# 2021 in rhythm and blues music

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in rhythm and blues for the year 2021.

## Events
### January

* On January 8, Jay W. McGee died at the age of 70. On the same day, Michael Fonfara died at the age of 74.
* On January 9, the 35th Golden Disc Awards were held. BTS won Disc Daesang (Album of the Year) for Map of the Soul: 7.
* On January 16, Phil Spector died at the age of 81. On the same day, Little Walter DeVenne died at the age of 73.
* On January 18, Jimmie Rodgers died at the age of 87.
* On January 29, Grady Gaines died at the age of 86.

### February

* On February 4, Jessie Smith died at the age of 79. On the same day, Nolan Porter died at the age of 71, and Gil Saunders died.
* On February 8, Mary Wilson died at the age of 76.
* On February 14, Ari Gold died at the age of 47.
* On February 17, Gene Summers died at the age of 82.

### March

* On March 2, Chris Barber died at the age of 90.
* On March 3, DJ Advicer died.
* On March 14, the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards were held. H.E.R. won Song of the Year for "I Can't Breathe". Kaytranada won Best Dance/Electronic Album for Bubba. Kaytranada and Kali Uchis won Best Dance Recording for "10%". Beyoncé won Best R&B Performance for "Black Parade". Ledisi won Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Anything for You". Robert Glasper, H.E.R., and Meshell Ndegeocello won Best R&B Song for "Better Than I Imagined". Thundercat won Best Progressive R&B Album for It Is What It Is. John Legend won Best R&B Album for Bigger Love. Anderson .Paak won Best Melodic Rap Performance for "Lockdown".
* On March 15, Doug Parkinson died at the age of 74.
* On March 17, Gerhard Augustin died at the age of 79.
* On March 19, Margie Evans died at the age of 81.
* On March 27, the 52nd NAACP Image Awards were held. Jhené Aiko won Outstanding Album for Chilombo. Doja Cat won Outstanding New Artist. Beyoncé won Outstanding Female Artist. Drake won Outstanding Male Artist. Chloe x Halle won Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional) for "Wonder What She Thinks of Me" and Outstanding Soul/R&B Song for "Do It". Beyoncé, Wizkid, Saint Jhn, and Blue Ivy Carter won Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for "Brown Skin Girl".
* On March 29, Trisha Cee was killed at the age of 26.

### April

* On April 1, Quindon Tarver was killed at the age of 38.
* On April 10, Bob Porter died at the age of 80. On the same day, Quinton Claunch died at the age of 99.
* On April 28, the APRA Music Awards of 2021 were held. The Kid Laroi won Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. Busby Marou won Most Performed Blues & Roots Work for "Over Drinking Over You". The Teskey Brothers won Most Performed R&B / Soul Work for "Rain".
* On April 30, John Dee Holeman died at the age of 92.

### May

* On May 7, Cassiano died at the age of 77.
* On May 11, the Brit Awards 2021 were held. Arlo Parks won Breakthrough Artist. The Weeknd won International Male Solo Artist. Little Mix won British Group.
* On May 20, Roger Hawkins died at the age of 75.
* On May 23, the 2021 Billboard Music Awards were held. The Weeknd won Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Male Artist, Top R&B Album for After Hours, and Top Hot 100 Song, Top R&B Song, and Top Radio Song for "Blinding Lights". BTS won Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist, and Top Selling Song for "Dynamite". Saint Jhn won Top Dance/Electronic Song for "Roses". Doja Cat won Top R&B Female Artist.
* On May 26, Red Top Young died at the age of 85.
* On May 27, the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held. The Weeknd won Male Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for "Blinding Lights". Jhené Aiko won R&B Album of the Year for Chilombo. Doja Cat won Best New Pop Artist. H.E.R. won R&B Artist of the Year. Snoh Aalegra won Best New R&B Artist. Chris Brown & Young Thug won R&B Song of the Year for "Go Crazy".
* On May 31, Lloyd Price died at the age of 88.

### June

* On June 6, the Juno Awards of 2021 were held. The Weeknd won Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Single of the Year for "Blinding Lights", and Album of the Year and Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for After Hours. Kaytranada won Dance Recording of the Year for Bubba. Savannah Ré won Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for "Solid".
* On June 8, Dean Parrish died at the age of 78.
* On June 17, the 2021 Libera Awards were held. Thundercat won Best R&B Record for It Is What It Is. Fantastic Negrito won Best Blues Record for Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?. Arlo Parks won Breakthrough Artist/Release. Mavis Staples won the Icon Award.
* On June 20, Ike Stubblefield died at the age of 69.
* On June 25, Lou Courtney died.
* On June 27, the BET Awards 2021 were held. Jazmine Sullivan won Album of the Year for Heaux Tales. H.E.R. won Best Female R&B/Pop Artist. Chris Brown won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. Giveon won Best New Artist. Silk Sonic won Best Group. SZA won the BET Her Award for "Good Days".

### July

* On July 1, Anthony Reynard Watson died at the age of 64. On the same day, Steve Kekana died at the age of 63.
* On July 5, Raffaella Carrà died at the age of 78.
* On July 7, Sam Reed died at the age of 85.
* On July 11, Sound Sultan died at the age of 44.
* On July 13, Bob Sargeant died.
* On July 18, Winston Soso died at the age of 69.
* On July 21, Clarence McDonald died at the age of 76.

### August

* On August 7, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas died at the age of 70.
* On August 8, Bruce Conte died.
* On August 9, Chucky Thompson died at the age of 53. On the same day, Siti Sarah died at the age of 36.
* On August 11, Mike Finnigan died at the age of 76.
* On August 16, Clifford Coulter died.
* On August 21, Don Everly died at the age of 84.
* On August 27, Sam Salter died at the age of 46.

### September

* On September 1, Waldo Holmes died.
* On September 2, Baron Browne died at the age of 61.
* On September 8, Robin Russell died at the age of 69.
* On September 12, Melvin Dunlap died. On the same day, the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards were held. Doja Cat and SZA won Best Collaboration for "Kiss Me More". Silk Sonic won Best R&B and Best Editing for "Leave the Door Open".
* On September 20, Sarah Dash died at the age of 76.
* On September 23, Pee Wee Ellis died at the age of 80.
* On September 27, Andrea Martin died at the age of 49.
* On September 28, Dr. Lonnie Smith died at the age of 79.
* On September 29, Julia Nixon died at the age of 66.

### October

* On October 11, Deon Estus died at the age of 65. On the same day, Emani 22 died at the age of 22.
* On October 25, Herbie Herbert died at the age of 73.

### November

* On November 4, the 2021 UK Music Video Awards were held. Celeste won Best R&B/Soul Video - UK for "Tonight, Tonight". Normani and Cardi B won Best R&B/Soul Video - International for "Wild Side". Bamao Yendé and Le Diouck and won Best R&B/Soul Video - Newcomer for "Marvin Gaye". Joy Crookes won Best Wardrobe Styling in a Video and Best Hair & Make-up in a Video for "Feet Don't Fail Me Now".
* On November 11, Graeme Edge died at the age of 80.
* On November 13, Philip Margo died at the age of 79.
* On November 17, the 12th Hollywood Music in Media Awards were held. H.E.R. won Best Original Song — TV Show/Limited Series for "Change" from We Are People.
* On November 18, Slide Hampton died at the age of 89. On the same day, the J Awards of 2021 were held. Genesis Owusu won Australian Album of the Year for Smiling with No Teeth.
* On November 21, the American Music Awards of 2021 were held. BTS won Artist of the Year. Doja Cat and SZA won Collaboration of the Year for "Kiss Me More". Doja Cat won Favorite Female Artist – R&B and Favorite Album – R&B for Planet Her. The Weeknd won Favorite Male Artist – R&B. Silk Sonic won Favorite Song – R&B for "Leave the Door Open". Kali Uchis won Favorite Song – Latin for "Telepatía".
* On November 24, the 2021 ARIA Music Awards were held. Genesis Owusu won Album of the Year, Best Independent Release, Best Cover Art, and Best Hip Hop Release for Smiling with No Teeth. Budjerah won Breakthrough Artist. Archie Roach won Best Blues & Roots Album for The Songs of Charcoal Lane. Tkay Maidza won Best Soul/R&B Release for Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3).
* On November 28, the 2021 Soul Train Music Awards were held. Yung Bleu won Best New Artist. Charlie Wilson won the Soul Train Certified Award. Jazmine Sullivan won Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and Album of the Year for Heaux Tales. Giveon won Best R&B/Soul Male Artist. Silk Sonic won Song of the Year, Video of the Year, and The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award for "Leave the Door Open". Normani and Cardi B won Best Dance Performance for "Wild Side". Wizkid and Tems won Best Collaboration for "Essence".
* On November 30, Kal Rudman died at the age of 91.

