The Death of Rhythm and Blues

By: Nelson George

Narrated by: Brandon Dirden

From Nelson George, supervising producer and writer of the hit Netflix series The Get Down, this passionate and provocative book tells the complete story of Black music in the last 50 years, and in doing so, outlines the perilous position of Black culture within white American society. In a fast-paced narrative, Nelson George’s book chronicles the rise and fall of “race music” and its transformation into the R&B that eventually dominated the airwaves, only to find itself diluted and submerged as crossover music.

©1988 Nelson George (P)2021 Audible, Inc.

The narration.

I enjoyed this journey through the history of R&B music and the business side of the story.

R&B is dead and we’ll mourn forever

I didn’t realize the publication date when I picked this and I’m glad because I likely would’ve skipped it for that alone. And that would’ve been my loss. While written in ‘88, the sentiment is ever present. Though, instead of a dire warning, it’s now a bitter dose of reality in that way hindsight tends to be. Much of what it warned against, the watering down/commodification of Black music (and resultantly Black culture) has followed in the decades since, and we are not better for it.

excellent read

The history is amazing and should be listened by lovers of music and history yes.