and deliver great music in the process.
Amber Mark — Loosies
At long last, Amber Mark is back with a new project. The New York singer checks in with Loosies, a 5-track EP that heads straight to the dancefloor for some late-night fun. “While finalizing the album tracklist, I discovered many gems that didn’t make the cut, so I thought, why not give them a home?” Mark said in a press release. “This EP became an ode to the city and a playful thank you for your support.”
Highlights: “City Starlight,” “Sink In” & “A Little More”
Col3trane — Hamartia
After a string of singles, Col3trane ends his 2024 campaign on a high note with his new EP Hamartia. With five songs to its name, Hamartia is one of Col3trane’s more vulnerable bodies of work. “Hamartia is fundamentally about the tragedy woven into a character’s journey, so I wanted to create songs that capture darkness and drama while telling compelling stories,” he said in a press release. “I’m committed to experimenting with new sounds, but I want to maintain that narrative depth throughout my music.”
Highlights: “Crocodile Tears” & “Karma”
ELHAE — “Chanel”
For his final act of 2024, ELHAE releases “Chanel.” The single speaks about a materialistic woman and ELHAE’s attempts to court her after he’s blown away by her aura (no pun intended, IYKYK). The track joins Truth Be Told, his joint EP with Xavier Omär, as his highlights from 2024.
Dee Gatti — Look What You’ve Done
It took three years, but Dee Gatti finally released a new project. The Fort Worth singer returns with her Look What You’ve Done EP which offers eight songs and no guest features in an entirely solo effort that Gatti uses to cap off an impressive year.
Highlights: “Proper,” “This Way,” & “Look What You’ve Done”
Mack Keane — Y?/All Talk
Mack Keane has been pretty quiet for the majority of 2024, but that changed as the year came to a close. He’s back with “Y?” and “All Talk,” his second double-sided single of the year. The songs are presented as journal entries that Keane “wanted to get off my chest” before releasing his long-awaited album, which will seemingly arrive in 2025.
Lila Iké — “Fry Plantain” Feat. Joey Badass
With her debut album set to arrive in 2025, Lila Iké delivers another single from the upcoming project. She teams up with Joey Badass for “Fry Plantain,” a steamy and sizzling record that captures the intimate moments two lovers share on a relaxing and tropical Sunday morning.
Savannah Ré — “Sex With My Ex”
Toronto R&B singer Savannah Ré had all eyes land on her after one of her unreleased records appeared in Drake’s 100 Gigs drop earlier this year. That song, titled “Sex With My Ex,” is finally out and the full record is just as good as everyone hoped it would.
Check out this week’s R&B selections as well as favorites from past weeks through our Best New R&B Songs Of The Week playlist.
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