2020 in music

This topic covers notable events and articles related to 2020 in music.

Specific locations

African music
American music
Asian music
Australian music
Brazilian music
British music
Canadian music
Chinese music
Czech music
Danish music
European music
Finnish music
French music
German music
Icelandic music
Indian music
Indonesian music
Irish music
Japanese music
Latin music
Malaysian music
Mongolian music
Norwegian music
Philippine music
Polynesian music
Scandinavian music
South Korean music
Swedish music
Taiwanese music
Vietnamese music

Specific genres

Albums released

Awards

More information 62nd Annual Grammy Awards (USA), Billboard Music Awards (USA) ...

62nd Annual Grammy Awards (USA)
Record of the Year: "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish • Album of the Year: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish • Song of the Year: "Bad Guy" by Billie Eilish • Best New Artist: Billie Eilish
Billboard Music Awards (USA)
Top Artist: Post Malone • Top Male Artist: Post Malone • Top Female Artist: Billie Eilish • Top New Artist: Billie Eilish • Top Duo/Group: Jonas Brothers • Top Billboard 200 Album: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish • Top Hot 100 Song: "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
2020 Brit Awards (UK)
British Album of the Year: Psychodrama by Dave • Song of the Year: "Someone You Loved" by Lewis Capaldi • Best New Artist: Lewis Capaldi
2020 Juno Awards (Canada)
Artist of the Year: Shawn Mendes • Group of the Year: Loud Luxury • Album of the Year: The Pains of Growing by Alessia Cara • Single of the Year: "Senorita" by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello
2020 MTV Video Music Awards (USA)
Video of the Year: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd • Best Push New Artist: Doja Cat • Artist of the Year: Lady Gaga
2020 MTV Europe Music Awards (Europe)
Best Song: "Dynamite" by BTS • Best Video: "Popstar" by DJ Khaled featuring Drake • Best Artist: Lady Gaga • Best New: Doja Cat
2020 American Music Awards (USA)
Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift • New Artist of the Year: Doja Cat • Collaboration of the Year: "10,000 Hours" by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber
2020 Pulitzer Prize for Music (USA)
The Central Park Five by Anthony Davis
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (USA)
Inductees: The Doobie Brothers • Whitney Houston • Depeche Mode • T. Rex • The Notorious B.I.G. • Nine Inch Nails
Mercury Prize (UK)
Kiwanuka by Michael Kiwanuka
Polar Music Prize (Sweden)
Inductees: Anna Netrebko • Diane Warren
Polaris Music Prize (Canada)
God Has Nothing to Do With This Leave Him Out of It by Backxwash
Eurovision Song Contest (Europe)
Event cancelled as result of COVID-19 pandemic
29th Seoul Music Awards (South Korea)
Grand Award: BTS • Best Song: Taeyeon • Best Album: BTS • Best New Artist: Itzy, Tomorrow X Together, AB6IX

Close

Bands formed

Soloist debuts

Bands reformed

Bands on hiatus

Bands disbanded

Deaths

January

1
- Lexii Alijai, 21, American rapper
- Marty Grebb, 74, American rock keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist (The Buckinghams, Chicago)
- Tommy Hancock, 90, American country singer ^[7]
2 – Lorraine Chandler, 73, American soul singer
3 – Bo Winberg, 80, Swedish rock guitarist (The Spotnicks)
4 – Emanuel Borok, 75, Russian-born American classical violinist
5 – Martin Griffin, British space rock drummer (Hawkwind, Hawklords)
7 – Neil Peart, 67, Canadian progressive rock drummer and lyricist (Rush)^[8]
8 – Edd Byrnes, 87, American actor and pop singer
9
- Tom Alexander, 85, Scottish folk accordionist (The Alexander Brothers)
- Bobby Comstock, 78, American rock and roll singer
10 – Wolfgang Dauner, 84, German jazz pianist
11 – Maceo Woods, 87, American gospel musician
13
- Demetri Callas, 77, American rock guitarist and singer (The Four Seasons)
- Hylda Sims, 87, British skiffle guitarist
14
- Steve Martin Caro, 71, American baroque pop singer (The Left Banke)
- Chamín Correa, 90, Mexican classical guitarist
- Guy Deplus, 95, French chamber music clarinetist
- Barry Mayger, 73, English pop bassist (Chicory Tip)
- Bruno Nettl, 89, Czech-born American ethnomusicologist and musicologist^[9]
15 – Chris Darrow, 75, American country and rock singer and multi-instrumentalist (Kaleidoscope, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band)
18
- Dennis Garcia, 67, Filipino pop rock bassist (Hotdog)
- David Olney, 71, American folk singer-songwriter
19
- Dan Andrei Aldea, 69, Romanian progressive rock singer and multi-instrumentalist (Sfinx)
- Jimmy Heath, 93, American jazz saxophonist (Heath Brothers)
- Robert Parker, 89, American R&B singer
- Sunanda Patnaik, 85, Indian classical singer
21 – Meritxell Negre, 48, Spanish pop singer (Peaches & Herb)
24
- Joe Payne, 35, American metal bassist (Divine Heresy, Nile)
- Sean Reinert, 48, American metal drummer (Cynic, Death, Æon Spoke)
25
- Bob Gullotti, 71, American free jazz drummer (Surrender to the Air)
- Vernon Sandusky, 80, American rock singer and guitarist (The Chartbusters)
26 – Bob Shane, 85, American folk singer and guitarist (The Kingston Trio)
27 – Reed Mullin, 53, American sludge metal drummer (Corrosion of Conformity)
28 – Bob Nave, 75, American bubblegum pop keyboardist (The Lemon Pipers)
30 – Lucien Barbarin, 63, American jazz trombonist (Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Harry Connick Jr.)^[10]

