urban
what it is
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, and, on occasion, Caribbean music such as reggae and reggaeton.
✦ start here: albums
✦ who's making it, level by level
level 1 · mainstream
the pop everyone knows
level 2 · the door
big names with a sharper edge
level 3 · one step out
cult favorites and indie darlings
level 4 · further
art pop, hyperpop, and the underground
level 5 · all the way
deep experimental
✦ make urban a playlist
turn these 34 artists into something you can press play on.
✦ nearby genres
questions
What is urban?
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, and, on occasion, Caribbean music such as reggae and reggaeton.
What are good urban albums to start with?
Try Project Baby 2: All Grown Up (Deluxe) by Kodak Black, Naked by CHANMINA, SE EU FOSSE UMA GAROTA BRANCA by King Saints, and MATILHA by DJ Thiago Martins.
Who are some women making urban?
musicisforgirls.com/genres/urban/girls lists women, non-binary artists, and bands with women making urban, from mainstream to underground.
genre notes from last.fm listeners · artists and albums from last.fm, updated 2026-10-20