Genre
R&B vocal ranges
78 R&B voices on one keyboard, C2 to G7.
Singers
78
Median span
3.1 oct
+5 st vs library
Range covered
C2–G7
Era
1954–2020
How ranges sit in R&B
- The median cited span across these 78 voices is 37 semitones — 5 semitones wider than the library median of 32.
- Widest here is Mariah Carey (F2–G7); the deepest floor belongs to Ray Charles at C2 and the highest ceiling to Mariah Carey at G7.
- Voice categories break down as 33 tenors, 22 mezzo-sopranos, 7 baritones, 6 contraltos, 6 sopranos, 2 countertenors, 1 bass, 1 bass-baritone.
All 78 on one axis
low → high
- Aaron NevilleG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- AileeF3–C6F3–C62.6 oct
- Al GreenF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- Al JarreauG2–A5G2–A53.2 oct
- Alicia KeysA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Amy WinehouseC3–D#5C3–D#52.3 oct
- Anita BakerC#3–C#6C#3–C#63.0 oct
- Aretha FranklinG2–E6G2–E63.8 oct
- Ariana GrandeD3–E7D3–E74.2 oct
- BaekhyunF2–E5F2–E52.9 oct
- Barry WhiteD2–E4D2–E42.2 oct
- BeBe WinansA2–E5A2–E52.6 oct
- BeyoncéB2–D#6B2–D#63.3 oct
- Bill WithersF2–A4F2–A42.3 oct
- BrandyG2–E6G2–E63.8 oct
- Brian McKnightA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Bruno MarsG2–D6G2–D63.6 oct
- Burna BoyF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- CeCe WinansF3–C6F3–C62.6 oct
- Chaka KhanF2–B5F2–B53.5 oct
- Charlie PuthG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- Christina AguileraC3–C7C3–C74.0 oct
- Curtis MayfieldG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- D'AngeloG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- Donny HathawayF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Erykah BaduG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- Etta JamesG#2–B5G#2–B53.3 oct
- Frankie ValliA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Fred HammondE2–A#4E2–A#42.5 oct
- Gladys KnightE3–D5E3–D51.8 oct
- Hikaru UtadaE3–A#5E3–A#52.5 oct
- James BlakeF2–F5F2–F53.0 oct
- James BrownF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Jazmine SullivanA2–C#6A2–C#63.3 oct
- Jennifer HudsonA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Jessie JC#3–C6C#3–C62.9 oct
- Jill ScottC3–E5C3–E52.3 oct
- John LegendE2–A#5E2–A#53.5 oct
- JonghyunF2–E5F2–E52.9 oct
- JungkookF2–A5F2–A53.3 oct
- Justin BieberA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Justin TimberlakeA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Lauryn HillA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- Lionel RichieF2–G5F2–G53.2 oct
- Little RichardF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- LizzoE3–A#5E3–A#52.5 oct
- Luther VandrossB2–A5B2–A52.8 oct
- Mariah CareyF2–G7F2–G75.2 oct
- Marvin GayeF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- Mary J. BligeA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- MaxwellA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Michael JacksonD#2–F6D#2–F64.2 oct
- Minnie RipertonD3–F#7D3–F#74.3 oct
- MisiaF3–F6F3–F63.0 oct
- Otis ReddingF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Patti LaBelleA#2–E6A#2–E63.5 oct
- Philip BaileyG2–D6G2–D63.6 oct
- PrinceE2–B5E2–B53.6 oct
- Ray CharlesC2–A#5C2–A#53.8 oct
- RihannaB2–B5B2–B53.0 oct
- Sam CookeA2–E5A2–E52.6 oct
- Sam SmithG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- SelenaE3–A#5E3–A#52.5 oct
- Smokey RobinsonA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Stevie WonderC2–E6C2–E64.3 oct
- SZAE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- TaeyangA2–F5A2–F52.7 oct
- Teddy PendergrassE2–A#4E2–A#42.5 oct
- Teddy SwimsE2–A5E2–A53.4 oct
- TemsD3–D5D3–D52.0 oct
- The WeekndG2–B5G2–B53.3 oct
- Tina TurnerG2–D#5G2–D#52.7 oct
- Toni BraxtonA#2–A#5A#2–A#53.0 oct
- UsherA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- VD2–D5D2–D53.0 oct
- Whitney HoustonA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- WizkidG2–C5G2–C52.4 oct
- Yolanda AdamsE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct