B-Side Guys

The Best R&B & Soul Albums

The best R&B & Soul albums, ranked by B-Side Breakdown: every critic's score on one 0 to 100 scale. An album needs at least 5 reviews to make the list.

The top three

Album cover for Stand! by Sly and the Family Stone1Sly and the Family StoneStand!99 A+ · 1969Album cover for Innervisions by Stevie Wonder2Stevie WonderInnervisions99 A+ · 1973Album cover for Dirty Mind by Prince3PrinceDirty Mind98 A+ · 1980
Average Breakdown74Number 7 of the 9 genres.
Liked46%of R&B & Soul albums scored 75 or higher. Across every genre it's 50%.
Most divisiveContentiousSean Paul, Imperial Blaze split the critics more than any other album in the genre.A-Sides7.2%of R&B & Soul albums earned an A-Side. Across every genre it's 6%.

The best R&B & Soul albums of all time

  1. 1Album cover for Stand! by Sly and the Family Stone
    Sly and the Family StoneStand!April 1969 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    99A+
  2. 2Album cover for Innervisions by Stevie Wonder
    Stevie WonderInnervisionsAugust 3, 1973 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    99A+
  3. 3Album cover for Dirty Mind by Prince
    PrinceDirty MindOctober 8, 1980 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    98A+
  4. 4Album cover for There’s a Riot Goin’ On by Sly and the Family Stone
    Sly and the Family StoneThere’s a Riot Goin’ OnNovember 20, 1971 · 8 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    97A+
  5. 5Album cover for Superfly – The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield
    Curtis MayfieldSuperfly – The Original Motion Picture SoundtrackJuly 1972 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    96A
  6. 6Album cover for Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder
    Stevie WonderSongs in the Key of LifeSeptember 28, 1976 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    96A
  7. 7Album cover for Mothership Connection by Parliament
    ParliamentMothership ConnectionDecember 15, 1975 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    95A
  8. 8Album cover for Let’s Get It On by Marvin Gaye
    Marvin GayeLet’s Get It OnAugust 28, 1973 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    95A
  9. 9Album cover for Purple Rain by Prince and the Revolution
    Prince and the RevolutionPurple RainJune 25, 1984 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    94A
  10. 10Album cover for Lemonade by Beyoncé
    BeyoncéLemonadeApril 23, 2016 · 10 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    94A

R&B & Soul, decade by decade

Average Breakdown of the genre's albums in each decade.

1970s91
1980s83
1990s76
2000s69
2010s72
2020s74
  1. 11Album cover for What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye
    Marvin GayeWhat’s Going OnMay 20, 1971 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    93A
  2. 12Album cover for The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe
    Janelle MonáeThe ArchAndroidMay 17, 2010 · 10 reviews · 90% approval · Broad agreement
    90A-
  3. 13Album cover for Fulfillingness’ First Finale by Stevie Wonder
    Stevie WonderFulfillingness’ First FinaleJuly 22, 1974 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    90A-
  4. 14Album cover for Risqué by Chic
    ChicRisquéJuly 30, 1979 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    89B+
  5. 15Album cover for Dirty Computer by Janelle Monáe
    Janelle MonáeDirty ComputerApril 27, 2018 · 9 reviews · 89% approval · Some debate
    89B+
  6. 16Album cover for 1999 by Prince
    Prince1999October 27, 1982 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    89B+
  7. 17Album cover for Channel Orange by Frank Ocean
    Frank OceanChannel OrangeJuly 10, 2012 · 12 reviews · 92% approval · Broad agreement
    89B+
  8. 18Album cover for SOS by SZA
    SZASOSDecember 9, 2022 · 12 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    89B+
  9. 19Album cover for Rapture by Anita Baker
    Anita BakerRaptureAugust 1, 1986 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    88B+
  10. 20Album cover for Brown Sugar by D’Angelo
    D’AngeloBrown SugarJuly 4, 1995 · 8 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    88B+
  11. 21Album cover for Bad Girls by Donna Summer
    Donna SummerBad GirlsApril 25, 1979 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    88B+
  12. 22Album cover for LP1 by FKA twigs
    FKA twigsLP1August 6, 2014 · 10 reviews · 90% approval · Broad agreement
    87B+
  13. 23Album cover for Isolation by Kali Uchis
    Kali UchisIsolationApril 6, 2018 · 9 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    87B+
  14. 24Album cover for A Seat at the Table by Solange Knowles
    Solange KnowlesA Seat at the TableSeptember 30, 2016 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    87B+
  15. 25Album cover for Ctrl by SZA
    SZACtrlJune 9, 2017 · 8 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    87B+

Which outlets like R&B & Soul most

Share of each outlet's R&B & Soul reviews that score 75 or higher, for outlets with 30 or more.

