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The Best Neo Soul Artists

Over 2.8K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Neo Soul Artists
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Only neo-soul artists.

This list of the best neo soul groups and artists let’s you see who hard-core neo soul fans believe the best neo soul musicians are. While soul music remains one of the most popular music genres, neo soul emerged in the 1990s as a new take on an old favorite. Neo soul fuses elements of hip hop, jazz, and funk to create a sound with soul elements. The best neo soul bands have the rare ability to blend the past and present, and the soul revival movement has allowed for many new and recent underground artists (2019 to today) to emerge and become hugely popular. Different from contemporary R&B, neo soul singers are an alternative to the producer-driven sound of modern R&B music, and this genre is a refreshing style of music that only continues to evolve.

So, who are the best neo soul artists of all time? A compilation of neo soul musicians wouldn't be complete without powerful female singers Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and Amy Winehouse. Male vocalists such as D'Angelo and John Legend are also bound to be included on any top neo soul artists. These neo soul musicians are known by many as some of the best in the genre. And if not for these fantastic musicians, it's highly unlikely that neo soul would be as popular as it is today.

That said, it's up to you to determine who the best neo soul artists are. This list answers the questions "who are the best neo soul bands of all time?" and "who is the greatest neo soul musician ever?" If you know enough about the genre, please vote based on the quality of the artists' albums and songs, rather than simply the ones that are the most popular or famous.

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