Genre
R&B singers' vocal ranges
Reported catalog ranges for 159 R&B singers run from A#1 to G7, with a median span of about 3.0 octaves. Fast runs, riffs and ad-libs, with head voice, falsetto and whistle notes over the belt.
What sets R&B singing apart
Contemporary R&B is built on agility: runs, riffs and ad-libs move quickly through the voice, and light head voice, falsetto and occasional whistle notes sit alongside chest belting. One ornamental top note can stretch a reported span a long way past where the song lives.
Soul is the older, grittier lineage, where chest-voice power through the middle matters more than lightness and runs.
Median span
3.0 oct
+3.5 st vs library
Range covered
A#1–G7
Era
1946–2023
How ranges sit in R&B
- The median reported catalog span across these profiles is 36 semitones, 3.5 semitones wider than the library median of 32.5.
- Largest reported span here is Mariah Carey (F2–G7); the lowest listed endpoint belongs to CeeLo Green at A#1 and the highest listed endpoint to Mariah Carey at G7.
- Catalog voice labels here, most common first: tenors, mezzo-sopranos, sopranos, baritones, contraltos, countertenors, bass, bass-baritone.
Every profile's figures are commonly cited spans confirmed against the catalog, not recordings checked note by note; open a profile for what its sources support.
Where would your voice sit on this chart?
The free range test runs in your browser in about two minutes and reports your lowest and highest notes in the same note names as every bar below.
Every voice on one axis
full voice, up to the cited ceiling above it: falsetto · head · whistle no full-voice ceiling cited whistle register listed
low → high
Singers Aaliyah through Brian McKnight
- AaliyahC#3–A5C#3–A52.7 oct
- Aaron NevilleG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- AileeF3–C6F3–C62.6 oct
- AkonC3–A#4C3–A#41.8 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
- Anderson .PaakC3–F5C3–F52.4 oct
- Andra DayE3–F#5E3–F#52.2 oct
- Anita BakerC#3–C#6C#3–C#63.0 oct
- Aretha FranklinG2–E6G2–E63.8 oct
- Ari LennoxA#2–E6A#2–E63.5 oct
- Ariana GrandeD3–E7D3–E74.2 oct
- AshantiF3–C6F3–C62.6 oct
- Ayra StarrE3–E5E3–E52.0 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
Singers Bruno Mars through Emeli Sandé
- Bruno MarsG2–D6G2–D63.6 oct
- Bryson TillerA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Burna BoyF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- CeCe WinansF3–C6F3–C62.6 oct
- CeeLo GreenA#1–C6A#1–C64.2 oct
- Chaka KhanF2–B5F2–B53.5 oct
- Charlie PuthG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- Chris BrownC3–G#5C3–G#52.7 oct
- Christina AguileraC3–C7C3–C74.0 oct
- CiaraA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- Coco JonesB2–C#6B2–C#63.2 oct
- Curtis MayfieldG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- D.O.F2–F#5F2–F#53.1 oct
- D'AngeloG2–A#5G2–A#53.3 oct
- Daniel CaesarC#3–F#5C#3–F#52.4 oct
- Daryl HallE2–C6E2–C63.7 oct
- David RuffinA2–E6A2–E63.6 oct
- Dinah WashingtonD#3–E5D#3–E52.1 oct
- Doja CatC3–B5C3–B52.9 oct
- Donny HathawayF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- DrakeD2–C5D2–C52.8 oct
- Ella MaiC3–G#5C3–G#52.7 oct
- Emeli SandéD3–F5D3–F52.3 oct
Singers Erykah Badu through Jay Chou
- Erykah BaduG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- Etta JamesG#2–B5G#2–B53.3 oct
- Faith EvansC#3–C#6C#3–C#63.0 oct
- FantasiaC3–A#5C3–A#52.8 oct
- FKA twigsE3–F6E3–F63.1 oct
- Frank OceanC#2–G5C#2–G53.5 oct
- Frankie ValliA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Fred HammondE2–A#4E2–A#42.5 oct
