1988 in music
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1988.
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
January–March
- January 20 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony inducts The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan and The Supremes.[1]
- January 28 – A Tampa, Florida, man files an unusual lawsuit against Mötley Crüe. Matthew John Trippe, who has a history of mental health issues and trouble with the law, claims that he was secretly hired to pose as Nikki Sixx and toured, wrote and recorded with the band for a time during 1983 and 1984.[2] Trippe drops the lawsuit in 1993.
- March 2 – The 30th Annual Grammy Awards are presented in New York, hosted by Billy Crystal. U2's The Joshua Tree wins Album of the Year, Paul Simon's "Graceland" wins Record of the Year and Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram's "Somewhere Out There" wins Song of the Year. Jody Watley wins Best New Artist.
- March 10 - Pop star Andy Gibb dies at a hospital in Oxford, England five days after his 30th birthday.
- March 26 – "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson from the Bad album tops the Billboard Hot 100. It's the first time in history a solo artist has had four Number One singles from the same album.[3]
April–June
- April 7 – Alice Cooper almost dies on stage when one of the props, the Gallows, malfunctions.[4]
- April 19 – Former rock and roll singer Sonny Bono is inaugurated as the Mayor of Palm Springs, California, USA.[5]
- April 25 – Rock supermanager Doc McGhee is sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to charges of drug smuggling stemming from a 1982 seizure of nearly 40,000 pounds of marijuana entering North Carolina from Colombia.[6]
- April 30 – The Eurovision Song Contest, held in the RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion, Dublin, is won by French-Canadian singer Celine Dion, representing Switzerland with the song "Ne partez pas sans moi".[7]
- May 14 – Atlantic Records stages a concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating its Fortieth birthday with performances by many of the label's greatest acts of the past. Artists include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Iron Butterfly, Ruth Brown, Foreigner and Wilson Pickett, but the most talked-about performance is by a reunited Led Zeppelin with Jason Bonham on drums.[8]
- May 27 – The Monsters of Rock Tour 1988 commences in East Troy, Wisconsin. Van Halen headlines with the other acts on the bill consisting of Metallica, Scorpions, Dokken and Kingdom Come.[citation needed]
- June 10 – Singing Revolution begins in Estonia.[9]
- June 18 – Depeche Mode play to a crowd of 60,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. The concert was filmed and recorded by D. A. Pennebaker for the group's documentary-concert film and live album 101.
- June 27 – Motown Records is sold to MCA and an investment firm for $61 million.[10]
July–September
- July 2 – Michael Jackson with fifth single from Bad, "Dirty Diana", he broke the record to have five consecutive charting singles from same album at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, is the first artist and only male in history to achieve this.[citation needed]
- August 12 – Public Enemy garners publicity by staging a concert at Riker's Island prison for 250 inmates and 100 journalists.[11]
- September 6–9 – Elton John auctions off many items from his personal collection, including memorabilia and stage-worn clothing, at Sotheby's for a total of $8.5 million. John had been known for wearing flamboyant stage costumes during the glam rock era of the 1970s, but he increasingly abandoned them in later years.[citation needed]
- September 10 – Billboard magazine publishes its Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for the first time.
- September 24 – James Brown faces a variety of charges after leading police on an interstate chase, after reportedly breaking into a seminar in an Augusta, Georgia, building he owned an office in, waving a gun and demanding to know who had used his restrooms. Earlier in the year Brown had been arrested on drug and firearms-related charges.[12]
- September 25 – The Aalto Theatre, Essen, Germany, opens with a performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.[13]
October–December
- October 10 – The new Cairo Opera House is inaugurated by President Hosni Mubarak and Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, brother of the Emperor of Japan. The opening ceremony includes a kabuki performance in recognition of the funds donated by Japan.[14]
- November 7 – John Fogerty wins a self-plagiarism lawsuit with Fantasy Records. The record label had contended that Fogerty's 1985 comeback hit "The Old Man Down the Road" was too similar to his 1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival song, "Run Through the Jungle".[15]
- November 12 – U2's Rattle and Hum hits the Number One spot on the U.S. charts, the first double album to do so since Bruce Springsteen's The River in 1980.[16]
- November 19 – The 17th OTI Festival, held at the Teatro Nacional Cervantes in Buenos Aires, Argentina, is won by the song "Todavía eres mi mujer", written by Carlos Castellón, and performed by Guillermo Guido representing Argentina.
- December 4 – Singer Roy Orbison gives his last concert in Akron, Ohio, USA, before his death from a heart attack.[17]
- December 28 – Madonna calls sheriff's officers to the Malibu, California home she shared with her soon-to-be ex-husband Sean Penn.[18]
- December 31 – The 17th annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by Natalie Cole, Taylor Dayne, DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, Richard Marx, Reba McEntire and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.[19]
Also in 1988
- Peter Ruzicka becomes director of the Hamburg State Opera and State Philharmonic Orchestra.[20]
- Andrew Davis begins a term as chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and is appointed musical director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera, effective with the 1989 season.[21]
- "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" experiences a surge in popularity in the USA sparked by television commercials featuring claymation raisin figures dancing to the song. The California Raisins version of the song peaks at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Bands formed
Bands disbanded
Albums released
January–March
April–June
July–September
October–December
Release date unknown
Singles released in 1988
| Date | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| January 16 | "Man in the Mirror" | Michael Jackson |
| February 25 | "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" | Whitney Houston |
| April 16 | "Please Don't Go Girl" | New Kids on the Block |
| April 18 | "Dirty Diana" | Michael Jackson |
| May 16 | "Don't Be Cruel" | Bobby Brown |
| June 10 | "Waiting for a Star to Fall" | Boy Meets Girl |
| June 27 | "Girl You Know It's True" | Milli Vanilli |
| July 11 | "Another Part of Me" | Michael Jackson |
| October 11 | "My Prerogative" | Bobby Brown |
| October 24 | "Smooth Criminal" | Michael Jackson |
| November 7 | "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" | New Kids on the Block |
| December 27 | "Roni" | Bobby Brown |
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1988.
| # | Artist | Title | Year | Country | Chart Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phil Collins | A Groovy Kind of Love | 1988 |  | UK 1 - Sep 1988 (15 weeks), US Billboard 1 - Sep 1988 (25 weeks), Holland 1 - Sep 1988 (12 weeks), Switzerland 1 - Oct 1988 (23 weeks), Poland 1 - Sep 1988 (17 weeks), Belgium 1 - Oct 1988 (10 weeks), Eire 1 for 2 weeks - Sep 1988, Canada RPM 1 for 3 weeks - Oct 1988, Australia 1 for 1 week - Nov 1988, Europe 1 for 1 week - Oct 1988, Norway 2 - Sep 1988 (16 weeks), Italy 2 of 1988, Germany 3 - Jan 1989 (5 months), ODK Germany 3 - Sep 1988 (23 weeks) (13 weeks in top 10), Springbok 3 - Jan 1989 (4 weeks), Sweden 4 - Sep 1988 (7 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1989), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1989), Austria 6 - Nov 1988 (4 months), Japan (Tokyo) 7 - Nov 1988 (12 weeks), Canada 7 of 1988, South Africa 11 of 1989, US Radio 23 of 1988 (peak 1 8 weeks), Australia 23 of 1988, US BB 29 of 1988, US CashBox 29 of 1988, ARC 41 of 1988 (peak 1 12 weeks), POP 65 of 1988, Brazil 75 of 1989, Germany 103 of the 1980s (peak 3 16 weeks), UKMIX 770, UK Silver (certified by BPI in Sep 1988), RYM 193 of 1988 |
| 2 | Bobby McFerrin | Don't Worry Be Happy | 1988 |  | US Billboard 1 - Jul 1988 (26 weeks), Austria 1 - Nov 1988 (4 months), Germany 1 - Jan 1989 (5 months), ODK Germany 1 - Oct 1988 (23 weeks) (10 weeks at number 1) (15 weeks in top 10), Canada RPM 1 for 2 weeks - Oct 1988, Australia 1 for 6 weeks - Nov 1988, Europe 1 for 6 weeks - Nov 1988, Germany 1 for 10 weeks - Nov 1988, Grammy in 1988, UK 2 - Sep 1988 (11 weeks), Holland 2 - Oct 1988 (11 weeks), Switzerland 2 - Oct 1988 (21 weeks), Belgium 2 - Oct 1988 (10 weeks), Germany Platinum (certified by BMieV in 1989), Springbok 4 - Dec 1988 (11 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1989), Norway 5 - Oct 1988 (10 weeks), South Africa 5 of 1989, Sweden 13 - Oct 1988 (4 weeks), Poland 13 - Sep 1988 (11 weeks), POP 13 of 1988, Canada 14 of 1988, Japan (Tokyo) 19 - Nov 1988 (4 weeks), Germany 23 of the 1980s (peak 1 16 weeks), Switzerland 26 of 1989, US CashBox 28 of 1988, Brazil 30 of 1988, US Radio 32 of 1988 (peak 1 8 weeks), US BB 37 of 1988, Scrobulate 92 of happy, Italy 97 of 1989, RIAA 301, RYM 94 of 1988 |
| 3 | U2 | Desire | 1988 |  | UK 1 - Oct 1988 (13 weeks), Japan (Tokyo) 1 - Nov 1988 (14 weeks), Poland 1 - Oct 1988 (13 weeks), Italy 1 for 2 weeks - Oct 1988, Eire 1 for 4 weeks - Sep 1988, Canada RPM 1 for 4 weeks - Nov 1988, New Zealand 1 for 5 weeks - Oct 1988, Australia 1 for 2 weeks - Oct 1988, Holland 2 - Sep 1988 (11 weeks), US Billboard 3 - Oct 1988 (17 weeks), Belgium 3 - Oct 1988 (9 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jan 1989), KROQ 4 of 1988, Norway 5 - Oct 1988 (8 weeks), Canada 5 of 1988, Switzerland 9 - Oct 1988 (12 weeks), ODK Germany 9 - Oct 1988 (14 weeks) (3 weeks in top 10), Italy 10 of 1988, Germany 11 - Oct 1988 (2 months), Sweden 12 - Oct 1988 (3 weeks), Holland free40 20 of 1988, Austria 23 - Nov 1988 (1 month), ARC 34 of 1988 (peak 1 12 weeks), US Radio 54 of 1988 (peak 3 8 weeks), US BB 56 of 1988, Acclaimed 2038 (1988), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Oct 1988), RYM 65 of 1988 |
| 4 | Billy Ocean | Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car | 1988 |  / | US Billboard 1 - Feb 1988 (20 weeks), Holland 1 - Jan 1988 (13 weeks), Norway 1 - Feb 1988 (13 weeks), Belgium 1 - Jan 1988 (15 weeks), Eire 1 for 1 week - Feb 1988, Canada RPM 1 for 4 weeks - Apr 1988, Canada 1 of 1988, Australia 1 for 5 weeks - Apr 1988, Springbok 1 - Apr 1988 (23 weeks), UK 3 - Feb 1988 (11 weeks), Switzerland 3 - Mar 1988 (13 weeks), Germany 3 - Mar 1988 (3 months), ODK Germany 3 - Feb 1988 (18 weeks) (9 weeks in top 10), Australia 4 of 1988, US CashBox 6 of 1988, US Radio 6 of 1988 (peak 1 10 weeks), Sweden 7 - Feb 1988 (3 weeks), South Africa 7 of 1988, Austria 8 - Apr 1988 (4 months), US BB 15 of 1988, Poland 19 - Mar 1988 (10 weeks), ARC 23 of 1988 (peak 1 13 weeks), Switzerland 26 of 1988, Brazil 52 of 1988, OzNet 261, Germany 303 of the 1980s (peak 3 11 weeks), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Mar 1988) |
| 5 | Guns 'N Roses | Sweet Child o' Mine | 1988 | | US Billboard 1 - Jun 1988 (24 weeks), US CashBox 1 of 1988, US (Sup) Platinum (certified by RIAA in Dec 2008), US Radio 4 of 1988 (peak 1 10 weeks), US Gold (certified by RIAA in Jun 2005), US BB 5 of 1988, UK 6 - Aug 1988 (52 weeks), ARC 6 of 1988 (peak 1 14 weeks), Brazil 6 of 1988, POP 6 of 1988, nuTsie 8 of 1980s, France 10 - Sep 1988 (1 week), Switzerland 15 - Jun 1989 (6 weeks), Scrobulate 15 of hard rock, Vinyl Surrender 18 (1987), Holland 24 - Sep 1988 (10 weeks), 24 in 2FM list, Sweden 27 - Jul 2008 (1 week), Belgium 29 - Oct 1989 (1 week), Poland 33 - Sep 1988 (5 weeks), TheQ 36, UK Songs 2013-23 peak 40 - Jan 2014 (5 weeks), Canada 50 of 1988, Japan (Tokyo) 72 - Nov 1988 (2 weeks), DMDB 83 (1988), Acclaimed 109 (1987), Belgium 180 of all time, Rolling Stone 196, RIAA 210, RYM 10 of 1988 |
U.S. best selling singles
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions Archived October 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine in the U.S. in 1988.
| Position | Song title | Artist | Highest position | Weeks at #1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Faith | George Michael | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | Need You Tonight | INXS | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Got My Mind Set on You | George Harrison | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | Never Gonna Give You Up | Rick Astley | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Sweet Child o' Mine | Guns N' Roses | 1 | 2 |
Top selling albums of the year in the US
Top 40 Chart hit singles
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the U.S. in 1988.[citation needed]
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | US | UK | Highest chart position | Other Chart Performance(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "1-2-3" | Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine | June 1988 | 3 | 9 | 3 ( United States) | See chart performance entry |
| "Angel" | Aerosmith | January 1988 | 3 | 69 | 3 (United States) | 2 (U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock) - 14 (Canada) |
| "Angel of Harlem" | U2 | December 1988 | 14 | 9 | 1 (Canada, New Zealand) | See chart performance entry |
| "Another Lover" | Giant Steps | June 1988 | 13 | n/a | 13 (United States) | 10 (U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play) - 12 (U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Singles) |
| "Another Weekend" | Five Star | May 1988 | n/a | 18 | 12 (Ireland) | 23 (U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 24 (Netherlands [Dutch Single Top 100]) |
| "Any Love" | Luther Vandross | August 1988 | 44 | 31 | 31 (Australia) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 12 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) |
| "Anything For You" | Gloria Estefan | March 1988 | 1 | 10 | 1 (United States) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary) - 2 (Netherlands [Dutch Top 40]/[Single Top 100]) - 3 (U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Songs) - 5 (Belgium) - 11 (Australia) - 19 (Ireland) |
| "Atmosphere" (re-release) | Joy Division | August 1988 | n/a | 34 | 5 (New Zealand) | n/a |
| "Blue Monday 1988" | New Order | April 1988 | 68 | 3 | 1 (New Zealand) | See chart performance entry |
| "Breakaway" | Big Pig | May 1988 | 60 | 89 | 1 (New Zealand) | 7 (U.S. Billboard Dance Club SOngs) - 8 (Australia) - 10 (Canada) |
| "Buffalo Stance" | Neneh Cherry | November 1988 | 3 | 3 | 2 (Greece, Switzerland, West Germany) | See chart performance entry |
| "Cuddly Toy" | Roachford | May 1988 | 25 | 4 | 4 (US Billboard Hot 100) | See chart performance entry |
| "I Owe You Nothing" | Bros | June 1988 | n/a | 1 | 1 (United Kingdom) | See chart performance entry |
| "Knocked Out" | Paula Abdul | May 1988 | 41 | 21 | 21 (United Kingdom) | See chart performance entry |
| "Man in the Mirror" | Michael Jackson | February 1988 | 1 | 21 | 1 (United States) | See chart performance entry |
| "Never Tear Us Apart" | INXS | August 1988 | 7 | 24 | 2 (Canada) | See chart performance entry |
| "New Sensation" | INXS | May 1988 | 3 | 25 | 1 (Canada) | See chart performance entry |
| "Nothin' but a Good Time" | Poison | April 1988 | 6 | 35 | 6 (US Billboard Hot 100) | 10 (Australia) - 19 (US Mainstream Rock [Billboard]) |
| "Simply Irresistible" | Robert Palmer | June 1988 | 2 | 44 | 1 (Australia) | 1 (U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) - 2 (U.S. Cash Box) - 2 (Canada) - 6 (New Zealand) - 10 (France) - 57 (West Germany) |
| "Under the Milky Way" | The Church | February 1988 | 24 | 90 | 22 (Australia) | See chart performance entry |
Other Chart hit singles
- "Bad Medicine" – Bon Jovi
- "Beat Dis" – Bomb The Bass
- "Behind the Wheel" – Depeche Mode (released in 1987)
- "Better Be Home Soon" – Crowded House
- "Big Fun" – Inner City
- "The Blood That Moves The Body" – a-ha
- "Blue Monday 1988" – New Order (remix)
- "Born to Be My Baby" – Bon Jovi
- "Boys (Summertime Love)" – Sabrina Salerno (released in 1987)
- "Bring the Noise" – Public Enemy (released in 1987)
- "Buffalo Stance" – Neneh Cherry
- "Candle In The Wind" – Elton John (live)
- "Cars And Girls" – Prefab Sprout
- "Chains of Love" – Erasure
- "Circle in the Sand" – Belinda Carlisle
- "Como Tu Mujer" – Rocío Dúrcal
- "Crash" – The Primitives
- "Cross My Heart" – Eighth Wonder
- "Cult of Personality" – Living Colour
- *Dear (Cobalt no Kanata e)" – Yōko Oginome
- "Desire" – U2
- "Devil Inside" – INXS
- "Dirty Diana" – Michael Jackson
- "Divine Emotions" – Narada Michael Walden
- "Doctorin' the House" – Coldcut featuring Yazz and the Plastic Population
- "Doctorin' the Tardis" – The Timelords
- "Domino Dancing" – Pet Shop Boys
- "Don't Believe the Hype" – Public Enemy
- "Don't Make Me Wait/Megablast" – Bomb the Bass
- "Don't Talk Dirty to Me" – Jermaine Stewart
- "Don't Worry, Be Happy" – Bobby McFerrin
- "Dreaming" – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
- "Endless Summer Nights" – Richard Marx
- "Est-ce que tu viens pour les vacances ?" – David et Jonathan
- "Ėtoile des neiges" – Simon et les Modanais
- "Everlasting" – Natalie Cole
- "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" – Poison
- "Everything Your Heart Desires" – Hall & Oates
- "Fast Car" – Tracy Chapman
- "Fiesta" – The Pogues
- "The Flame" – Cheap Trick
- "Fine Time" – New Order
- "First Time" – Robin Beck
- "Foolish Beat" – Debbie Gibson
- "Four Letter Word" – Kim Wilde
- "Free Nelson Mandela" – Special AKA
- "Fría Como el Viento" – Luis Miguel
- "Fu-ji-tsu" – Shizuka Kudo
- "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" – Billy Ocean
- "Girlfriend" – Pebbles
- "Girl You Know It's True" – Milli Vanilli
- "La Gitane (Ma tête tourne...)" – Félix Gray
- "Giving You the Best That I Got" – Anita Baker
- "Good Life" – Inner City
- "Good Tradition" – Tanita Tikaram
- "Got My Mind Set on You" – George Harrison
- "The Great Commandment" – Camouflage
- "Hands to Heaven" – Breathe
- "Heart" – Pet Shop Boys
- "Heaven Knows" - Robert Plant
- "Heaven is a Place on Earth" – Belinda Carlisle (released in 1987)
- "Hey Mister Heartache" – Kim Wilde
- "Hold Me In Your Arms" – Rick Astley
- "Hold On to the Nights" – Richard Marx
- "Hole in My Heart (All the Way to China)" – Cyndi Lauper
- "Hot in the City" – Billy Idol
- "House Arrest (The Beat Is Law)" – Krush (released in 1987)
- "Hungry Eyes" – Eric Carmen
- "I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That" – Elton John
- "I Don't Want to Be a Hero" – Johnny Hates Jazz
- "I Don't Want to Live Without You" – Foreigner
- "I Don't Want to Talk About It" – Everything but the Girl
- "I Don't Want Your Love" - Duran Duran
- "I Get Weak" – Belinda Carlisle
- "I Hate Myself for Loving You" – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
- "I Know You Got Soul" – Eric B. & Rakim
- "I Owe You Nothing" – Bros
- "I Saw Him Standing There" – Tiffany
- "I Should Be So Lucky" – Kylie Minogue
- "I Want You Back" – Bananarama
- "I Want Your Love" – Transvision Vamp
- "I Want to Be Your Man" – Roger
- "I'll Always Love You" – Taylor Dayne
- "I'll Be There for You" – Bon Jovi
- "I'll Be With You" – T'Pau
- "Im Nin'Alu" – Ofra Haza
- "I'm Not Scared" – Eighth Wonder
- "In The Air Tonight" – Phil Collins (remix)
- "Is This Love" – Whitesnake
- "It Takes Two" – Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
- "It Would Take a Strong Strong Man" – Rick Astley (#1 Canada)[23]
- "Joe le taxi" – Vanessa Paradis (released in 1987)
- "Johnny B. Goode" – Judas Priest
- "Jour de neige" – Elsa Lunghini (#2 France)[24]
- "The King of Rock 'N' Roll" – Prefab Sprout
- "Kokomo" – The Beach Boys
- "Left to My Own Devices" – Pet Shop Boys
- "Les Parfums de sa vie (Je l'ai tant aimée)" – Art Mengo
- "A Little Respect" – Erasure
- "Look Away" – Chicago
- "Love Bites" – Def Leppard (released in 1987; #1 US)
- "The Lover In Me" – Sheena Easton
- "Lucretia My Reflection" – The Sisters of Mercy
- "Make It Real" – The Jets (#4 US)
- "Make Me Lose Control" – Eric Carmen
- "Man in the Mirror" – Michael Jackson
- "Mercedes Boy" – Pebbles (#2 US)
- "Mistletoe and Wine" – Cliff Richard
- "Monkey" – George Michael
- "My Prerogative" – Bobby Brown
- "Mystify" – INXS (released 1989 in the UK)
- "Need You Tonight" – INXS (released in 1987)
- "Never Knew Love Like This" – Alexander O'Neal
- "Never Tear Us Apart" – INXS
- "Never Trust a Stranger" – Kim Wilde
- "New Sensation" – INXS
- "Nothin' but a Good Time" – Poison
- "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" – Glenn Medeiros (United Kingdom peak)
- "Nuit de folie" – Début de Soirée
- "One More Try" – George Michael
- "One" – Metallica
- "The Only Way Is Up" – Yazz and the Plastic Population
- "Orange Crush" – R.E.M. (released 1989 in the UK)
- "Orinoco Flow" – Enya
- "Pamela" – Toto
- "Paradise" – Sade
- "Paradise City" – Guns N' Roses
- "Parents Just Don't Understand" – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
- "The Payback Mix" – James Brown
- "People Are Strange" – Echo & the Bunnymen
- "People Have the Power" – Patti Smith
- "Perfect Strangers" – Anne Murray
- "Piano in the Dark" – Brenda Russell
- "Pink Cadillac" – Natalie Cole (#2 Switzerland, #4 Ireland, Canada)
- "Pour Some Sugar on Me" – Def Leppard (released in 1987; #2 US)
- "Pourvu qu'elles soient douces" – Mylène Farmer (#1 France)
- "Push It/Tramp" – Salt-N-Pepa
- "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" – Annie Lennox & Al Green
- "Quand je t'aime" – Demis Roussos (#3 FR)
- "Quelque chose dans mon cœur" – Elsa Lunghini (#2 FR)
- "Quelque part au Soleil" – Dalida
- "Rag Doll" – Aerosmith
- "Real Gone Kid" – Deacon Blue
- "Revolution Baby" – Transvision Vamp
- "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Mel & Kim (released December 1987)
- "Rok da House" – The Beatmasters featuring The Cookie Crew (remix/released in 1987)
- "Roll With It" – Steve Winwood
- "Run's House" – Run-D.M.C.
- "Rush Hour" – Jane Wiedlin
- "I Say a Little Prayer" – Bomb The Bass
- "Say It Again" – Jermaine Stewart
- "Secret Land" – Sandra (#7 Germany; #9 Switzerland)
- "Shaday" – Ofra Haza
- "Shake Your Thang (It's Your Thing)" – Salt-N-Pepa featuring E.U.
- "Shattered Dreams" – Johnny Hates Jazz (USA release)
- "Ship of Fools" – Erasure
- "Ship of Fools" – Robert Plant
- "Sidewalking" – The Jesus and Mary Chain
- "Sign Your Name" – Terence Trent D'Arby (released in 1987)
- "Simply Irresistible" – Robert Palmer
- "Slip Away" – Gregg Allman
- "Smooth Criminal" – Michael Jackson
- "So Emotional" – Whitney Houston (released in 1987)
- "Spotlight" – Madonna
- "Stand" – R.E.M.
- "Stand Up for Your Love Rights" – Yazz
- "Stay on These Roads" -a-ha
- “Staying Together” – Debbie Gibson
- "Stop!" – Erasure
- "Stutter Rap (No Sleep 'Til Bedtime)" – Morris Minor and the Majors (#4 UK, #2 Australia)
- "Superfly Guy" – S-Express
- "Suedehead" – Morrissey
- "Sweet Child o' Mine" – Guns N' Roses (released in 1987)
- "Take Me To Your Heart" – Rick Astley
- "Teen Age Riot" – Sonic Youth
- "That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll" – AC/DC
- "Theme from S-Express" – S-Express
- "Touched by the Hand of God" – New Order
- "Tougher Than the Rest" – Bruce Springsteen
- "Together Forever" – Rick Astley
- "Toy Soldiers" – Martika
- "Tribute (Right On)" – The Pasadenas
- "Twist and Shout" – Salt-N-Pepa
- "Twist in My Sobriety" – Tanita Tikaram
- "The Twist (Yo Twist)" – Fat Boys & Chubby Checker
- "Un Roman d'amitié (Friend You Give Me a Reason)" – Elsa Lunghini and Glenn Medeiros
- "Waiting For A Star To Fall" – Boy Meets Girl (released on December 10, 1988)
- "Walking Away" – Information Society (#9 US)
- "The Way You Make Me Feel" – Michael Jackson
- "We Call It Acieed" – D Mob featuring Gary Haisman (#3 UK)
- "Wee Rule" – Wee Papa Girl Rappers
- "Welcome to the Jungle" – Guns N' Roses (released in 1987)
- "We'll Be Together" – Sandra
- "(What Can I Say) To Make You Love Me" – Alexander O'Neal
- "What I Am" – Edie Brickell & New Bohemians (released 1989 in the UK; #1 Canada)
- "What You See Is What You Get" – Madonna
- "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" – Information Society (#3 US)
- "When It's Love" - Van Halen
- "Wild World" – Maxi Priest
- "Wishing Well" – Terence Trent D'Arby (released in 1987)
- "Yé ké yé ké" – Mory Kanté (#1 Belgium, Finland, Netherlands, Spain)
- "You Came" – Kim Wilde
- "You Have Placed a Chill in My Heart" – Eurythmics
Notable singles
| Song title | Artist(s) | Release date(s) | Other Chart Performance(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| "A Little Respect" | Erasure | July 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Ain't No Half-Steppin'" | Big Daddy Kane | July 1988 | 53 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) |
| "Ana Ng" | They Might Be Giants | April 1988 | 11 (US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks) |
| "Bring the Noise" | Public Enemy | February 1988 | 56 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks) |
| "Carolyn's Fingers" | Cocteau Twins | June 1988 | 2 (US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)} |
| "Cars and Girls" | Prefab Sprout | February 1988 | 41 (Australia) - 44 (UK Singles Chart) |
| "Children's Story" | Slick Rick | April 1988 | 2 (US Billboard Hot Rap Singles) - 5 (US Billboard Hot Black Singles) - 39 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) |
| "Coldsweat" | The Sugarcubes | January 1988 | 2 (UK Indie Charts) - 65 (UK Singles Chart) |
| "Crash" | The Primitives | February 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Cult of Personality" | Living Colour | July 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Deanna" | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | October 1988 | 4 (UK Indie Charts) |
| "Devil Inside" | INXS | February 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Dominion" | The Sisters of Mercy | February 1988 | 7 (Ireland) - 13 (UK Singles Chart) - 30 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) |
| "Elephant Stone" | The Stone Roses | September 1988 | 86 (Australia) - 4 (Ireland) - 8 (UK Singles Chart) Note: The reissue of the single charted in 1990. |
| "Everyday Is Like Sunday" | Morrissey | May 1988 | 3 (Irish Singles Chart) - 9 (UK Singles Chart) - 76 (Dutch Single Top 100) |
| "Fast Car" | Tracy Chapman | April 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Feed Me with Your Kiss" b/w "Keep the Glove" | My Bloody Valentine | September 1988 | n/a |
| "Follow the Leader | Eric B. & Rakim | July 1988 | 11 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) - 16 (US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs) - 21 (UK Singles Chart) - 75 (Netherlands) |
| "Freak Scene" b/w "Believe Me" | Dinosaur Jr. | October 1988 | n/a |
| "Gigantic" | Pixies | August 1988 | 93 (UK Singles Chart) |
| "I Believe In You" | Talk Talk | September 1988 | 43 (New Zealand) - 65 (Netherlands [Single Top 100]) - 85 (UK Singles Chart) |
| "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" | The Pogues | January 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Into Temptation | Crowded House | December 1988 | 20 (Dutch Single Top 100) - 38 (New Zealand) - 59 (Australia) - 64 (Canada) |
| "Left to My Own Devices" | Pet Shop Boys | November 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Lucretia My Reflection | The Sisters of Mercy | June 1988 | 20 (UK Singles Charts) - 22 (Ireland) - 30 (US Billboard Dance Club Songs) |
| "The Mercy Seat" | Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | June 1988 | 3 (UK Indie Charts) |
| "Mother" | Danzig | August 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "New Sensation" | INXS | January 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Never Tear Us Apart" | INXS | June 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Orange Crush" | R.E.M. | December 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Orpheus" | David Sylvian | May 1988 | n/a |
| "Reptile" | The Church | July 1988 | 94 (Australia) - 27 (U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart) |
| "Sidewalking" | The Jesus and Mary Chain | March 1988 | 20 (Irish Singles Chart) - 23 (New Zealand) - 30 (UK Singles Chart) - 95 (Europe) |
| "Sister Madly" | Crowded House | August 1988 | 26 (New Zealand) - 66 (Australia) - 92 (Canada) |
| "South of Heaven" | Slayer | July 1988 | n/a |
| "Streets of Your Town" | The Go-Betweens | July 1988 | 30 (New Zealand) - 68 (Australia) - 80 (UK Singles Chart) |
| "Suedehead" | Morrissey | February 1988 | 2 (Irish Singles Chart) - 5 (UK Singles Chart) - 18 (Finland) - 30 (Dutch Single Top 100) - 45 (Australia) |
| "The Evil That Men Do" | Iron Maiden | August 1988 | n/a |
| "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" | Prefab Sprout | March 1988 | 6 (Ireland) - 7 (UK Singles Chart) |
| "Teen Age Riot" b/w "Silver Rocket"/"Kissability" | Sonic Youth | October 1988 | 20 (U.S. Billboard Alternative Airplay) |
| "There She Goes" | The La's | November 1988 | See Chart performance entry |
| "Trick of the Light" | The Triffids | January 1988 | 73 (UK Singles Chart) - 77 (Australia) |
| "Touch Me I'm Sick" | Mudhoney | August 1988 | n/a |
| "Under the Milky Way" | The Church | February 1988 | See chart performance entry |
| "Was There Anything I Could Do?" | The Go-Betweens | October 1988 | 16 (US Modern Rock Tracks [Billboard]) |
| "You Made Me Realise" | My Bloody Valentine | August 1988 | 2 (UK Indie Chart) |
Other Notable singles
- "A Kissed Out Red Floatboat" - Cocteau Twins
- "Can You Feel It" - Fingers Inc.
- "Christine" - The House of Love
- "Destination" - The Church
- "Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie" - Goodbye Mr Mackenzie
- "Hail" - Straitjacket Fits
- "House We Used to Live In" - The Smithereens
- "Is This the Life" - Cardiacs
- "Liar, Liar" - Debbie Harry
- "Nobody's Twisting Your Arm" b/w "I'm Not Always So Stupid" - The Wedding Present
- "Secret Garden" - T'Pau
- "(She Was A) Hotel Detective" – They Might Be Giants
- "Thousands Are Sailing" - The Pogues
- "Tugboat" - Galaxie 500
- "Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)" - Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
- "Out of My Hands" - Died Pretty
- "Surrender" – Suicide
- "Towers of Strength" – Died Pretty
- "Viento" - Caifanes
Classical music
- Gerald Barry – Cheveux-de-frise
- Luciano Berio – Sequenza XI
- George Crumb – Zeitgeist (Tableaux Vivants) for two amplified pianos
- Mario Davidovsky – Synchronisms No. 9 for violin and tape
- Joël-François Durand – Die innere Grenze for string sextet
- Lorenzo Ferrero – La cena delle beffe (incidental music)
- Michael Finnissy – Red Earth for orchestra
- Henryk Górecki – String Quartet No. 1, "Already it is Dusk"
- Stephen Hartke – Pacific Rim Overture
- Vagn Holmboe – Symphony No. 12, M. 338
- Wojciech Kilar – Choralvorspiel (Choral Prelude) for chamber string orchestra
- Witold Lutosławski – Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
- Frederik Magle – We Are Afraid (Vi er bange), cantata for choir and chamber orchestra[25]
- Carin Malmlöf-Forssling – String Quartet No. 1, "Silverkvartetten"
- António Chagas Rosa – Piano Sonata
- Kaija Saariaho – Petals for cello and electronics
- Bogusław Schaeffer – Concerto for Piano Duet and Orchestra
- Alfred Schnittke
- Concerto for Piano four hands and Orchestra
- Piano Quartet
- Symphony No. 5 (Concerto Grosso No. 4)
- Klingende Buchstaben
- Peter Sculthorpe – Kakadu
- Philip Sparke – Concerto Grosso
- Bent Sørensen
- Angels' Music for string quartet
- Camelot by Night for bass flute and guitar
- La Notte for piano and orchestra
- Tōru Takemitsu – Tree Line for chamber orchestra
- John Tavener – The Akathist of Thanksgiving
- Takashi Yoshimatsu – Concerto for Bassoon "Unicorn Circuit"
Opera
- Philip Glass – 1000 Airplanes on the Roof
- Karlheinz Stockhausen – Montag aus Licht (La Scala, Milan, May 7)
Jazz
Musical theater
- Bitter Sweet (Noël Coward) – London revival
- Chess (Tim Rice, Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus) – Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and closed after 65 performances
- The Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber) – Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre, and has the longest continuous run in Broadway history, with over 10,000 performances to date
- Sarafina – Broadway production opened at the Cort Theatre and ran for 597 performances
Musical films
Births
- January 7 – Hardwell, Dutch DJ and record producer
- January 8 – Haruka Abe, Japanese actress
- January 11 – Li Qinyao, Chinese actress and singer
- January 14
- Mikalah Gordon, American Idol contestant
- Jordy, French singer
- January 15
- Jessica Poland, American singer-songwriter
- Skrillex, American musician and DJ
- January 16
- FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Barnett, English singer-songwriter,[29] dancer, advocate and actress
- Alex Gonzaga, Filipina singer
- January 20 – Victoria Asher, American musician
- January 21
- Glaiza de Castro, Filipino actress and singer[30]
- AGA, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
- January 24 – Jade Ewen, English actress and singer
- January 25 – Yasmien Kurdi, Filipina pop singer
- February 3 – Cho Kyu Hyun, Korean pop singer (Super Junior)[31]
- February 6 – Bailey Hanks, American actress and singer
- February 7
- February 8 – Ao Li, Chinese operatic bass-baritone
- February 11
- February 13
- Aston Merrygold, English R&B singer (JLS)
- Mike Posner, American singer-songwriter, poet, DJ and music producer
- February 17 – Rod Michael, American singer (B3)
- February 18 – Max Changmin, K-pop singer
- February 20 – Rihanna, Barbadian pop singer
- February 22 – Jay Fung, Hong Kong singer-songwriter
- February 23 – Ashley Cooper, New Zealand pop singer
- February 27 – JD Natasha, born Natasha Jeannette Dueñas, American Latin music artist
- February 28
- Milly Edwards, Australian Idol contestant
- Markéta Irglová, Czech songwriter
- March 2
- James Arthur, English singer-songwriter
- Kate Alexa, Australian pop rock singer
- Esther Povitsky, American actress, singer, comedian, writer and producer
- Nadine Samonte, German pop singer
- March 6 – Agnes Carlsson, Swedish pop singer[34]
- March 8
- Benny Blanco, American record producer, songwriter, musician (Dating Selena Gomez)
- Johnny Ruffo, Australian singer, songwriter, dancer, actor and television presenter (d. 2023)
- March 10 – Patrick Henry Hughes, American tenor and trumpeter
- March 15 – Lil Dicky, American comedy-rapper
- March 16 – Jhené Aiko, American singer-songwriter and rapper[35]
- March 17 – Grimes (born Claire Boucher), Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, engineer, record producer, visual artist, feminist, activist and producer (collaborator of Hana)
- March 18
- Agir, Portuguese singer and composer[36]
- Soukaina Boukries, Moroccan singer
- March 21 – Gabriela Isler, Venezuelan model and beauty queen
- March 25
- Big Sean, American rapper
- Ryan Lewis, American musician
- Wesley Klein, Dutch singer
- March 27 – Jessie J, English singer-songwriter[37]
- March 31 – Conrad Sewell, Australian singer-songwriter
- April 12 – Jessie James Decker, American country pop singer
- April 17 – Takahiro Moriuchi, Japanese singer (One Ok Rock)
- April 19 – Alfie Arcuri, Australian singer-songwriter
- April 22 – Léo Santana, Brazilian singer, composer, and percussionist
- April 24 – Natalie Zahra, Australian Idol contestant
- April 25 – Sara Paxton, American singer, actress
- April 27
- Alfred Hui, Hong Kong singer
- Lizzo, born Melissa Jefferson, American singer-songwriter, actress, rapper and activist
- Pop Wansel, American record producer, musician and songwriter
- April 29
- Younha, Japanese and Korean pop singer
- Michael Ray, American country music singer-songwriter
- May 5
- Adele, English singer-songwriter[38]
- Brooke Hogan, American actress, singer-songwriter and wrestler
- Skye Sweetnam, Canadian singer-songwriter, actress and music video director (Sumo Cyco)
- May 8 – Trisha Paytas, American Internet personality, actress and singer-songwriter
- May 11
- Ace Hood, American rapper
- Nikki Cleary, American pop-rock singer
- May 13 – Casey Donovan, Australian Idol winner, 2004
- May 15 – Lunice, Canadian record producer and DJ (TNGHT)
- May 18 – Tanner Wayne, American drummer (Underminded, Chiodos and Scary Kids Scaring Kids)
- May 19 - Anyma, American DJ and producer (Tale of Us)
- May 21 – Park Gyu-ri, South Korean idol singer[39]
- May 22 – Roy English, also known as Jagwar Twin, American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer
- May 24 – Billy Gilman, American country singer
- May 27 - J-Min, South Korean singer-songwriter
- June 1
- Héloïse Letissier, French singer-songwriter (Christine and the Queens)
- Nami Tamaki, Japanese singer
- June 2
- Danny Parker, American songwriter
- Bảo Thy, Vietnamese singer and actress
- June 3 – Dave East, American rapper
- June 6 – Neha Kakkar, Indian pop singer
- June 7 – Michael Cera, Canadian actor, comedian, producer and singer-songwriter[40]
- June 9 – Mae Whitman, American actress, voice actress and singer[41]
- June 11 – Weyes Blood, American musician
- June 12 – Dave Melillo, American singer-songwriter
- June 14 – Kevin McHale, American actor, singer, dancer and radio personality[42]