February

1
- Harold Beane, 73, American funk guitarist (Funkadelic)
- Andy Gill, 64, British post-punk guitarist (Gang of Four)
- Peter Serkin, 72, American classical pianist
2
- Kofi B, Ghanaian highlife singer
- Ivan Král, 71, Czech-American rock bassist and songwriter (The Patti Smith Group)
4
- Andrew Brough, New Zealand indie rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist (Straitjacket Fits)
- Buddy Cage, 73, Canadian folk pedal steel guitarist (New Riders of the Purple Sage, Great Speckled Bird)
- Ljiljana Petrović, 80, Serbian pop singer
6
- Lynn Evans, 95, American pop singer (The Chordettes)
- Diego Farias, 27, American progressive metalcore guitarist (Volumes)
- Nello Santi, 88, Italian classical conductor
7
- Nexhmije Pagarusha, 86, Albanian-Kosovan pop singer
- Steve Weber, 76, American folk singer and guitarist (The Holy Modal Rounders)
8 – Robert Conrad, 84, American actor and singer
9 – Sergei Slonimsky, 87, Russian classical composer
10 – Lyle Mays, 66, American jazz fusion keyboardist (Pat Metheny Group)
11 – Joseph Shabalala, 78, South African isicathamiya and mbube singer (Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
12
- Paul English, 87, American country drummer
- Victor Olaiya, 89, Nigerian highlife trumpeter
13
- Buzzy Linhart, 76, American folk rock singer-songwriter
- Jacob Thiele, 40, American indie rock keyboardist (The Faint)
14
- Reinbert de Leeuw, 81, Dutch classical pianist and conductor^[11]
- Sonam Sherpa, 48, Indian blues rock guitarist (Parikrama)
15 – Cavan Grogan, 70, Welsh rock and roll singer (Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers)
16
- Pearl Carr, 98, British pop singer (Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson)
- Graeme Allwright, 93, New Zealand-French folk and jazz singer-songwriter
17
- Kizito Mihigo, 38, Rwandan gospel singer
- Andrew Weatherall, 56, British electronic musician (Two Lone Swordsmen, The Sabres of Paradise) and record producer
18 – Jon Christensen, 78, Norwegian jazz drummer
19
- Bob Cobert, 95, American composer
- Pop Smoke, 20, American rapper
24
- David Roback, 61, American alternative rock and dream pop guitarist (Mazzy Star, Rain Parade, Opal)
- Jahn Teigen, 70, Norwegian pop and progressive rock singer (Popol Ace, Prima Vera)
26
- Hans Deinzer, 86, German classical clarinetist^[12]
- Sergei Dorensky, 88, Russian classical pianist
27 – Lillian Offitt, 81, American blues and R&B singer
28 – Mike Somerville, 67, American rock guitarist and songwriter (Head East)
29
- Odile Pierre, 87, French classical organist and composer
- Bill Smith, 93, American classical and jazz clarinetist

March

2
- Jan Vyčítal, 77, Czech country singer
- Susan Weinert, 54, German jazz fusion guitarist^[13]
- Peter Wieland, 89, German pop singer^[14]
3
- Les Cauchi, 77, American pop singer (Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge)
- Alf Cranner, 83, Norwegian folk singer
4 – Barbara Martin, 76, American R&B singer (The Supremes)
6
- McCoy Tyner, 81, American jazz pianist
- Elinor Ross, 93, American opera soprano
7
- Jim Owen, 78, American country singer-songwriter
- Laura Smith, Canadian folk singer-songwriter
9
- Keith Olsen, 74, American psychedelic rock bassist (The Music Machine) and record producer
- Eric Taylor, 70, American folk singer-songwriter
10
- Marcelo Peralta, 59, Argentine jazz saxophonist
- Beba Selimović, 80, Bosnian folk singer
11 – Charles Wuorinen, 81, American classical composer
12 – Don Burrows, 91, Australian jazz multi-instrumentalist
14
- Phil Phillips, 94, American pop singer-songwriter
- Eva Pilarová, 80, Czech jazz singer
- Genesis P-Orridge, 70, British industrial singer, songwriter and bassist (Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, Thee Majesty)
- Diane Ray, 74, American pop singer
16
- Sergio Bassi, 69, Italian folk rock singer-songwriter
- Ted Cahill, 72, American garage rock guitarist (The Magic Mushrooms)
- Jason Rainey, 53, American thrash metal guitarist (Sacred Reich)
17 – Thái Thanh, 85, Vietnamese-American pop singer
19 – Aurlus Mabélé, 66, Congolese soukous singer
20
- Kenny Rogers, 81, American country and pop singer-songwriter
- Jerry Slick, 80, American psychedelic rock drummer (The Great Society)
21 – Hellmut Stern, 91, German classical violinist^[15]
22
- Gabi Delgado-López, 61, Spanish-born German electronic singer (Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft)
- Julie Felix, 81, American-British folk singer
- Mike Longo, 83, American jazz pianist
- Peter Stapleton, 65, New Zealand alternative rock drummer (The Terminals, Dadamah, Flies Inside the Sun)
- Eric Weissberg, 80, American country and bluegrass banjoist
23 – Tres Warren, 41, American psychedelic rock singer and guitarist (Psychic Ills)
24
- Manu Dibango, 86, Cameroonian makossa and jazz saxophonist
- Bill Rieflin, 59, American rock drummer (The Blackouts, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, KMFDM, King Crimson)
25 – Detto Mariano, 82, Italian rock keyboardist (I Ribelli) and film composer
26
- Olle Holmquist, 83, Swedish big band trombonist (James Last Orchestra)
- Bill Martin, 81, British pop songwriter
27
- Bob Andy, 75, Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter (The Paragons, Bob and Marcia)
- Don Burch, 81, American doo-wop singer (The Slades)
- Mirna Doris, 79, Italian canzone Napoletana singer
- Delroy Washington, 67, Jamaican-born British reggae singer
28 – Jan Howard, 91, American country singer-songwriter
29
- Joe Diffie, 61, American country singer and songwriter
- Alan Merrill, 69, American pop rock singer and bassist (Arrows)
- Paravai Muniyamma, 82, Indian folk singer
- Krzysztof Penderecki, 86, Polish classical composer and conductor
30
- Riachão, 98, Brazilian samba singer
- Bill Withers, 81, American soul singer-songwriter
31
- Cristina, 61, American new wave singer
- Wallace Roney, 59, American jazz trumpeter

