Stevie Reigns Supreme in Billboard R&B Ranking; Aretha, Beyoncé, MJ, Whitney Follow

Stevie Wonder receives a standing ovation from President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and an all-star crowd during a 2011 White House Motown tribute. This week, Billboard named Wonder the greatest R&B singer of all time, topping a list that includes legends like Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Marvin Gaye. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Billboard just dropped its list of the 75 greatest R&B singers of all time — and if you grew up memorizing liner notes, taping quiet storm sets off the radio, or debating who hit harder between Luther and Marvin, this one’s for you.

Crowned at No. 1 is Stevie Wonder, the blind boy genius turned cultural architect whose sound helped define R&B, soul, and pop for over 60 years. Billboard calls him “pure creative mastery,” but most fans already had him carved into Mount Rushmore status decades ago.

Right behind him at No. 2 is the eternal Queen, Aretha Franklin. Whether from the pulpit or the protest line, Aretha’s voice changed lives and demanded R-E-S-P-E-C-T at every turn.

The top five rounds out like a 3 a.m. soul cypher in heaven: Michael Jackson (3), Beyoncé (4), and Whitney Houston (5) — each one a seismic shift in what R&B could sound, look, and feel like. Beyoncé’s placement signals her as more than a pop juggernaut — she’s a genre-defining vocalist whose catalog honors gospel roots while reshaping the modern R&B landscape. Billboard called her a “vocal chameleon” who balances breathy sensuality with outright power.

Further down, legends like James Brown (6), Prince (7), Mariah Carey (8), Marvin Gaye (10), and Al Green (14) get their long-overdue flowers. Janet Jackson (13) and Usher (21) hold it down for the crossover era, when R&B ruled MTV and packed out arenas. And Brandy, at No. 25, earns her long-standing title as the “Vocal Bible.”

But this list isn’t just a walk through the past — it’s a battleground. Controversy is built into the ranking.

Summer Walker’s inclusion at No. 74 raised eyebrows, especially paired with the absence of ‘90s titans like Keith Sweat, Joe, and Jodeci. R. Kelly’s No. 9 placement is another lightning rod, despite Billboard’s acknowledgment of his lasting musical influence.

Still, the list provides a sweeping look at the genre’s evolution — from Sam Cooke’s raw emotion (12) to Sade’s velvet cool (20), Frank Ocean’s alt-soul futurism (69), and SZA’s millennial vulnerability (33).

In truth, Billboard didn’t just build a ranking — they mapped out a sonic family tree. The list traces how Black voices turned heartbreak into harmony, protest into poetry, and romance into timeless radio.

Will it end the debates? Not a chance. But like the best R&B — it gave us something to feel and something to talk about.

Billboard’s 75 Greatest R&B Singers of All Time

1. Stevie Wonder
2. Aretha Franklin
3. Michael Jackson
4. Beyoncé
5. Whitney Houston
6. James Brown
7. Prince
8. Mariah Carey
9. R. Kelly
10. Marvin Gaye
11. Luther Vandross
12. Sam Cooke
13. Janet Jackson
14. Al Green
15. Ray Charles
16. Etta James
17. Patti LaBelle
18. Donny Hathaway
19. Chaka Khan
20. Sade
21. Usher
22. Smokey Robinson
23. Diana Ross
24. D’Angelo
25. Brandy
26. Anita Baker
27. Toni Braxton
28. Alicia Keys
29. Gladys Knight
30. Mary J. Blige
31. Teddy Pendergrass
32. Raphael Saadiq
33. SZA
34. Jill Scott
35. H.E.R.
36. Maxwell
37. Erykah Badu
38. Fantasia
39. Babyface
40. The Weeknd
41. Charlie Wilson
42. Teena Marie
43. Aaliyah
44. Monica
45. Brian McKnight
46. Kelly Price
47. Ginuwine
48. Chris Brown
49. Trey Songz
50. Faith Evans
51. John Legend
52. Daniel Caesar
53. Lauryn Hill
54. Tank
55. Jhené Aiko
56. Jazmine Sullivan
57. El DeBarge
58. Ashanti
59. Joe
60. Musiq Soulchild
61. Mario
62. Tyrese
63. Anthony Hamilton
64. Ledisi
65. Avant
66. Eric Benét
67. Carl Thomas
68. Frank Ocean
69. Ne-Yo
70. Robin Thicke
71. Mario Winans
72. Leela James
73. Sevyn Streeter
74. Summer Walker
75. BJ the Chicago Kid

Source: Billboard’s Full List