2021 in African music

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

Musical films

 * Neptune Frost, with music by Saul Williams

Deaths

 * January 8 – Dorine Mokha, 31, Congolese dancer and choreographer (malaria)
 * 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 (Mtebeti 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 (complications from diabetes)
 * March 7 – Josky Kiambukuta, 72, Congolese singer (TPOK Jazz).
 * 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 (Olanrewaju Abdul-Ganiu Fasasi), 44, Nigerian rapper and hip hop pioneer (angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma)
 * August 3 – Allan Stephenson, 71, British-born South African cellist, conductor and composer
 * August 9 (killed in car crash)
 * 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 (leukaemia)
 * December 27 – Defao, 62, Congolese singer-songwriter, COVID-19.