April

1
- Ellis Marsalis Jr., 85, American jazz pianist
- Bucky Pizzarelli, 94, American jazz guitarist
- Harold Rubin, 87, South African-born Israeli free jazz clarinetist
- Adam Schlesinger, 52, American power pop singer, songwriter and bassist (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy, Tinted Windows)
2 – Vaughan Mason, 69, American funk and electronic multi-instrumentalist (Vaughan Mason & Crew, Raze)
3 – Helin Bölek, 28, Turkish folk rock singer (Grup Yorum)
4
- Timothy Brown, 82, American pop and soul singer
- Patrick Gibson, French eurodisco drummer (Gibson Brothers)
- Alex Harvey, 73, American country singer-songwriter
5 – Barry Allen, 74, Canadian rock musician and record producer (Painter) (death announced on this date)
6
- M. K. Arjunan, 84, Indian film composer
- Black the Ripper, 32, British grime rapper
7
- Betty Bennett, 98, American jazz and big band singer
- Hutch Davie, 89, American pianist, arranger and composer
- Steve Farmer, 71, American rock guitarist and songwriter (The Amboy Dukes)
- Travis Nelsen, American indie rock drummer (Okkervil River)
- John Prine, 73, American folk singer-songwriter
- Hal Willner, 64, American record producer
- Xudeydi, 91, Somali folk oud player
8
- Carl Dobkins, Jr., 79, American singer and songwriter
- Glenn Fredly, 44, Indonesian R&B singer-songwriter
- Chynna Rogers, 25, American rapper
9
- Andy González, 69, American Latin jazz bassist
- Dmitri Smirnov, 71, Russian-British classical composer
10
- Big George Brock, 87, American blues harmonicist
- Shanti Hiranand, 86, Indian classical singer
- Jymie Merritt, 92, American jazz bassist (The Jazz Messengers)
11 – Liu Dehai, 82, Chinese classical pipa player
12
- Jerry Hludzik, American pop rock guitarist and bassist (The Buoys)
- Louis van Dijk, 78, Dutch jazz pianist
13
- Ryo Kawasaki, 73, Japanese jazz fusion guitarist
- Moraes Moreira, 72, Brazilian MPB singer and guitarist (Novos Baianos)
14
- Akin Euba, 84, Nigerian folk pianist, composer, and musicologist
- Kassongo Wa Kanema, 73, Congolese soukous singer (Orchestra Super Mazembe)
- Kerstin Meyer, 92, Swedish opera singer
15
- Henry Grimes, 84, American jazz bassist
- Dries Holten, 84, Dutch pop singer-songwriter (Rosy & Andres)^[16]
- Lee Konitz, 92, American jazz saxophonist
- Gary McSpadden, 77, American gospel singer (The Imperials, Gaither Vocal Band, The Oak Ridge Boys)
16
- Christophe, 74, French singer-songwriter
- Dušan Vančura, 82, Czech folk singer and bassist (Spirituál kvintet)
17
- Giuseppi Logan, 84, American jazz multi-instrumentalist
- Matthew Seligman, 62, British new wave bassist (Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club, The Soft Boys, Thompson Twins)
19
- Alexander Vustin, 76, Russian composer
- Ian Whitcomb, 78, British pop singer-songwriter
- Emina Zečaj, 91, Bosnian sevdalinka singer
21
- Derek Jones, 35, American metalcore guitarist (Falling in Reverse)
- Jacques Pellen, 63, French jazz guitarist
- Florian Schneider, 73, German krautrock and electronic multi-instrumentalist (Kraftwerk, Organisation)^[17]^[18]
22
- Bootsie Barnes, 82, American jazz saxophonist
- Marcos Mundstock, 77, Argentine comedy music singer and multi-instrumentalist (Les Luthiers)
23
- Fred the Godson, 35, American rapper
- Kamit Sanbayev, 78, Kazakh rock singer (Dos Mukasan)
24
- Hamilton Bohannon, 78, American R&B and disco percussionist and music producer
- Phil Broadhurst, 70, New Zealand jazz pianist
- Harold Reid, 80, American country singer-songwriter (The Statler Brothers)
25
- Alan Abel, 91, American classical percussionist
- Ronald Frangipane, 75, American session keyboardist (The Archies)
26 – Big Al Carson, 66, American blues singer
27
- Lynn Harrell, 79, American classical cellist
- Troy Sneed, 52, American gospel singer
- Scott Taylor, British new wave guitarist (Then Jerico)
28 – Bobby Lewis, 95, American R&B singer
29
- Martin Lovett, 93, British classical cellist (Amadeus Quartet)
- Stezo, 52, American rapper
30
- Tony Allen, 79, Nigerian afrobeat and rock drummer (Fela Kuti and Afrika '70, The Good, the Bad & the Queen)
- Óscar Chávez, 85, Mexican pop singer
- Sam Lloyd, 56, American a cappella singer (The Blanks)

