Music Discovery
R&B
Neo-soul, classic R&B, and new jack swing — warmth, groove, and vocal texture from Stax to contemporary. The most sampled vocal tradition in production.
Styles
Frequently Asked
What R&B records are best for sampling?▾
Classic soul and R&B from independent labels in the 1960s–1980s are the most prized. Labels like Stax, Atlantic, OKeh, and small regional imprints pressed records with house bands that played with precision and feel impossible to fake digitally. Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, and Marvin Gaye are among the most sampled artists.
What is neo-soul and how does it relate to sampling?▾
Neo-soul is a contemporary R&B style that draws heavily on 1970s soul production — warm analogue recordings, live musicians, and emotional directness. Producers making neo-soul use Discogs to find the original 1970s source records that defined the aesthetic. D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, and Lauryn Hill are closely associated with this approach.
How do producers clear R&B samples for commercial release?▾
R&B sampling requires both master rights clearance (from the label or rights holder who owns the recording) and publishing clearance (from the songwriter's publisher). Tracklib offers a catalog of pre-cleared R&B recordings available for licensing. For uncleared samples, working with a music lawyer who specialises in sample clearance is recommended.