2023 in African music

The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2023 in African music.

Events

January 11 - It is announced by Nhanhla Sibisi, head of the Recording Industry of South Africa that the 29th edition of the South African Music Awards will begin accepting entries in the first quarter of 2023.
March - The marriage between Somizi Mhlongo and Mohale Tebogo Motaung end divorce proceedings when it is discovered that they were never legally married.
June - The Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance, a new award, is announced by the Recording Academy. The inaugural winner, announced at the ceremony in February 2024, is Tyla with the song "Water".
November 4 - The 19th and final series of Idols South Africa is won by Thabo Ndlovu.

Release date	Artist	Album	Genre	Label	Ref
January 27	Sjava	Isibuko	Afro-pop	1020 Cartel
February 17	King Ayisoba	Work Hard	Folk/Electronic	Glitterbeat
February 17	Spinall	Top Boy	Rap
February 24	AKA	Mass Country	Hip hop	Sony
February 24	Kimi Djabaté	Dindin	Various	Cumbancha
March 31	Davido	Timeless
March 31	Baaba Maal	Being
May 12	Bokani Dyer	Radio Sechaba	Jazz	Brownswood Recordings
15 June	Jantra	Synthesised Sudan: Astro-Nubian Electronic Jaglara Dance Sounds from the Fashaga Underground	Jaglara	Ostinato Records
16 June	Asake	Work of Art	Afrobeats	YBNL Nation and Empire Distribution
25 August	Burna Boy	I Told Them...	Afrofusion	Atlantic, Spaceship Records, and Bad Habit
29 September	KMRU	Dissolution Grip	Ambient, drone, experimental	OFNOT
4 October	Katawa Singers	Digital Indigenous 05	Gospel
8 December	Seyi Vibez	NAHAMciaga	Afrobeats

February 8 - Dennis Lotis, 97, South African-born singer
February 10 - AKA, 35, South African rapper
February 25 - Ismaïla Touré, 73, Senegalese musician and co-founder of Touré Kunda
March 14 – Gloria Bosman, 50, South African jazz singer
June 9 – Niel Immelman, 78, South African-born classical pianist
July 21 – Hafiz Abdelrahman, Sudanese flautist
August 17 – OJ Blaq, 40, Ghanaian rapper and actor
September 12 – MohBad, 27, Nigerian rapper
October 1 – Julian Bahula, 85, South African drummer, composer and bandleader.
October 1 – Garry Mapanzure, 25, Zimbabwean Afropop singer
October 27 – Axali Doëseb, 69, Namibian composer
November 12 – Mohammed al Amin, 80, Sudanese popular musician and oud player
December 11 – Zahara, 36, South African singer-songwriter
December 20 – Eric Moyo, 41, Zimbabwean singer
December 27 – Mbongeni Ngema, 68, South African lyricist and composer