R&B has changed a lot over the past decade, and artists like Brent Faiyaz and Bryson Tiller have played a big role in shaping what it sounds like today. Both artists create emotional songs that connect with younger listeners. Their music talks a lot about love, heartbreak, trust issues, and personal growth. Even though they are grouped together in the same genre, their styles and career paths show two very different approaches to R&B.
Bryson Tiller became popular after releasing his debut album, “Trapsoul.” The album quickly gained attention and pushed him into mainstream success. Tiller’s album “Trapsoul” was placed Number 8 on U.S. billboards 200, The 2015 album also reached number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was certified five-times platinum by the RIAA.
His songs often focus on relationships, regret, and learning from mistakes. What truly makes Tiller stand out is how honest and emotional he sounds in his songs. Some examples of this are in the song “Sorrows”: ” That’s a shame that we ain’t, when we used to be so close,” and ”Yes, I’m down and I’m drownin’ in my sorrow.” Also, honest and emotional are the lyrics, “Feels like you don’t got me, so you feel like you’ve been by yourself. I’ve been feeling kinda down myself” in Tiller’s “Right My Wrongs.” A lot of his listeners connect to the vulnerability in his lyrics. However, with that success also comes pressure — pressure from getting a lot of fame and new fans expecting new music from Tiller, which he is not used to and is making him feel pressured.
Recently, Tiller said he is considering leaving music to focus on game design, citing a desire to provide for his family and a dislike for the spotlight. He feels that the music industry drained him, even though he’s achieved success. Tiller emphasized that he wants to be honest, and that he wants to be in a position where he can feed his family.“I’m working on a game right now — I’ve been studying game design for, like, five years,” revealed the three-time Grammy nominee. He continued, “Granted, I’m not doing it really for the money, but like the moment I have some success and something else that can feed my family the same way I’m feeding my family right now . . . I’m done being an artist . . . Every time I release some stuff, it eats away at me, like it’s a huge energy pull, no matter if it’s received well . . . I just don’t like being talked about, to be honest. . . I don’t like being in the public. . . even if it’s good.” Two months later, Tiller released a new album titled “Solace and The Vices” was released Oct. 2, 2025. On “Speaking on Solace & The Vices,” Tiller shared, “It started with Solace. I just wanted to express what I was feeling to see if it would help me get [through] it. And then I got tired of talking about my feelings [and] got tired of drinking and smoking, so I decided to have some fun on a separate project, shifted my focus and boom, double album spawned.”
Tiller’s latest drop was a single called “WYD,” by Plaqueboymax, in which he was featured this year on Jan. 16. “Bryson Tiller’s contribution adds depth and familiarity, sliding effortlessly into the track’s after-hours atmosphere. His presence enhances the emotional weight without overpowering the moment.”
Shifting focus to Brent Fiayaz, he became popular in 2016, when he was featured in a single called “Crew” by Goldlink, featuring Shy Glizzy. The song was certified three times platinum and was one of the Best Tracks of 2016. His first project was in 2013, called “Black Child.” It was later released on to SoundCloud gaining a healthy amount of listeners. This track featured Brent rapping instead of his usual approach to R&B. In 2015, Faiyaz dropped two more songs called “Allure” and another song called “Poison” giving him his own unique style of R&B, craving his own path as an artist.
Faiyaz was a part of a group called Sonder, which consists of three members, with Faiyaz is the lead singer, formed in 2016. They have produced songs with multiple different types of styles “songs notable in their seductive, low-lit production and extended running times–none were under ten minutes long . . . opting for a more direct sound that nodded to the production of ’90s R&B innovators like [Timbaland and Ginuwine],” according to an article from All Music. As the years went on, the group’s songs satiated to get millions of plays in 2021. They continued to make songs.
Faiyaz’s latest album drop, called “Icon,” was second No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums. “Icon” had 10 tracks total, and Faiyaz’s song “Butterflies” was on Hot R&B songs at No. 6, and was Icon’s most streamed song. These are his songs ranked on Billboard’s Top R&B: No. 6, “Butterflies”; No. 7, “Have To”; No. 8, “Wrong Faces”; No. 9, “Other Side”; No. 11, “Four Seasons”; No. 12, “Strangers”; No. 13, “World Is Yours”; No. 15, “Pure Fantasy”; No. 16, “Vanilla Sky.” (Trevor Anderson Article)
Faiyaz and Tiller have both changed R&b in different ways and have different pathways for their career and future. While Tiller is more open about his plans for his career and his feelings, Faiyaz is more focused and independent and builds his career to a bigger audience. Even though they have different music styles, people still love their music and people still connect with their music. Their songs about love, growing up, and mistakes show more honest, raw R&B.
