The Best Jazz, Soul, and R&B Editorial Playlists on Amazon Music 2024

A while ago, we shared with you some of the best editorial playlists on Amazon Music, in various genres - from electronica, house & downtempo, through lofi beats, all the way to r&b, soul, and hip hop.

Amazon Music has evolved a lot in the past years, reaching 82.2 million users worldwide (as of May 2024) - a substantial rise since 2019 when it had 38.3 million subscribers. Naturally, the platform also expanded its programming, having thousands of editorial playlists & stations, curated by the Amazon Music Experts.

In this article, we wanted to explore the jazz, soul, and r&b curation of the Amazon Music editors in its variety for different moods, settings & tastes.

History of Jazz

Jazz music originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the African-American communities of New Orleans, blending African rhythms, blues, and ragtime. It had its golden era in the early 20th century - better known as the Jazz Age (1920s). Jazz has evolved throughout the 20th century, giving rise to various styles such as swing, bebop, and cool jazz, each characterized by its improvisational nature and unique rhythms. Jazz has had a profound influence on many other music genres and remains a vital part of music to this day. Some names everyone should know are Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, John Coltrane & Duke Ellington.

History of R&B

R&B, or rhythm and blues, originated in the 1940s, combining elements of jazz, gospel, and blues to create a genre characterized by strong rhythms and emotive vocals. Initially popularized by African American artists like Ray Charles and Ruth Brown, r&b evolved over the decades, influencing the development of soul and even rock & roll. By the late 20th century, it had further transformed, blending with hip-hop and pop to shape the modern sound of r&b.

History of Soul

Later on, soul music emerged in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s, blending gospel, rhythm and blues, and jazz for a deeply emotional sound characterized by passionate vocals and heartfelt lyricism. Artists like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and Marvin Gaye were pivotal in popularizing the genre, which became a voice for the civil rights movement and influenced many other music styles later on.

Neo-soul appeared in the 1990s - the new approach blended classic soul with influences like hip-hop, jazz, and electronic music, resulting in a more experimental and introspective sound. This is thanks to artists like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, and Lauryn Hill.

The Contemporary Jazz, Soul, and R&B Scene

Jazz music has been on the rise in the past few years, having a strong reappearance, especially in the UK & USA. Today, we see a wave of artists paying tribute to the traditions but also reimagining jazz with genres like hip-hop, beats, soul, and r&b - namely contemporary icons like Robert Glasper, Yussef Dayes, Ezra Collective, Blue Lab Beats, Alfa Mist, Butcher Brown, Kamasi Washington, Nubya Garcia, Kiefer & many more.

Soul and r&b, too, have seen a makeover, especially with the dissolving of classical genres and the constant experimentation and blending of styles & influences. While r&b has certainly had a more commercial appeal in the past couple of decades (with acts like Beyoncé, Summer Walker, Drake, FLO, etc.), it's also been a valuable part of the underground scene. Artists like SZA, Jorja Smith, Anderson .Paak, H.E.R., Tinashe, Yaya Bey, Jhené Aiko & Frank Ocean who started small, have reached impressive heights, sky-rocketing the genre to an extent where it has reached an all-time peak & is a close second to pop music. There are a number of buzzing names out there like Raveena, Full Crate, Shae Universe, Elmiene, emawk, etc. who prove there's a high demand for the r&b sound & aesthetic - which is also constantly evolving, too.

The Best Jazz, Soul, and R&B Editorial Playlists on Amazon Music

Thankfully, the Amazon Music Experts come to the rescue to help us navigate through those genres. You'll find a fine selection of jazz, soul, and r&b playlists (and a bit of hip hop), in the various nuances & genre blends. We put together a list of some of the best editorial playlists that can be found on their platform.

• Jazz&B
• Ritmo del Soul
• Hip Hop Jazz Evolution
• Alt&B
• Lo-Fi Jazz
• Chill Vibes
• Neo-Soul Icons
• Fresh R&B
• Fresh Jazz
• Women of R&B
• Sunday Morning Soul
• Café, Jazz y Trabajo
• R&B Workout
• Jazz-Funk Jams
• R&B Rotation

Jazz&B

"A contemporary fusion of jazz vibes and r&b sounds."

Naturally, starting with a blend of genres from today's ever-evolving music scene. Jazz&B is a mixture of r&b and soul with jazz elements from favorite artists like Robert Glasper, Theo Croker, Terrace Martin, Ego Ella May, Masego, FKJ & many more.

Ritmo del Soul

"Lo mejor de la nueva escuela del R&B." / "The best of the newschool r&b."

This playlist offers an insight into a fine selection of the soul and r&b gems of the new era. You'll hear contemporary classics & new music from Anderson .Paak, Jorja Smith, H.E.R., SZA, 6LACK, Jhené Aiko, Bruno Mars, Summer Walker, etc.

