Best R&B Albums Of 2024... So Far

Modern R&B comes in multiples shapes and sizes, and the genre now has very few constraints and endless potential. Its crossover into the Hip Hop space, most notably, has added several layers to rap and helped it travel even farther than before.

Today, this hybrid continues to reach unexplored corners of the music circuit as more and more young artists continue building on the legacies of the heroes who came before them.

HipHopDX has carefully tracked the best R&B albums of 2024 as part of its drive to bring some well-deserved shine to creative minds who push the culture forward.

Tyla – TYLA

Tyla‘s debut album seems to herald that the young starlet is not only set to continue on the path to meteoric growth that “Water” put her on, but that she could become one of the genre-defining stars of her generation. She and her team seem to have figured out exactly what both Afropop and R&B artists have been trying to accomplish over the past two years: how to create a hybrid between the two genres that is easily marketable to US audiences.

TYLA is a collection of mid-tempo bops that could easily serve as background music for a dinner party, workout or study session, creating a vibe even when the listener isn’t necessarily in a position to pay attention to the lyrics. Overall, the record fulfills the promise of her first international hit: sonically, she is truly the foreign exchange student who is ready to take America by storm.

KYLE – SMYLE AGAIN

Since the very beginning of his career, KYLE has given R&B an oomf  that makes his music double as a stimulant. On his fourth studio album, he serves his fans yet another round of pulsating dance tunes that radiate an electric positivity. With features from Teezo Touchdown, Guapdad 4000 and Tinashe, SMYLE AGAIN is easily one of the best R&B albums of 2024.

SiR – HEAVY

The sonics on HEAVY are a departure from SiR’s last two albums, which favor atmospheric neo-soul. Here, he opts instead for more immediate beats. His vocals — at turns buttery smooth and coarse — ooze over programmed drums and modern sounding trap&B. The album’s sound mirrors his shifting moods: frantic drums crash against gentle keys and remorseful background coos.

6LACK – No More Lonely Nights

They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 6LACK, however,  seems to have found a way to further perfect what was already perfect. Released a year after the critically acclaimed Since I Have A Lover, this acoustic package reimagines three cuts from it by stripping them down to their core elements. “Inwood Hill Park,” “Since I Have A Lover” and “Rent Free” were doing just fine as they were, yet the Atlanta native singer managed to give them all a whole new life on his latest release.

Ryan Leslie – You Know My Speed

For fans of Ryan Leslie’s early work, his comeback album You Know My Speed is a welcome surprise. Though R&B has evolved since his last full-length project over a decade ago, he doesn’t sound dated, perhaps because he helped set the genre on the path that led it to its current incarnation. Even at 45, the singer-songwriter manages to maintain his unique sound without cribbing recent trends or pleading for radio play.

Brittany Howard – What Now

Best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter of the now-disbanded Alabama Shakes, 35-year-old Brittany Howard’s solo endeavor has proven to be just as fulfilling as her previous stint. With several Grammy nominations and wins to her name already, What Now exhibits the broad range of colors and textures her work takes on. Easily one of the best R&B albums of 2024, the album sounds exactly how the cover art looks.

Jack Freeman – Nina

A decade after the release of his full-length debut album, Jack Freeman has proven that he has only grown stronger with time. Nina radiates positivity, love and a distinct charisma that the Houston native has honed to perfection over the years. In under 40 minutes, this record makes a tough-to-dispute case for why the singer’s catalogue should be looked into further.

Shaé Universe – Love’s Letter

With only one other LP to her name, Nigerian-born British vocalist Shaé Universe channels her soul and gospel influences with a caring precision that feels like a warm hug on her latest album. It’s evident from the very beginning of Love’s Letter that her compositions are centered on uplifting herself as well as others through her emphasis on self-love, which is something we can always use more of.

Kyle Dion — If My Jeans Could Talk


Almost eight years after the release of his debut studio album, Kyle Dion is still as much in his zone as he was when he started out. Crisp at every corner, he is at the top of his game even if not everyone has caught up yet. If My Jeans Could Talk is arguably his finest work to date, but listeners can decide that on their own since it’ll almost certainly prompt them to listen to more of his material.

MiLES. — Life Thru New Lens


Still in the early stages of his career, MiLES. is the textbook definition of a prodigy. Finding that sweet balance between funk, soul and R&B, he has clearly spent time studying the effects different sounds have on the senses to put together an EP so effective that it leaves no questions about his destiny in the business.

UMI — talking to the wind


In just four songs, UMI is able to perfectly encapsulate her essence. The fact that it takes a little over 10 minutes for her to prove herself with such precision speaks volumes. With that, her future appears secure as her talent shines brighter and brighter with each release.

OBAI — svnteen

The Phoenix, AZ native is yet another example of a young genius in the R&B space whose music does all the talking. With a project like svnteen, OBAI’s success is sure to follow. The proof is in the pudding, so waste no time because you’ll surely be back for seconds.

Destin Conrad — SUBMISSIVE2

After early success on Vine that culminated in him accumulating over a million followers in junior high, Destin Conrad built the confidence to do whatever he dreamed of. Sure enough, he trusted his gut and came more and more into his own with each album. His fourth project exhibits tremendous growth, and it doesn’t even seem like he’s anywhere near peaking yet.

HipHopDX’s search for the best R&B albums of 2024 involves recurring alterations and upgrades. Join us in curating this living, breathing shortlist and hop in the comments section to let us know if we missed anything.

Be sure to also check out our other shortlists for updates at the start of each month:

The Best R&B Songs of 2024
The Best Hip Hop Albums of 2024
The Best Hip Hop Songs of 2024