2023 in rhythm and blues

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in rhythm and blues for the year 2023.

January

 * On January 1, Fred White died at the age of 67.
 * On January 13, Thomasina Winslow died at the age of 57.
 * On January 17, Renée Geyer died at the age of 69.
 * On January 28, Barrett Strong died at the age of 81.
 * On January 31, Charlie Thomas died at the age of 85.

February

 * On February 5, the 65th Annual Grammy Awards were held. Beyoncé won both Best R&B Song with "Cuff It" and Best R&B Traditional Performance with "Plastic Off the Sofa". Muni Long won Best R&B Performance with "Hrs and Hrs". Steve Lacy won Best Progressive R&B Album with Gemini Rights. Robert Glasper won Best R&B Album with Black Radio III.
 * On February 11, the Brit Awards 2023 were held. Flo won the Rising Star award.
 * On February 13, Huey "Piano" Smith died at the age of 89. On the same day, Spencer Wiggins died at the age of 81.
 * On February 16, Chuck Jackson died at the age of 85.
 * On February 18, Don Shinn died at the age of 77. On the same day, the 12th Circle Chart Music Awards were held. NCT won Artist of the Year – Physical Album 1st Quarter for Universe. Stray Kids won Artist of the Year – Physical Album 4th Quarter for Maxident. NewJeans won New Artist of the Year Digital Music for "Attention". (G)I-dle won Record Production of the Year for I Never Die. On the same day, the 49th People's Choice Awards were held. Beyoncé won The R&B Artist of the Year.
 * On February 23, R. Kelly was sentenced in Chicago federal court to 20 years in prison for child pornography and other sexual crimes involving minors, with 19 years being concurrent to his previous 30-year term handed down in New York. Kelly will now serve 31 years in prison.
 * On February 25, the 54th NAACP Image Awards were held. Beyoncé won Outstanding Female Artist, Outstanding Soul/R&B Song for "Cuff It", and Outstanding Album for Renaissance. Coco Jones won Outstanding New Artist. Chris Brown won Outstanding Male Artist. Chris Brown and Wizkid won Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary) for "Call Me Every Day". Silk Sonic won Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional) for "Love's Train". Rihanna won Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for "Lift Me Up". Ryan Coogler, Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis & Dave Jordan won Outstanding Soundtrack/Compilation Album for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Soundtrack). Tems won Outstanding International Song for "No Woman No Cry".

March

 * On March 1, Leon Hughes died at the age of 92.
 * On March 5, the 20th Korean Music Awards were held. Younha won Song of the Year for "Event Horizon". NewJeans won Rookie of the Year, Best K-Pop Song for "Attention", and Best K-Pop Album for New Jeans. A.Train won Best R&B & Soul Album for Private Pink. Bibi won Best R&B & Soul Song for "Jotto". Nucksal and Cadejo won Best Rap & Hip-Hop Album for Sincerely Yours and Best Rap & Hip-Hop Song for "Good Morning Seoul".
 * On March 13, the Juno Awards of 2023 were held.The Weeknd won Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Single of the Year for "Sacrifice", and Album of the Year for Dawn FM. Akeel Henry won Producer of the Year. Angelique Francis won Blues Album of the Year for Long River. Jessie Reyez won Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for Yessie. Savannah Ré and Dylan Sinclair won Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for "Last One". Kaytranada and Anderson .Paak won Rap Single of the Year for "Twin Flame".
 * On March 14, Bobby Caldwell died at the age of 71.
 * On March 16, Fuzzy Haskins died at the age of 81.
 * On March 27, Peggy Scott-Adams died at the age of 74. On the same day, the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held. Future, Drake, and Tems won Hip-Hop Song of the Year for "Wait for U". Drake won Hip-Hop Artist of the Year. SZA won R&B Artist of the Year and R&B Song of the Year for "I Hate U". Muni Long won Best New R&B Artist. Kali Uchis won Best New Latin Artist. Beyoncé won R&B Album of the Year for Renaissance.
 * On March 29, Sweet Charles Sherrell died at the age of 80.
 * On March 31, the 2023 Global Awards were held. Raye and 070 Shake won Best Social Trended Song for "Escapism". Flo won the Rising Star Award. Lizzo won Best Female.

April

 * On April 5, Booker Newberry III died at the age of 67.
 * On April 25, Billy "The Kid" Emerson died at the age of 97.
 * On April 27, the APRA Music Awards of 2023 were held. Xavier Rudd won Most Performed Blues & Roots Work for "We Deserve to Dream". Miiesha won Most Performed R&B / Soul Work for "Still Dream".