- June 16
- Banks, American singer-songwriter[43]
- Keshia Chanté, Canadian urban singer
- June 18 – Josh Dun, American multi-instrumentalist and producer (House Of Heroes, Twenty One Pilots)r[44]
- June 20 – May J., Japanese R&B singer
- June 21 – Beatrice Egli, Swiss singer
- June 22
- Miliyah Kato, Japanese R&B singer
- Vicky Psarakis, Greek-American vocalist-singer-songwriter, lead singer of The Agonist
- June 23
- Isabella Leong, Hong Kong singer, actress and model
- Jasmine Kara, Swedish singer-songwriter
- June 24 – Nichkhun Horvejkul, Thai singer
- June 27 – Colin Tilley, American music video director and film maker
- June 28 – Julian Waterfall Pollack, American jazz pianist and composer
- June 29 – Martina Šindlerová, Slovak pop singer
- June 30 – Jai Paul, English songwriter, record producer and recording artist
- July 2 – Amali Ward, Australian Idol contestant
- July 6
- Katy Tiz, British singer
- Brittany Underwood, American actress and singer
- July 7 – Kaci Brown, American pop/R&B singer
- July 8
- Reinaldo Zavarce, Venezuelan actor and singer
- Shocka, English rapper and mental health advocate
- July 11 – Natalie La Rose, Dutch singer-songwriter and dancer
- July 12 – Melissa O'Neil, Canadian Idol winner, Canadian singer and actress
- July 13
- Tulisa Contostavlos, English singer-songwriter and member of N-Dubz[45]
- Colton Haynes, American actor, model and singer
- Mitch Rowland, American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (Harry Styles)
- July 17 – Anderson East, American rhythm and blues singer/songwriter
- July 19 – Charlene Soraia, English singer-songwriter and mental health activist
- July 20 – Julianne Hough, American dancer, singer and actress[46]
- July 24 – Han Seung-yeon, South Korean singer and actress[47]
- July 25 – Sarah Geronimo, Filipina pop singer
- July 28 – Nick Santino, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (A Rocket to the Moon)
- July 31 – Ruston Kelly, American country singer-songwriter (Kacey Musgraves)
- August 1 – Olia Tira, Moldovan singer
- August 2
- Chris Sebastian, Australian singer-songwriter (two time contestant of The Voice Australia, one time on Seal get to round 16 (2012) and won on team Kelly Rowland (2020), brother of Guy Sebastian)
- Brittany Hargest, American pop singer
- August 3
- Sierra Ferrell, American singer-songwriter and musician
- Shelley FKA DRAM, American rapper, singer, and record producer
- August 4 – Tom Parker, English singer-songwriter (The Wanted) (d. 2022)
- August 11 – Hoàng Thùy Linh, Vietnamese singer and actress
- August 13 – MØ, Danish singer-songwriter
- August 16 – Rumer Willis, American singer and actress
- August 18 – G-Dragon, Korean rapper, singer-songwriter and producer
- August 19 – Hoodie Allen, American rapper, singer-songwriter
- August 21
- Paris Bennett, American singer
- Kacey Musgraves, American country singer-songwriter[48]
- August 23 – Alice Glass, Canadian singer-songwriter
- August 24 – Kelly Lee Owens, Welsh electronic musician
- August 25 – Alexandra Burke, English singer-songwriter and actress, X Factor winner[49]
- August 26
- Erik Hassle, Swedish pop singer-songwriter
- Evan Ross, American actor and musician (Diana Ross, Ashlee Simpson)
- August 27 – Alexa Vega, American musical performer, actor and pop singer
- September 3 – Devon Welsh, Canadian singer-songwriter (Majical Cloudz, Grimes)
- September 6
- Max George, English singer-songwriter and actor
- Gustav Schäfer, German rock drummer (Tokio Hotel)
- September 12
- Amanda Jenssen, Swedish singer
- Petros Iakovidis, Greek singer
- Matt Martians, American record producer
- September 14 – Muni Long, American singer and songwriter
- September 16 – Teddy Geiger, American singer-songwriter
- September 19 – Reigan Derry, Australian singer-songwriter
- September 22 – Bethany Dillon, American Christian-music artist
- Sana Saeed, Indian actress
- September 26
- James Blake, English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer (Jameela Jamil, Theresa Waymen)[50]
- Lilly Singh, Canadian vlogger, singer, rapper and artist
- September 27 – Alma, French singer-songwriter[51]
- September 28
- Esmée Denters, Dutch singer and YouTuber
- Hana Mae Lee, American actress, model, singer and fashion designer (Pitch Perfect)
- September 30 – Jyongri, Japanese pop singer
- October 2 – Andreas Moe, Swedish singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist
- October 2 – Brittany Howard, American singer-songwriter
- October 3 – A$AP Rocky, American rapper, producer, part of the ASAP mob[52] (Rihanna)
- October 4
- Jessica Benson, American R&B singer
- Melissa Benoist, American actress and singer[53]
- October 5 – Kevin Olusola, Nigerian musician, beatboxer, cellist, rapper, record producer and singer-songwriter
- October 5 – Maja Salvador, Filipino actress and television personality
- October 5 – Bahar Kizil, German singer and songwriter
- October 11 – Knut Eirik Kokkin, Norwegian singer
- October 12 – Calum Scott, English singer-songwriter
- October 13 – Đông Nhi, Vietnamese singer
- October 14
- Kobra Paige, Canadian singer and songwriter
- Pia Toscano, American singer
- October 17
- Dami Im, Korean-born Australian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist
- Nikki Flores, American Independent pop singer, musician, songwriter and vocal producer
- October 20
- Risa Niigaki, Japanese pop singer
- A$AP Ferg, American rapper, part of the ASAP mob
- Balqees, Emirati singer
- October 28 – Jamie xx, English musician, DJ, record producer and remixer
- October 30 – Janel Parrish, American actress and singer
- November 2 – Elgiazar Farashyan, Belarusian singer
- November 6
- Emma Stone, American actress, musical star and singer
- Conchita Wurst, Austrian singer and drag queen, Eurovision Song Contest 2014 winner[54]
- November 7 – Tinie Tempah, English rapper, singer-songwriter[55]
- November 8 – Pauli Lovejoy, English drummer, recording artist, music director and model
- November 10
- Chisaki Hama, Japanese singer
- Cazzi Opeia, Swedish DJ, producer, singer and songwriter
- November 16
- Siva Kaneswaran, Irish singer, model, actor and songwriter
- Sampha, English singer-songwriter and record producer
- November 26 – Blake Harnage, American songwriter, music producer, multi-instrumentalist and composer
- November 28 – Scarlett Pomers, American singer/actress
- November 30 – Eir Aoi, Japanese singer[56]
- December 1
- Tyler Joseph, American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and rapper (Twenty One Pilots)
- Zoë Kravitz, American actress, singer and model (lolawolf)[57]
- December 6 – Sandra Nurmsalu, Estonian musician[58]
- December 7
- Emily Browning, Australian actress and singer (Sucker Punch, God Help the Girl, Plush)
- Toru Yamashita, Japanese singer (One Ok Rock)
- Benjamin Clementine, English-born singer-songwriter
- Min, Vietnamese singer
- December 12 – Hahm Eun-jung, South Korean singer[59]
- December 14
- Awkwafina, American rapper, comedienne, actor
- Vanessa Hudgens, American actor, singer, dancer
- December 16 – Park Seo-joon, South Korean actor and singer
- December 17 – Jessi, American-South Korean rapper and singer (Uptown)
- December 19 – Casey Burgess, Australian singer-songwriter and actress
- December 20 – Mária Čírová, Slovak singer
- December 21 – Alexa Goddard, English pop/R&B singer, YouTuber
- December 23 – Eri Kamei, Japanese pop singer
- December 25 – Marco Mengoni, Italian singer-songwriter[60]
- December 26 – Veronika Eberle, German violinist
- December 27
- Hayley Williams, American singer-songwriter, musician, businesswoman and activist (Paramore)
- Lou Yixiao, Chinese singer
- December 28 – Florrie, English singer-songwriter, drummer and model.
