Perhaps no genre of modern music has so defined the 20th century African American experience as rhythm and blues. Known as R&B for short, this format incorporates electric blues, gospel and soul for a unique sound that can range from easy listening to raw and energetic. From The Supremes to Earth, Wind and Fire, R&B has left an indelible mark on American popular culture.
Amani Roberts, management lecturer at the CSUF College of Business and Economics, is the author of The Quiet Storm: A Historical and Cultural Analysis of the Power, Passion, and Pain of R&B Groups.
The book, which will debut on Feb. 18 during Black History Month, is designed to be both a textbook and a popular history, applicable to African American studies, music history, and music practitioners around the world.
Decades in the Making, Roberts’ Book Aims to be a Definitive Review of a Genre
Roberts’ interest in R&B began in his youth in Maryland, where he grew up in junior high and high school jazz bands. After working in corporate America, Roberts began working in the industry as a DJ and grew his music entertainment business, The Amani Experience.
In grad school at Berklee College of Music, Roberts’ thesis was on the decline of Black R&B groups. Expanded and supplemented with additional observations, historical analysis, and the input of Business Titans, Roberts’ graduate thesis would form the basis of his forthcoming book.
“It’s a book now, but it will turn into a documentary in the future,” says Roberts. “We’re looking at a seven- to eight-episode series. We’re working to find a partner and gather footage and video. PBS, Netflix, HBO or Amazon Prime are some of the distributors being examined.”
Roberts’ book starts in the 1950s and follows the evolution and rise and fall of the genre throughout the cultural, social and economic changes of the last half of the 20th century. “I start with doo-wop groups that would sing around the street corner. Then, there was the influx of rock groups that would transition to R&B groups. The Isley Brothers were a great example. Their first hit “Shout” was a rock sound, but switched to R&B.”
Blues, which originated in the early 1900s, provided the genesis for R&B. But as Roberts chronicles in his book, the genre would take in many styles and formats over the decades. “The Supremes and their run of hits in the 1960s – 11 of their 13 singles topped the charts, which was unprecedented – was a major moment,” says Roberts. “And then during the civil rights movement, Parliament Funkadelic and the Temptations were leading groups during the Motown era. When record producer Berry Gordy first signed the Supremes, he initially only allowed them to clap hands on songs. Then he allowed them to sing backup. Only later could they sing lead vocals. Their resilience was remarkable!”
The 1970s brought the world the shows of Earth, Wind and Fire and Kool & the Gang, which lifted the genre to new heights.
“The 1980s was a bit of a lull, and then from there, it really exploded in the Nineties, which was the golden era for R&B groups. People love the ’90s R&B, but you could give some credence to the 1970s. The ’80s was a bridge,” explains Roberts. “In the 2000s, you had Destiny’s Child and their all-star member Beyonce, but when they started doing their solo projects in the mid-2000s, R&B started to fall off the map. Singular artists, the rise of modern platforms such as YouTube, and the Great Recession combined to create an imperfect storm for R&B.”
Still, Roberts takes heart that R&B probably isn’t going to disappear anytime soon. “R&B will always be here. It is the foundation of what we love in pop music and EDM. I question, however, whether groups will come back. Bruno Mars and Anderson Paak which make up the group Silk Sonic will come out with an album that does well, but then they go back to individual projects. It’s a different landscape now in all genres where groups struggle,” says Roberts. “Still, kpop groups are following the playbook of Destiny’s Child and other R&B groups, which lead me to believe that music groups can succeed if properly funded and marketed. But it’s harder now and requires a lot more effort.”
Currently, Roberts is a fan of some promising individual R&B artists, such as SZA, H.E.R., Leela James, Kevin Ross and Summer Walker. And people are still following older bands such as Earth, Wind and Fire; The Gap band; and Boyz II Men. “Most people have heard of some of them, and today’s young people can listen and explore the genre that way,” says Roberts.
Engaging Business Titans in the Development of Roberts’ Book
Throughout Roberts’ project, CSUF students have played a leading role in the research and development of the book. “Especially in the summer of 2020, when we couldn’t do anything due to COVID, my students helped me do research, and I acknowledge them in the book,” he says. “In my second music business class, I shared some potential titles and covers, and the students voted and gave me feedback. I used the titling process as a lesson in class, so when students are looking for titles for their papers or proposals or speeches, they should look at some basic criteria, which will help them in the real world too. For my fall 2024 class, I’d take the first five minutes of class to get opinions on how the book looked and felt. Now, many of my students – some of whom have graduated – are eagerly awaiting the progress of the book.”
In fall 2024, Roberts taught music business coursework with Business Titans and exchange students from South Korea and France, providing a unique international perspective.
During 2025, Roberts plans to be on many podcasts and programs to promote his book in both academic and industry circles, with a goal on making the USA Today bestseller’s list and being in music history and African American studies courses at the university level in fall 2025. Work on the documentary will begin in 2026 and will take several years to complete.
For More on Faculty Research
Roberts’ book is just the latest manifestation of the caliber of faculty research at Cal State Fullerton’s College of Business and Economics. Our faculty research is renowned in both academic and applied industry settings. For more on this, read our articles on faculty research.
