Brian McKnight

Brian McKnight was one of the key figures in establishing the romantic, ballad-heavy sound that dominated R&B for much of the 1990s. Born in Buffalo, NY, McKnight is the brother of Take 6 founder Claude McKnight, and shares their gospel and jazz influences, even though he's assimilated these into a more overtly commercial style. Over the years, McKnight garnered Grammy nominations by the truckload, and has collaborated with everyone from Nelly to Kirk Franklin, scoring countless hits along the way.

• pop
• r&b/soul
• hip hop/rap