May

 * On May 3, Linda Lewis died at the age of 72.
 * On May 5, Chris Strachwitz died at the age of 91.
 * On May 6, the 17th Metro FM Music Awards were held. MOE. won Best New Age R&B Artist.
 * On May 23, Sheldon Reynolds died at the age of 63.
 * On May 24, Tina Turner died at the age of 83.
 * On May 30, DaniLeigh was arrested for a DUI in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

June

 * On June 4, George Winston at the age of 74.
 * On June 15, the 2023 Libera Awards were held. Shemekia Copeland won Best Blues Record for Done Come Too Far. Sudan Archives won Breakthrough Artist/Release and Best R&B Record for Natural Brown Prom Queen. Lee Fields won Best Soul/Funk Record for Sentimental Fool.
 * On June 23, Jacquees was arrested for battery in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
 * On June 25, the BET Awards 2023 were held. SZA won Best Female R&B/Pop Artist, Album of the Year for SOS and Video of the Year for "Kill Bill". Beyoncé won the BET Her Award for "Break My Soul", Album of the Year for Renaissance and the Viewer's Choice Award for "Break My Soul". Future, Drake, and Tems won Best Collaboration for "Wait for U". Usher won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. Coco Jones won Best New Artist.Chris Brown won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist.
 * On June 30, Lord Creator died at the age of 87.

July

 * On July 1, the 34th Golden Melody Awards were held. A-Lin won Best Female Mandarin Singer.
 * On July 3, Vicki Anderson died at the age of 83.
 * On July 5, Coco Lee died at the age of 48.
 * On July 12, August Moon died at the age of 85.

August

 * On August 2, Lizzo was sued for allegedly creating a hostile work environment by sexually harassing and weight shaming her dancers.
 * On August 13, Clarence Avant died at the age of 92.
 * On August 7, Toussaint McCall died at the age of 89.
 * On August 17, Bobby Eli died at the age of 77.
 * On August 29, August 08 died at the age of 31.

September

 * On September 12, the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards were held. SZA won Best R&B for "Shirt".
 * On September 16, Irish Grinstead, of 702, died at the age of 43.
 * On September 26, the 2023 AIM Independent Music Awards were held. Raye and 070 Shake won Best Independent Track for "Escapism".
 * On September 27, the 2023 Australian Women in Music Awards were held. Vika and Linda won the Artistic Excellence Award.
 * On September 30, Russell Batiste Jr. died at the age of 57.

October

 * On October 5, the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards were held. Romeo Santos won Tropical Artist of the Year, Solo. Aventura won Tropical Artist of the Year, Duo or Group.
 * On October 11, Rudolph Isley, of The Isley Brothers, died at the age of 84.
 * On October 26, the 2023 UK Music Video Awards were held. Jorja Smith won Best R&B/Soul Video – UK for "Try Me". Lil Yachty won Best R&B/Soul Video – International for "Say Something". Sans Soucis won Best R&B/Soul Video – Newcomer for "I Know Your Present". Bakar won Best Alternative Video – UK for "Alive!" Audrey Nuna won Best Visual Effects in a Video for "Locket".

November

 * On November 3, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, The Spinners, and Don Cornelius were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
 * On November 5, the 2023 MTV Europe Music Awards were held. Chris Brown won Best R&B.
 * On November 10, Johnny Ruffo died at the age of 35.
 * On November 15, the 2023 ARIA Music Awards were held. Genesis Owusu won Album of the Year, Best Hip Hop/Rap Release, and Best Independent Release for Struggler. The Teskey Brothers won Best Blues & Roots Album for The Winding Way. Forest Claudette won Best Cover Art for Everything Was Green and Best Soul/R&B Release for "Mess Around" with EarthGang.
 * On November 19, the 2023 Billboard Music Awards were held. SZA won Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Female Artist, Top R&B Song for "Kill Bill", and Top R&B Album for SOS. The Weeknd won Top R&B Male Artist. Beyoncé won Top R&B Touring Artist, Top Dance/Electronic Artist, and Top Dance/Electronic Album for Renaissance. Drake won Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Male Artist, and Top Rap Touring Artist. NewJeans won Top Global K-Pop Artist. Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, and 21 Savage won Top Collaboration for "Creepin'".
 * On November 22, Jean Knight died at the age of 80.
 * On November 26, the 2023 Soul Train Music Awards were held. SZA won Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Album of the Year for SOS, Song of the Year and The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award for "Snooze". Victoria Monét won Video of the Year and Best Dance Performance for "On My Mama". Usher won Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Soul Train Certified Award, and Best Collaboration, alongside Summer Walker & 21 Savage, for "Good Good".
 * On November 28, the 2023 MAMA Awards were held. NewJeans won Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Dance Performance – Female Group for "Ditto", and Best Female Group. Seventeen won Best Male Group and Best Dance Performance – Male Group for "Super". Jimin won Best Male Artist.

December

 * On December 2, the 2023 Melon Music Awards were held. NewJeans won Artist of the Year, Best Female Group, and Song of the Year for "Ditto". NCT Dream won Best Male Group. Aespa won Best Female Performance and Global Artist. Seventeen won Best Male Performance. Kiss of Life won 1theK Global Icon. NCT Dream won Record of the Year.
 * On December 26, Zahara died at the age of 35.
 * On December 29, Les McCann died at the age of 88.