Date unknown

Ceybil Jefferies, American house and R&B singer

May

1
- Richard Cole, 72, American jazz saxophonist^[19]
- Tavo Limongi, 52, Mexican nu metal guitarist (Resorte)^[20]
2
- Cady Groves, 30, American country singer-songwriter^[21]
- Idir, 70, Algerian folk singer-songwriter^[22]
- Jonathan Kelly, 72, Irish folk rock singer-songwriter^[23]
- Erwin Prasetya, 48, Indonesian alternative rock bassist (Dewa 19)^[24]
3
- Rosalind Elias, 90, American opera singer^[25]
- Dave Greenfield, 71, British punk and new wave keyboardist (The Stranglers)^[26]
- Bob Lander, 78, Swedish rock singer and guitarist (The Spotnicks)^[27]
- Lorne Munroe, 95, Canadian-born American classical cellist^[28]
4
- John Erhardt, American indie rock musician (Wussy, Ass Ponys)^[29]
- Frederick C. Tillis, 90, American jazz saxophonist^[30]
- Dragan Vučić, 65, Macedonian pop singer^[31]
5
- Sweet Pea Atkinson, 74, American dance-rock singer (Was (Not Was))^[32]
- Sonny Cox, 82, American jazz saxophonist^[33]
- Didi Kempot, 53, Indonesian campursari singer^[34]
- Ciro Pessoa, 62, Brazilian post-punk singer-songwriter and guitarist (Titãs, Cabine C)^[35]
- Kiing Shooter, 24, American rapper^[36]
- Millie Small, 73, Jamaican ska and reggae singer-songwriter^[37]
6
- Norbert Balatsch, 92, Austrian choral conductor^[38]
- Brian Howe, 66, British rock singer-songwriter (Bad Company)^[39]
7
- İbrahim Gökçek, 41, Turkish folk rock bassist (Grup Yorum)^[40]
- Andre Harrell, 59, American record producer, songwriter, rapper (Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde), and founder of Uptown Records^[41]
- Ty, 47, British rapper^[42]
8 – Mark Barkan, 85, American songwriter, record producer, and musical director for The Banana Splits Adventure Hour
9
- Joe Hupp, 78, American rock musician (The Smoke Ring)
- Little Richard, 87, American rock and roll singer and pianist^[43]
10
- David Corrêa, 82, Brazilian samba singer^[44]
- Betty Wright, 66, American soul and R&B singer and songwriter^[45]
11 – Moon Martin, 74, American rockabilly singer-songwriter and guitarist^[46]
12 – Takami Asano, Japanese psychedelic rock guitarist (Godiego)^[47]
13
- Gabriel Bacquier, 95, French opera singer^[48]
- Yoshio, 60, Mexican pop singer^[49]
14 – Jorge Santana, 68, Mexican rock guitarist (Malo, Santana)^[50]
15
- Denny DeMarchi, 57, Canadian rock keyboardist (Alias, The Cranberries)^[51]
- Sergio Denis, 71, Argentine pop singer^[52]
- Phil May, 75, British rock singer-songwriter (Pretty Things)^[53]
17
- Lucky Peterson, 55, American blues singer, guitarist and organist^[54]
- Peter Thomas, 94, German film composer^[55]
19 – Willie K, 59, American folk ukuleleist^[56]
21
- Berith Bohm, 87, Swedish opera singer^[57]
- Bobby Digital, 59, Jamaican dancehall producer^[58]
- Neil Howlett, 85, British opera singer^[59]
22
- Steve Hanford, 50, American punk rock drummer (Poison Idea)^[60]
- Mory Kanté, 70, Guinean folk singer and kora player^[61]
- KJ Balla, 23, American rapper^[62]
- Klaus Selmke, 70, German rock drummer (City)^[63]
24
- Jimmy Cobb, 91, American jazz drummer (Miles Davis Quintet)^[64]
- Lily Lian, 103, French pop singer^[65]
- Al Rex, 91, American rock and roll bassist (Bill Haley & His Comets)^[66]
25 – Bucky Baxter, 65, American folk and rock guitarist^[67]
26
- Brendan Bowyer, 81, Irish rock and roll singer^[68]
- Charlie Monttana, 58, Mexican rock singer^[69]
- Lennie Niehaus, 90, American jazz saxophonist and film composer^[70]
27 – Evaldo Gouveia, 91, Brazilian MPB singer^[71]
28 – Bob Kulick, 70, American hard rock guitarist (Balance, Kiss, W.A.S.P.)^[72]
30
- Mady Mesplé, 89, French opera singer^[73]
- John Nzenze, 79–80, Kenyan rock and jazz guitarist^[74]
31
- Bob Northern, 86, American jazz French hornist^[75]
- Kjeld Wennick, 76, Danish banjoist and singer (Jan & Kjeld)^[76]