Most generous

Entertainment Weekly96%
Robert Christgau96%
Encyclopedia of Popular Music82%
Pitchfork65%
The Independent61%

Hardest to win over

Slant16%
PopMatters26%
Rolling Stone35%
The Rolling Stone Album Guide37%
NME47%
  1. 26Album cover for Voodoo by D’Angelo
    D’AngeloVoodooJanuary 25, 2000 · 8 reviews · 88% approval · Some debate
    86B
  2. 27Album cover for Music of My Mind by Stevie Wonder
    Stevie WonderMusic of My MindMarch 3, 1972 · 5 reviews · 80% approval · Some debate
    86B
  3. 28Album cover for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill
    Lauryn HillThe Miseducation of Lauryn HillAugust 19, 1998 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    86B
  4. 29Album cover for Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye
    Marvin GayeHere, My DearDecember 1978 · 6 reviews · 83% approval · Broad agreement
    86B
  5. 30Album cover for Blonde by Frank Ocean
    Frank OceanBlondeAugust 20, 2016 · 9 reviews · 89% approval · Broad agreement
    85B
  6. 31Album cover for Back to Black by Amy Winehouse
    Amy WinehouseBack to BlackOctober 30, 2006 · 9 reviews · 78% approval · Some debate
    84B
  7. 32Album cover for Curtis by Curtis Mayfield
    Curtis MayfieldCurtisSeptember 1970 · 6 reviews · 67% approval · Divided
    83B
  8. 33Album cover for The Lady Killer by CeeLo Green
    CeeLo GreenThe Lady KillerNovember 5, 2010 · 10 reviews · 80% approval · Broad agreement
    83B
  9. 34Album cover for Baduizm by Erykah Badu
    Erykah BaduBaduizmFebruary 11, 1997 · 9 reviews · 78% approval · Broad agreement
    83B
  10. 35Album cover for X 100pre by Bad Bunny
    Bad BunnyX 100preDecember 24, 2018 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    83B
  11. 36Album cover for On How Life Is by Macy Gray
    Macy GrayOn How Life IsJuly 27, 1999 · 8 reviews · 88% approval · Some debate
    82B-
  12. 37Album cover for Get Lifted by John Legend
    John LegendGet LiftedOctober 25, 2004 · 6 reviews · 83% approval · Broad agreement
    82B-
  13. 38Album cover for Controversy by Prince
    PrinceControversyOctober 14, 1981 · 6 reviews · 83% approval · Broad agreement
    82B-
  14. 39Album cover for CrazySexyCool by TLC
    TLCCrazySexyCoolNovember 15, 1994 · 8 reviews · 88% approval · Some debate
    82B-
  15. 40Album cover for When I Get Home by Solange Knowles
    Solange KnowlesWhen I Get HomeMarch 1, 2019 · 10 reviews · 90% approval · Some debate
    82B-
  16. 41Album cover for An Evening with Silk Sonic by Silk Sonic
    Silk SonicAn Evening with Silk SonicNovember 12, 2021 · 11 reviews · 73% approval · Some debate
    82B-
  17. 42Album cover for Dawn FM by The Weeknd
    The WeekndDawn FMJanuary 7, 2022 · 15 reviews · 93% approval · Broad agreement
    82B-
  18. 43Album cover for Kaleidoscope by Kelis
    KelisKaleidoscopeDecember 7, 1999 · 9 reviews · 78% approval · Some debate
    81B-
  19. 44Album cover for Once Again by John Legend
    John LegendOnce AgainOctober 21, 2006 · 6 reviews · 83% approval · Broad agreement
    81B-
  20. 45Album cover for Ungodly Hour by Chloe x Halle
    Chloe x HalleUngodly HourJune 3, 2020 · 8 reviews · 88% approval · Broad agreement
    81B-
  21. 46Album cover for Parade – Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon by Prince and the Revolution
    Prince and the RevolutionParade – Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry MoonMarch 31, 1986 · 5 reviews · 80% approval · Broad agreement
    81B-
  22. 47Album cover for Promise by Sade
    SadePromiseNovember 16, 1985 · 5 reviews · 80% approval · Broad agreement
    81B-
  23. 48Album cover for Lovesexy by Prince
    PrinceLovesexyMay 6, 1988 · 8 reviews · 75% approval · Some debate
    81B-
  24. 49Album cover for Sincerely by Kali Uchis
    Kali UchisSincerelyMay 9, 2025 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    80B-
  25. 50Album cover for Love vs. Money by The-Dream
    The-DreamLove vs. MoneyMarch 10, 2009 · 8 reviews · 75% approval · Some debate
    80B-

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