2021 in music

This topic covers notable events and articles related to 2021 in music

Specific locations

Popular music
Timeline of musical events
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List of popular music genres
v t e

Specific genres

Albums released

Awards

Bands formed

Soloist debuts

Bands reformed

• Fugees

Bands on hiatus

• ALI
• Dogleg^[3]
• Got7
• Kariyushi58
• Lovelyz
• Silent Siren
• Suchmos
• Tokyo Performance Doll

Bands disbanded

Deaths

January

• 1
  • Carlos do Carmo, 81, Portuguese fado singer
  • Misty Morgan, 75, American country music singer (Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan)
  • Liam Reilly, 65, Irish folk rock singer and keyboardist (Bagatelle)
  • Jan Vering, 65, German gospel singer
• 3
  • Gerry Marsden, 78, English rock singer and guitarist (Gerry and the Pacemakers)
  • Warren McLean, Australian rock drummer (
    Machinations, I'm Talking, Divinyls
    )
• 4 – Alexi Laiho, 41, Finnish death metal singer and guitarist (Children of Bodom) (death announced on this date)
• 5 – John Georgiadis, 81, British classical violinist and conductor
• 6 – Paul de Leon, 52, American metal drummer (Las Cruces)
• 7
  • Deezer D, 55, American rapper and actor
  • Genival Lacerda, 89, Brazilian forro singer
  • Jamie O'Hara, 70, American country music singer-songwriter (The O'Kanes)
• 8
  • Ed Bruce, 81, American country music singer-songwriter
  • Michael Fonfara, 74, Canadian blues and rock keyboardist (The Electric Flag, Rhinoceros, Downchild Blues Band)
  • Uno Loop, 91, Estonian singer and guitarist
  • Elijah Moshinsky, 75, Australian opera director
• 10 – Thorleif Torstensson, 71, Swedish dansband singer, guitarist and saxophonist (Thorleifs)
• 11
  • Howard Johnson, 79, American jazz multi-instrumentalist
  • Mark Keds, 50, British pop punk singer (Senseless Things)
  • Don Miller, 80, American pop singer (The Vogues)
• 12 – Ron Getman, 72, American country rock guitarist and singer (The Tractors)
• 13
  • Tim Bogert, 76, American psychedelic rock bassist (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Beck, Bogert & Appice)
  • Duke Bootee, 69, American rapper, producer and songwriter
  • Sylvain Sylvain, 69, American glam rock guitarist (New York Dolls)
• 14
  • Duranice Pace, 62, American gospel singer (The Anointed Pace Sisters)
  • Larry Willoughby, 73, American country music singer-songwriter
• 16
  • Jason Cope, 43, American country guitarist (The Steel Woods)
  • Pave Maijanen, 70, Finnish rock keyboardist (Hurriganes, Dingo)
  • Claudia Montero, 58, Argentine classical composer
  • Phil Spector, 81, American record producer, pop musician (The Teddy Bears), and songwriter
• 17
  • Ghulam Mustafa Khan, 89, Indian classical singer
  • Junior Mance, 92, American jazz pianist
  • Sammy Nestico, 96, American jazz composer and arranger
• 18
  • Perry Botkin Jr., 87, American composer and arranger
  • Maria Koterbska, 96, Polish swing and jazz singer
  • Jimmie Rodgers, 87, American pop singer
• 20 – Joe Jordan, 79, American pop singer and musician (The Jordan Brothers)
• 21
  • Randy Parton, 67, American country music singer-songwriter
  • Marc Phillips, 66, American rock singer (Hotel) and record producer
• 22
  • Narendra Chanchal, 80, Indian religious singer
  • Guem, 73, Algerian jazz singer
  • James Purify, 76, American R&B singer (James & Bobby Purify)
• 23
  • Jonas Gwangwa, 83, South African jazz trombonist (The Jazz Epistles)
  • Gabriel Ruiz Díaz, 45, Argentine alternative rock bassist (Catupecu Machu)
• 24 – Tom Stevens, 64, American alternative country bassist (The Long Ryders)
• 25 – Iron, 29, South Korean rapper
• 26
  • Cara O'Sullivan, 59, Irish opera singer
  • 6 Dogs, 21, American rapper
• 27 – Trung Kiên, 81, Vietnamese classical singer
• 28
  • César Isella, 82, Argentine folk singer and guitarist (Los Fronterizos)
  • Sibongile Khumalo, 63, South African jazz and classical singer
  • Singing Sandra, 63, Trinidadian calypso singer
  • Rick Shaw, 79, American folk singer and string guitarist (The Hillside Singers)
• 29
  • Ahmed Achour, 75, Tunisian classical composer and conductor
  • Grady Gaines, 86, American blues saxophonist
  • Jeremy Lubbock, 89, English arranger and composer
  • Hilton Valentine, 77, English rock guitarist (The Animals)
• 30
  • Double K, 43, American rapper (People Under the Stairs)
  • Sophie, 34, Scottish electronic singer-songwriter and producer
  • Alla Yoshpe, 83, Russian pop singer
• 31 – Wambali Mkandawire, Malawian jazz singer

February

• 1 – Temur Tsiklauri, 75, Georgian pop singer (VIA Iveria)
• 2 – Aaron Wegelin, American indie rock drummer (Elf Power)
• 3
  • Anne Feeney, 69, American folk singer-songwriter
  • Jim Weatherly, 77, American pop and country music singer-songwriter
• 4
  • Stefan Cush, 60, British folk-punk singer and guitarist (The Men They Couldn't Hang)
  • Matt Harris, American power pop bassist (The Posies)
  • Jessie Smith, 79, American R&B singer (The Ikettes)
  • Nolan Porter, 71, American R&B singer-songwriter
  • Gil Saunders, American soul singer (Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes)
• 5
  • Abdoul Jabbar, 40, Guinean dance singer
  • Douglas Miller, 71, American gospel singer
  • Örs Siklósi, 29, Hungarian metalcore singer (AWS)
• 7
  • Elliot Mazer, 79, American record producer and audio engineer
  • Stefano Mazzonis di Pralafera, 71, Italian opera director (Opéra Royal de Wallonie)
  • Ricardo Silva Elizondo, 67, Mexican pop singer
• 8
  • Roza Akkuchukova, 70, Russian pop singer
  • Servando Cano Rodríguez, 78, Mexican Tejano singer-songwriter
  • Mary Wilson, 76, American R&B singer (The Supremes)
• 9
  • Chick Corea, 79, American jazz fusion keyboardist and composer (Return to Forever, Chick Corea Elektric Band)
  • Cedrick Cotton, 46, American R&B singer (
    Ideal
    )
  • Ghédalia Tazartès, 73, French musique concrète multi-instrumentalist
• 10
  • Jon Mark, 77, English pop singer-songwriter and guitarist (Mark-Almond)
  • Lee Sexton, 92, American bluegrass banjoist
• 11 – Joel Pina, 100, Portuguese fado guitarist (Amália Rodrigues)
• 12 – Milford Graves, 79, American jazz drummer (New York Art Quartet)
• 13
  • Louis Clark, 73, British symphonic rock conductor and keyboardist (Electric Light Orchestra, ELO Part II, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)
  • Sydney Devine, 81, British country and skiffle singer
• 14
  • Erriquez, 60, Italian folk rock singer and guitarist (Bandabardò)
  • Ari Gold, 47, American R&B singer
• 15
  • Steuart Bedford, 81, British classical conductor and pianist
  • Lucien Gourong, 77, French cabaret singer
  • Andréa Guiot, 93, French opera singer
  • Raymond Lévesque, 92, French chanson singer
  • Johnny Pacheco, 85, Dominican salsa multi-instrumentalist (Fania All-Stars) and record producer
• 16
  • Carman, 65, American contemporary Christian singer
  • Tonton David, 53, French reggae singer
• 17
  • Françoise Cactus, 57, German indie rock singer and drummer (Stereo Total)
  • Ali Hossain, 80, Bangladeshi classical composer
  • U-Roy, 78, Jamaican reggae singer
• 18
  • Prince Markie Dee, 52, American rapper (The Fat Boys)
  • Miles Seaton, 41, American indie rock singer and multi-instrumentalist (
    Akron / Family
    )
• 19
  • Đorđe Balašević, 67, Serbian rock singer (Rani Mraz)
  • James Burke, 70, American soul singer (Five Stairsteps)
  • Mormon Tabernacle Choir
    )
• 20
  • Joe Burke, 81, Irish folk accordionist
  • Richard Shephard, 71, British classical conductor
  • Gene Taylor, 68, American rock keyboardist (The Blasters, Canned Heat, The Fabulous Thunderbirds)
• 21 – Hélène Martin, 92, French chanson singer
• 22 – Yalchin Rzazadeh, 74, Azerbaijani pop singer
• 23 – Sean Kennedy, 35, Australian metalcore bassist (
  I Killed The Prom Queen, Deez Nuts
  )
• 24 – Sardool Sikander, 60, Indian folk singer
• 26 – Bob James, 68, American hard rock singer (Montrose)
• 27 – Danilo Rustici, 72, Italian progressive rock guitarist (Osanna)
• 28
  • Anna Kast, 39, Russian EDM singer (Little Big)
  • Ian North, 68, American power pop singer and guitarist (Milk 'N' Cookies, Neo)
  • Jorge Oñate, 71, Colombian vallenato singer

March

• 1 – Ralph Peterson Jr., 58, American jazz drummer (Out of the Blue, The Jazz Messengers)
• 2
  • Chris Barber, 90, English jazz bandleader and trombonist
  • Mark Goffeney, 51, American rock bassist
  • Radim Pařízek, 67, Czech heavy metal drummer (Citron)
  • Bunny Wailer, 73, Jamaican reggae singer and songwriter (Bob Marley and the Wailers)
• 3
  • Medea Abrahamyan, 88, Armenian classical cellist
  • Duffy Jackson, 67, American jazz drummer
• 4
  • Alan Cartwright, 75, English rock bassist (Procol Harum)
  • Barbara Ess, 72, American post-punk multi-instrumentalist (Y Pants, Disband)
  • Helmut Winschermann, 100, German classical oboist, and conductor (Deutsche Bachsolisten)
• 5
  • Anna Shuttleworth, 93, British classical cellist
  • Michael Stanley, 72, American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist
• 6 – Carmel Quinn, 95, Irish-American pop singer
• 7
  • Sanja Ilić, 69, Serbian folk rock keyboardist (San, Balkanika)
  • Josky Kiambukuta, 72, Congolese rumba singer (TPOK Jazz)
  • Lars-Göran Petrov, 49, Swedish heavy metal singer and drummer (Entombed, Entombed A.D., Morbid)
• 9 – James Levine, 77, American classical conductor and pianist (Metropolitan Opera)
• 8
  • Adrian Bărar, 61, Romanian heavy metal guitarist and composer (Cargo)
  • James Mac Gaw, French progressive rock guitarist (Magma)
• 11
  • Ray Campi, 86, American rockabilly musician
  • Jewlia Eisenberg, 50, American avant-rock singer (Charming Hostess)
  • Florentín Giménez, 95, Paraguayan classical and folk pianist
• 12 – Maximiliano Djerfy, 46, Argentine alternative rock guitarist (Callejeros)
• 14
  • Eulalio Cervantes, 52, Mexican rock saxophonist (Maldita Vecindad)
  • Reggie Warren, 52, American R&B singer (Troop)
• 15
  • Dragoljub Đuričić, 58, Serbian rock and jazz drummer (YU Grupa, Kerber, Leb i sol)
  • Doug Parkinson, 74, Australian pop and jazz singer (Fanny Adams, The Life Organisation)
• 16 – Bill Irvine, 87, American rock and roll pianist (Chuck Alaimo Quartet)
• 17
  • Matt Miller, 34, American indie rock keyboardist (Titus Andronicus)
  • Freddie Redd, 92, American jazz keyboardist
  • Corey Steger, 42, American metalcore guitarist (Underoath)
• 18 – Paul Jackson, 73, American jazz fusion bassist (The Headhunters, Azteca)
• 19
  • Cristián Cuturrufo, 48, Chilean jazz trumpeter
  • Gary Leib, 65, American new wave keyboardist (Rubber Rodeo)
• 20
  • Constance Demby, 81, American new age keyboardist and dulcimer player
  • Taryn Fiebig, 49, Australian opera singer
  • Yevgeny Nesterenko, 83, Russian opera singer
  • Dan Sartain, 39, American garage rock and rockabilly singer-songwriter
• 23
  • Don Heffington, 70, American roots rock drummer (Lone Justice, Watkins Family Hour)
  • Hana Hegerová, 89, Slovak chanson singer
  • Peter Viskinde, 67, Danish rock guitarist (Malurt, Big Fat Snake)
• 25 – Tavish Maloney, 24, American emo guitarist (Oso Oso)
• 26 – Brett Bradshaw, 50, American glam metal drummer (Faster Pussycat)
• 28 – Malcolm Cecil, 84, British jazz bassist and synthesizer player (Tonto's Expanding Head Band, Blues Incorporated, The Jazz Couriers)
• 29
  • Jerry Burgan, 76, American folk rock guitarist (We Five)
  • Hans Kinds, 74, Dutch blues rock guitarist (Cuby + Blizzards)
• 30 – Willie Schofield, 81, American R&B singer-songwriter (The Falcons)
• 31
  • Anzor Erkomaishvili, 80, Georgian folk singer
  • Jadwiga Wysoczanská, 93, Czech opera singer

