20 R&B Albums You Must Own

A true collector's playlist needs these game-changing LPs.

Lauryn Hill –The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) - At a time when Black music was expressing an overwhelming fascination with wealth, materialism and male bravado, Lauryn Hill dropped this phenomenon of an LP. Blending the sounds of R&B, neo-soul, hip hop, reggae and jazz, Miseducation unleashed hits like "Doo Wop (That Thing)" and "Everything Is Everything." Lauryn's accoustic approach to R&B and hip hop helped open the door for neo-soul stars like Alicia Keys and India.Arie.     (Photo: Columbia Records)
Live at the Apollo - After scoring several hit singles with the Famous Flames, including "Please, Please, Please" (1956), "Try Me" (1958) and "Night Train" (1962), James Brown bankrolls a live recording of his performance at the famous Apollo Theater. Convincing a reluctant Syd Nathan, head of King Records, to back a live LP, James releases his first album Live at the Apollo in 1963. The LP becomes an instant hit.  (Photo: Polydor Records) 
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On? (1971) - Just as deep as the master-crafted music on this 1971 LP is the well-known story behind it: Marvin Gaye, affected by stories of his brother fighting in the Vietnam War, tells Motown head Berry Gordy he wants to do a protest album. The result was this concept LP, which tackles issues from the controversial war to racial discrimination to drug abuse.   (Photo: Motown)
Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston (1985) - Whitney Houston's self-titled debut wasn't just a runaway smash, it redefined the post-Donna Summer era of the Black female megastar. Upbeat R&B-light pop jams like "How Will I Know" and sanguine love songs like "Saving All My Love for You," while capturing the heart of America, laid the groundwork for future pop divas from Mariah Carey to Beyoncé.Prince – Purple Rain (1984) - Call this Prince's Thriller, a rock and pop music disc that sent the funky R&B bad boy into pop culture's stratosphere. Where MJ's magnum opus was catapulted by music videos, Prince's 13 million-seller was launched by a hit film starring, who else, himself. Every single from "Let's Go Crazy" to the title track hit the charts and became a part of American music history.    (Photo: Warner Bros)

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James Brown – Live at the Apollo (1963) - Released in 1962, this live performance LP of James Brown's hits pushed him into mainstream prominence and sales, introducing the nation to the Godfather's brand new bag of gritty R&B. Hits such as "Think" and "Please, Please, Please" prepared the world for the arrival of Brown's revolutionary subgenre of R&B called "funk."  (Photo: Polydor Records)

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