Hip Hop Jazz Evolution

Some say the future of jazz is through hip hop - and here's a playlist that solidifies that. Names like Butcher Brown, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington, Blue Lab Beats, Braxton Cook, etc. frequently use a hip hop rhythm in their compositions and often have guest rappers like Mac Miller, Anderson .Paak, Rapsody, Talib Kweli, Blu, and Tyler, The Creator. Aside from the lyrical masterpieces, you'll find the occasional jazzhop instrumentals sprinkled throughout the playlist.

Alt&B

"A unique blend of artists that play outside the bounds."

As mentioned earlier, all those genres evolve all the time, with a constant flow of experimentation. The Alt&B playlist showcases contemporary acts who don't abide by restrictions and pave their own unique ways into r&b, pop, soul, jazz, and hip hop. You'll find blooming artists like Orion Sun, KAYTRANADA, Hiatus Kaiyote, ROMderful, Ravyn Lenae, Duckwrth, NxWorries, and Montell Fish, to name a few.

Lo-Fi Jazz

"lofi beats and jazz flavor."

We've been following the chillhop scene since its very start and in the past few years, jazzhop - the fusion of beats with jazz elements - seems to be on the rise. Amazon Music's Lo-Fi Jazz is a great overview of this wonderful blend, with artists we love such as Saib, Stan Forebee, xander., Psalm Trees, Ian Ewing, Sebastian Kamae & Blue Lab Beats.

Chill Vibes

"Vibe out to low-key R&B and hip-hop jams."

This one is for the listeners who like it slow & smooth. The chill side of r&b, soul and hip hop finds its home here, with acts like Victoria Monét, James Vickery, Summer Walker, Ari Lennox, Brent Faiyaz, Kali Uchis, Isiah Rashad & many more.

Neo-Soul Icons

"Relax your mind, body, and soul with this chill mix from Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, and more."

This '90s interpretation of soul music had an important role in the development of today's scene and the Neo-Soul Icons playlist pays homage to its founders - Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Jill Scott, Bilal, Amy Winehouse, Meshell Ndegeocello, etc.

Fresh R&B

"Listen to the hottest new tracks in R&B."

The title & description say it all - this is the go-to place to keep up with what's new in the r&b genre. Updated weekly, this is one of Amazon Music's longest playlists, too - around 300 songs, showcasing the new releases of the likes of Xavier Omär, Jaz Karis, Phabo, Tinashe, Alex Isley, Sinéad Harnett, and Kehlani.

Fresh Jazz

"Stay in the know with the best new jazz."

Similar to the previous playlist, this is what you should listen to in order to follow the trends of the contemporary jazz scene - usually its more traditional approach, with names like Madeleine Peyroux, Walter Smith III, Avishai Cohen, Martina DaSilva, Gary Peacock, Ebi Soda & more.

Women of R&B

"Strictly female R&B."

A respectful homage to the female artists behind r&b's growth. Dive into new releases, some modern-day classics & legendary tunes from SZA, Ashanti, Jorja Smith, Whitney Houston, FLO, Beyoncé, Ella Mai, Shae Universe, Snoh Aalegra, and Mahalia, to name a few.

Sunday Morning Soul

"Smooth, inspirational, spiritual soul to take you higher."

This is a tribute to the classics from legends like Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind & Fire, Al Green, Sam Cooke & many more. The perfect situational playlist for a chill, easy weekend.

Café, Jazz y Trabajo

"Un poco de Jazz para trabajar" / "A little Jazz for work"

A more introspective take on jazz music, perfect to put on the background during office hours. A mix of classics from Chet Baker, Charlie Parker, Bill Evans, Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane, and modern-day jazz heads like Alfa Mist, Norah Jones, Masego, Melody Gardot, and Frank Ocean.

R&B Workout

"Get ready to sing and sweat your way through a workout with these upbeat R&B tracks."

Apart from its under-the-sheets smooth appeal, r&b has an energetic side that can get your blood rushing in the gym. Hit play & get an instant energy boost from Missy Elliott, Tyla, Janet Jackson, Kelis, Beyoncé, Doja Cat & more.

Jazz-Funk Jams

"Get funky."

Another high-energy & uplifting playlist, showing the groovy side of jazz. Dive into the funky gems of acts like Kamasi Washington, Ezra Collective, Nubiyan Twist, Snarky Puppy, Lettuce, and Domi & JD Beck.

R&B Rotation

"A new home for R&B in heavy rotation."

Wrapping up with the playlist with r&b tunes you can't get enough of. Stream the earworms by Coco Jones, Tinashe, Childish Gambino, Mary J. Blige, Lucky Daye, Usher, Summer Walker, Khalid and many more.