June

1
- Majek Fashek, 57, Nigerian reggae singer and songwriter^[77]
- Joey Image, 63, American punk rock drummer (Misfits)^[78]
2 – Chris Trousdale, 34, American pop singer (Dream Street)
4
- Marcello Abbado, 93, Italian classical pianist and composer
- Rupert Hine, 72, British jazz-rock singer and keyboardist (Quantum Jump)
- Steve Priest, 72, British glam rock guitarist (The Sweet)^[79]
5 – Marjan, 72, Iranian pop singer
7
- Frank Bey, 74, American blues singer
- Floyd Lee, 86, American blues singer and guitarist
8
- James Hand, 67, American country singer
- Bonnie Pointer, 69, American R&B singer (The Pointer Sisters)
9
- Paul Chapman, 66, Welsh hard rock guitarist (UFO, Lone Star)
- Pau Donés, 53, Spanish pop rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Jarabe de Palo)
12
- Dodo Doris, 71, Congolese soukous drummer (Orchestra Super Mazembe)
- Ricky Valance, 84, Welsh pop singer
14
- Keith Tippett, 72, British free jazz and progressive rock pianist (King Crimson, Centipede)
15
- Rocky Isaac, 73, American pop-rock drummer (The Cherry People)
- Nana Tuffour, 66, Ghanaian highlife singer
16 – Yohan, 28, South Korean K-pop singer (TST)
17 – Hugh Fraser, 67, Canadian jazz pianist and trombonist
18
- Hux Brown, 75, Jamaican reggae guitarist (Toots and the Maytals)
- Vera Lynn, 103, British pop singer
19 – A. L. Raghavan, 86, Indian playback singer
20 – Aaron Tokona, 45, New Zealand alternative rock guitarist (Weta, Cairo Knife Fight, Fly My Pretties)
21
- Jeet Singh Negi, 95, Indian folk singer-songwriter
- Joan Pau Verdier, 73, French nòva cançon singer
23 – Margarita Pracatan, 89, Cuban novelty singer
24
- Michael Hawley, 58, American classical pianist and academic
- Claude Le Péron, 72, French rock bassist
25
- Huey, 32, American rapper
- Graeme Williamson, Canadian new wave singer and guitarist (Pukka Orchestra)
26 – Tami Lynn, 81, American soul singer
27
- Pete Carr, 70, American rock, pop and soul guitarist (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Hour Glass, LeBlanc & Carr)
- Freddy Cole, 88, American jazz singer and pianist
- Tom Finn, 71, American baroque pop guitarist (The Left Banke)
- Mats Rådberg, 72, Swedish country singer and guitarist
28 – Simon H. Fell, 61, British jazz bassist
29
- Steppa J. Groggs, 32, American rapper (Injury Reserve)
- Johnny Mandel, 94, American jazz and film composer
- Benny Mardones, 73, American soft rock singer-songwriter
- Willie Wright, 80, American soul singer

July

1
- Max Crook, 83, American pop rock keyboardist
- Joe Penny, 92, American country music singer
3 – J. Marvin Brown, 66, American soul singer (The Softones)
5
- Cleveland Eaton, 80, American jazz bassist (Ramsey Lewis Trio)
- John Marascalco, 89, American songwriter and record producer
6
- Charlie Daniels, 83, American country singer-songwriter and fiddler
- Andrew Kishore, 64, Bangladeshi playback singer
- Ennio Morricone, 91, Italian film composer
8 – Naya Rivera, 33, American pop singer and actress
10 – Eddie Gale, 78, American jazz trumpeter (Sun Ra's Arkestra)
11
- Gabriella Tucci, 90, Italian opera singer
- Rich Priske, 52, Canadian rock bassist (Matthew Good Band)
12
- Rod Bernard, 79, American swamp pop singer
- Judy Dyble, 71, British folk singer-songwriter and autoharpist (Fairport Convention, Trader Horne)
- Eleanor Sokoloff, 106, American classical pianist
14
- J. J. Lionel, 72, Belgian pop singer
- Raúl Pagano, Argentine rock keyboardist (Bersuit Vergarabat)
16
- Ken Chinn, 57, Canadian punk rock singer (SNFU)
- Jamie Oldaker, 68, American country drummer (The Tractors)
- Víctor Víctor, 71, Dominican folk singer and guitarist
18 – Haruma Miura, 30, Japanese pop singer and actor
19 – Emitt Rhodes, 70, American pop rock singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (The Merry-Go-Round, The Palace Guard)
21
- Dobby Dobson, 77, Jamaican reggae singer
- Annie Ross, 89, British-American jazz singer (Lambert, Hendricks & Ross)
- Mieko Hirota, 73, Japanese kayokyoku singer
22 – Tim Smith, 59, British progressive rock singer and guitarist (Cardiacs, The Sea Nymphs, Spratleys Japs)
24 – Regis Philbin, 88, American television personality and singer
25
- Peter Green, 73, English blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Fleetwood Mac)
- CP Lee, 70, British comedy rock singer and guitarist (Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias)
27
- Denise Johnson, 56, British alternative rock singer (Primal Scream)
- Miss Mercy, 71, American psychedelic rock singer (The GTOs)
28
- Pepe Cardona, 72, American pop-rock singer (Alive 'N Kickin')
- Bent Fabric, 95, Danish classical pianist and composer
29
- Balla Sidibé, 79, Senegalese son cubano singer and timbalero (Orchestra Baobab)
- Malik B., 47, American rapper (The Roots)
30
- Randy Barlow, 77, American country singer
- Sonam Tshering Lepcha, 92, Indian folk singer
31 – Bill Mack, 88, American country singer-songwriter

