Let’s be frank. In recent years, R&B as a genre has lost all credibility. Not since pioneers such as Usher and the uber-talented R. Kelly (the brilliance of Trapped in the Closet can hardly be denied) has this music enjoyed adulation in the eyes of serious music lovers due to the soullessly-manufactured, generic piffle it has essentially become. For a long while R&B has been bereft of serious contenders. Yet hope remains. A bottom-up power shift in the music industry has enabled artists to craft and release their own music, resulting in The Weeknd and Frank Ocean (Odd Future’s most talented affiliate) finding a way to channel sonic brilliance right into our laps. These artists herald a new age: an age when songwriters, singers and producers (Ocean being all three) strive to realise the vision of their own work, the way they intended it to be heard. Circa 2011, R&B is a whole new animal. The lyrics are visceral and above all honest, borrowing from Hip-hop’s brutal misogyny but with distinctly less aggression, softened by quality vocal performances and top-notch production. Here are five of the best from Mr. Ocean and The Weeknd, the leaders of a new generation. And keep an eye out for one Stacy Barthe, you’ll know her name soon enough.

Frank Ocean – There Will Be Tears

Call me naïve, but I’m going to admit I totally buy into Frank on this one. The switch up about a minute in is pure gold.