Our Top 10 Jon B Songs list looks at a popular r&b artist from the 90s. Before Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke and Justin Bieber exploded on the music scene, there was Jon B. He was one of the princes of blue-eyed soul. Jon B helped pave the way for those artists to be taken seriously in the r&b genre. The singer, songwriter, and producer came onto the music scene in the 90s. He was introduced to the world when he collaborated on “Someone to Love” with singer, songwriter, and producer Babyface. Jon B was influenced by Babyface, Michael Jackson, Prince, Marvin Gaye and Sade. He has written and produced songs for Toni Braxton, After 7, Michael Jackson, Color Me Badd, Spice Girls as well as others. Some of his hits include “They Don’t Know,” “Someone to Love,” “Pretty Girl,” “Are U Still Down,” “Don’t Talk” as well as others.
Jonathan David Buck was born on November 11, 1974. He came from a musical family. His father taught music and his mother was a pianist. His siblings were instrumentalists. As we mentioned earlier, Jon B got his start by writing and producing for other artists. One thing led to another and he met Babyface and his then wife Tracey Edmonds. She heard his demos and wanted to sign him to her label.
Bonafide was released in 1995. The album peaked at number 24 on the r&b charts and number 79 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Someone to Love,” “Pretty Girl” and “Isn’t It Scary.” The album sold over 500,000 copies. Cool Relax was released in 1997. The album peaked at number five on the r&b charts and number 33 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Don’t Say,” “Are U Still Down,” “They Don’t Know,” “I Do (What’cha Say Boo) and “Cool Relax.” The album sold over two million copies.
Pleasures U Like came out in 2001. The album peaked at number three on the r&b charts and number six on the Billboard 200 charts. The album features the single “Don’t Talk.” Stronger Everyday came out in 2004. The album peaked at number 17 on the r&b charts and number 140 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Everytime” and “Lately.”
Helpless Romantic came out in 2008. The album peaked at number 11 on the r&b charts and 109 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the single “Oh So Sexy.” Comfortable Swagg was released in 2005. It features the single “Only One.”
Jon B was able to help pave the way for other blue-eyed soul artists to sing r&b music. He’s not the type who gives up singing r&b when it’s convenient. He stays true to the genre so he gets a lot of respect for singing r&b music. He has hits on his own as well as with other artists. He is an underrated singer who deserves to be a bigger star. Our Top 10 Jon B Songs list will feature his best songs.
# 10 – Are U Still Down ft. Tupac
The first song on our Top 10 Jon B Songs list is “Are U Still Down from the album Cool Relax. The song has an r&b and hip-hop soul sound. The pleading song is about a couple who are having problems, but they still love each other. He asks her if she’s willing to go back to the way things used to be between them. He could tell by looking at her that she’s still in love with him. Couples who have issues in their relationship could relate to this song. They are having issues, but they’re not quite ready to give up on their relationship. They question whether they should stay together or break up.
Jon B and Tupac are a very unlikely pair. They are from two different genres so their paths wouldn’t cross too often. Tupac was a legendary rapper while Jon B is an r&b singer. They proved that people from different genres could work well together. They came together to create this hit song. It has a cool vibe that’s perfect for chilling out. Jon B’s smooth voice and Tupac’s excellent flow made for a great sound. Their voices were made for each other. Jon B’s tenor vocals sound smooth against the musical background. Tupac’s rhymes are fantastic. He’s arguably one of the best rappers in the game.
# 9 – Tu Amor
The next song on our Top 10 Jon B Songs list is “Tu Amor” from the album Cool Relax. The song has a blue-eyed soul sound. The sophisticated song is a love song to the woman he loves. He expresses how much he loves her and how much she means to him. The romantic words will touch your heart. Any woman would fall in love with a man who would sing a song like this to them. The words are romantic and beautiful. The song contains English and Latin lyrics. “Tu Amor” paired the dynamic duo Diane Warren and David Foster.
Diane Warren and David Foster worked together on many songs throughout the years. She wrote the lyrics of this song while David Foster produced it. She worked her magic with the lyrics. He provided excellent production. The arrangement was elegant. The track has a beautiful blend of r&b and Latin music. It sounds sexy and romantic. The music is soft and tender so you can listen to Jon B’s vocals. His vocals are on point. His tone is similar to Babyface’s tone. You can tell Babyface is one of his inspirations because he uses similar mannerisms in his songs. He sings the song with a lot of soul. The song wasn’t released as a single and that was a miscarriage of justice. The song would probably have a lot of airplay if it were released on the radio.
# 8 – Time After Time
The yearning song is from the album Bonafide. The song has an r&b sound. The reflective song is about a man who was in love with a woman who hurt him. He thought about the times they were together. He was upset when he lost her. He thought they were one until she broke his heart. He wanted her to know the pain he felt when she walked out of his life. He is angry that he did everything he could to show his love for her, but she didn’t stay with him. He breaks down and cries because she hurts him. He wanted her to feel the pain he felt because she broke his heart.
“Time After Time” is the type of song that will have you in your feelings. The song begins as if it were a love song. As the song progresses, you find out how upset he is at the woman he loves. If you have been hurt the same way he was, you might find yourself nodding your head in agreement with Jon B. You might see the title and think of Cyndi Lauper’s version of the track. Jon B.’s version is completely different from her version. He patterned the style of this song after Babyface.
The music sounds similar to a track that Babyface would have recorded. The song is keyboard and drum friendly the way Babyface’s tracks were in the 90s. You would have to check the liner notes to see that Babyface wasn’t attached to this song. Jon B’s vocals are soulful. He sounds so much like Babyface that you can forget that he’s not singing the song. Jon B’s blue-eyed soul is shining brightly on this track. He gets a chance to flex is vocal muscles. He holds a little note on the bridge that you might not see coming. The song is flawless.
# 7 – Don’t Talk
The flirtatious song is from the album Pleasures U Like. The song has an r&b beat. This is the only single released from the album. This was the song that was released after the smash hit Cool Relax. The pressure was on for him to produce another hot album. The commanding song is about a man coming on to a woman that he finds attractive. He wants to buy her a drink and get to know her. He wants her to relax and enjoy herself. He doesn’t want her to talk. He wants her to have fun. He’s ready to get her on the dance floor.
“Don’t Talk” has a party beat. It will be impossible to sit still while listening to the music. The track has everything it needs to get the party started. The song sounds like it could be a novelty song, but he wants to get to know the girl he’s talking about in the song. It’s not your typical party song. It makes you want to dance, but it’s more than just dancing. He sounds romantic with a party background. The beat is perfect. It’s a song that will get you out of your seat. It’s perfect to listen to if you are in a club. This song could still be played on the radio on the weekends. Jon B sings the song in his lower register. He shows he has versatility on this track. He does sing in his normal pitch at points in the song.
# 6 – Love Hurts
The bitter song is from the album Cool Relax. The song has an r&b beat. The plaintive song is about love hurting you. The track is self-explanatory. The song explains how love can feel great and there are times when it can destroy you. He explains the ups and downs of love. When you are happy it’s the best thing to happen to you. When you are upset it’s one of the most painful things to experience. If you have been in love before, you know what Jon B is talking about in the song. You can listen to this song with the curtains drawn so you can immerse yourself in the song.
This track has Babyface written all over it. He wrote this track. If you are a fan of Babyface’s work, you recognized that it was his song immediately. Babyface is one of the kings of romance so his stamp is obvious. The melody of the song is similar to “I Miss You So Much” by TLC as well as Babyface’s song “The Day (You Gave Me a Son).” Babyface wrote both songs so it’s not a surprise “Love Hurts” sounds like them. The music is soft and touching. The music matches the theme of the song beautifully. Jon B did this song justice. Jon B knows how to sing a ballad. He does a good job on midtempo and up-tempo songs, but he shines on ballads. His soulful side comes out to play on ballads. Babyface knows exactly what tracks to write to make Jon B sound his best.
# 5 – Everytime ft. Dirt McGirt
The next song on our Top 10 Jon B Songs list is “Everytime” from the album Stronger Everyday. The song has an r&b beat. The amorous track is about a man who is interested in a woman he meets. He decides to go out and he meets the woman of his dreams. He wants to get together with her. He notices that she’s holding back with him. He wants her to show how she feels because he’s interested in being with her. He wants to be with her every time he sees her. If you have been hit by love at first sight, you will be able to relate to the song.
We can’t stress enough how infectious this song is. The song opens with the chorus and we are instantly hooked to it. Once the first bars are played you are going to be invested in the song. It will instantly hook you. The keyboard and drums are phenomenal. We will challenge anyone to listen to this track without dancing around to it. We have a feeling that you will lose the challenge. Jon B’s vocals are very good on this song. Up-tempo songs don’t always showcase a singer’s vocals, but this song helps Jon B’s voice.
He sings in his upper and lower registers throughout the track. He knows when to switch things up. He sings in time with the beat. Our only complaint about his singing is that he’s a little hard to understand at points in the song. Dirt McGirt is along for the ride. He is at home rhyming on the song. His rapping skills are very good. He does a little singing on the song, but he is much better at rapping. “Everytime” was a single released from the album. It’s a very underrated song that deserves flowers because it’s very good.
