A
slow jam is an umbrella term for music with
rhythm and blues and
soul influences. Slow jams are commonly R&B
ballads or
downtempo songs. The term is most commonly reserved for soft-sounding songs with heavily emotional or romantic lyrical content. This definition has led to intense debate over whether particular songs should be classified as a "slow jam", e.g.
Ginuwine's 1996 hit single "
Pony". The common use and possible origin of this term traces back to 1983 when
Solar Records group
Midnight Star recorded the song "Slow Jam" on their album
No Parking on the Dance Floor.