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Quiet Storm

In 1975, Smokey Robinson released a smooth, sensuous solo LP of romantic adult soul titled "A Quiet Storm". The album eventually gave its name to a style and radio format that aimed to create very similar moods. Quiet Storm also drew inspiration from Marvin Gaye's lush "Let's Get It On" LP, the orchestrations of Philly soul, and the gentle, ultra-smooth recordings of Al Green. In a way, quiet storm was R&B's answer to soft rock and adult contemporary -- while it was primarily intended for black audiences, quiet storm had the same understated dynamics, relaxed tempos and rhythms, and romantic sentiment. However, there was also an urbane sophistication and subdued soulfulness that marked quiet storm as unmistakably rooted in R&B. Some artists concentrated near-exclusively on the style, but most recorded more uptempo tracks in addition to the ballads that fit the requirements of the radio format. Quiet storm remained popular from the late '70s into the early '90s, when mainstream R&B took on a harder-edged hip-hop influence; as a result, quiet storm found virtually no new practitioners.
Grover Washington, Jr. Luther Vandross
The Spinners Anita Baker
Smokey Robinson The Isley Brothers
The Commodores Dionne Warwick
Rick James Phyllis Hyman
The Emotions Natalie Cole
The Stylistics Teddy Pendergrass
Cameo The Dramatics
Najee Ashford & Simpson
Evelyn "Champagne" King The Delfonics
Roberta Flack Brian McKnight
Con Funk Shun The Average White Band
George Howard Patrice Rushen
The Manhattans Patti Austin
Richard Elliot Deniece Williams
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye (1973)
Look of Love: The Burt Bacharach Collection
Burt Bacharach (1998)
Rapture
Anita Baker (1986)
Let's Get It On [SACD]
Marvin Gaye (2006)
Gold
Gladys Knight (2006)
Definitive Collection
Lionel Richie (2003)
Essential Luther Vandross
Luther Vandross (2003)
Best of Anita Baker
Anita Baker (2002)
Essential Babyface
Babyface (2003)
Soul Hits of the 70s: Didn't It Blow Your Mind! Vols. 1-5
Various Artists (1995)