All-Decade Third Team:

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My Favourite Male R&B Albums of the Decade:

Okay, one last one for the road. Last week was the women, this week I go through the men. In a very eclectic and wide-ranging decade for R&B as a genre the men were more than did their fair share to push the genre further and further. Same rules as always, 1 album per artist. And again these are purely my favourite albums.

#10
Album:                                                American Teen
Artist:                                                  Khalid
Year:                                                    2017
Favourite Song:                                 Therapy
Description:
I’m cheating a little here. This could potentially be considered a pop album and with Khalid growing into one of the biggest stars in the world his sound has defiantly transitioned to become a lot more popish. But I stuck with considering “American Teen” as an R&B album, because the moments which stretch this album from good to great, all fall within the R&B vein. Of course, the pop elements, as heard in “Young, Dumb & Broke”, or “Location” are the parts which are projected universally. But the heart of the album comes in those pockets when Khalid is able to sit comfortably in his R&B bag. “Cold Blooded”, “Coaster” and the above listed song “Therapy”, standout for their soul, passion and thought-provoking nature. This album marked the birthing of a superstar and I don’t think its hard to see why.

#9
Album:                                                Late Nights
Artist:                                                  Jeremih
Year:                                                    2015
Favourite Song:                                 Impatient
Description:
Late Nights was another one of those albums that just kept on giving. Each time I thought the album couldn’t get better, it did. What I admire about this album is that its consistently risky. The sound. The features. The instrumentation. It was all very diverse, but it all fits. Furthermore, I’ve always been a fan of albums which match their title, and “Late Nights” does that. Every song feels and sounds just like something you would hear out on a late night escapade and its content mirrors how a lot of late nights seem to go. Its slow, methodical and absorbing at all times. Jeremih shines, his features shine and Jeremih shows off vocal talents and abilities which standout in ways he hadn’t before. To put it plainly, this was just a great album.

 #8
Album:                                                Kaleidoscope Dream
Artist:                                                  Miguel
Year:                                                    2012
Favourite Song:                                 Adorn
Description:
Although this doesn’t hold my number one spot, it can definitely be argued that this is the best album on this list. It was truly a confirmed classic from the moment it was released. Miguel does a masterful job on this album. From the writing, the instrumentation, the sound and the range, it was all just of such an insanely high caliber. For me what really separates this album is the way Miguel utilizes his vocals in unison with his instrumentation to make you feel what he’s singing about. It’s an extremely fluid and eclectic album which truly has something for everyone. Furthermore, "Kaleidoscope Dream" possesses what is undoubtedly one of the greatest R&B songs in modern history in “Adorn” and you could argue that it maybe even has a second with “How Many Drinks”. All in all, this is just a stellar album from a great artist.
#7
Album:                                                Malibu
Artist:                                                  Anderson. Paak
Year:                                                    2016
Favourite Song:                                 Without You
Description:
One of the things I love about artists from Southern California, is how they are so easily able to reflect where they’re from, through the sound of their music, and Anderson does this masterfully on this album. From track 1, when that soft, slow-tempo bass kicks in on “The Bird”, it literally feels like your being transported to an early morning in Southern California, and you’re waking up with the sun already out. And that’s just track 1. And the rest of the album grooves along in a similar vein. Throughout this album Anderson really set a new blueprint on how to combine Hip-hop with R&B and throughout the project his musical skills are really accentuated in all their many forms. He goes from trading bars with Rapsody, to vibing like Stevie Wonder, to trying to hit high notes like D’Angleo. And in all areas, he excels. This is a true vibe of an album and it wasn’t even his best of the decade.

#6
Album:                                                The 20/20 Experience
Artist:                                                  Justin Timberlake
Year:                                                    2013
Favourite Song:                                 Pusher Love Girl
Description:
What a way to reintroduce yourself. To be away from music over seven years and your comeback album be this, highlights just how amazing JT is. The masterful interpolation of neo-soul, R&B, pop and Timbaland on the production all amalgamated into what was a great experience. There’s so much to love about this album, its infectious, its feel good and its cohesive whilst still be extremely experimental. And above all of this, I truly cannot stress how superb the writing was on this album. The hall of fame team of writers enlisted didn’t once drop the ball and it allows this album to flow so succinctly it’s unbelievable. What’s even more mind-blowing, is how this team were able to come back and do it again on “The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2”. Everything about this album just screamed greatness and even though it was well over an hour long, it never feels like a drag or a chore. And with only 1 credited feature (shoutout Hov), JT takes center stage and gives a knockout performance.

