2021 in African music

Events

• 14 March – At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Nigerian musician Burna Boy wins the Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album and is among the live performers.
• 18 June – South African soprano Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha wins the Song Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition.
• 9 August – In recognition of South African Women's Day, Apple Music launches the third part of its Visionary Women campaign, celebrating female artists such as Makhadzi.
• October – CKay's "Love Nwantiti" becomes the most-watched music video on YouTube, the first song from Africa to achieve this.
• 14 November – The 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards takes place in Dallas, Texas.

Albums released in 2021

Musical films

• Neptune Frost, with music by Saul Williams

Deaths

• January 8 – Dorine Mokha, 31, Congolese dancer and choreographer
• January 22 – Guem, 73, Algerian singer, composer and dancer.
• January 23
• * Jonas Gwangwa, 83, South African jazz musician
• * Ahmed Achour, 75, Tunisian composer and conductor
• January 28 – Sibongile Khumalo, 63, South African singer
• January 31 – Wambali Mkandawire, 68, Malawian jazz singer and activist.
• February 5 – Abdoul Jabbar, 40–41, Guinean singer-songwriter
• February 16 – Soul Jah Love, 31, Zimbabwean reggae/Zimdancehall musician
• March 7 – Josky Kiambukuta, 72, Congolese singer.
• March 14 – Thione Seck, 66, Senegalese mbalakh singer and musician
• April 5 – Haja El Hamdaouia, 91, Moroccan singer and songwriter, known for Chaabi and Aita
• April 18 – Naïma Ababsa, 51, Algerian singer
• April 27 – Sammy Kasule, 69, Ugandan musician and singer
• May 7 – Jamal Salameh, 75, Egyptian songwriter and composer
• June 21 – Mamady Keïta, 70, Guinean drummer
• June 22 – Mzilikazi Khumalo, 89, South African composer and academic
• June 25 – Wes Madiko, 57, Cameroonian singer
• July 1 – Steve Kekana, 63, South African singer
• July 11 – Sound Sultan, 44, Nigerian rapper and hip hop pioneer
• August 3 – Allan Stephenson, 71, British-born South African cellist, conductor and composer
• August 9
• * Khanya "The Voice" Hadebe, 20s, South African amapiano musician
• * Killer Kau, 23, South African amapiano musician
• * Mpura, 20s South African amapiano musician
• August 28 – Victor Uwaifo, 80, Nigerian ogbonge musician and cultural figure
• August 31 – Nobesuthu Mbadu, 76, South African mbaqanga singer
• September 2 – Alemayehu Eshete, 80, Ethiopian singer
• September 28 – Nana Ampadu, 76, Ghanaian musician
• October 3 – Anouman Brou Félix, 86, Ivorian Akyé musician
• October 8 – Rabah Driassa, 87, Algerian artist and folk singer
• November 7 – Bopol Mansiamina, 72, Congolese guitarist, vocalist, composer, and producer
• November 17 – Theuns Jordaan, 50, South African singer-songwriter
• December 27 – Defao, 62, Congolese singer-songwriter, COVID-19.