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rhythm and blues
noun
: popular music typically including elements of blues and African American folk music and marked by a strong beat and simple chord structure
Examples of rhythm and blues in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By the 1950s, Barge was jamming with local jazz and rhythm and blues groups and leading the Gene Barge Band.
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Hillel Italie, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025
An influential musician, songwriter and record producer, Toussaint created volumes of music and left his mark on the industry by representing the distinctive New Orleans style of rhythm and blues.
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Jared McCallister, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025
Carlos was one of the pioneering musicians and composers who forged ska from Jamaican jazz, American rhythm and blues, and Jamaican mento, and ska was the music that Marley and Cliff performed before becoming world-renowned for reggae.
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Heather Augustyn, SPIN, 21 Jan. 2025
From Otis Kane getting introspective to Teddy Swims being in love and letting the world know, this was a calm week in the world of rhythm and blues.
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Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 10 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1933, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near rhythm and blues
Cite this Entry
“Rhythm and blues.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhythm%20and%20blues. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
rhythm and blues
noun
: popular music with elements of blues and African American folk music
More from Merriam-Webster on rhythm and blues
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rhythm and blues
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