Quiet Storm

Quiet Storm is more than just the laid-back, late-night side of R&B — it's a way of life. Tap into its pillow-soft, smoothed-out goodness and you can feel your worries slide away. Begin by letting Smokey Robinson whisper sweet secrets in your ear with his "Quiet Storm," the song that gave the sound its very name. Mary J. Blige serves up a "Sweet Thing" with her sexy, slow-burning take on Chaka Khan's cuddling-under-the-covers classic. And when Bill Withers' honey-dripping pipes meet Grover Washington, Jr.'s sultry sax on "Just the Two of Us," it's an intimate invitation to kick off your shoes and settle in for a sweet night in front of the fire — whether you've got a fireplace or not.

Listen in as the storm gets sexy in Next Steps.

Welcome to the candlelight-and-Cristal corner of Chez Quiet Storm, where things start to simmer but never boil over — unless, of course, you want them to. Former Tony! Toni! Toné! crooner Raphael Saadiq slips in for some Marvin Gaye-meets-Barry White love-man moves — with some help from Stevie Wonder — on "Never Give You Up." Marvin himself sashays into earshot to moan the mack daddy national anthem, administering some over-the-counter "Sexual Healing." And when Al Green leans over and softly whispers "Let's Stay Together" in your ear, backed by that hip-swaying Memphis groove, it's hard to imagine ever wanting to go anywhere else.

Feel the slow, sweet storm's full effect in Deep Cuts.

Sink a little deeper into a warm bath filled with easy-rolling waves of sonic smoothness, and just drift away into the dreamy, gentle grooves. British neo-soul sisters Floetry let their love tumble down with a jazz-kissed, slow-jam flow, inviting you to just "Say Yes" to that soft-focus, late-night feeling. Get caught up in a Windy City soul serenade as the Chi-Lites breeze through with their feather-light falsetto-fest "Have You Seen Her." And if you feel the sudden urge to move in closer to your Mac, its because electro-funk fiends Zapp are making things mellow to remind you that even your laptop needs a little "Computer Love."

Like Smokey said, the Quiet Storm is "a power source of tender force." And he should know. So let it blow through your life and carry the cares and tensions of your day far away, until all that's left is the tender sound of sweet, soft soul. Whether you want to slide into your car and go "Cruisin'" with D'Angelo's neo-soul update of Smokey's smooth-riding smash, fall into a velvet-lined pool of lush Philly soul with Billy Paul's "Me and Mrs. Jones," or soak up the romantic vibes flowing between Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn on their devoted-to-you duet "If This World Were Mine," we've got you covered. Think of this as your weather watch, informing you that the Quiet Storm is headed your way, ready to wash over your soul with all its mellow might.