April

• 1 –
  Tony Pola, Australian blues-rock drummer (Beasts of Bourbon, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists
  )
• 2
  • Shaukat Ali, 76, Pakistani folk singer
  • Morris "B.B." Dickerson, 71, American funk bassist and singer (
    War
    )
  • Gabi Luncă, 82, Romanian lăutărească singer
  • Nelu Ploieşteanu
    , 70, Romanian lăutărească singer
• 3
  • Earl Bulinski, 72, American rock musician (The Electras)
  • Jill Corey, 85, American pop singer
• 4 – Paul Humphrey, 60, Canadian new wave singer (Blue Peter)
• 5
  • Haja El Hamdaouia, 91, Moroccan aita and chaabi singer
  • Krzysztof Krawczyk, 74, Polish pop singer and composer
• 6 – Predrag Živković Tozovac, 85, Serbian folk singer
• 9 –
  DMX
  , 50, American rapper
• 10
  • Shay Healy, 78, Irish pop songwriter
  • Bob Petric, American indie rock guitarist (Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments
    )
  • Bosse Skoglund, 85, Swedish blues drummer
• 11
  • Mita Haque, 58, Bangladeshi Rabindra Sagreet singer
  • Zoran Simjanović, 74, Serbian classical composer and rock keyboardist (Siluete, Elipse)
• 13
  • Farid Ahmed, 66, Bangladeshi film composer
  • Leonid Bortkevich, 71, Belarusian folk rock singer (Pesniary)
  • Rocco Filippini, 77, Swiss classical cellist
• 14
  • Michel Louvain, 83, Canadian pop singer
  • Rusty Young, 75, American country rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Poco)
• 15 – Barby Kelly, 45, Spanish-born German folk singer (The Kelly Family)
• 16
  • Barry Mason, 85, British pop songwriter
  • Mike Mitchell, 77, American rock guitarist (The Kingsmen)
• 17 – Black Rob, 52, American rapper
• 18
  • Lew Lewis, British pub rock harmonica player (Eddie and the Hot Rods)
  • Paul Oscher, 71, American blues singer
  • Lars Ranzenberger, 53, German-born Spanish power metal bassist (Metalium
    )
• 19 – Jim Steinman, 73, American rock lyricist, composer, pianist, and record producer
• 20 – Les McKeown, 65, Scottish pop rock singer (Bay City Rollers)
• 21
  • Lea Dali Lion, 47, Estonian pop singer
  • Joe Long, 88, American pop rock bassist (The Four Seasons)
• 22 – Shock G, 57, American rapper (Digital Underground)
• 23
  • Fredi, 78, Finnish novelty pop singer
  • Milva, 81, Italian pop singer
• 25
  • Denny Freeman, 76, American blues guitarist
  • Rajan Mishra, 70, Indian khyal sarangi player (Rajan and Sajan Mishra)
• 27 – Paul Couter, 72, Belgian rock guitarist (TC Matic)
• 28
  • Toni Dalli, 87, Italian pop singer
  • Anita Lane, 61, Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds)
  • Liuwe Tamminga, 67, Dutch classical harpsichordist and organist
• 29
  • Johnny Crawford, 75, American pop singer
  • John Hinch, 73, British heavy metal drummer (Judas Priest, Bakerloo)
  • Trey Anastasio Band
    )
  • Will Mecum, 48, American stoner rock guitarist (Karma to Burn, Year Long Disaster)
• 30
  • John Dee Holeman, 92, American blues guitarist
  • Anthony Payne, 84, British classical composer
  • Ray Reyes, 51, Puerto Rican pop singer (Menudo, El Reencuentro)

May

• 1
  • Debu Chaudhuri, 85, Indian classical sitarist
  • Wondress Hutchinson, 56, American dance singer (Mantronix)
• 2 – Tommy West, 78, American music producer and pop singer-songwriter (Cashman & West)
• 3
  • Phil Naro, 63, American hard rock singer (
    Talas
    )
  • Lloyd Price, 88, American R&B singer-songwriter
• 4
  • Rodolfo García, 75, Argentine psychedelic rock drummer (Almendra, Aquelarre)
  • Nick Kamen, 59, English pop singer-songwriter
  • Genji Kuniyoshi, 90, Japanese folk singer
• 6
  • Comagan, 48, Indian playback singer
  • Vanya Kostova, 64, Bulgarian pop singer (Tonika)
  • Prem Dhoj Pradhan, 82, Nepali pop singer and guitarist
  • Pervis Staples, 85, American gospel singer (The Staple Singers)
• 7
  • G. Anand, 67, Indian playback singer
  • Vanraj Bhatia, 93, Indian film composer
  • Cassiano, 77, Brazilian funk and soul singer-songwriter
• 8 – Curtis Fuller, 86, American jazz trombonist (The Jazz Messengers)
• 10
  • Svante Thuresson, 68, Swedish jazz and schlager singer (Gals and Pals)
  • Pauline Tinsley, 93, British opera singer
• 12 – Maran, 48, Indian gaana singer
• 13
  • Norman Simmons, 91, American jazz pianist and arranger
  • Jack Terricloth, 50, American dark cabaret singer (The World/Inferno Friendship Society)
  • Bill Tsamis, 60, American metal guitarist (Warlord)
• 14 – Ester Mägi, 99, Estonian classical composer
• 15
  • Đorđe Marjanović, 89, Serbian schlager and pop singer
  • Mario Pavone, 80, American jazz bassist
• 16
  • Patsy Bruce, 81, American country songwriter
  • MC Kevin, 23, Brazilian funk carioca singer
• 17
  • Nicolas Ker, 50, French electronic singer (Poni Hoax)
  • Neal Ford, 78, American psychedelic rock singer (Neal Ford and the Fanatics)
  • Amarendra Mohanty, 63, Indian film composer and singer
• 18 – Franco Battiato, 76, Italian progressive rock and new wave singer-songwriter
• 19
  • Johnny Ashcroft, 94, Australian country and folk singer-songwriter
  • Alix Dobkin, 80, American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • Martin Turnovský, 92, Czech classical conductor
• 20 – Roger Hawkins, 75, American rock and soul drummer (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section)
• 22 – Glenn Douglas Tubb, 85, American country singer-songwriter
• 23
  • Dewayne Blackwell, 84, American country songwriter
  • Lorrae Desmond, 93, Australian cabaret singer and actress
• 24
  • John Davis, 66, American dance pop singer (Milli Vanilli)
  • Samuel E. Wright, 74, American pop singer and actor
• 25 – Søren Holm, 25, Danish indie pop singer (Liss)
• 26
  • Tom Shannon, 82, American radio DJ, songwriter and musician (The Rebels)
  • Patrick Sky, 80, American folk singer-songwriter
• 27
  • Tiit Haagma, 67, Estonian progressive rock bassist (Ruja)
  • Shantiraj Khosla, 54, Indian film composer and singer
  • Nelson Sargento, 96, Brazilian samba singer
• 28
  • Zohra Abdullayeva, 68, Azerbaijani mugham singer
  • Jimi Bellmartin, 71, Indonesian-born Dutch funk singer
• 29
  • B. J. Thomas, 78, American pop singer
  • Johnny Trudell, 82, American jazz trumpeter
• 31 - Lil Loaded, 20, American rapper

