2016 in African music
{{see also|Timeline of musical events}}
{{YYYY music|2016}}
{{Year nav topic5|2016|African music}}
Events
- June - D'banj secretly marries Lineo Didi Kilgrow.{{cite news|url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/music/239606-dbanj-opens-married-secretly.html|publisher=Premium Times|title=Dbanj opens up on why he married secretly|accessdate=December 28, 2017}}
- September - Tsar Leo, "Malawi's Drake", is nominated in the 15th for his single, "The Other Side".{{Cite news|url=http://malawi24.com/2016/09/02/tsar-leos-side-queues-world-music-award/|title=Tsar Leo's The Other Side queues for a world music award {{!}} Malawi 24 - All the latest Malawi news|date=2016-09-02|work=Malawi 24|access-date=2018-02-22|language=en-US}}
- October - A Man of Good Hope, a musical by Isango Ensemble based on a book by Jonny Steinberg, is performed at the Young Vic in London, UK.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/oct/14/a-man-of-good-hope-review-exhilarating-musical-tale-of-a-somali-refugee|title=A Man of Good Hope review – exhilarating musical tale of a Somali refugee|author=Michael Billington|author-link=Michael Billington (critic)|date=14 October 2016|website=The Guardian|access-date=22 February 2018}}
- November - King Sunny Adé receives the AFRIMA award.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newsbreak.ng/2016/10/african-stars-to-honour-king-sunny-ade-others-at-afrima/|title=African Stars To Honour King Sunny Ade, Others At AFRIMA|last=|first=|date=20 October 2016|website=newsbreak.ng|publisher=|access-date=10 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029071049/http://www.newsbreak.ng/2016/10/african-stars-to-honour-king-sunny-ade-others-at-afrima/|archive-date=29 October 2017|url-status=dead}}
- December - King Sunny Adé is inducted into Hard Rock Cafe hall of fame.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pulse.ng/events/king-sunny-ade-music-legend-gets-inducted-into-hard-rock-hall-of-fame-id5835721.html|title=Music legend gets inducted into Hard Rock hall of fame|last= Akan|first=Joey|date=1 December 2016|website=pulse.ng|publisher=|access-date=2 December 2016}}
Albums
- Burna Boy — Redemption
- Louise Carver - Hanging in the Void{{cite web|url=http://gallo.co.za/release/louise-carver-hanging-in-the-void/|title=Louise Carver - Hanging in the Void|website=Gallo Record Company|access-date=7 January 2019}}
- Kiss Daniel — New Era{{cite web|url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/notable-nigerian-albums-2016|title=Notable Nigerian albums of 2016|website=Music Africa|access-date=7 January 2019}}
- Adekunle Gold — Gold{{cite news|url=https://www.thecable.ng/adekunle-gold-billboard-chart|title=Adekunle Gold’s album debuts on Billboard music chart|work=The Cable|date=6 August 2016|access-date=23 August 2016}}
- Ladysmith Black Mambazo — Walking in the Footsteps of Our Fathers{{cite web|url=https://mambazo.com/album/1521455/walking-in-the-footsteps-of-our-fathers|title=Walking in the Footsteps of Our Fathers|website=Ladysmith Black Mambazo|access-date=4 June 2020}}
- Ike Moriz - Debonaire{{cite web|author1=Mosquito Records London|first=|date=April 7, 2016|title=Ike Moriz - Debonaire|url=http://www.mosquitorecords.co.za/news/press-releases/debonaire-2016.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119182128/http://mosquitorecords.co.za/news/press-releases/debonaire-2016.html |archive-date=2016-11-19 |accessdate=17 October 2020|website=Mosquito Records London News}}
- Myrath - Legacy{{cite web|title=Myrath Announce New Album Legacy|url=http://bravewords.com/news/myrath-announce-new-album-legacy|publisher=Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles|date=January 8, 2016|access-date=January 21, 2016}}
- Ahmed Soultan - Music Has No Boundaries
Classical
Alfred P. Addaquay - Laudatur Christus
Musical films
{{Empty section|date=August 2023}}
Deaths
- April 24 – Papa Wemba, Congolese singer and musician, 66
- June 22 – Harry Rabinowitz, South African-born British conductor and composer, 100{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jun/23/harry-rabinowitz-obituary | title=Harry Rabinowitz obituary | work=The Guardian | author=Dave Laing | date=2016-06-23 | accessdate=2016-06-27}}
- September 8 – Johan Botha, South African tenor, 51{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/09/arts/music/johan-botha-dies.html | title=Johan Botha, Operatic Tenor in Difficult Roles, Dies at 51 | work=The New York Times | author=Zachary Woolfe | author-link=Zachary Woolfe | date=2016-09-09 | accessdate=2016-09-19}}
- October 10 – Issa Bagayogo, Malian musician, 54{{Cite news|url=http://www.maliweb.net/musique/musique-malienne-deuil-issa-bagayogo-dit-techno-issa-tire-reverence-1823152.html|title=maliweb.net - La musique malienne en deuil : Issa Bagayogo dit Techno Issa tire sa révérence|date=2016-10-10|work=maliweb.net|access-date=2018-02-22|language=fr-FR}}
- November 9 – Nico Carstens, South African accordionist and songwriter, 90{{cite web|url=http://www.channel24.co.za/Music/News/accordion-maestro-nico-carstens-dies-20161102|date=2016-11-02|title=Accordion Maestro Nico Carstens Dies|publisher=Channel 24}}