Music Metrics Vault

Dark r&b

Most popular artists in Dark r&b

This chart is based on the monthly listeners metric for all artists tagged with the genre dark r&b by Spotify. It may contain some errors or some data may not be up to date. You can check the artist profile to update data if necessary.

# Artist Monthly Listeners Followers
1
6,741,913
556,979
2
Chris Grey
5,347,194
609,466
3
5,171,657
631,455
4
3,212,017
279,508
5
Dutch Melrose
3,133,500
230,047
6
Aurora Olivas
3,079,806
33,439
7
Reed Wonder
3,063,360
57,938
8
2,934,090
258,573
9
2,898,856
380,045
10
2,874,780
60,436
11
2,648,932
252,889
12
Limi
2,509,242
76,189
13
zandros
2,333,861
54,523
14
Ex Habit
1,882,983
99,082
15
Austin Giorgio
1,757,217
194,668
16
Omido
1,631,750
54,641
17
1,537,015
94,459
18
1,457,139
239,413
19
benny mayne
1,455,740
36,357
20
Connor Kauffman
1,391,495
142,812
21
Nicholas Bonnin
1,321,910
42,727
22
1,310,163
48,391
23
BURY
1,309,434
11,885
24
Toby Mai
1,301,718
68,558
25
Angelicca
1,299,599
33,893
26
Beneld
1,226,383
10,465
27
1,171,804
58,153
28
Rosenfeld
1,156,707
152,975
29
1,095,556
70,185
30
Daniel Di Angelo
1,074,247
266,279
31
Layto
969,649
148,031
32
Kendyle Paige
964,779
8,743
33
Madalen Duke
889,809
28,807
34
PLAZA
857,159
200,029
35
Mickey Valen
808,228
65,712
36
Black Atlass
801,238
120,857
37
Avivian
800,631
6,848
38
782,959
63,420
39
Diana Goldberg
774,447
7,253
40
King Kavalier
772,505
12,913
41
Rick Jansen
726,998
3,940
42
CVBZ
725,390
101,611
43
The Tech Thieves
705,662
101,992
44
Kae
695,971
19,975
45
SWIM
679,967
38,329
46
Ordell
665,608
3,500
47
Thomas LaRosa
633,552
86,362
48
Jake Daniels
618,171
103,336
49
Joey Myron
585,433
4,562
50
Mandrazo
557,151
7,077
51
Austin George
516,213
98,967
52
Ashlee
500,378
30,279
53
PatrickReza
496,600
38,488
54
Mellina Tey
455,561
59,813
55
Mitchel Dae
437,232
20,978
56
ChrisLee
431,544
4,121
57
Nic Dean
419,667
26,710
58
Shaker
417,012
51,489
59
Retronaut
413,256
6,352
60
Kid Travis
409,641
122,232
61
Cheyanne
402,564
8,197
62
Saint Chaos
386,098
42,799
63
Crypto
376,338
20,339
64
COBRA
351,580
10,362
65
Josh Makazo
345,698
98,679
66
Nikki Idol
343,585
20,838
67
THEMXXNLIGHT
343,045
21,765
68
Always Never
338,411
119,602
69
Azee
337,043
29,764
70
Stevie Howie
336,058
123,956
71
Henry Verus
325,901
71,969
72
Foreign Figures
322,835
29,960
73
Beauty School Dropout
320,633
66,555
74
Santino Le Saint
316,256
99,340
75
EMM
312,943
29,803
76
JOY.
293,953
60,318
77
Kodoku
288,863
138,983
78
BB Cooper
281,717
13,438
79
ORYL
270,165
10,296
80
VICE MONRÖE
261,514
13,311
81
Teflon Sega
259,025
73,287
82
updog
254,938
37,194
83
OZZIE
251,781
41,507
84
hxnry
249,807
14,712
85
UNDREAM
247,308
17,950
86
Dxvn.
246,574
46,862
87
Rhea Raj
241,461
24,476
88
Facading
239,307
10,200
89
BOBI ANDONOV
237,594
25,987
90
Jonny T
227,484
4,174
91
VIZIER
225,635
890
92
Sani Knight
218,379
14,959
93
Vosai
216,650
9,402
94
Xavier Mayne
216,329
20,516
95
Joseph Feinstein
213,961
3,969
96
TIMMS
213,467
37,048
97
Biometrix
211,668
22,708
98
Cjbeards
207,869
16,214
99
Tokyo Project
205,753
9,516
100
Hemi Moore
202,027
3,466
101
SUNDERWORLD
200,452
7,991
102
Gomey
192,397
11,661
103
Casual Sex
189,037
7,603
104
Paper Idol
186,243
24,628
105
BAUWZ
185,005
3,898
106
IOVA
181,785
3,583
107
Thorgan
179,419
5,541
108
LOWBORN
172,810
21,699
109
Essiyas
172,809
23,848
110
DREAMDNVR
170,881
19,650
111
sobhhï
162,717
37,731
112
Poe the Passenger
157,869
21,386
113
the fashion show
157,699
10,062
114
L.A. Rose
154,831
3,391
115
DEIIN
154,307
1,308
116
Linn Sandin
153,942
2,433
117
SØR
151,591
524
118
Safe Trvls
143,014
5,573
119
Rohan
135,270