June

• 3 – Karla Burns, 66, American opera singer
• 6 – Michele Merlo, 28, Italian pop singer-songwriter
• 7 – David C. Lewis, American soft rock and new age keyboardist (Ambrosia, Shadowfax)
• 8
  • Farhad Humayun, 42, Pakistani psychedelic rock drummer and singer (Overload)
  • Dean Parrish, 78, American soul singer
• 9 – Juan Nelson, 62, American blues rock bassist (
  Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals
  )
• 10 – Fran McKendree, 74, American folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (McKendree Spring)
• 11
  • Heribert Beissel, 88, German classical composer
  • Jon Lukas, 72, Maltese pop singer
• 14 – Selçuk Tekay, 68, Turkish classical composer and violinist
• 16 – Novica Zdravković, 73, Serbian folk singer
• 17 – Fane Flaws, 70, New Zealand rock guitarist (The Crocodiles, The Spats, Blerta)
• 18
  • Gift of Gab, 50, American rapper (Blackalicious)
  • Takeshi Terauchi, 82, Japanese surf rock guitarist
• 20
  • Jeanne Lamon, 71, American-Canadian classical violinist and conductor
  • Lionel Leroy, 65, French pop singer
  • Gianna Rolandi, 68, American opera singer
• 21
  • Nobuo Hara, 94, Japanese jazz saxophonist
  • Mamady Keïta, 70, Guinean djembe player
  • Pat Lupo, 66, American rock bassist (John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band)
• 22 – Parassala B. Ponnammal, 96, Indian Carnatic singer
• 23
  • David Edwards, 56, Welsh post-punk singer (Datblygu)
  • Ellen McIlwaine, 75, American-Canadian psychedelic rock and blues singer and slide guitarist (Fear Itself)
  • Peter Zinovieff, 88, British electronic composer and founder of Electronic Music Studios
• 25
  • Rinaldo Rafanelli, 71, Argentine psychedelic rock singer (Color Humano, Sui Generis)
  • Wes, 57, Cameroonian world music singer
• 26
  • Jon Hassell, 84, American jazz trumpeter
  • Frederic Rzewski, 83, American classical pianist and composer
  • Johnny Solinger, 55, American hard rock singer (Skid Row)
• 27
  • Willy Crook, 55, Argentine new wave saxophonist (Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota)
  • Peps Persson, 74, Swedish blues and reggae singer
• 28
  • Burton Greene, 84, American free jazz pianist
  • Paul Koulak, 78, French television composer
• 29
  • John Lawton, 74, British rock singer (Uriah Heep, Lucifer's Friend, Les Humphries Singers
    )
  • Bryan St. Pere, 53, American alternative rock drummer (Hum)

