The Anatomy of Awe: How Vocal Riffs and Runs Defined Pop and R&B History

When we listen to popular music, our ears naturally gravitate toward the melody, the driving rhythm of the bassline, or a soaring guitar solo. But every so often, a singer bypasses all of that instrumentation to perform an acrobatic feat entirely with their own vocal cords. They slide, bend, flip, and cascade across notes at lightning speed, turning a single syllable into a breathtaking cascade of sound.