Rhythm and blues, abbreviated as R&B or RnB, is a vast genre which has a lot of sub-grenres. The genre definition has grown throughout time following various music trends from the past decade or so. Its origins can be traces back to the 1940s in the African-American comunities. Actually, when you think about it, the term "rhythm and blues" is quite old and many of the first r&b artist might not be considered as such nowadays (i.e. Elvis Presley). At the end of the day, the genre is an awesome fusion of music including soul, gospel, blues... all that wrapped around a feeling of joy, sensuality and freedom. Some of the most popular r&b artists from the past century include Prince, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and classics like Sam Cooke from the 1960s. Nowadays, many people use the term contemporary R&B where the genre is often mixed with various hip hop, funk and pop elements. Some of the most prominent artist nowadays include Frank Ocean, Janelle Monae, John Legend & The Weeknd.