#5
Album:                                                Free TC
Artist:                                                  Ty Dolla $ign
Year:                                                    2015
Favourite Song:                                 Horses in the Stable
Description:
To me, Ty Dolla Sign is yet to come up with an album which truly in anyway matches his SUPREME talent as an artist. Which, to an extent, is a sad thought. However, Free TC was a very, VERY good start to his commercial career and an extremely good album at that. Ty displayed many of the qualities which has seen him become one of the most celebrated artists in the world. This album mirrors Ty really well, as what makes this album great is its diversity. I remember reading one review which said Ty does an amazing job of mastering the club, the bedroom and the brain. and I think this does a good job of describing exactly what makes this album so great. Now what takes this album to higher level are those moments where we’re left with just Ty and a guitar. Namely, that song I’ve listed above ‘Horses in the Stable’. Ultimately, I think we’re all waiting for that classic album which solidifies Ty Dolla Sign’s greatness, but Free TC was a great start to the career of such a great artist.

#4
Album:                                                Testimony
Artist:                                                  August Alsina
Year:                                                    2014
Favourite Song:                                 Make it Home
Description:
August Alsina is a special, special artist, who has lived a crazy, crazy life and he was able to portray much of that in this debut album. I read a lot into the name of albums. So, when I hear an R&B singer entitle their album ‘Testimony’, I’m expecting a lot. And August gave a lot. This was personal. When I listen to this album in 2019 knowing a lot more about August Alsina’s life and knowing all that have engulfed him since releasing this album, I can literally feel the therapy sessions he’s having in his delivery of these songs. Something as simple as “Mama I made it, and I hope I made you proud’, just hits a little different coming from someone who’s gone through all that August has gone through. And all of that translates beautifully in his music on this album. Of course, it wouldn't be complete without the necessary songs for and about Women, and boy did he, Trey and Chris Brown create a classic one. But, above that, what truly stands out in this album and makes is so great, is the fact it really is a testimony.

#3
Album:                                                Process
Artist:                                                  Sampha
Year:                                                    2017
Favourite Song:                                 Plastic 100◦C
Description:
Undoubtedly, I am stretching the genre R&B as far as I possible can to include this one. But this has to be in there. Similar to “American Teen” listed above, Process enlists elements from outside the traditional R&B framework. Incorporating a lot of electronic sounds and elements. However, the album shines brightest when Sampha keeps it simple and lets his voice and his writing take center stage. Through the subtle and emotive nature of “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”, the frantic panic of “Blood on Me”, and the stripped down, visceral nature of “Plastic 100◦C”. Sampha creates an emotional roller-coaster and is adventurous at every step. What was even more amazing for me, was how not a single song on this album sounded like any of the great features Sampha had become known for prior to its release. It sounds different to anything he had done for Kanye or Drake, and that small quality which this album possessed truly highlights the amazing talent which Sampha has, and that he displays on this album.

#2
Album:                                                Trigga
Artist:                                                  Trey Songz
Year:                                                    2014
Favourite Song:                                 Disrespectful
Description:
This album had Shenley 6th Form going nuts for a while. We as a collective, had to contribute to at least a million of Trigga’s streams. Ultimately, this was 55 minutes of straight hits. Although the content very rarely strays away from just outward sexual desires, this was still an extremely wide-ranging album. Trigga had songs that made me fantasize about women. Trigga had songs that made me feel gassed up as a man. And Trigga had songs that just made me think and marvel at Trey's artistry and story-telling. From top to bottom, this album was on repeat for the entire 14/15 season. This album possesses one of the biggest compliments I can bestow on a album which is simply, I still don’t truly know what my favourite song is. Now I will say, it was extremely hard for me to justify placing this album above both ‘Passion, Pain & Pleasure’, and, ‘Chapter V’, however, I think I just have too many great memories from this album not have it on this list.

#1
Album:                                                Trilogy
Artist:                                                  The Weeknd
Year:                                                    2012
Favourite Song:                                 The Party & The After Party.
Description:
Plain and simply the best. 
The best in terms of sounds, the best in terms of vocals, the best in terms of production, the best in terms of content. Plain and simply the best.
Abel pulled no punches. From the open, these three mixtapes and the subsequent album they created were so captivating in so many different ways. The Weeknd started off this project by saying “You don’t know, what’s in-store”, and he couldn’t have been more accurate. I personally, no idea, nor foresight of just where Abel was about to take this album. But the journey that ensued is still one that captivates me till this day. This project goes to dark places and talks on some wild subjects and deals with experiences I will likely never have in my lifetime. Yet somehow, it felt relatable to a 14/15 year old dealing with a lot of personal issues. I think the Weeknd does an incredible job of creating the perfect sound track for those dark, claustrophobic and cynical times we all have as people, and that I for sure had. And in doing so he created a project which truly continues to get better with each listen even 8/9 years later. One of best albums of any genre released this decade. Salute to the King of R&B.

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