Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

The Quiet Storm: A Historical and Cultural Analysis of the Power, Passion, and Pain of R&B Groups by Amani Roberts traces the evolution of major R&B vocal groups from the 1950s to the early 2000s, examining their origins, rise to fame, and eventual decline. Roberts details the trajectories of groups like The Penguins, The Jackson 5, Atlantic Starr, and 112, talking about milestones such as chart-topping singles, record deals, and internal conflicts. Roberts attributes the decline of R&B groups to shifts in the music industry favoring hip-hop, citing lower production costs, changing radio formats, and commercial strategies. Roberts also connects the decline to the collapse of key African American media outlets that once promoted these groups. Roberts argues that these factors collectively reduced visibility and support, threatening the genre’s presence in mainstream music.

The Quiet Storm by Amani Roberts is a fantastically detailed and thoroughly researched book, the first of its kind that I have come across on the history of R&B groups in a straightforward, chronological format by date. The writing is clear and refreshingly conversational, where Roberts injects his own insights, and the format makes it really easy to follow and to return to specific decades for reference. I found the chapters covering the mid-1980s to early 1990s especially meaningful since that period coincided with my tweens and teens, and it was nostalgic to revisit the impact Boyz II Men had on those formative years. I had also, to my embarrassment, completely forgotten about En Vogue! I learned so much about the origins, key moments, and successes of many influential groups, and their continued importance in music history. Overall, this is a deep dive into R&B and is destined to remain an excellent resource for understanding the cultural and musical contributions of these artists for decades to come. Very highly recommended.