- Fujii KazeG2–D5G2–D52.6 oct
- GiveonF#2–F#4F#2–F#42.0 oct
- Gladys KnightE3–D5E3–D51.8 oct
- H.E.R.C3–F#5C3–F#52.5 oct
- Halle BaileyC3–C6C3–C63.0 oct
- Hikaru UtadaE3–A#5E3–A#52.5 oct
- India.ArieA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Jackie WilsonA2–C#6A2–C#63.3 oct
- James ArthurA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- James BlakeF2–F5F2–F53.0 oct
- James BrownF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Janelle MonáeC#3–D#6C#3–D#63.2 oct
- Janet JacksonC3–D6C3–D63.2 oct
- Jason DeruloA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Jay ChouA2–B4A2–B42.2 oct
Singers Jazmine Sullivan through Lionel Richie
- Jazmine SullivanA2–C#6A2–C#63.3 oct
- Jennifer HudsonA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Jessie JC#3–C6C#3–C62.9 oct
- Jhené AikoB2–E6B2–E63.4 oct
- Jill ScottC3–E5C3–E52.3 oct
- JJ LinG2–G5G2–G53.0 oct
- John LegendE2–A#5E2–A#53.5 oct
- JoJoA2–A#6A2–A#64.1 oct
- JonghyunF2–E5F2–E52.9 oct
- Joss StoneC3–G5C3–G52.6 oct
- JungkookF2–A5F2–A53.3 oct
- Justin BieberA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- Justin TimberlakeA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Kali UchisC3–F5C3–F52.4 oct
- Kane BrownE2–F4E2–F42.1 oct
- KehlaniD3–E5D3–E52.2 oct
- Kelly RowlandC3–D#6C3–D#63.3 oct
- Keyshia ColeC3–A#5C3–A#52.8 oct
- Lauryn HillA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- Leon BridgesB2–G4B2–G41.7 oct
- Leona LewisC3–F#6C3–F#63.5 oct
- Liam PayneC#2–A#5C#2–A#53.8 oct
- Lionel RichieF2–G5F2–G53.2 oct
Singers Little Richard through Patti LaBelle
- Little RichardF2–A#5F2–A#53.4 oct
- LizzoE3–A#5E3–A#52.5 oct
- Luther VandrossB2–A5B2–A52.8 oct
- Mac MillerC#2–E4C#2–E42.3 oct
- Macy GrayA2–D6A2–D63.4 oct
- Madison BeerC3–C6C3–C63.0 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
- Michael McDonaldG#2–A5G#2–A53.1 oct
- MiguelC3–A#5C3–A#52.8 oct
- Minnie RipertonD3–F#7D3–F#74.3 oct
- MisiaF3–F6F3–F63.0 oct
- MonicaB2–B5B2–B53.0 oct
- Musiq SoulchildC3–F#5C3–F#52.5 oct
- Ne-YoD#2–A5D#2–A53.5 oct
- Nicole ScherzingerD3–G#6D3–G#63.5 oct
- NormaniC#3–D#7C#3–D#74.2 oct
- Omar ApolloC3–F#5C3–F#52.5 oct
- Otis ReddingF2–C5F2–C52.6 oct
- Patti LaBelleA#2–E6A#2–E63.5 oct
Singers Pharrell Williams through Taeyang
- Pharrell WilliamsD#2–A#5D#2–A#53.6 oct
- Philip BaileyG2–D6G2–D63.6 oct
- PrinceE2–B5E2–B53.6 oct
- Rachelle FerrellG2–D7G2–D74.6 oct
- Rauw AlejandroG2–C5G2–C52.4 oct
- Ravyn LenaeC#3–C#6C#3–C#63.0 oct
- Ray CharlesC2–A#5C2–A#53.8 oct
- RAYEC#3–D6C#3–D63.1 oct
- RihannaB2–B5B2–B53.0 oct
- Sam CookeA2–E5A2–E52.6 oct
- Sam SmithG2–C6G2–C63.4 oct
- SealD#2–G5D#2–G53.3 oct
- SelenaE3–A#5E3–A#52.5 oct
- Smokey RobinsonA2–A#5A2–A#53.1 oct
- SolangeD3–E6D3–E63.2 oct
- SolarG#3–A5G#3–A52.1 oct
- Steve LacyC#3–E5C#3–E52.3 oct
- Stevie WonderC2–E6C2–E64.3 oct
- Summer WalkerD3–E5D3–E52.2 oct
- SZAE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- T-PainB2–F5B2–F52.5 oct
- TaeyangA2–F5A2–F52.7 oct
Singers Tamia through Zayn
- TamiaD#3–D6D#3–D62.9 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
- TinasheB2–E6B2–E63.4 oct
- Toni BraxtonA#2–A#5A#2–A#53.0 oct
- Tori KellyB2–E6B2–E63.4 oct
- Trey SongzF2–G5F2–G53.2 oct
- TylaD3–D5D3–D52.0 oct
- Tyler, the CreatorB1–B5B1–B54.0 oct
- UsherA#2–A5A#2–A52.9 oct
- VD2–D5D2–D53.0 oct
- Victoria MonétB2–A5B2–A52.8 oct
- WendyC#3–D#7C#3–D#74.2 oct
- Whitney HoustonA2–C6A2–C63.3 oct
- Wilson PickettA#2–E6A#2–E63.5 oct
- WizkidG2–C5G2–C52.4 oct
- YebbaD3–G5D3–G52.4 oct
- Yolanda AdamsE3–C6E3–C62.7 oct
- ZaynD3–B5D3–B52.8 oct