August

2
- Leon Fleisher, 92, American classical pianist
- Steve Holland, 66, American Southern rock guitarist (Molly Hatchet, Gator Country)
- Larry Novak, 87, American jazz pianist
4
- Tony Costanza, 52, American heavy metal drummer (Machine Head, Crowbar)
5
- Agathonas Iakovidis, 65, Greek folk singer
- Jan Savage, 77, American garage rock guitarist (The Seeds)
6
- Wayne Fontana, 74, British pop singer (The Mindbenders)
- Vern Rumsey, 47, American post-hardcore and indie rock bassist (Unwound, Blonde Redhead, Household Gods)
7 – Mark Wirtz, 76, French pop singer
9
- Salome Bey, 80, American-born Canadian soul singer
- Martin Birch, 71, British music producer and recording engineer
10 – Don Martin, New Zealand new wave bassist (Mi-Sex)
11
- Belle du Berry, 54, French chanson singer (Paris Combo)
- Pat Fairley, 76, Scottish pop rock singer and bassist (Marmalade)
- Trini Lopez, 83, American pop singer
13 – Steve Grossman, 69, American jazz fusion saxophonist
14
- Julian Bream, 87, British classical guitarist
- Ewa Demarczyk, 79, Polish cabaret singer and poet
- Valentina Legkostupova, 54, Russian pop singer
- Pete Way, 69, English rock bassist (UFO, Waysted, Fastway)
16 – Emman, 21, Filipino pop singer
17 – Jasraj, 90, Indian classical singer
18
- Ron Heathman, American rock guitarist (Supersuckers)
- Sean Pentecost, Australian alternative metal drummer (Superheist)
- Hal Singer, 100, American jazz saxophonist and bandleader
19
- Randall Craig Fleischer, 61, American classical conductor
- Todd Nance, 57, American jam band drummer (Widespread Panic)
20
- Frankie Banali, 68, American hard rock drummer (Quiet Riot, W.A.S.P.)
- Justin Townes Earle, 38, American folk singer-songwriter
- Mike Kirkland, 82, American folk musician (The Brothers Four)
- Jack Sherman, 64, American funk rock guitarist (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
- Piotr Szczepanik, 78, Polish pop singer
22
- Walter Lure, 71, American punk rock guitarist (The Heartbreakers)
- D. J. Rogers, 72, American soul singer
23
- Peter King, 80, American jazz saxophonist and clarinetist
- Charlie Persip, 91, American jazz drummer
24 – Riley Gale, 34, American thrash metal singer (Power Trip)
25
- Georges Bœuf, 82, French opera composer and saxophonist
- Mick Hart, Australian folk singer
- Gerry McGhee, 58, British-Canadian hard rock singer (Brighton Rock)
27
- Archana Mahanta, 71, Indian folk singer
- Mike Noga, 43, Australian alternative rock drummer (The Drones, Legends of Motorsport)

September

1
- John Meyer, 67, Australian rock slide guitarist (Rose Tattoo, Chain)
- Ian Mitchell, 62, British pop rock bassist (Bay City Rollers)
- Erick Morillo, 49, Colombian-American house and eurodance DJ (Reel 2 Real)
2 – Alexander Priko, 46, Russian pop rock keyboardist (Laskovyi Mai)
3 – Bill Pursell, 94, American easy listening composer
4
- Gary Peacock, 85, American jazz double-bassist
- Lucille Starr, 82, Canadian country singer
6 – Bruce Williamson, 49, American R&B singer (The Temptations)
7 – Xavier Ortiz, 48, Mexican pop singer (Garibaldi)
8
- Simeon Coxe, 82, American electronic rock singer and synthesizer player (Silver Apples)
- Vexi Salmi, 77, Finnish pop rock lyricist
9
- Ronald Bell, 68, American funk saxophonist (Kool & The Gang)
- Sid McCray, 63, American punk rock singer (Bad Brains)
10 – Danny Webster, 61, American funk singer and guitarist (Slave)
11
- Toots Hibbert, 77, Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter (Toots & The Maytals)
- Reggie Johnson, 79, American jazz bassist
12 – Edna Wright, 76, American R&B singer (Honey Cone)
14
- Al Kasha, 83, American pop songwriter
- Peter Starkie, 72, Australian rock guitarist (Skyhooks, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons)^[80]
16 – Roy C, 81, American soul singer
18
- Georgia Dobbins, 78, American R&B singer (The Marvelettes) and songwriter
- Pamela Hutchinson, 62, American R&B singer (The Emotions)
19
- Lee Kerslake, 73, British hard rock drummer (Uriah Heep, Ozzy Osbourne, Toe Fat)
- Dave Kusworth, 60, British indie rock singer (Jacobites)
21
- Hamdi Benani, 77, Algerian pop singer and violinist
- Tommy DeVito, 92, American pop singer and guitarist (The Four Seasons)
- Roy Head, 79, American country singer-songwriter
- Ira Sullivan, 89, American jazz trumpeter
23
- Juliette Gréco, 93, French chanson singer
- W. S. Holland, 85, American country drummer (The Tennessee Three, The Great Eighties Eight)
24 – Max Merritt, 79, New Zealand soul singer-songwriter and guitarist
25 – S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, 74, Indian playback singer
26
- Masayoshi Kabe, 70, Japanese rock guitarist and bassist (The Golden Cups, Speed, Glue & Shinki, Vodka Collins)
- Mark Stone, American hard rock bassist (Van Halen)
- Jimmy Winston, 75, British rock keyboardist (Small Faces)
28 – Jackie Dennis, 77, Scottish pop singer
29
- Mac Davis, 78, American country singer-songwriter
- Rocco Prestia, 69, American funk bassist (Tower of Power)
- Helen Reddy, 78, Australian-American pop singer

