rhythm and blues

American  

[rith-uhm uhn blooz] / ˈrɪð əm ən ˈbluz /

Also rhythm-and-blues

noun

1. a folk-based but urbanized form of Black popular music that is marked by strong, repetitious rhythms and simple melodies and was developed, in a commercialized form, into rock-'n'-roll.

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rhythm and blues British  

noun

1.  R B.  (functioning as singular) any of various kinds of popular music derived from or influenced by the blues

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Etymology

Origin of rhythm and blues

An Americanism dating back to 1945–50

Example Sentences

Americans were settling down, ballrooms were fading, and audiences were turning to bebop, rhythm and blues, and singers such as Frank Sinatra.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

A classically trained musician, Flack ushered in an enduring style of rhythm and blues with her early classics that she often described as “scientific soul” — a blend of talent, taste and endless practice.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2025

He never learned to read or score music, but he had a strong ear for pop idioms, including country, jazz, and rhythm and blues.

From New York Times • May 1, 2024

"Muscle Shoals, being between those two places, has been able to combine those two styles into a real Southern rhythm and blues that was very appealing."

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2024

Organizers invited an exhilarating mix of performers: there would be rock and roll, rhythm and blues, folk and country.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge