Usher has changed music, culture, and countless lives. The multiple GRAMMY Award-winning diamond-selling international megastar, actor, dancer, entrepre- neur, and philanthropist inspires change yet again in 2023 and beyond. Selling over 80 million records worldwide and collecting dozens of awards, he has simultaneously lit up the small screen on NBC’s The Voice and the big screen in blockbusters such as Hustlers. He has also tirelessly distinguished himself as a devout humanitarian, raising tens of millions of dollars for various causes and uplifting youth via his New Look Foundation. Since 1999 he has been providing opportunities for young people in underserved communities and enabling them to flourish and achieve seemingly impossible dreams. A true outlier, he is equally at home on the stage of his sold out My Way Las Vegas residency as he was on a 2016 government cultural mission to Cuba as part of President Barack Obama’s Presidential Committee for Arts and Humanities. This album marks the creative reunion of Usher and L.A. Reid, who haven’t worked together since 2004’s Diamond certified Confessions. The album was mainly recorded in Atlanta, GA with many of Atlanta’s hottest producers including Sean Garrett, Lil John, The Avila Brothers, Mel & Mus, Tricky Stewart, Rico Love, The-Dream, Jermaine Dupri, D Mile among many others.  USHER is the 2024 Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show Performer.

Originally released on Cotillion Records, this seminal record is being made available commercially for the first time in over forty years in CD, Digital, and Vinyl formats.

June 1976 saw the introduction of Luther, Luther Vandross’ss debut album, marking a significant milestone in the R&B genre. This album not only showcased Vandross’s unparalleled vocal prowess but also highlighted his talents as a songwriter and producer. Among its hits, "Funky Music (Is A Part Of Me)" gained particular fame when it was reimagined by Vandross and David Bowie, emerging as "Fascination" on Bowie’s legendary 1975 album Young Americans, where Vandross also contributed to background vocals and arrangements. Luther also includes the track “Everybody Rejoice (A Brand New Day),” a key song in the 1975 Tony Award-winning Best Musical "The Wiz" and its 1978 film adaptation. This re-release offers the only available recording of Vandross's unique performance of this iconic song.

Following the success of his debut, Vandross continued his musical journey as part of the American singing group Luther, with the release of This Close to You, on March 23, 1977. This second studio album further solidified his status in the music industry, highlighting his exceptional skills as a lead vocalist, writer, and producer. The album’s blend of soulful melodies and moving lyrics captured the hearts of fans and critics alike, propelling Luther Vandross to stardom.

Boulevards, also known as Jamil Rashad, returns with Carolina Funk: Barn Burner On Tobacco Road. Teaming up with funk producer Sergio Rios (Orgone, Say she she, Neal Francis). Taking notes from rare funk records and blaxploitation,  Carolina Funk: Barn Burner on Tobacco Road is a raw, muddy, infectious, live testament to the funk. With infectious hooks, syncopated basslines, tight drums and classic horns that bring a punchy and soulful element to the funk.

"empathogen" is the sixth studio album from WILLOW. This release sees WILLOW moving in a new alternative & jazz tinged direction following her widely praised 2022 release  . The album includes features from Jon Batiste and St. Vincent.

Three time Grammy nominated Hiatus Kaiyote return with their eagerly anticipated new album Love Heart Cheat Code. The band have warmed up fans with standout single 'Everything's Beautiful' and what awaits is a masterfully crafted album from a band who are firing on all cylinders and totally in sync. LHCC is a mix of their classic neo-soul sound, fused with jazz, soul and rock - which is on full display on their cover of the Jefferson Airplane classic 'White Rabbit' and a fan favorite from their live shows, 'Cinnamon Temple'. The album also includes a feature from BMO from the cult classic animated series Adventure Time (Cartoon Network/Adult Swim). Throughout the campaign the band will build a bright and vibrant world for fans to dive into, with games, artifacts, mazes and all other matter of zaniness that one can expect from Hiatus Kaiyote. Just ahead of album release the band will be embarking on a 19 day US tour, which includes stops at Montreal and Toronto Jazz Fests and Electric Forest.

NOW That’s What I Call Music ‘90s R&B features 16 of the best R&B songs from the decade with tracks from Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Bobby Brown, Babyface, Toni Braxton and more.

Doja Cat's fourth studio album Scarlet introduces a new era for the Grammy award-winning global superstar that represents a rebirth in her career sonically and creatively.Scarlet shows the artist's versatility as a rapper, with this album being completely written by Doja Cat throughout. This 15 track collection includes the worldwide hit "Paint The Town Red."

As they set to work on their highly awaited sophomore album, Black Pumas broadened their palette to include a dazzling expanse of musical forms: heavenly hybrids of soul and symphonic pop, mind-bending excursions into jazz-funk and psychedelia, starry-eyed love songs that feel dropped from the cosmos. The debut was nominated for 7 Grammys and reached one million album equivalents. Chronicles Of A Diamond arrives as the fullest expression yet of their frenetic creativity and limitless vision.

3xLP * tri-color handmade color-in-color vinyl * 9 bonus tracks * gatefold* Limited to 500

GRAMMY winning album Black Radio III is just the latest historic milestone in the decade-long Black Radio series. An ongoing project, evolving over time, perhaps never complete but anchored in its creative commitment to celebrating black excellence in music. As a next chapter Glasper releases Black Radio III: Supreme Edition on vinyl for the 1st time. A 3xLP, in a gatefold jacket, with tri-color handmade color-in-color vinyl, & 9 bonus tracks (Mac Miller, Bilal, PJ Morton, India.Arie, & more)!

SOS is the second studio album from GRAMMY award winning singer SZA, and the follow up to 2017’s major label debut album Ctrl. The genre-blending album contains elements of pop, R&B, soft-rock, gospel, and hip-hop. SOS features guest appearances from Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. SZA worked with a variety of hitmaking producers including Ctrl collaborators ThankGod4Cody and Carter Lang, along with Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Emile Haynie, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Jay Versace, and more.

Cited as “one of the most exciting young artists in Nashville’s burgeoning soul scene” by Rolling Stone, Love You Anyway is the second full-length LP and brand-new album from the Philadelphia-born Devon Gilfillian. With an incisive eye and unassuming swagger, along with Devon’s deep knowledge and love of vintage soul, R&B, rock and hip-hop, Love You Anyway re-imagines modern soul music. First vinyl pressing will be on limited edition milky clear vinyl.

This 1965 collection from The King of Soul™ is as fresh and urgent now as ever. Featuring “That’s How Strong My Love Is” and “Mr Pitiful” among this beautifully curated collections of soul ballads, this is a foundational record in any collection.

Following the worldwide success of Steve Lacy’s critically acclaimed album Gemini Rights, this collection is now available on vinyl beginning 11/4/2022. The album features Steve’s chart topping global hit, Bad Habit.

Steve Lacy is a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and musician who was born and raised in Compton, California. Steve was introduced to the music industry initially in 2015 as a member (guitarist) of R&B group, The Internet. His previous solo work includes his debut EP, Steve Lacy’s Demo (Feb 2017), his debut album, Apollo XXI (May 2019), and The Lo-Fis (December 2020). Steve has production, writing and feature credits with artists like Kendrick Lamar, J Cole, Tyler, Mac Miller, The Internet, Thundercat, GoldLink, Solange, YG, Vampire Weekend, and Kali Uchis to name a few.

This is the FINAL album coming from legendary musician/actor Morris Day. Considered one of the founders of the “Minneapolis Sound,” as well as Prince’s “greatest creation,” Morris’s career has spanned 40 years. Now it’s the “Last Call.” Celebrate with us and some of Morris’s best friends as you journey through 12 final tracks with features from Snoop Dogg, Jazze Pha, E-40, Tech N9ne, Daddy O from Stetsasonic, Big Daddy Kane, Flo Rida, Trinidad James and Billy Gibbons.

RENAISSANCE is the highly anticipated new album from global icon Beyoncé. Packed with rousing anthems that resonate with everybody, RENAISSANCE is a culmination of freedom and escape that encourages unimaginable jubilation, agency, and movement with abandon. The singular intent of RENAISSANCE, a reinvention of four on the floor, is to showcase music that stirs you from the soul and encourages your dancing feet.  It is a celebration of a club era when anyone who felt like an outsider sought each other and formed a community of freedom-seekers to express themselves creatively through the rhythm, which we still celebrate today. 

When you think of R&B in the 21^st century, romance, sex, love, and Tank instantly come to mind. With vocal fireworks lit enough to heat up any bedroom and an instantly recognizable presence, the nine-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum singer, producer, actor, comedian, and R&B Money label founder has defined two decades of the genre with one seminal record after another. Along the way, he has gathered hundreds of millions of streams, picked up platinum plaques, and sold out shows around the world. However, he leaves the game with one more magnum opus, delivering his tenth and final full-length offering, R&B Money [R&B Money/Atlantic Records], in 2022.

“For me, I’ve adjusted and lived through the changes with R&B,” he explains. “R&B is back in an amazing place. There are so many R&B artists who have incredible careers. The title R&B Money speaks to how lucrative the R&B business is and how expensive the music is. However, relationships and love are expensive in terms of how much you have to emotionally and spiritually invest. The investment is worth it though. R&B is about relationships. Nothing gives you the blues like a relationship when it goes wrong. Nothing gets you more excited than a relationship when it goes right. It’s never changed for me. I’m still making R&B.”

Throughout 2021, he assembled what would become R&B Money as his most ambitious body of work yet. “I’ve got more songs than ever,” he says. “I wanted to give it all I’ve got. For the first half of the album, it’s a vibe. You’re either making up or making out. There’s a song for any groove you’re in. It’s a ride, so pack a lunch.”

Following a record-breaking debut, Ella Mai brings us her highly anticipated sophomore album, Heart On My Sleeve. With the physical available upon immediate release on May 6, 2022, fans can experience the thrill of running to the store to grab the CD and press play on their favorite R&B songstress.

Love & Algorhythms is an interstellar synthesis of astral Soul, R&B, and sci-fi Funk. Working with producer Paul Butler (The Bees, Micheal Kiwanuka, Caroline Rose, Hurray for the Riff Raff), Seratones have taken the invitation to knock at the door of the cosmos. A.J. Haynes’s voice dances with soul-stirring devotion at the altar of Black Feminisms: weaving the words Toni Cade Bambara, Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis multiverse, echoes of bell hooks, and Audre Lorde’s Power of the Erotic. With drummer Jesse Gabriel’s machine-like precision and the transcendental touches from guitarist Travis Stewart, the album oscillates between Alice Coltrane-inspired bliss & Giorgio Moroder’s ecstatic release. Each song hovers and pulsates in the wide, dark matter—constellations guiding a journey through the subtle body, the vast fullness of the human experience and the irresistible potential of liberation.

Robert Glasper’s highly anticipated third installment to the Black Radio album series. Black Radio III, much like both of its predecessors, is a cultural moment that celebrates black love and resilience, features an eclectic group of talented collaborators, and is composed by Glasper who the New York Times proclaims is “probably the most prominent jazz musician of his generation”. An innovative and essential addition to Glasper’s seminal Black Radio series. Limited Edition Indie Exclusive Chartreuse 2 LP.

Stro Elliot (of The Roots) puts his spin on ten James Brown classics. The remixes draw upon a variety of inspirations, from Afro-Beat to electronica.

A fever dream in sonic form, The Alien Coast is the first album St. Paul & The Broken Bones recorded in their hometown of Birmingham. Produced by Matt Ross-Spang (Drive-By Truckers, Margo Price) - the bands fourth full-length is a dizzying convergence of rock & roll and R&B, psychedelia and stoner metal, gospel and jazz-funk. At turns explosive, elegant, and thrillingly unhinged - it makes for a majestic backdrop to the groups visceral exploration of the strangest dimensions of the human psyche.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Piece of Me, the sophomore full length offering from Lady Wray. This is something of a homecoming for Nicole. Where her 2016 solo debut Queen Alone leaned more towards Soul and R&B with tinges of hip-hop, this record changes the mixture. It's still R&B with the textures of analog Soul, but there is a heavy Hip Hop influence that brings the sum of Nicole's career together in a new sound that will dene her future. Boom-bap drums and chunky bass lines are front-and-center creating a perfect head-nodding backdrop for Lady Wray to take on the good, the bad, the difficult, and the joyful on her most personal collection of songs to date.

The title track, "Piece of Me," which has already become a classic since it's 2019 release is about the people in your life who need more than you are willing to give. This tune and the B side of the 7” “Come On In” were the first songs put to tape for this album and they were recorded with Nicole sitting in a chair 8 months pregnant with her daughter. Her voice is so powerful, so raw, so thorough on these initial songs—it's wild to think that they were recorded this way. And even wilder to know that she knocked them all out in one take.Long time collaborator and producer Leon Michels keeps the musical backing restrained and expertly executed, setting up Lady Wray for the full spotlight and setting the tone for the rest of the album.

While the upbeat energies of “Under The Sun” and “Through It All” are sure to become hits that reconnect Lady Wray with her 90s R&B fanbase, “Where Were You” offers a behind the scenes look at what those days of stardom in her youth were really like. Nicole takes on the racial tension in America with her poetic and powerful “Beauty In The Fire” and leans heavy into her faith and church upbringing on the showstopper, “Thank You”. She gushes about the profound love she’s come to know for her daughter on “Melody” and celebrates life’s ups and downs on “Joy & Pain”. In 2021 it is rare to hear a varied yet cohesive album with no “skippers”, but that is what you have herein spades. The tried and true chemistry between Lady Wray and Leon Michels has undeniably found a higher level and this album stands as a testament to conviction and dedication for all of us to enjoy and be inspired by.

With this in mind, when talking about this record, for Lady Wray, it's about a larger purpose. "My goal is always to help and to heal people with singing," she explains. "Part of that is to try and bring back real music, real singing, so people can feel something again." Now, she's not dissing anyone here, to be clear. It's just that Lady Wray cannot sing without tapping into something deeper, searching for that shared compassion between all of us. Perhaps it comes from her church upbringing, or maybe from her years of trials and tribulations in the music industry. Either way, Lady Wray is looking to bring that "Good Sound" back and the good feelings that come with it. She calls it "those inner hands," and she always means to stir them up, grabbing your attention from within.

The 5^th Dimension’s “Greatest Hits On Earth” is being issued, featuring 11 of their most beloved hits including “Last Night I Didn’t Get To Sleep At all,” “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In,” “One Less Bell To Answer” and more!

$ (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 1971 movie of the same name. The soundtrack was composed and produced by Jazz legend Quincy Jones and includes performances from Roberta Flack, Little Richard and Doug Kershaw. This version will be the first repressing since 2002, and will be pressed the color of money on mint green vinyl. SIDE A 01 Money Is (feat. Little Richard) 02 Snow Creatures 03 Rubber Ducky 04 Redeye Runnin' Train (feat. Doug Kershaw) 05 Shady Lady 06 Money Runner 07 When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You) [feat. Roberta Flack with the Don Elliott Voic SIDE B 01 Do It - To It! (feat. Little Richard) 02 Candy Man 03 Passin' the Buck 04 Kitty with the Bent Frame 05 Brooks' 50c Tour (Main Title Collage) [feat. Little Richard and Roberta Flack]