### December

* On December 3, Melvin Parker died at the age of 77.
* On December 9, David Lasley died at the age of 74. On the same day, the 2021 Music Victoria Awards were held. Hiatus Kaiyote won Best Victorian Song for "Red Room".
* On December 12, the 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards were held. Wizkid won Artist of The Year, the Crossing Boundaries With Music Award, and Song of The Year for "Essence (Remix)" with Tems and Justin Bieber.
* On December 13, Joe Simon died at the age of 85.
* On December 14, Phil Chen died at the age of 80.
* On December 15, Wanda Young died at the age of 78.

## Released albums
### January

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 5 | Rakiyah | Into The Cosmos | Self-released |
| 6 | SixTones | 1ST | Sony Japan |
| 8 | Aaron Frazer | Introducing... | Dead Oceans, Easy Eye |
| 8 | Jazmine Sullivan | Heaux Tales | RCA |
| 11 | (G)I-dle | I Burn | Cube, Republic, Kakao M |
| 15 | Zayn | Nobody Is Listening | RCA |
| 18 | U-Know Yunho | Noir | SM, Dreamus |
| 20 | Baekhyun | Baekhyun | Avex Trax, SM |
| 22 | Ayra Starr | Ayra Starr | Mavin Records |
| 22 | Erick the Architect | Future Proof | Self-released |
| 29 | Arlo Parks | Collapsed in Sunbeams | Transgressive |
| 29 | Celeste | Not Your Muse | Both Sides, Polydor |

### February

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 5 | Puma Blue | In Praise of Shadows | Blue Flowers Music |
| 5 | The Weeknd | The Highlights | XO, Republic |
| 5 | VanJess | Homegrown | Keep Cool, RCA |
| 12 | Dixson | Darling | Roc Nation |
| 12 | JPEGMafia | EP2! | Republic |
| 12 | Lucky Daye | Table for Two | Keep Cool, RCA |
| 12 | Pink Sweats | Pink Planet | Atlantic Records |
| 12 | Robin Thicke | On Earth, and in Heaven | Lucky Music, Empire |
| 12 | Todrick Hall | Haus Party, Pt. 3 | Self-released |
| 17 | NCT 127 | Loveholic | Avex Trax |
| 19 | I.M | Duality | Starship |
| 19 | Tash Sultana | Terra Firma | Lonely Lands, Sony Music Australia |
| 22 | Shinee | Don't Call Me | SM |
| 24 | Ai | It's All Me, Vol. 2 | EMI, Universal |
| 26 | Adrian Younge | The American Negro | Jazz is Dead |
| 26 | C. Tangana | El Madrileño | Sony Spain |
| 26 | Madison Beer | Life Support | Access, Epic |
| 26 | Roosevelt | Polydans | City Slang, Greco-Roman |
| 26 | Wonho | Love Synonym #2: Right for Us | Highline, Kakao M |

### March

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 5 | Gabrielle | Do It Again | BMG |
| 5 | Genesis Owusu | Smiling with No Teeth | Ourness, House Anxiety |
| 5 | Noemi | Metamorfosi | Sony Music |
| 5 | Sipho Dlamini | Rhythms of Zamunda | Def Jam Recordings Africa |
| 5 | Tory Lanez | Playboy | One Umbrella Records |
| 8 | BDC | The Intersection: Discovery | Brand New Music, Kakao |
| 10 | WayV | Kick Back | Label V, SM, Dreamus |
| 12 | DPR Ian | Moodswings in This Order | Dream Perfect Regime |
| 12 | Giveon | When It's All Said And Done... Take Time | Epic |
| 12 | Lake Street Dive | Obviously | Nonesuch |
| 12 | Nick Jonas | Spaceman | Island |
| 12 | Nubiyan Twist | Freedom Fables | Strut |
| 12 | Raissa | Herogirl | Zelig, Columbia |
| 12 | Renata Flores | Isqun | Self-released |
| 12 | Selena Gomez | Revelación | Interscope |
| 15 | Pentagon | Love or Take | Cube |
| 15 | Purple Kiss | Into Violet | RBW, Kakao |
| 15 | Sananda Maitreya | Pandora's PlayHouse | Treehouse Publishing |
| 18 | Paloma Mami | Sueños de Dalí | Sony Music US Latin |
| 19 | Jon Batiste | We Are | Verve |
| 19 | Justin Bieber | Justice | Def Jam, RBMG, Schoolboy |
| 19 | Madame | Madame | Sugar Music |
| 26 | Budjerah | Budjerah | Warner Music Australia |
| 26 | Dante Bowe | Circles | Bethel Music |
| 26 | Gallant | Neptune | Empire |
| 26 | Rod Wave | SoulFly | Alamo |
| 26 | Serpentwithfeet | Deacon | Secretly Canadian |
| 30 | Baekhyun | Bambi | SM |