# 4 – Pride & Joy
The romantic song is from the album Cool Relax. The song has an r&b sound. The tender song is a tribute to the woman who is always by his side whenever he needs her. He can depend on her whenever he’s down. He’s happy that she’s in his life. He wanted to tell her that she’s his “pride & joy.” This is a perfect tribute to someone you love. If you want to express how you feel about someone you love, you should play this song. It will make the person you love feel flattered and honored. The heartfelt lyrics are guaranteed to melt your heart.
“Pride & Joy” is an amazing song. Everything about this song works. The song had the right formula for a perfect song. The music was breathtaking. It has the classic Babyface sound. The music is romantic and is perfect for the bedroom. This song is perfect to use if you want to have a romantic evening with the person you love. You might have to send everyone out of the room so you could spend time together. You can use this track as a wedding song. You can also use it for the first dance with the person you love. Let’s get to Jon B’s vocals. He is at the top of his game on this track. He sounds incredible on this jam. He stays in character on the jam. He shows his vulnerable side as he expresses his love for the woman in the song. Here is a fun fact about the song. The r&b group After 7 are singing in the background of the song.
# 3 – They Don’t Know
The cautionary song is from the album Cool Relax. The song has an r&b beat. The misanthropic song is about people who are against his relationship. He doesn’t want her to listen to other people when it concerns their relationship. He only wants her to focus on their love. He used to be a player until he met the love of his life. She’s made him see the light when it concerned relationships. He wants to convince her that he’s changed and wants to be her. He doesn’t want her to listen to the people who are against them. He told her that she’s changed him and taught him how to love. He doesn’t want her to let them ruin their relationship so he’s trying to keep her from listening to naysayers.
This ballad is one of Jon B’s biggest hits. He’s at home singing ballads so it’s not a surprise that the listeners wanted to hear it. Once you hear the beginning, you know what the song is. The smooth ballad will put any cynic in a romantic mood. The lyrics tell a story. If you’re a player who doesn’t think you’ll fall in love with anyone, this song will give you hope that you will find a monogamous relationship.
This track could be used as a wedding song. The music is perfect if you want to spend time in the bedroom with the person you love. Jon B sings the song with a lot of emotion. He pours his heart and soul out in the song. He does beautiful runs in the song that showcase his strength. He gave his all in this song and we are here for it. The song peaked at number 39 on the Hot 100 charts and number two on the r&b and hip-hop charts.
# 2 – Pretty Girl
The sexy song is from the album Bonafide. The song has an r&b beat. The sensual song is a dedication to the “pretty girl” in his life. He wants to be her man for the night. He tells her that he dreams about her all of the time. He wakes up thinking about her. He wants to know how to convince her to be with him. He desires her and wants her to feel the same that he does. He wants to make love to her and he thinks no one will treat her the way he will. He insists that he will touch her in places that she hasn’t been touched before.
“Pretty Girl” is from his debut album, but he sounds like he’s been singing for years. You can easily forget this is on his first album. This song is absolutely fantastic. The music is sensual and rhythmic. It has that classic Babyface sound. The melody is similar to El DeBarge’s song “Where You Are.” Babyface co-wrote that song so it doesn’t surprise us that they sound similar. Babyface did an amazing job guiding Jon B on this track. He didn’t let the “They Don’t Know” singer down.
The production on this song gets 10s across the board. The music is just as infectious as the singing. The music can put you in a trance. You will have to come out of the trance quickly so you won’t miss hearing Jon B singing in the song. Jon B sounds very soulful on this song. He borrows from Babyface’s swag and we couldn’t be happier about that. This song is an earworm that will stay in your head after it’s gone.
# 1 – Someone to Love ft. Babyface
The number one song on our Top 10 Jon B Songs list is “Someone to Love” from the album Bonafide. The song can also be heard on the Bad Boys Soundtrack. The beautiful song is about a man who gave up on love because he couldn’t find the right one. His belief in love changed when he met the new woman in his life. Love came to him unexpectedly. He didn’t want to let love in until he met her. He knows love will work out with her. He swallowed his pride and took a chance on love. The chance worked in his favor because he found “someone to love.”
This is the song that introduced us to Jon B. This is the first song from the Bonafide album. People were confused when he first came out because they thought he was Babyface. His vocals are similar to the legendary singer, songwriter and producer so it was easy to think that Babyface was the one singing the song. The world was shocked when it turned out Jon B was the one singing the vocals. Here is a fun fact about the song. Jon B was originally going to sing the song alone. It didn’t work out so Babyface joined him on the track. It’s hard to imagine the song not being a duet. Jon B and Babyface work well together. Their voices complement each other. They blend so well that you might have trouble distinguishing which one is singing the lead on the song. You will be amazed to hear the notes and runs they do on this song. There aren’t enough words to express how great this song is. The song sold over 500,000 copies and was nominated for a Grammy award.
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