This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in rhythm and blues for the year 2025.
Events January On January 3, Brenton Wood died at the age of 83. On January 10, Sam Moore died at the age of 89. On January 20, Bob Kuban died at the age of 84.
February On February 2, Gene Barge died at the age of 98. On the same day, the 67th Annual Grammy Awards were held. Beyoncé won Album of the Year for Cowboy Carter. Muni Long won Best R&B Performance for "Made for Me (Live on BET)". Lucky Daye won Best Traditional R&B Performance for "That's You". SZA won Best R&B Song for "Saturn". AverySunshine and NxWorries tied for Best Progressive R&B Album for So Glad to Know You and Why Lawd?, respectively. Chris Brown won Best R&B Album for 11:11 (Deluxe). Tank and the Bangas won Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for The Heart, The Mind, The Soul. Prince, Taj Mahal, and Frankie Beverly received the Lifetime Achievement Awards. Alicia Keys received the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. On February 5, Irv Gotti died at the age of 54. On February 12, Tommy Hunt died at the age of 91. Jimi Mbaye died at the age of 67. On February 18, the MOBO Awards 2025 were held. Odeal won Best Newcomer and Best R&B/Soul Act. Mnelia won Video of the Year for "My Man". Ayra Starr won Best African Music Act and Best International Act. On February 20, Jerry Butler died at the age of 85. On February 21, Gwen McCrae died at the age of 81. Khalil Fong died at the age of 41. On February 22, Linsey Alexander died at the age of 82. On the same day, the 56th NAACP Image Awards were held. Beyoncé won Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Album for Cowboy Carter. Doechii won Outstanding New Artist. Chris Brown won Outstanding Male Artist, Outstanding International Song with Davido for "Hmmm" and Outstanding Soul/R&B Song for "Residuals". Adam Blackstone & Fantasia won Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional) for "Summertime". Wizkid and Brent Faiyaz won Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Contemporary) for "Piece of My Heart". Samara Joy won Outstanding Jazz Album for Portrait. Luther: Never Too Much won Outstanding Directing in a Documentary (Television or Motion Picture) and Outstanding Documentary (Motion Picture). On February 23, Chris Jasper died at the age of 73. On February 24, Roberta Flack died at the age of 88. On February 27, the 22nd Korean Music Awards were held. Sumin & Slom won Best R&B & Soul Album for Miniseries 2. Jung In & Mild Beats won Best R&B & Soul Song for "Blame".
March On March 1, Angie Stone died at the age of 63. Paulito FG died at the age of 63. On the same day, the Brit Awards 2025 were held. Raye won Best R&B Act. On March 3, Randy Brown died at the age of 72. On March 4, Roy Ayers died at the age of 84. On March 7, D'Wayne Wiggins died at the age of 64. On March 10, Wheesung died at the age of 43. Stedman Pearson died at the age of 60. On March 13, Ann Sexton died at the age of 78. On March 17, the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held. Muni Long won R&B Song of the Year for "Made for Me". SZA won R&B Artist of the Year. 4Batz won Best New R&B Artist. Usher won R&B Album of the Year for Coming Home. Nelly received the iHeartRadio Landmark Award. Mariah Carey won the iHeartRadio Icon Award. On March 19, the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards Japan were held. Kroi won Best R&B Video for "Jewel". On March 25, Alice Tan Ridley died at the age of 72. On March 30, the Juno Awards of 2025 were held. Mustafa won Video of the Year for "Name of God" and Songwriter of the Year. Jack Rochon won Producer of the Year. Big Dave McLean won Blues Album of the Year for This Old Life. Aqyila won Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for Bloom. TheHonestGuy won Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for Velvet Soul. AP Dhillon won South Asian Music Recording of the Year for The Brownprint. Jessie Reyez and Big Sean won Rap Single of the Year for "Shut Up".
April On April 1, George Freeman died at the age of 97. On April 16, Mac Gayden at the age of 83. On April 30, Joe Louis Walker died at the age of 75. On the same day, the APRA Music Awards of 2025 were held. Kaiit won Most Performed R&B / Soul Work for "Space".
May On May 9, John Edwards died at the age of 80. On May 19, Colton Ford died at the age of 62. On May 21, the 2025 Music Awards Japan were held. Hikaru Utada won Best Japanese R&B/Contemporary Song for "Automatic" and Best Japanese R&B/Contemporary Artist. Ariana Grande won Best International R&B/Contemporary Song in Japan for "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)". On May 26, the American Music Awards of 2025 were held. The Weeknd won Favorite Male R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Album for Hurry Up Tomorrow. SZA won Favorite Female R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Song for "Saturn". Doechii won Social Song of the Year for "Anxiety". Janet Jackson was honored with the Icon Award. On May 29, the 2025 Aotearoa Music Awards were held. Aaradhna won Best Soul / RnB Artist.
June On June 5, Wayne Lewis died at the age of 68. On June 9, Sly Stone died at the age of 82. On the same day, the BET Awards 2025 were held. Chris Brown won the Viewer's Choice Award for "Residuals" and Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. SZA won Best Collaboration alongside Kendrick Lamar for "Luther" and Best Female R&B/Pop Artist. Leon Thomas won Best New Artist. Summer Walker won the BET Her Award for "Heart of a Woman". Ayra Starr won Best International Act. Luther: Never Too Much won Best Movie. Mariah Carey and Jamie Foxx received the Ultimate Icon Award. On the same day, the 2025 Libera Awards were held. Ruthie Foster won Best Blues Record for Mileage. Mavis Staples won Best R&B Record for "Worthy". Raye won Self-Released Record of the Year for "Genesis". Thee Sacred Souls won Best Soul/Funk Record for Got a Story to Tell. On June 16, Patti Drew died at the age of 80. On June 21, the 34th Seoul Music Awards were held. RM won the R&B/ Hip-hop Award.