### April

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 2 | Mr. P | The Prodigal | P.Classic Records |
| 4 | Justin Bieber | Freedom | Def Jam |
| 9 | Benny Sings | Music | Stones Throw |
| 9 | Jordan Rakei | Late Night Tales: Jordan Rakei | Night Time Stories |
| 9 | Nick Waterhouse | Promenade Blue | Innovative Leisure |
| 13 | Wheein | Redd | RBW |
| 16 | AJ Tracey | Flu Game | Revenge Records |
| 23 | Alfa Mist | Bring Backs | Anti |
| 23 | Steve Cropper | Fire It Up | Mascot Label Group, Provogue |
| 26 | Enhypen | Border: Carnival | Belift Lab, Genie, Stone |
| 28 | Bibi | Life Is a Bi... | Feel Ghood |
| 28 | Morray | Street Sermons | Pick Six, Interscope |
| 30 | Dawn Richard | Second Line | Merge Records |
| 30 | Itzy | GUE?? WHO | JYP, Dreamus |
| 30 | Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr. | Blackbird Lennon-McCartney Icons | BMG |
| 30 | Rochelle Jordan | Play with the Changes | Young Art Records |
| 30 | Shelley FKA DRAM | Shelley FKA DRAM | Atlantic, Empire |

### May

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 3 | Yesung | Beautiful Night | SM, Label SJ |
| 7 | Ailee | Lovin' | Rocket3 Entertainment, Dreamus |
| 7 | Natalie Bergman | Mercy | Third Man Records |
| 7 | Rag'n'Bone Man | Life by Misadventure | Columbia |
| 7 | Tony Allen | There Is No End | Decca Records France |
| 7 | Van Morrison | Latest Record Project, Volume 1 | Exile Productions, BMG |
| 10 | NCT Dream | Hot Sauce | SM |
| 14 | Jorja Smith | Be Right Back | FAMM |
| 18 | Taemin | Advice | SM |
| 21 | Abhir Hathi | Lazos y Nudos | Dale Play, StepRecords |
| 21 | Audrey Nuna | A Liquid Breakfast | Arista Records |
| 21 | Blxckie | B4Now | M4 Entertainment |
| 21 | Chai | Wink | Sub Pop, Otemayon |
| 21 | Erika de Casier | Sensational | 4AD |
| 21 | Georgia Anne Muldrow | VWETO III | Foreseen, Epistrophik Peach |
| 21 | Qveen Herby | A Woman | Checkbook Records |
| 21 | Sinéad Harnett | Ready Is Always Too Late | Thairish Limited |
| 26 | Mereba | Azeb | Interscope |
| 28 | Easy Life | Life's a Beach | Island |
| 28 | Mustafa | When Smoke Rises | Regent Park Songs |

### June

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 1 | Monsta X | One of a Kind | Starship, Kakao |
| 4 | Apollo Brown & Raheem DeVaughn | Lovesick | Mello Music Group |
| 4 | Fousheé | Time Machine | Trackmasters, RCA |
| 4 | Greentea Peng | Man Made | AMF Records, Universal |
| 4 | Left at London | T.I.A.P.F.Y.H. | Fourth Strike |
| 4 | Mndsgn | Rare Pleasure | Stones Throw |
| 4 | Project Moonman | Gemini | O/C Records |
| 7 | Exo | Don't Fight the Feeling | SM, Dreamus |
| 11 | Jesse Royal | Royal | Easy Star Records |
| 15 | BamBam | Ribbon | Abyss Company |
| 17 | Yugyeom | Point of View: U | AOMG |
| 18 | H.E.R. | Back of My Mind | RCA |
| 18 | Maverick City Music | Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition | Tribl |
| 18 | Seventeen | Your Choice | Pledis, YG Plus |
| 25 | Cautious Clay | Deadpan Love | Self-released |
| 25 | Doja Cat | Planet Her | Kemosabe, RCA |
| 25 | Faye Webster | I Know I'm Funny haha | Secretly Canadian |
| 25 | Hiatus Kaiyote | Mood Valiant | Brainfeeder |
| 25 | Jimmie Allen | Bettie James Gold Edition | Stoney Creek |
| 25 | Justine Skye | Space & Time | Nynetineth |
| 25 | L'Rain | Fatigue | Mexican Summer |
| 25 | Sault | Nine | Forever Living Originals |
| 28 | 2PM | Must | JYP, Dreamus |
| 28 | Loona | | Blockberry Creative, Universal Music Japan |

