Best R&B Artists of 2007

While rap music has left a bad taste in the mouths of many of Black community leaders and its former fans, R&B has continued to thrive through the age of bootlegging and illegal downloading. R&B artists are crowding the charts and hogging all the radio play, some artists more than others. These artists maintained your attention more than anyone else this year.

Beyonce You can't even mention today's hottest R&B stars without bringing up Miss Knowles. This starlet carries many titles: singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. Since debuting with the mega girl group, Destiny's Child, Beyonce has captivated audiences worldwide and will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the best entertainers in R&B. I didn't realize how popular Beyonce was outside of the "urban" community until I heard some strictly professional suit and tie types belt out, "you must not know 'bout me." I guess I didn't.

Rihanna Not since Julie Andrews in the movie classic Mary Poppins has anyone made umbrellas so popular. The chick from Barbados brought her island roots to the R&B sound and also dominated the charts with her hit single, Umbrella. The petite entertainer has garnered much attention whether it was for her seductive performances or her rumored affair with the Def Jam CEO, Sean "Jay-Z" Carter, Rihanna's year was an unforgettable one.

Chris Brown Not only did he do the incredible feat of making his debut album span for nearly two years but he also became one of the few light-skinned brothers in the music industry to still be able to get some play. (Think about it.) R&B's pretty boy developed a greater following of young girls with hits songs like Wall-to-Wall and Kiss, Kiss this year and had them racing to buy his concerts tickets with his Michael Jackson inspired dance moves.