July Erik Rico died. On July 16, Connie Francis died at the age of 87. On July 20, Malcolm-Jamal Warner died at the age of 54. Owen Gray died at the age of 86. On July 31, the AIR Awards of 2025 were held. Emma Donovan won Best Independent Blues and Roots Album or EP for Til My Song Is Done. Ella Thompson won Best Independent Soul/R&B Album or EP for Ripple On the Wing.
August On August 4, Terry Reid died at the age of 75. On August 10, Bobby Whitlock died at the age of 77. On August 12, Cool John Ferguson died at the age of 71.
September Omen died at the age of 49. On September 7, the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards were held. Ariana Grande won Video of the Year, Best Long Form Video, and Best Pop for Brighter Days Ahead. Mariah Carey won Best R&B for "Type Dangerous" and received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. Tyla won Best Afrobeats for "Push 2 Start". On September 16, the 2025 Polaris Music Prize was held. Yves Jarvis won the album prize for All Cylinders. Mustafa won the song prize for "Gaza Is Calling". On September 29, Yury Chernavsky died at the age of 78.
October On October 8, Terry "Buzzy" Johnson died at the age of 86. On October 14, D'Angelo died at the age of 51. On October 21, the Filipino Music Awards 2025 were held. Dionela won R&B Song of the Year for "Marilag". On October 30, the 2025 UK Music Video Awards were held. Celeste won Best R&B / Soul / Jazz Video – UK for "This is Who I Am". Audrey Nuna won Best R&B / Soul / Jazz Video – International for "Mine". Olivia Dean won Best Pop / R&B / Soul / Jazz Video – Newcomer for "Nice to Each Other". Bakar won Best Casting in a Video for "Lonyo!".
November On November 3, Victor Conte died at the age of 75. On November 7, the Los 40 Music Awards 2025 were held. Rels B won Best Spain Urban Act. Mora won Best Global Latin Urban Act. Rauw Alejandro won Best Global Latin Music Video for "Carita Linda". On November 19, the 16th Hollywood Music in Media Awards were held. Sinners (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) won Best Original Score in a Feature Film. Miles Caton won Best Original Song in a Feature Film and Best Song in a Film Onscreen Performance for "I Lied to You". Aiyana-Lee won best Best Original Song in an Independent Film for "Highest 2 Lowest". Qing Madi won Best Original Score in a Short Film (Animated) for Valorant. On the same day, the 2025 ARIA Music Awards were held. The Teskey Brothers won Best Blues & Roots Album for Live at The Hammersmith Apollo. Boy Soda won Best Soul/R&B Release for "Lil' Obsession". The Kid Laroi won Song of the Year for "Girls". On November 21, Jellybean Johnson died at the age of 69. On November 23, Phil Upchurch died at the age of 84. On November 26, Judy Cheeks died at the age of 71. On November 30, Billy Nichols died at the age of 85.
December On December 3, Steve Cropper died at the age of 84. On December 13, Carl Carlton died at the age of 72. On December 14, the 31st Annual South African Music Awards were held. Elaine won Best R&B/Soul Album for Stone Cold Heart. Ayra Starr won the Rest of Africa Award for The Year I Turned 21. On December 26, Don Bryant died at the age of 83.
Released albums January +DayArtist(s)AlbumRecord label(s)Entering chart position 3 Nia Nadurata Still Living with My Parents Arts & Crafts Productions 8 Wolfacejoeyy Cupid Self-released 10 Moonchild Sanelly Full Moon Transgressive Otis Kane Violet Nettwerk Music Group Rilès Survival Mode Self-released Skiifall Lovers Till I'm Gone Peoples Champ 15 Maro & Nasaya Lifeline Secca, Venice Nariaki Zatto Self-released 17 Keke Palmer DivaGurl: A Story By Keke Palmer Big Bosses, The SRG, ILS Group Mac Miller Balloonerism Warner Debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Yola My Way S-Curve Records 21 Minnie Her Cube 24 Benjamin Booker Lower Fire Next Time, Thirty Tigers Charlie Bereal Walk With The Father Death Row Records, Gamma FKA Twigs Eusexua Young, Atlantic Debuted at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart Debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 JoJo NGL BMG Jordan Adetunji A Jaguar's Dream 300 Entertainment, Warner UK Teddy Swims I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 2) Warner Debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 Young Franco It's Franky Baby! Neon 29 Jacob Banks Yonder: Book II Nobody Records 31 Brooke Combe Dancing at the Edge of the World Modern Sky UK Carl Thomas Explosive Music of the Sea Cymande Renascence BMG Eddie Chacon Lay Low Stones Throw Iniko The Awakening Columbia, Audio Angel Journey Montana Lucky Girl Syndrome 10K Projects Qing Madi I Am the Blueprint Jton, Bu Vision The Weeknd Hurry Up Tomorrow XO, Republic Debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200
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