7,408
120
Xenia
134,772
7,295
121
Mblue
133,717
3,361
122
Oscen
133,433
12,369
123
Society of Villains
129,284
4,971
124
One Hope
126,877
25,581
125
Kaphy
124,581
4,038
126
Sølv
124,058
26,739
127
EHLE
123,815
14,811
128
TRUU
119,884
1,586
129
Kujah
119,839
5,180
130
451
118,140
26,171
131
Alter.
115,647
17,267
132
Mia Vaile
113,884
24,622
133
Constance
112,222
1,879
134
Eli Sostre
110,717
165,019
135
Liza
108,687
1,379
136
NUVILICES
107,974
7,656
137
Velvet Cash
102,971
1,636
138
ThatBehavior
101,095
3,827
139
Jordyne
100,487
11,264
140
Omri
100,337
25,687
141
Nick Alexandr
96,618
20,111
142
Bosquet
94,232
3,270
143
BLVKES
94,013
5,383
144
Adrian Daniel
93,933
20,511
145
Henri Werner
92,307
7,629
146
Lou
92,267
667
147
Makk Mikkael
89,617
5,989
148
Jaymie Deville
88,703
5,232
149
memyself&vi
87,745
9,169
150
12AM
83,704
48,914
151
Sidi
79,351
8,600
152
Clarei
78,631
841
153
N i G H T S
77,360
27,958
154
Yuppycult
77,312
2,791
155
mxze
77,153
3,015
156
LEOWOLF
77,028
2,152
157
pablø
76,166
4,686
158
REGI FLIH
76,123
4,612
159
ORZC
72,096
1,474
160
Eloy
71,522
8,433
161
sebabrazy
70,018
691
162
Kiyashqo
69,687
1,061
163
Andrea Russett
69,562
40,184
164
Ja¥en X District
67,338
12,415
165
Apollo On The Run
67,155
2,268
166
Zaryah
64,503
9,184
167
Boon
64,387
10,452
168
Minzie
63,304
3,327
169
Kidd Phantomm
63,294
11,730
170
Hahlweg
59,633
5,438
171
Say So City
53,909
3,566
172
Cheska Moore
53,378
3,073
173
QUINTA
52,466
2,116
174
Hannabelle
50,280
1,045
175
ruindkid
47,378
541
176
Eros
44,937
1,006
177
Bentez
44,745
1,648
178
NEVR KNØW
44,007
2,565
179
Arkane Skye
43,560
4,098
180
DEELYLE
43,544
8,122
181
Felix Lean
42,855
677
182
WRKINSILENCE
42,514
14,772
183
K-Si Yang
41,341
21,161
184
Chase Amari
41,238
5,270
185
Rhea Robertson
41,196
3,630
186
Kaila Hoy
40,594
1,471
187
Anna Cotter
40,466
529
188
Greg Gatsby
39,742
2,466
189
Austin Hull
37,991
6,783
190
Alejandro Lema
37,500
48,994
191
Fleuke
36,682
682
192
ECÂF
35,116
6,731
193
11 LIT3S
35,096
11,125
194
NHYN
34,447
1,320
195
NIVO
33,884
2,617
196
notefly
33,302
1,245
197
CLRBLND.
33,210
532
198
Aestetic
32,193
3,423
199
Joey Luna
31,705
865
200
MIRA
30,400
7,046
201
blurblur
27,801
2,931
202
Frizzy The Streetz
25,263
1,069
203
Loby
24,817
3,854
204
whatyoudid.
24,222
1,398
205
Desire The Unknown
23,570
2,978
206
Wavey Vayn
23,417
1,612
207
Koray
23,382
1,653
208
Yonexx
23,381
1,870
209
ISEEBLUE
23,045
12,773
210
LVNDVN
23,010
19,660
211
Georgina Black
22,945
878
212
Viktoria Liv
22,262
1,847
213
Lo Nightly
20,435
6,711
214
Noita
19,914
5,551
215
Michael Miller
19,234
1,844
216
SixFoor
18,594
470
217
Lone Me
18,464
459
218
Heather Jeanette
17,109
425
219
Lani Daye
14,297
619
220
Damaged.
13,658
1,862
221
Gianni Canetti
13,545
2,006
222
Sarah Kennedy
13,382
2,272
223
Lucad
12,715
723
224
Moniac
12,429
1,546
225
Dej Monae
12,401
33
226
Perrin Xthona
12,146
4,870
227
YOTAL
10,967
211
228
EMBUE
10,585
2,744
229
LUV SCARS
10,202
1,223
230
Mazzie
10,129
1,023
231
Who's Calling
9,562
1,104
232
Kiki Beats
9,551
1,212
233
Abra Taylor
9,368
3,736
234
Mamie
9,133
982
235
Sebi Ali
8,715
1,146
236
jess_xd
8,145
2,643
237
Arcane
7,679
4,540
238
Sayge
7,550
1,567
239
Strange Alias
7,101
1,133
240
Saint XIX
6,693
3,364
241
EIGHTYEIGHTWAV
5,964
2,735
242
Nolo Wrldpul
5,964
1,334
243
Aegexan
5,773
609
244
Twenty7
5,671
2,068
245
NotAVillain
5,427
265
246
notsick
5,077
3,287
247
Kreate
4,963
496
248
Thrones
4,863
1,387
249
Kayvahn
3,749
2,997
250
ADRIVN
3,498
2,631
251
Aiona
3,255
2,409
252
Mace Syre
2,780
1,857
253
Drudini
2,115
1,034
254
elio lio
1,403
705
255
Kwota B.
1,355
609
256
Madhouse
1,045
3,015

