Contemporary R&B emerged in the US in the early 1980s and evolved from traditional Rhythm & Blues and urban R&B, and combines elements of soul, funk and pop with an integrated approach and a slick modern production. Many contemporary R&B musicians are obsessed with bringing back the grit, spirit, and ambitiousness of classic soul and R&B.

The genre features a distinctive record production style and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. Electronic influences and the use of hip hop or dance-inspired beats are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop may be reduced and smoothed out. Contemporary R&B vocalists often use melisma, and since the mid-1980s, R&B rhythms have been combined with elements of hip hop culture and music and pop culture and pop music.