October

2 – Lisa Schouw, Australian pop singer (Girl Overboard)
3
- Karel Fiala, 95, Czech opera singer
- Anthony Galindo, 41, Venezuelan pop singer (Menudo, MDO)
6
- Johnny Nash, 80, American pop and reggae singer-songwriter
- Eddie Van Halen, 65, Dutch-born American hard rock guitarist and keyboardist (Van Halen)
7 – Ray Pennington, 86, American country singer-songwriter
8
- Brian Locking, 81, British rock and roll bassist (The Shadows)
- Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, 80, Iranian classical singer
9
- David Refael ben Ami, 70, Israeli religious singer
- Pierre Kezdy, 58, American punk rock bassist (Naked Raygun, Pegboy, Strike Under)
11
- Harold Betters, 92, American jazz trombonist
- Rajan, 87, Indian film composer (Rajan–Nagendra)
12
- Jon Gibson, 80, American minimalist multi-instrumentalist (Philip Glass Ensemble)
- Kim Massie, 62, American blues and soul singer
13 – Saint Dog, 44, American rapper (Kottonmouth Kings)
14 – Paul Matters, Australian hard rock bassist (AC/DC)
15 – Dave Munden, 76, British rock and roll drummer (The Tremeloes)
16
- Johnny Bush, 85, American country singer-songwriter
- Gordon Haskell, 74, British progressive rock and jazz singer and bassist (King Crimson, The Fleur de Lys)
- P. S. Narayanaswamy, 86, Indian Carnatic singer
17 – Toshinori Kondo, 71, Japanese jazz trumpeter
18
- Alfredo Cerruti, 78, Italian comedy rock musician and producer (Squallor)
- Naâma, 84, Tunisian pop singer
- José Padilla, 64, Spanish ambient DJ and producer
- Maisa Tsuno, 29, Japanese indie rock guitarist (Akai Ko-en)
- Chet "JR" White, 40, American indie rock bassist (Girls)
19
- Spencer Davis, 81, Welsh rock guitarist (The Spencer Davis Group)
- Tony Lewis, 62, British pop rock singer and guitarist (The Outfield)
21
- Zero Babu, 80, Indian playback and Carnatic singer
- Viola Smith, 107, American swing and classical drummer
22
- Margie Bowes, 79, American country singer
- K. Deep, 79, Burmese folk singer
23 – Jerry Jeff Walker, 78, American country singer-songwriter
25
- Dolores Abril, 81, Spanish copla singer
- Jan Boerman, 97, Dutch electronic composer
- Rosanna Carteri, 89, Italian opera singer
- Mahesh Kanodia, 83, Indian Gujarati film singer
26 – Stan Kesler, 92, American rock and roll guitarist and songwriter
28
- Cano Estremera, 62, Puerto Rican salsa singer
- Billy Joe Shaver, 81, American country singer-songwriter
29 – Denise Ferri, 76, American pop singer (The Delicates)
30 – Božidar Tanaskovic, Serbian alternative rock bassist (Bjesovi)
31
- Rance Allen, 71, American gospel singer, guitarist and keyboardist (The Rance Allen Group)
- Marc Fosset, 71, French jazz guitarist
- MF Doom, 49, British-American rapper (KMD, Madvillain)

