What are the 20 must-see concerts of 2023?

Back in 2020, Janet Jackson was scheduled to embark on her Black Diamond Tour, but it was eventually canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Jackson got back into the performance circuit as she headlined several music festivals, including Essence Fest. Well, starting in April, Ms. Jackson is set to embark on her Together Again Tour and she’s bringing along a special guest, Ludacris. The tour will be held at outdoor stadiums, which means the weather is going to be perfect for witnessing Ms. Jackson in action.

2023 seems to be the year of legends taking their talents on the road. Rock-n-Roll fans are sure to be excited about the joint tour with Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks, a tour properly titled Two Icons, One Night. So far, Nicks and Joel have announced seven cities, with a start at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. So whether fans want to hear Joel sing “Piano Man” or Nicks sing “Edge of Seventeen,” this is a tour that music lovers don’t want to miss. 

From festival appearances to celebrating the 25th anniversary of his sophomore album My Way to going viral on social media with his NPR Tiny Desk performance–it seems like 2022 was the year of Usher. On top of it all, his residency in Las Vegas became one of the hottest shows to attend. Usher is returning to Sin City for the third consecutive year of his residency, and let’s just say the tickets have already become a hot commodity. The residency is set to begin on February 24 and end on July 15. 

When fans think of bands that helped push the pop-punk sound to the mainstream in the ‘90s and 2000s, blink-182 always come to mind. Well, in 2023, the band is reuniting with founding member Tom DeLonge for a tour. It will be the band’s first tour since 2014, and it's set to begin in mid-March in Tijuana, Mexico. 

After five years after her debut album Ctrl, SZA returned in 2022 with her long-awaited sophomore album SOS. It seems like it was well worth the wait because not only did SZA break Spotify’s single-day streaming record for an R&B album, but SOS also became the singer’s first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. With a successful album and a demanding fan base, SZA is embarking on her first arena tour alongside rising artist Omar Apollo. The 17-city tour is set to kick off on February 21 in Columbus, Ohio. 

It’s been six years since the band Paramore released their fifth studio album, After Laughter. To many fans’ surprise and excitement, they’ve returned with their newest album, This Is Why. While the current This Is Why Tour started in October 2022 with limited dates, the band is set to extend the tour throughout 2023 with dates across North America, Europe, and Latin America. 

In 2022, R&B musician Masego toured across Europe in support of his latest album Studying Abroad: Extended Stay. Many fans have commented on his Instagram posts about not touring in America. Well, it seems like the comments may have worked because in 2023, Masego is set to embark on a North American tour properly titled You Never Visit Me. The 28-city tour is will kick off on March 13 in Santa Ana, Calif. 

Singer Joni Mitchell has been aiding herself after dealing with health issues since 2015, and it’s been over 20 years since she last headlined a show. Well, Mitchell is set to retake the stage on June 10 at Washington’s Gorge Amphitheatre. Since this may be a once-in-a-lifetime show to hear Mitchell sing some of her hit songs like "River" and "Big Yellow Taxi," fans may want to take advantage and give Mitchell her deserved praise. 

In the fall of 2022, soulful R&B singer Ari Lennox released her sophomore album Age/Sex/Location. In celebration of the album, the first lady of Dreamville will embark on a 27-city North American tour. Lennox will be hitting the road starting on January 26 and emerging artists Alex Vaughn and Jai’Len Josey will join her.

Taylor Swift is back with her first tour in five years, and naturally, her fan base, known as the Swifties, couldn’t wait to cop tickets. The Eras Tour will embark across U.S. stadiums starting in March and going through August. The presale, unfortunately, caused plenty of controversy and disappointment with high demand, slow queues, and bots causing site disruption. Due to the chaos, fans are now suing Ticketmaster for fraud, price-fixing, and anti-trust violations. For any fans who were able to score Taylor Swift tickets without paying outrageous resell prices, consider yourselves lucky. 