### July

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 2 | Cosha | Mt. Pleasant | Ashtown Lane |
| 2 | Laura Mvula | Pink Noise | Atlantic |
| 9 | Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis | Jam & Lewis: Volume One | Flyte Tyme, BMG |
| 9 | Mariah the Scientist | Ry Ry World | One Umbrella, RCA |
| 9 | Rejjie Snow | Baw Baw Black Sheep | Honeymoon, +1 Records |
| 9 | Snoh Aalegra | Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies | ARTium, Roc Nation |
| 9 | Tkay Maidza | Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3) | 4AD |
| 9 | Various artists | Space Jam: A New Legacy (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Republic, WaterTower |
| 16 | Chet Faker | Hotel Surrender | Detail Records, BMG |
| 16 | Enny | Under Twenty Five | Famm |
| 16 | Instupendo | Love Power A-to-Z | Self-released |
| 18 | Luísa Sonza | Doce 22 | Universal |
| 23 | Leon Bridges | Gold-Diggers Sound | Columbia |
| 23 | Peyton | PSA | Stones Throw |
| 23 | Yung Bleu | Moon Boy | Vandross, Empire |
| 26 | D.O. | Empathy | SM Entertainment |
| 30 | Billie Eilish | Happier Than Ever | Darkroom, Interscope |
| 30 | Durand Jones & The Indications | Private Space | Dead Oceans |
| 30 | Isaiah Rashad | The House Is Burning | Top Dawg, Warner |
| 30 | Leela James | See Me | Shesangz, BMG |
| 30 | Prince | Welcome 2 America | NPG |
| 30 | Tink | Heat of the Moment | Winter's Diary, Empire |
| 30 | Yola | Stand for Myself | Easy Eye Sound, Concord |

### August

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 6 | Ayra Starr | 19 & Dangerous | Mavin |
| 6 | Tinashe | 333 | Self-released |
| 6 | Youngn Lipz | Area Baby | Biordi Music |
| 13 | Brandee Younger | Somewhere Different | Impulse!, Verve |
| 13 | Iggy Azalea | The End of an Era | Bad Dreams, Empire |
| 13 | Jennifer Hudson | Respect: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Epic, MGM |
| 13 | Jungle | Loving in Stereo | Caiola, AWAL |
| 13 | Still Woozy | If This Isn't Nice, I Don't Know What Is | Interscope |
| 16 | Red Velvet | Queendom | SM, Dreamus |
| 17 | CIX | OK Prologue: Be OK | C9 Entertainment |
| 17 | Gray | Grayground | AOMG |
| 19 | Marina Sena | De Primeira | Alá Comunicação e Cultura, A Quadrilha |
| 20 | Dvsn & Ty Dolla Sign | Cheers to the Best Memories | OVO Sound, Warner |
| 20 | Kool & the Gang | Perfect Union | Omnivore |
| 23 | Joel Culpepper | Sgt Culpepper | Pepper Records |
| 23 | Stray Kids | Noeasy | JYP |
| 26 | Jay B | SOMO:Fume | H1ghr Music, Warner Music Korea |
| 27 | Eyedress | Mulholland Drive | Lex |
| 27 | Ngaiire | 3 | Dot Dash, Majestic Casual |

