During the nineties, Rhythm ‘n’ Blues started to cross over to many other popular genres, combined with a lyrical tendency towards shallow and popular content. Slowly the term R&B becomes a vassal for major record labels to ensure their profits, with Swingbeat as the first, careful step. Independent artists responded with a return to pure, untainted Soul. Especially female ones joined the cause, as a reaction to new R&B’s sexist or superficial approach. Compared to older styles of Soul, this “Nu Soul” was stripped down and simple: only one singer instead of vocal harmonies, and not too many instruments. Often there are influences from Jazz Rap or Progressive Rap, with whom it shares the desire to express proud and honorable black awareness. Although Neo-Soul is inclined to a non-commercial stand, production is highly polished and its diva stars surely had little financial worries during the heydays.

While Neo Soul has faded nowadays, a return to Soul of the sixties conquers more and more radio airspace in the nillies. This so called “Vintage Soul Revival” is barely a new genre, but it illustrates well how Soul has timeless and universal qualities. Very recently, new artists have blended Soul with Reggae, Rap, or Electro(-House) music into the catch-all genre “Future Soul”. It is still too early to define this genre, let alone assess its role in music history.