For the fans who fell in love with ‘80s R&B and New Jack Swing, the Legacy Tour headlined by New Edition is on the list. New Edition will be joined by Keith Sweat, Guy, and Tank as they embark on the 30-city North American tour. Whether fans want to hear New Edition sing “Mr. Telephone Man” or Keith Sweat serenade a special someone on “Make It Last Forever,” this tour is sure to please any R&B fan. 

2023 marks six years since country legend Shania Twain released her last album Now. Upon the release of her new album Queen of Me, Twain is embarking on a tour to help support it, hitting cities in North America and Europe. After tickets went on sale for the Queen of Me tour, tickets were in high demand, causing Twain and her team to add additional dates. With this being her first tour in five years, Twain once again proves why she is one of the best-selling artists in country music history. 

In 2022, Anita Baker took her talents to Las Vegas with a residency held at The Venetian. Tickets quickly became an instant seller and prompted Baker’s team to add additional dates. Well, the renowned R&B legend is returning in 2023, but this time she’s headlining a tour across North America, making it her first full tour since 1995. She’s bringing along singer-songwriter-producer Babyface on the road with her. The tour will surely be a celebration as it will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of Baker’s debut album The Songstress. 

In November 2022, reggaeton singer Rauw Alejandro released his third studio album Saturno. In support of the project, Alejandro is set to embark on a 2023 tour that will take place across North America, South America, and Europe. Alejandro is sure to keep fans partying all night long as he goes through hits like "Todo de Ti" and "PUNTO 40." 

Although Jill Scott’s last album Woman was released back in 2015, that has not stopped her from touring the world to sing her classic hits. The neo-soul singer will tour in 2023 to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of her debut album Who Is Jill Scott? Words and Sounds Vol. 1. Granted, she was supposed to celebrate the album’s 20th anniversary with a tour in 2020, but it was postponed due to the pandemic. The tour is set to kick off in Augusta, Georgia in February and will end in Los Angeles in June. 

2023 marks the 40th anniversary of Metallica’s debut album, Kill ‘Em All, so it’s only right that the band embarks on a tour. Not only will the M72 World Tour help commemorate the band’s longevity, but it will also support the release of their new album 72 Seasons. The tour will consist of Metallica playing two nights in every city, and there will be a number of rotating opening acts, including Pantera, Mammoth WVH, Greta Van Fleet, Architects, and more. For heavy metal fans, there would be nothing better than seeing a band like Metallica shredding guitars across sports stadiums. 

In November 2022, Afrobeats singer Wizkid released his fifth album More Love, Less Ego. Just a few days after the album was released, Wizkid played a sold-out debut show at Madison Square Garden. With the success of that show, Wizkid announced his 2023 North American tour set to take place starting in March. The tour is set to kick off in Houston and will end in Los Angeles. 

Kenny Chesney is the type of artist who not only feeds his fans with music since the mid-90s but he continues to tour across the world. For his 2023 I Go Back Tour, Chesney is hitting cities that are outside of the normal big markets. While Chesney is used to typically taking over large stadiums, he wanted to use this tour to appreciate his roots even more. Not only will the tour include cities he hasn’t made the trek to, but also small markets that he once played when he was building his career more than two decades ago. The I Go Back Tour is set to kick off March 25 in State College, PA, and conclude May 27 in Orange Beach, Alabama. 

Over the last few years, rising artists JID and Smino have both been making a name for themselves in the hip-hop world. In 2022, JID released his third album The Forever Story, while Smino released his critically-acclaimed album Luv 4 Rent. In support of their latest projects, JID and Smino are teaming up on their joint tour properly the Luv Is 4Ever. For fans who plan to attend, it wouldn't be a shocker if the two rappers brought out special guests such as Saba, Ravyn Lenae, Earthgang, or J. Cole. 

The death of Naomi Judd shocked the music world, especially country fans who enjoyed the music she made with her daughter Wynonna. In honor of her mother’s legacy, Wynonna embarked on The Judds: The Final Tour and added more dates in 2023. Similar to the first leg of the tour, Wynonna will share the stage alongside other country stars, including Brandi Carlisle, Kelsea Ballerini, Ashley McBryde, Little Big Town, and Martina McBride.