Yeah, the '80s may have watered it down with excessive layers of synthesizers and the general favoring of style over substance. Sure, the '90s have all but stomped it out due to the ubiquitous presence of hip-hop's "dark" side (heavily-programmed instruments, blatant sampling, offensive lyrics, bad singing). However, thanks to budding artists like Kem Owens, soul music has finally come around full-circle after 20+ years of musical diarrhea.