Some info about dark r&b

Dark R&B, also known as alternative R&B or emo R&B, is a subgenre that has emerged from the crossroads of traditional rhythm and blues and more introspective, atmospheric forms of music. While R&B traditionally focuses on soulful expressions of emotion primarily revolving around love and relationships, dark R&B introduces a moodier, more melancholic quality to its narratives, often exploring deeper and sometimes darker themes such as existential angst, personal struggles, and intricate emotional experiences.

The genesis of dark R&B can be traced back to the late 2000s and early 2010s, during which there was a shifting landscape in the mainstream music scene. Artists began experimenting with the traditional R&B formula by incorporating elements from other genres such as electronic, indie, and even trip-hop. This period saw the rise of artists who preferred a less polished, more raw approach to music production and storytelling.

Key figures in this movement include The Weeknd, whose early works like "House of Balloons" set a benchmark for the genre with its haunting production, ethereal soundscapes, and lyrical content that often delved into themes of hedonism, romance, and melancholia. Another pivotal artist is FKA twigs, whose avant-garde approach to music and visuals has carved a unique niche within the genre. Her use of ethereal soundscapes combined with poignant lyrical expression creates a riveting blend that has become a hallmark of dark R&B.

In the United States, dark R&B has resonated deeply, particularly among younger audiences who seek more than just the traditional themes of love and heartbreak. Its reflective and somber tone provides a space for introspection and connection on a more intimate level, something that has appealed widely to listeners navigating the complexities of modern life.

However, the genre is not confined to the US and has found followers across the globe, with countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia also hosting vibrant scenes. In the UK, artists like James Blake have contributed to the genre with his soulful electronic compositions that incorporate the emotional intensity and depth characteristic of dark R&B.

Dark R&B is also heavily influenced by advancements in production technology. The use of atmospheric synths, heavy bass, and minimalist, often sparse beats gives the genre its distinctive sound. This is complemented by vocals that can range from hauntingly subtle to powerfully emotive, adding layers of complexity to the music.

Modern day representatives like SZA and Frank Ocean have taken the genre to new heights, integrating strong lyrical themes that tackle issues from modern existentialism to social commentary, showcasing the versatility and depth dark R&B is capable of offering.

As a genre, dark R&B represents a significant shift in the landscape of contemporary music. It challenges the normative boundaries of R&B by introducing elements that are introspective, raw, and real, appealing to a generation that seeks authenticity and depth in their musical experiences. Its popularity and influence continue to grow as artists push the boundaries of what can be expressed and explored through this evocative style. This intriguing blend of mood, music, and message ensures that dark R&B remains a compelling genre within the vast tapestry of music.