- December 30 – Leon Jackson, Scottish singer
- December 31 – Holly Holyoake, Welsh classical soprano singer
Deaths
- January 3 – John Dopyera, stringed instrument maker, 94
- January 19 – Evgeny Mravinsky, conductor[61]
- February 3 – Radamés Gnattali, Brazilian composer, 81[62]
- February 9 – Kurt Herbert Adler, conductor and opera administrator
- February 14 – Frederick Loewe, composer of musicals, 86[63]
- February 16 – Jean Carignan, fiddler, 71
- February 17 – Alexander Bashlachev, Russian singer, 27 (suicide by jumping)[64]
- February 24 – Memphis Slim, blues musician, 72
- February 27 – Gene de Paul, pianist and composer, 68
- March 6 – Jeanne Aubert, singer and actress, 88
- March 7 – Divine, singer and drag entertainer, 42 (heart failure)[65]
- March 8 – Henryk Szeryng, violinist[66]
- March 10 – William Wordsworth, Scottish composer
- March 10 – Andy Gibb, singer, 30 (myocarditis)[67]
- March 12 – Gianna Pederzini, operatic mezzo-soprano, 88
- March 15 – Frank Perkins, American song composer
- March 20 – Gil Evans, Canadian jazz pianist, composer and bandleader
- April 3 – Kai Ewans, Danish jazz musician
- April 7 – Cesar Bresgen, Austrian composer
- April 9
- Brook Benton, 56 (complications of spinal meningitis)
- David Prater, of Sam & Dave, 50 (car accident)
- April 15 – Youri Egorov, Soviet classical pianist, 33 (complications of AIDS)
- April 20 - Frederick Sharp, English baritone, 76[68]
- April 29 – James McCracken, tenor, 61
- May 1 – Claude Demetrius, songwriter
- May 10 – Ciarán Bourke, folk musician (The Dubliners), 53 (brain damage)[69]
- May 13 – Chet Baker, jazz musician, 58 (head injuries from fall)[70]
- May 21 – Sammy Davis Sr., vaudeville performer, 87
- May 22 – Dennis Day, US singer, 72
- May 25 – Martin Slavin, composer and music director, 66
- June 12 – Marcel Poot, Belgian composer, 87
- June 22 – Jesse Ed Davis, guitarist, 43
- June 25
- Hillel Slovak, Red Hot Chili Peppers, guitarist, 26 (speedball overdose)
- Jimmy Soul, American singer, 45 (heart attack)
- July 2 – Eddie Vinson, jazz/blues musician, 70
- July 18
- Joly Braga Santos, Portuguese composer and conductor, 64[71]
- Nico, German singer, 49 (brain haemorrhage)[72]
- July 20 – Richard Holm, German operatic tenor
- July 28 – Pete Drake, American record producer and pedal steel guitar player, 55 (emphysema)
- August – Tenor Saw, dancehall artist, 21 (road accident)
- August 8 – Félix Leclerc, folk singer, 74[73]
- August 9 – Giacinto Scelsi, composer and poet, 83[74]
- August 14
- Roy Buchanan, American guitarist, 48 (suicide)
- Robert Calvert, South African writer, poet, and musician, 43 (heart attack)[75]
- August 19 – Sir Frederick Ashton, British choreographer, 83[76]
- August 22 – Frances James, operatic soprano, 85[77]
- August 24
- Kenneth Leighton, English composer, 58 (cancer)
- Nat Stuckey, American country singer
- September 17 – Hilde Gueden, operatic soprano, 71
- September 22 – Rezső Sugár, Hungarian composer, 68
- September 23 – Arwel Hughes, composer and conductor
- September 26 – Lord Melody, calypso musician, 62
- October 7 – Billy Daniels, singer, 73
- October 15 – Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, English composer, music critic and pianist[78]
- October 18 – Sir Frederick Ashton, dancer and choreographer
- October 19 – Son House, blues musician[79]
- October 20 – Mogens Wöldike, Danish conductor
- November 8 – Warren Casey, US theatre composer, lyricist, writer, and actor, 53 (AIDS-related)
- November 13
- Antal Doráti, conductor, 82[80]
- Jaromír Vejvoda, Czech composer, 86
- November 24 – Irmgard Seefried, operatic soprano, 69[81]
- November 26 – Antonio Estévez, composer
- November 30 – Charlie Rouse, saxophonist, 64
- December 2 – Tata Giacobetti, Italian singer and lyricist (Quartetto Cetra)
- December 6 – Roy Orbison, singer, 52 (heart attack)[82]
- December 13 – André Jaunet, 77, French-born Swiss flautist
- December 16 – Sylvester, R&B singer, disco performer, 41 (complications from AIDS)
- December 21 – Paul Jeffreys, bassist (Cockney Rebel), 36 (killed in the crash of Pan Am Flight 103)
- December 25 – Evgeny Golubev, Russian composer, 78
- December 26 – Pablo Sorozábal, Spanish composer, 91[83]
- date unknown
- Kenneth Morris, gospel composer and publisher, 71
- Håkan Parkman, Swedish composer, arranger and choral director, 33 (drowned)
Awards
- The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Drifters, Bob Dylan and The Supremes.