Big names Ms Dynamite won the Mercury last year with an album full of tuneful attitude. The slick Craig David has become a major pop star with eight top 10 hits.

Rising stars South London duo Floetry have picked up a string of awards in the US, but are relatively unknown at home, while Terri Walker is one of the brightest new singers.

Who listens? R&B appeals across races to fans – often female and urban – who are often older than pop and garage fans.

Evolution R&B is heavily influenced by the US - where the style emerged in the 1980s and has moved to the centre of the mainstream. It differs from old-fashioned soul by incorporating modern singing and musical styles from other urban genres. The UK R&B market took off in the 1990s with artists like Gabrielle, Shola Ama and Beverley Knight. US artists still dominate the R&B scene and UK singers are seen by some as second-rate alternatives. But the new brand of UK artists are increasingly breaking into the US.