November

1
- Pedro Iturralde, 91, Spanish jazz saxophonist
- Phil K, 51, Australian electronic DJ (Lostep)
- Nikki McKibbin, 42, American pop rock singer
- Ronnie Peel, Australian rock guitarist (The La De Da's, Thunderclap Newman)
- Esteban Santos, 69, Spanish pop singer (Bravo)
2 – T. N. Krishnan, 92, Indian Carnatic violinist
4 – Ken Hensley, 75, British rock singer, keyboardist and guitarist (Uriah Heep, Toe Fat, The Gods)
5
- Len Barry, 78, American soul singer
- Reynaert, 65, Belgian pop singer
- Ossi Runne, 93, Belgian pop trumpeter and conductor
6
- Stefano D'Orazio, 72, Italian pop drummer (Pooh)
- King Von, 26, American rapper
- Jim Radford, 92, British folk singer-songwriter
- Timur Selçuk, 74, Turkish pop singer and pianist
7
- Cándido Camero, 99, Cuban jazz percussionist
- Bones Hillman, 62, New Zealand alternative rock bassist (Midnight Oil, The Swingers, Suburban Reptiles)
8 – Oscar Benton, 71, Dutch blues singer
10 – Alec Baillie, American punk rock bassist (Choking Victim, Leftöver Crack)
11
- Adrian Cionco, 48, Argentine rock bassist (La Mosca Tsé - Tsé)
- MO3, 28, American rapper
- Andrew White, 78, American jazz saxophonist
12 – Jim Tucker, 74, American pop rock guitarist (The Turtles)
13
- Kićo Slabinac, 76, Croatian folk singer
- Doug Supernaw, 60, American country singer
14
- Des O'Connor, 88, English comedian and pop singer
- Eugenia Ratti, 87, Italian opera singer
16 – Bruce Swedien, 86, American recording engineer
18
- László Benkő, 77, Hungarian progressive rock keyboardist (Omega)
- Dominic Grant, 71, British pop singer (Guys 'n' Dolls)
- Tony Hooper, 81, British folk rock guitarist (Strawbs)
21 – Tamás Mihály, 73, Hungarian progressive rock bassist (Omega)
23 – Hal Ketchum, 67, American country singer-songwriter
25
- Duris Maxwell, 74, Canadian rock drummer
- Flor Silvestre, 90, Mexican ranchera and huapango singer and actress
- Camilla Wicks, 92, American classical violinist
26
- Allan Botschinsky, 80, Danish jazz trumpeter
- Cecilia Fusco, 87, Italian opera singer
- Jamir Garcia, 42, Filipino nu metal singer (Slapshock)
28 – Piotr Strojnowski, 62, Polish reggae singer and guitarist (Daab)
29 – Miša Aleksić, 67, Serbian hard rock bassist (Riblja Čorba)
30 – Jack Wray, 81, American doo-wop singer (The Earls)

December

1 – Dan Morrison, Australian ska punk drummer (Area-7)
2
- Volodymyr Huba, 81, Ukrainian film composer
- Ron Mathewson, 76, British jazz bassist
3 – André Gagnon, 84, Canadian pianist, composer, and arranger
4 – Kenny Jeremiah, 78, American garage-rock singer (Soul Survivors)
6 – Džej Ramadanovski, 56, Serbian folk pop singer
7
- LD Beghtol, 55, American experimental rock singer and multi-instrumentalist (LD & the New Criticism, Flare Acoustic Arts League, The Magnetic Fields)
- Howard Wales, 77, American jazz and rock keyboardist
8 – Harold Budd, 84, American avant-garde composer and poet
9
- Sean Malone, 50, American progressive rock bassist (Gordian Knot, Cynic)
- Jason Slater, 49, American alternative rock bassist (Third Eye Blind, Snake River Conspiracy, Brougham)
10 – Kenneth Alwyn, 95, British classical composer and conductor
11 – Ubirany, 80, Brazilian samba hand-repique player (Fundo de Quintal)
12 – Charley Pride, 86, American country singer
13 – Andrey Sapunov, 64, Russian rock guitarist and bassist (Voskreseniye)
14 – Paulinho, 68, Brazilian soft rock singer (Roupa Nova)
15
- Albert Griffiths, 74, Jamaican reggae singer and guitarist (The Gladiators)
- Corlynn Hanney, 75, American pop-soul singer (The Groop)
- Sam Jayne, 46, American indie rock singer and guitarist (Love as Laughter, Lync)
16 – Carl Mann, 78, American rockabilly singer
17
- Jeff Clayton, 66, American jazz saxophonist
- Stanley Cowell, 79, American jazz pianist (Heath Brothers)
19
- Pelle Alsing, 60, Swedish pop rock drummer (Roxette)^[81]
- Clay Anthony, 61, American hard rock bassist (Junkyard)
- Pepe Salvaderi, Italian rock guitarist (Dik Dik)
20 – Chad Stuart, 79, British folk-pop singer and guitarist (Chad & Jeremy)
21 – K. T. Oslin, 78, American country singer-songwriter
23
- John “Ecstasy” Fletcher, 56, American rapper (Whodini)
- Leslie West, 75, American hard rock singer and guitarist (Mountain, West, Bruce and Laing, The Vagrants)
24
- Ivry Gitlis, 98, Israeli classical violinist^[82]
- Mojmir Sepe, 90, Slovenian classical composer and conductor^[83]
- Geoff Stephens, 86, English songwriter and record producer, founder of The New Vaudeville Band^[84]
25 – Tony Rice, 69, American bluegrass guitarist (New South)^[85]
26 – Tito Rojas, 65, Puerto Rican salsa singer^[86]
27 – Richard Lewis Spencer, 78, American funk and soul singer and saxophonist (The Winstons)
28
- Paul-Heinz Dittrich, 90, German composer
- Armando Manzanero, 85, Mexican Mayan musician
29
- Claude Bolling, 90, French jazz pianist and composer
- Hugh X. Lewis, 90, American country music singer-songwriter
- Phyllis McGuire, 89, American pop singer (The McGuire Sisters)^[87]
- Rudy Salas, 72, American R&B and soul guitarist (El Chicano, Tierra)
30
- Frank Kimbrough, 64, American jazz pianist
- Alto Reed, 72, American rock saxophonist (Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band)
- Eugene Wright, 97, American jazz bassist (Dave Brubeck Quartet)

Specific locations

Specific genres

Albums released

Awards

Bands formed

Soloist debuts

Bands reformed

Bands on hiatus

Bands disbanded

Deaths

January

February

March

April

Date unknown

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See also

References

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