### September

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 2 | Monogem | Gardenia | Self-released |
| 3 | 88rising | Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album | Hollywood, Marvel Music, Interscope |
| 3 | Cory Wong & Dirty Loops | Turbo | Roundwound |
| 3 | Drake | Certified Lover Boy | OVO, Republic |
| 3 | Duckwrth | SG8* | SuperGood, The Blind Youth |
| 3 | JMSN | Heals Me | White Room Records |
| 3 | Johnny Drille | Before We Fall Asleep | Mavin |
| 3 | Little Simz | Sometimes I Might Be Introvert | Age 101 Music, AWAL |
| 3 | Priya Ragu | damnshestamil | Warner |
| 6 | Young K | Eternal | Studio J, JYP |
| 9 | Hyuna & Dawn | 1+1=1 | P Nation, Kakao |
| 9 | Lee Hi | 4 Only | AOMG |
| 9 | Liniker | Indigo borboleta anil | Self-released |
| 10 | Eric Bellinger | New Light | YFS, Empire |
| 10 | Romeo Santos | Utopía Live from MetLife Stadium | Sony Latin |
| 10 | Samantha Fish | Faster | Rounder |
| 10 | Spencer. | Are U Down? | 4AD |
| 10 | Yebba | Dawn | RCA |
| 15 | Sumin & Slom | Miniseries | EMA |
| 15 | Tems | If Orange Was a Place | Since '93, RCA |
| 17 | Jordan Rakei | What We Call Life | Ninja Tune |
| 17 | NCT 127 | Sticker | SM |
| 17 | Sevyn Streeter | Drunken Wordz Sober Thoughtz | TStreetz, Groundwērk, eOne |
| 17 | Stokley | Sankofa | Bluraffe, Flyte Tyme, Perspective |
| 24 | Alessia Cara | In the Meantime | Def Jam |
| 24 | Alina Baraz | Sunbeam | Self-released |
| 24 | Anthony Hamilton | Love is the New Black | My Music Box, BMG |
| 24 | Nao | And Then Life Was Beautiful | RCA, Little Tokyo, Sony |

### October

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 1 | JoJo | Trying Not to Think About It | Warner |
| 1 | Ray BLK | Access Denied | Island |
| 1 | Tirzah | Colourgrade | Domino |
| 5 | Youngjae | Colors from Ars | Sublime Artist Agency |
| 7 | BGYO | The Light | Star Music |
| 8 | Don Toliver | Life of a Don | Cactus Jack, Atlantic, We Run It |
| 8 | James Blake | Friends That Break Your Heart | Republic, Polydor |
| 8 | Upsahl | Lady Jesus | Arista |
| 12 | Enhypen | Dimension: Dilemma | Belift Lab, Genie, Stone |
| 15 | Joy Crookes | Skin | Sony, Insanity, Speakerbox |
| 15 | Kacy Hill | Simple, Sweet, and Smiling | Self-released |
| 15 | Kirby | Sis. He Wasn't the One | Self-released |
| 15 | Kirk Knight | After Dark | Blacksmith |
| 15 | PinkPantheress | To Hell with It | Parlophone, Elektra |
| 15 | Remi Wolf | Juno | Island |
| 19 | Nam Woo-hyun | With | Woollim |
| 20 | CL | Alpha | Very Cherry, Sony |
| 22 | Majid Jordan | Wildest Dreams | OVO Sound, Warner Bros. |
| 22 | Seventeen | Attacca | Pledis, YG Plus |
| 22 | Sogumm | Precious | AOMG |
| 22 | Wet | Letter Blue | AWAL |
| 28 | Nicki Nicole | Parte de Mí | Dale Play, Sony Latin |
| 29 | Alfred García | 1997 | Universal Music Spain |
| 29 | Alina Baraz | Moongate | Self-released |
| 29 | Hak Baker | Misled | AWAL |
| 29 | Nightmares on Wax | Shout Out! To Freedom... | Warp |
| 29 | Thuy | I Hope U See This | Self-released |
| 29 | Various artists | The Harder They Fall (The Motion Picture Soundtrack) | Roc Nation |
| 31 | Corbin | Ghost With Skin | Self-released |

### November

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 5 | Curtis Harding | If Words Were Flowers | Anti |
| 5 | Diana Ross | Thank You | Decca |
| 5 | Dijon | Absolutely | R&R, Warner Records |
| 5 | Joan As Police Woman, Tony Allen & Dave Okumu | The Solution Is Restless | PIAS Recordings |
| 5 | Katy B | Peace and Offerings | Rinse |
| 5 | Lauren Jauregui | Prelude | Attunement, AWAL |
| 5 | Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats | The Future | Stax |
| 5 | Summer Walker | Still Over It | LVRN, Interscope |
| 5 | Terrace Martin | Drones | Sounds of Crenshaw |
| 12 | Manu Gavassi | Gracinha | Universal |
| 12 | Sega Bodega | Romeo | Nuxxe |
| 12 | Silk Sonic | An Evening with Silk Sonic | Aftermath, Atlantic |
| 18 | Weki Meki | I Am Me. | Fantagio, Kakao M |
| 19 | Adele | 30 | Columbia |
| 19 | Alewya | Panther in Mode | Because London |
| 19 | Bryson Tiller | A Different Christmas | RCA |
| 19 | Monsta X | No Limit | Starship, Kakao |
| 19 | Muni Long | Public Displays of Affection | Supergiant, Def Jam |
| 19 | Snoop Dogg | Algorithm | Doggy Style, Def Jam |
| 24 | w-inds | 20XX: We Are | Flight Master |
| 30 | Kai | Peaches | SM, Dreamus |

