Best Old School R&B Love Songs

The best old school R&B love songs are legion. From the beginning of the Rhythm & Blue music genre, the terms "R&B" and "love song" have been roughly synonymous. The soulful melodies of R&B lend themselves to great romantic tunes of men singing to women, even before Motown Records existed.

With the huge catalog of relationship tunes, it's hard to fill out a proper list of R&B love songs. Our list today should get you started, if you're downloading a bunch of romantic singles to your iPod or mp3 player. I've tried to include R&B songs for lovers from the last 50 years or so.

Best R&B Love Songs - Contemporary

The following are the best R&B love songs. These singles have been released and played on hit radio stations sometime in the last ten years or so. These include some of the greatest R&B singers of the early 21st century.

• If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys
• Say Goodbye - Chris Brown
• Too Little Too Late - Jojo
• Unappreciated - Cherish
• Unfaithful - Rhiana
• Irreplacable - Beyonce
• Deja Vu - Beyonce
• Crazy In Love - Beyonce
• So Sick - Neyo
• Angel - Amanda Perez
• Flying Without Wings - Ruben Studdard
• Another Sad Love Song - Toni Braxton
• It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friend - Bright Eyes
• Out of Reach - Gabrielle
• How Could the One I Gave My Heart To - Aaliyah
• Street Thing - Aaliyah
• Hell No (Leave Home) - Monica
• Why Her - Monica
• Confessions Parts 1 & 2 - Usher
• Heartbroken - Aaliyah
• Coulda Been You - Angie Stone
• Jealous Girl - New Edition
• Going Outta Business - Babyface
• No Fool No More - En Vogue

Best R&B Love Songs of 2009

These songs were released in 2009, or got a lot of airplay last year. Trey Songz couldn't go wrong in 2009, while R. Kelly, despite all the years and scandals, continues to churn out hit singles.

I'm using the term "love" loosely with a couple of songs on this list. I'm not sure if Treys Songz is singing about love and romance on "I Invented Sex", but it's the culture we live in.

• Birthday Sex - Jeremih
• Under - Pleasure P
• Pretty Wings - Maxwell
• Epiphany (I'm Leaving) - Chrisette Michele
• Regret - Letoya
• Number One - R Kelly
• Last Chance - Ginuwine
• I Need a Girl - Trey Songz
• I Invented Sex - Trey Songz
• Break Up - Mario
• Oh My - Redman
• Forever - Chris Brown
• She Wolf - Shakira
• Break Your Heart - Taoi Cruz
• Forgive Me - Leona Lewis
• Million Dollar Bill - Whitney Houston
• Work - Kelly Rowland
• Halo - Beyonce
• Battlefield - Jordin Sparks
• Oopsy Daisy - Chipmunk
• Meet Me Halfway - Black Eyed Peas
• Playing With Fire - N-Dubz
• Beat Again - JLS
• Fight For This Love - Cheryl Cole
• LoveGame - Lady GaGa

Great R&B Love Songs of the 90s

These are love songs from the 1990s, or hit love tunes from R&B artists who were huge or got huge in the Decade of the Nineties. The last decade of the 20th century was the last era where music videos were considered huge. While the 90s was the first decade with mainstream Internet, streaming videos were still too slow for social media like YouTube to have much of an effect.

Some of these singers are still big stars today, while a few seem to have receded into history, for a number of different reasons.

• Back at One - Brian McKnight
• One Last Cry - Brian McKnight
• Anytime - Brian McKnight
• Breathe Again - Toni Braxton
• You Mean the World To Me - Tony Braxton
• Waterfalls - TLC
• If Ever I Fall in Love - Shai
• Girlfriend - Pebbles
• Any Love - Luther Vandross
• Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown
• Just a Friend - Biz Markie
• Hero - Mariah Carey
• In My House - Mary Jane Girls
• Love Takes Time - Mariah Carey
• I Swear - All 4 One
• End of the Road - Boyz II Men
• Feels Good - Tony! Toni! Tone!
• Cassanova - Levert
• Save the Best For Last - Vanessa Williams
• On Bended Knee - Boyz II Men
• I'll Make Love To You - Boyz II Men
• I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
• One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men
• It's No Crime - Babyface
• If It Isn't Love - New Edition
• Love the One You're With - Luther Vandross
• Always and Forever - Luther Vandross
• Here and Now - Luther Vandross
• Heaven Knows - Luther Vandross

Old School R&B Love Songs of the 60s, 70s and 8os

The Era of Motown produced so many of our greatest old school R&B love songs, that I'm sure I'm missing an absolute ton of essential love hits from R&B. Among the talents on this list are some of the best R&B singers who ever lived.

• Only You - The Platters
• My Girl - The Tempations
• In the Still of the Night - The Five Satins
• After the Love Is Gone - Earth, Wind & Fire
• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
• At Last - Etta James
• Being With You - Smokey Robinson
• Let's Stay Together - Al Green
• (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman - Aretha Franklin
• I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder
• Let's Stay Together - Al Green
• Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
• Just My Imagination - The Temptations
• Killing Me Softly - Robert Flack
• When I Fall in Love - Nat King Cole
• Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
• Sexual Healing - Marvin Gaye
• Turn Your Love Around - George Benson
• Three Times a Lady - The Commodores
• Penny Lover - Lionel Richie
• Hello - Lionel Richie
• Truly - Lionel Richie
• Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
• Here and Now - Luther Vandross

R&B Love Song Duets

I tried to list some of the best love duets in R&B history, along with the latest hit duet love songs. I have to admit: it's a little strange having a duet about relationships with two guys singing. But maybe that's just me. Enjoy these great love songs.

• The Closer I Get To You - Donny Hathaway & Robert Flack
• Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
• Baby Come To Me - Patti Austin & James Ingram
• Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me - Gladys Knight & the Pips
• Unfortgettable - Nat Kign Cole & Natalie Cole
• Reunited - Peaches & Herb
• Love Sex Magic - Ciara & Justin Timberlake
• New Leave You - Tinchy Stryder & Amelle
• Kiss Me Thru the Phone - Soulja Boy Tell'em & Sam
• Written on Her - Birdman & Jay Sean
• Supernova - Mr. Hudson & Kanye West
• Down - Jay Sean & Lil Wayne
• Number One - R Kelly & Keri Hilson
• Dilemma - Nelly & Kelly Rowland

Top Romantic Songs of Rhythm and Blues

If you want to download the greatest love songs from the last 50 years of R&B music, you better be prepared to be downloading all day. This list of the best R&B love songs should be a nice place to start your R&B song collection.