A style of blues music developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s that combines elements of soul music and urban contemporary music. It is very popular with African American audiences but less known by white audiences.

Singers and musicians who grew up listening to traditional electric blues artists such as Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and Elmore James, soul singers such as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Otis Redding, and Gospel music wanted to bridge their favourite music together. One of the pioneers of this style was Bobby Bland and the song The Thrill Is Gone by B.B. King was a hint for future trends in this subgenre. Additional musicians in this style include ZZ Hill, Otis Clay, Little Milton, Johnny Adams, Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, Bobby Rush and Johnnie Taylor.