### December

| Day | Artist(s) | Album | Record label(s) |
| 2 | Alicia Keys | Keys | RCA |
| 2 | Arca | Kick IIII | XL |
| 3 | Khalid | Scenic Drive | RCA |
| 3 | Marco Mengoni | Materia (Terra) | Sony Music Italy |
| 3 | No Rome | It's All Smiles | Dirty Hit |
| 3 | PartyNextDoor | Colours | OVO, Warner |
| 6 | Koda Kumi | Best: 2000–2020 | Rhythm Zone |
| 7 | Greg Han | Greg Han | Pourquoi Pas |
| 10 | Moses Sumney | Live from Blackalachia | Jagjaguwar, Tuntum |
| 10 | Seyi Shay | Big Girl | Stargurl Limited, Jones Worldwide |
| 10 | Tory Lanez | Alone at Prom | One Umbrella, Create |
| 14 | NCT | Universe | SM, Dreamus |
| 16 | Tierra Whack | R&B? | Interscope |
| 17 | Various artists | Sing 2: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | Republic |
| 24 | William Wei | I'm More Sober When I'm Drunk | The Orchard |

## Highest-charting songs
### United States

R&B songs from any year which charted in the 2021 Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 :
| Song | Artist | Project | Peak position |
| "Leave the Door Open" | Silk Sonic | An Evening with Silk Sonic | 1 |
| "Peaches" | Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon | Justice | 1 |
| "Save Your Tears" | The Weeknd and Ariana Grande | After Hours | 1 |
| "34+35" | Ariana Grande featuring Doja Cat and Megan Thee Stallion | Positions | 2 |
| "Go Crazy" | Chris Brown and Young Thug | Slime & B | 3 |
| "Kiss Me More" | Doja Cat featuring SZA | Planet Her | 3 |
| "Smokin out the Window" | Silk Sonic | An Evening with Silk Sonic | 5 |
| "Take My Breath" | The Weeknd | Dawn FM | 6 |
| "I Hate U" | SZA | SOS | 7 |
| "Good Days" | SZA | SOS | 9 |
| "You Right" | Doja Cat and the Weeknd | Planet Her | 11 |
| "No Love" | Summer Walker and SZA | Still Over It | 13 |
| "Wild Side" | Normani featuring Cardi B | Dopamine | 14 |
| "Skate" | Silk Sonic | An Evening with Silk Sonic | 14 |
| "Streets" | Doja Cat | Hot Pink | 16 |
| "Heartbreak Anniversary" | Giveon | Take Time | 16 |
| "You're Mines Still" | Yung Bleu featuring Drake | Love Scars: The 5 Stages of Emotions | 18 |
| "Race My Mind" | Drake | Certified Lover Boy | 18 |
| "Yebba's Heartbreak" | Drake and Yebba | Certified Lover Boy | 24 |
| "Telepatía" | Kali Uchis | Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) | 25 |
| "Bitter" | Summer Walker and Cardi B | Still Over It | 25 |
| "Fountains" | Drake featuring Tems | Certified Lover Boy | 26 |
| "Get Along Better" | Drake featuring Ty Dolla Sign | Certified Lover Boy | 27 |
| "POV" | Ariana Grande | Positions | 27 |
| "Have Mercy" | Chlöe | — | 28 |
| "Fucking Fans" | Drake | Certified Lover Boy | 32 |
| "Ex for a Reason" | Summer Walker and JT | Still Over It | 33 |

### United Kingdom

R&B songs from any year which charted in the 2021 Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart :
| Song | Artist | Project | Peak position |
| "Boyz" | Jesy Nelson featuring Nicki Minaj | — | 4 |

