When planning your wedding, it is important to put a lot of thought behind your music selection. The right playlist should contain an array of love songs and dance beats to maintain the mood of the night. One way to please guests with a mixture of upbeat and soulful sounds is through the rhythm and blues genre. From the wedding party entrance to the first dance, the right R&B favorites can transform your reception into an unforgettable event. Use these ideas to guide you and discover the perfect soundtrack for your wedding day.
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What is Rhythm & Blues?
Modern R&B is the descendent of a combination of several popular genres. A bit jazz, a bit blues, and a bit gospel, the genre has fast become one of the more popular and appealing in the modern music scene. Some songs are ideal for getting intimate with a romantic partner on the dance floor, while others can get the crowd stomping their feet and clapping along with the energy. R&B has changed a lot over the decades, now often including elements of rap, soul, hip-hop, and more.
Contemporary R&B Wedding Songs
Wedding music can be tricky because you want to make sure you pick tunes that most of your guests will be at least somewhat familiar with. The easiest way to infuse R&B wedding songs into your big day is by opting for the more popular songs of all time. If you select contemporary and popular R&B songs, you’ll have no problem finding music that fits the first dance as well as the rest of the night.
- Halo– Beyoncé
- Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)– Beyoncé
- Knee Deep– Jay Morris Group
- Thunderstorm– Jay Morris Group
- Full Course Meal– Jay Morris Group feat. Lj Echols
- Sweet Dreams– Beyoncé
- All My Life – K-Ci & JoJo
- Purple Rain – Prince
- If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
- Back At One – Brian McKnight
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Modern R&B Wedding Songs
Another easy way to set the tone with R&B music is by selecting a handful of modern songs to play throughout the night. Trends surrounding music change a lot. To guarantee people get up and move to the beats being played, it helps if your dance songs for wedding reception are fun and modern. People are much more likely to get on the dance floor and have a blast when they recognize the tunes being played.
- Brian McKnight – Nobody
- Pink Sweat$ – 17
- John Legend – All Of Me
- Jaheim – Forever
- Anything For You (The Duet) – Ledisi & PJ Morton
- Happy – Pharrell Williams
- Halo – Beyoncé
- Love Of My Life – Brian McKnight
- One I Got – Charlie Wilson
- At Last – Etta James
Classic R&B Wedding Songs
Since R&B as a genre has been around for many decades now, there is a pretty extensive backlog of tracks to sort through for your wedding. If you want something sweet and soothing to walk down the aisle to, then consider R&B love songs from the 60s, 70s, or 80s. By wandering back in time with your playlist, you can find songs that contain more meaningful lyrics and capture the romantic feel of the day in a perfect manner.
Songs from the 60’s
- When I Fall In Love – Nat King Cole
- You Send Me – Sam Cooke
- The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
- Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
- Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
- Runaround Sue – Dion
- Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – Four Seasons
- I Got You (I Feel Good)– James Brown
- Crazy – Patsy Cline
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – Rolling Stones
Songs from the 70’s
- September – Earth, Wind & Fire
- Dancing Queen – ABBA
- Walk This Way – Aerosmith
- Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees
- Rich Girl – Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Your Song – Elton John
- Rhinestone Cowboy – Glen Campbell
- Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel
- You’ve Got A Friend – James Taylor
- If – Bread
Songs from the 80’s
- In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel
- Lovesong – The Cure
- Take on Me – A-Ha
- The Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
- Funkytown – Lipps, Inc.
- Longer – Dan Fogelberg
- Lady – Kenny Rogers
- What I Like About You – The Romantics
- Push It – Salt & Pepa
- Rio – Duran Duran
Songs from the 90’s
- I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash
- If I Were A Boy – Beyoncé
- How Will I Know – Whitney Houston
- Milkshake – Kelis
- I Believe in You and Me – Whitney Houston
- Angel of Mine – Monica
- A Mother’s Love – Kem
- My Girl – The Temptationd
- Unforgettable – Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole
- A Night to Remember – Shalamar
- Never too Much – Luther Vandross
- I Can’t Wait – Nu Shooz
- I Wanna Be your Lover – Prince
- I Feel for You – Chaka Khan
- Party All the Time – Eddie Murphy
Selecting the right music for your wedding can be a bit challenging at first. To guarantee a dancing crowd, be sure to look at genres like R&B when making your playlists. Picking an array of R&B wedding songs can be the perfect way to make your guests feel the vibe you’re trying to put off for your big day. Curate a playlist containing a selection of R&B from throughout the last few decades to make everyone from your grandparents to the teenage guests have fun.
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