D'angelo and Maxwell Plot 2008 Comebacks

The mid-'90s were a great time for fans of R&B music. What has been dubbed the "neo-soul movement' was in full-throttle. neo-soul, referred to new artists with a nostalgic sound. Artists such as Eric Benet, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, and Dionne Ferris release the type of music that R&B lovers were craving. The two biggest artists from the neo-soul era were Maxwell and D'angelo. Unfortunately, both have been missing in action for the last six years. 2008 may be the year that finally changes.

D'angelo took the music world by storm with his 1996 debut, 'Brown Sugar.' The album went on to sell over a million units and featured the hit singles 'Brown Sugar,' 'Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine,' and 'Lady.' In 2000, he released his sophomore album, 'Voodoo.' The album debuted at number one on the Billboard album charts and was very well received. He even took home two Grammy awards, including R&B Album of the Year.

Maxwell also hit the R&B scene in 1996 with his debut album, 'Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite.' His debut also sold over one million copies and spawned a number of hits like 'Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)' and ''Til the Cops Come Knockin.' Maxwell went on to release 'Embrya' in 1998 and 'Now' in 2001, both of which were critical and commercial successes. His biggest single was 'Fortunate,' written by R. Kelly and included on the 'Life' soundtrack in 1999.

While no one can complain about the quality of their work, the lack of quantity from these great artists is cause for concern. Neither has released an album since 2001. D'angelo has remained in the headlines, however, with multiple arrests for driving infractions. Meanwhile, Maxwell has remained isolated from the spotlight.

In 2007, both artists have given fans a small taste of new material. In March, a new D'angelo son titled 'Really Love' was leaked online. The song is very rough and appears to be a demo, but still has the soulful feel that D'angelo fans are used to. He also appeared on Common's 2007 album 'Finding Forever.' In August, Maxwell released a snippet of a new song on his Myspace page. The song is titled 'Pretty Wings,' and is a haunting ballad that ranks among his best work.

Although hearing a little bit of new music from these guys is exciting, it's not enough to satisfy their fans. R&B fans have been waiting a long time to hear new music from D'angelo and Maxwell. Only full length albums will satisfy their fans. It's been a long wait, but 2008 may finally be the year that the wait pays off for R&B fans.