why wouldn't it apply? The effect is the same - how successful is the performance is the measure.
You think the performance is the measure, not me.
I enjoy r&b on headphones, or in the club, or while actually djing with it. The performers i would be likely to actually go and see would be more from the Neo Soul/Soul/Funk/Jazz camp tbh, so whether or not some R&B singer can perform well, in between kicked about between major labels and having her albums arbitrarily shelved, doesn't really matter so much.
When people come over and give me this type of chat while i am djing, i usually tell them to fuck off and stop being so utterly joyless.