## Highest first-week consumption

List of albums with the highest first-week consumption (sales + streaming + track equivalent), as of December 2021 in the United States :
| Number | Album | Artist | 1st-week consumption | 1st-week position |
| 1 | Still Over It | Summer Walker | 166,000 | 1 |
| 2 | Planet Her | Doja Cat | 109,000 | 2 |
| 3 | An Evening with Silk Sonic | Silk Sonic | 104,000 | 2 |
| 4 | The Highlights | The Weeknd | 89,000 | 2 |
| 5 | Welcome 2 America | Prince | 55,000 | 4 |
| 6 | Heaux Tales | Jazmine Sullivan | 43,000 | 4 |
| 7 | Back of My Mind | H.E.R. | 36,000 | 6 |
| 8 | When It's All Said and Done... Take Time | Giveon | 32,000 | 5 |

## All critically reviewed albums ranked
### Metacritic

| Number | Artist | Album | Average score | Number of reviews |
| 1 | Ray BLK | Access Denied | 92 | 5 reviews |
| 2 | Laura Mvula | Pink Noise | 89 | 11 reviews |
| 3 | Sault | Nine | 88 | 8 reviews |
| 4 | Jordan Rakei | What We Call Life | 87 | 4 reviews |
| 5 | serpentwithfeet | Deacon | 86 | 16 reviews |
| 6 | PinkPantheress | to hell with it | 86 | 10 reviews |
| 7 | Rochelle Jordan | Play with the Changes | 86 | 5 reviews |
| 8 | Nao | And Then Life Was Beautiful | 85 | 9 reviews |
| 9 | Summer Walker | Still Over It | 85 | 8 reviews |
| 10 | Hiatus Kaiyote | Mood Valiant | 84 | 7 reviews |
| 11 | Curtis Harding | If Words Were Flowers | 84 | 5 reviews |
| 12 | Tinashe | 333 | 84 | 5 reviews |
| 13 | Spencer. | Are U Down? | 84 | 4 reviews |
| 14 | Silk Sonic | An Evening with Silk Sonic | 83 | 15 reviews |
| 15 | Lake Street Dive | Obviously | 83 | 6 reviews |
| 16 | Various artists | Get on Board the Soul Train: The Sound of Philadelphia International Records, Vol. 1 | 83 | 5 reviews |
| 17 | Leon Bridges | Gold-Diggers Sound | 81 | 12 reviews |
| 18 | Celeste | Not Your Muse | 81 | 10 reviews |
| 19 | Jazmine Sullivan | Heaux Tales | 81 | 9 reviews |
| 20 | Aaron Frazer | Introducing... | 81 | 6 reviews |
| 21 | Puma Blue | In Praise of Shadows | 81 | 5 reviews |
| 22 | Dawn Richard | Second Line | 80 | 12 reviews |
| 23 | Durand Jones & The Indications | Private Space | 80 | 9 reviews |
| 24 | Nick Waterhouse | Promenade Blue | 80 | 6 reviews |
| 25 | Alessia Cara | In the Meantime | 80 | 5 reviews |
| 26 | Nightmares on Wax | Shout Out! To Freedom... | 80 | 4 reviews |
| 27 | Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats | The Future | 79 | 8 reviews |
| 28 | Charlotte Day Wilson | ALPHA | 79 | 4 reviews |
| 29 | Erika de Casier | Sensational | 78 | 8 reviews |
| 30 | Natalie Bergman | Mercy | 78 | 4 reviews |
| 31 | Snoh Aalegra | Temporary High in the Violet Skies | 77 | 7 reviews |
| 32 | Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis | Jam & Lewis, Volume One | 77 | 4 reviews |
| 33 | Prince | Welcome 2 America | 76 | 16 reviews |
| 34 | Tony Allen | There Is No End | 75 | 9 reviews |
| 35 | H.E.R. | Back of My Mind | 75 | 7 reviews |
| 36 | Samantha Fish | Faster | 75 | 5 reviews |
| 37 | Tash Sultana | Terra Firma | 74 | 5 reviews |
| 38 | Alfa Mist | Bring Backs | 74 | 4 reviews |
| 39 | Jorja Smith | Be Right Back | 73 | 9 reviews |
| 40 | Georgia Anne Muldrow | VWETO III | 72 | 6 reviews |
| 41 | Nubiyan Twist | Freedom Fables | 69 | 5 reviews |
| 42 | Steve Cropper | Fire It Up | 66 | 5 reviews |
| 43 | Alicia Keys | KEYS | 65 | 11 reviews |
| 44 | Adrian Younge | The American Negro | 64 | 4 reviews |
| 45 | Diana Ross | Thank You | 60 | 11 reviews |
| 46 | Khalid | Scenic Drive | 58 | 4 reviews |