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From Destiny’s Child and SWV to Boyz II Men and Jodeci, R&B groups and duos have been a mainstay in the genre — at least until the mid-to-late 2000s. By the next decade, the industry largely moved on to solo acts, and for good reasons: less drama, fewer egos and less profit-splitting. Whether R&B groups ever reclaim their ’90s dominance is up for debate, but duos, trios and even quartets have made a quiet comeback in the 2020s.
Take FLO, for example, who tapped into the ’90s girl group nostalgia across tracks like “Not My Job” and “Summertime,” with social media giving the British girl group a major boost in crossing over to the United States. Then there’s WanMor, carrying on the legacy of their father, Boyz II Men’s Wanyá Morris. Arguably, the most successful group in 2020 was Chloe x Halle, and fans can’t get enough since the success of their Grammy-nominated sophomore album, Ungodly Hour.
The hunger for real vocals, tight harmonies and classic R&B is evidently only growing stronger. Here is Rap-Up’s list of R&B groups and duos making a case for why we need more. Take a look below.
1. FLO
Nobody does it quite like FLO. The London-based trio — comprised of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer — ascended to popularity with “Cardboard Box” and hasn’t left the mainstream since. They’re also part of the reason fans began craving a resurgence of late-’90s, early-2000s R&B groups, as their debut EP, The Lead, is home to catchy singles like “Immature” and “Feature Me.” Thankfully, FLO has only gotten better over time, with Access All Areas solidifying their growth through the GloRilla-assisted “In My Bag,” “Walk Like This” and “Check,” to name a few tracks.
2. No Guidnce
Boy bands are few and far between in the streaming era, but at least No Guidnce knew to come up with a name that holds weight — something New Edition, Jagged Edge and R&B groups of the past would approve. For many fans, their first introduction to the British group came through the soul-drenched ballad co-written by Victoria Monét: “Is It A Crime?” That momentum carried over into their Is It A Crime? EP, on which they stacked harmonies against each other — particularly in “Committed” and “Lie To Me.”
3. THEY.
Transitioning into R&B was the best decision THEY. could have made. The duo, who rose to fame in 2017 via “U-RITE,” found their stride in the genre with the Ty Dolla Sign-assisted “18 Months” and “Broken” featuring Jessie Reyez, among several other songs from Fireside. Fast forward to albums like The Amanda Tape, Nü Moon and LOVE.JONES, and it’s clear their grip on R&B isn’t loosening anytime soon.
4. Chloe x Halle
It’s impossible to discuss R&B groups and duos, without mentioning Chloe x Halle. After their first two albums, The Kids Are Alright and Ungodly Hour, we received plenty from the duo’s solo careers. Chlöe debuted “Have Mercy,” her first Billboard Hot 100 entry, during her sister’s breakout moment as Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey has put out breathtaking records like the Grammy-nominated “Angel” and “In Your Hands.”
5. WanMor
WanMor might have done background vocals on Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake and appeared on Hunxho’s “Heartless,” but their own catalog is just as noteworthy. The group — made up of brothers Big Boy, Chulo, Tyvas and Rocco — have R&B in their bloodline, being the sons of Boyz II Men’s Wanyá Morris. They’ve put out efforts like “Mine,” “Please Don’t Go” and “Alone With You” — each more impressive than the last. With a deal under Mary J. Blige’s Beautiful Life Productions imprint and a co-sign from Stevie Wonder, WanMor’s potential is just too high to ignore.
6. Say Now
Another London-based girl group, Say Now tapped into early 2000s nostalgia with a refreshingly current feel — and they made it look pretty damn good. Before settling on a name, Ysabelle Angeli, Amelia Onuorah and Madeleine Haynes dropped their first releases under the tongue-in-cheek placeholder “needanamebro.” Thanks to TikTok, millions got their first taste of what they had to offer through records like “Not A Lot Left To Say” and “Trouble.”
“It’s very pop and R&B-led, it’s like pop-fusion. There are so many different genres that we love and are inspired by,” Haynes told Rolling Stone UK to describe their sound.
7. TWENTY88
Big Sean and Jhené Aiko share a personal connection arguably as strong as their musical synergy. After building anticipation for something bigger on records like “Beware” and “I Know,” the couple formed TWENTY88 in 2016, the same year they released their self-titled album. As one of that year’s best rap and R&B pairings, they delivered steamy duets on “Déjà vu,” “On The Way” and “Talk Show.”
8. VanJess
Some, if not most, R&B groups don’t last, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Formed in 2009, VanJess captivated listeners with a string of viral covers, indie projects and Silk Canvas, their first album under RCA Records. The two Nigerian sisters, Ivana and Jessica Nwokike, delivered a few standout tracks, including “Slow Down” featuring Lucky Daye, “DYSFUNCTIONAL” with KAYTRANADA and “Honeywheat.”
The duo was only together for about five years before announcing their split in 2023. “I fully support and respect my sister in pursuing what makes her happiest,” Jessica penned in a letter to their fans. Luckily for listeners, Jessica’s solo career under the stage name AMAKA is shaping up to be something special — especially with slow-burning efforts like “Unfamiliar” and “Cruisin’” from her debut EP, OASIS.
9. The Amours
Another sister duo with incredible talent, The Amours is composed of siblings Jakiya Ayanna and Shaina Aisha. After building momentum with “JK, I Love You,” “On The Run,” and many other lushly harmonized records, they shared their much-anticipated debut project, Changes, in 2024. The 10-song effort served as a celebration of womanhood, love and self-discovery. Since then, their presence has steadily grown, most notably with the Washington, D.C. natives’ “The Game” garnering well-earned attention across the genre.