July

• 1
  • Louis Andriessen, 82, Dutch classical composer
  • Steve Kekana, 62, South African soul and Mbaqanga singer
• 4
  • Sanford Clark, 85, American rockabilly singer
  • Rick Laird, 80, Irish jazz fusion bassist (Mahavishnu Orchestra, Brian Auger and the Trinity)
• 5 – Raffaella Carrà, 78, Italian pop singer
• 6 – David King, American alternative rock guitarist (Mary's Danish)
• 9 – Andy Williams, 49, American Christian rock drummer (Casting Crowns)
• 10
  • Barbara Allbut, 80, American pop singer (The Angels)
  • Byron Berline, 77, American bluegrass fiddler
  • Chris Hutka, American post-hardcore singer (The Bunny the Bear)
• 11
  • Juini Booth, 73, American jazz bassist (The Sun Ra Arkestra)
  • Sound Sultan, 44, Nigerian rapper
• 13 – Brother Resistance, 67, Trinidadian rhythm poet
• 14
  • Gary Corbett, American blues rock keyboardist (Cinderella)
  • Jeff LaBar, 58, American glam metal and blues rock guitarist (Cinderella)
• 15
  • Joe Cassidy, Irish indie pop singer-songwriter (Butterfly Child)
  • Boris Goryachev, 49, Russian a capella singer (Turetsky Choir Art Group)
  • Pyotr Mamonov, 70, Russian alternative rock singer-songwriter (Zvuki Mu)
  • Tsepo Tshola, 67, Mosotho afro-jazz singer (Sankomota)
• 16 – Biz Markie, 57, American rapper
• 17
  • Dolores Claman, 94, Canadian television composer and pianist
  • Robby Steinhardt, 71, American progressive rock singer and violinist (Kansas)
  • Graham Vick, 67, English opera director
• 19
  • Tolis Voskopoulos, 80, Greek laïko singer
  • Chuck E. Weiss, 76, American blues rock singer-songwriter
• 20 – Jerry Granelli, 80, American-born Canadian jazz drummer
• 21
  • Tõnu Aare, 67, Estonian rock singer and multi-instrumentalist (Apelsin)
  • Clarence McDonald, 76, American pianist, composer, arranger, and producer
• 22
  • Pavel Pelc, 71, Czech art rock bassist and singer (Progres 2)
  • Peter Rehberg, 53, Austrian-British electronic musician (KTL) and founder of Mego
• 23
  • Fakir Alamgir, 71, Bangladeshi folk singer
  • Wally Gonzales, 71, Filipino blues rock guitarist (Juan de la Cruz Band
    )
• 25 – Count M'Butu, 75-76, American blues-rock percussionist (The Derek Trucks Band) (death announced on this date)
• 26
  • Mike Howe, 55, American heavy metal singer (Metal Church, Heretic)
  • Joey Jordison, 46, American heavy metal drummer and guitarist (Slipknot, Murderdolls, Scar the Martyr, Sinsaenum)
• 27
  • Dusty Hill, 72, American blues rock bassist and singer (ZZ Top)
  • Willie Winfield, 91, American doo-wop singer (The Harptones)
• 28
  • Giuseppe Giacomini, 80, Italian opera singer
  • Shahram Kashani, 47, Iranian pop singer
  • Johnny Ventura, 81, Dominican salsa and merengue singer
• 29 – Gonzoe, 45, American rapper (Kausion)
• 30
  • Jacob Desvarieux, 65, Guadeloupean-French zouk singer
  • Tom LeGarde, 90, Australian country music singer and guitarist (The LeGarde Twins)
• 31 – Jerzy Matuszkiewicz, 93, Polish jazz saxophonist

August

• 1
  • Paul Cotton, 78, American country rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Poco, Illinois Speed Press)
  • Kazimierz Kowalski, 70, Polish opera singer
• 3
  • Kelli Hand, 56, American techno DJ
  • Allan Stephenson, 71, British classical cellist and composer
• 4
  • Razzy Bailey, 82, American country singer
  • Jean "Binta" Breeze, 65, Jamaican dub poet
  • Paul Johnson, 50, American house DJ
  • Stan Lark, 81, American rock and roll bassist (The Fireballs)
  • Anders Pettersson, 69, Swedish dansband keyboardist (Lasse Stefanz)
• 6
  • Les Vandyke, 90, British pop songwriter
  • Wang Wenjuan, 94, Chinese yue opera singer
• 7 – Dennis Thomas, 70, American funk saxophonist (
  Kool & The Gang
  )
• 9
  • Joey Ambrose, 87, American rock and roll saxophonist (Bill Haley & His Comets)
  • Killer Kau, 23, South African rapper
  • Mpura, 26, South African rapper
  • Chucky Thompson, 53, American record producer
• 11
  • Mike Finnigan, 76, American rock and jazz keyboardist
  • Roy Gaines, 83, American electric blues guitarist
  • Caroline Peyton, 69, American folk singer-songwriter
• 12 – Ronnell Bright, 91, American jazz pianist
• 13
  • Baba Zumbi, 49, American rapper (Zion I)
  • Nanci Griffith, 68, American folk singer-songwriter
  • Pil Trafa, 62, Argentine punk rock singer (Los Violadores)
• 14 – R. Murray Schafer, 88, Canadian avant-garde classical composer
• 15 – Jagjit Kaur, 91, Indian playback singer
• 16 – Hormoz Farhat, 93, Iranian-American classical composer
• 17 – Squeak, 26, American hip hop producer (Pivot Gang)
• 20
  • Tom T. Hall, 85, American country singer-songwriter
  • Larry Harlow, 82, American salsa keyboardist (Fania All-Stars)
  • Peter Ind, 93, British jazz bassist
  • Michael Morgan, 64, American classical conductor
• 21
  • Bill Emerson, 83, American bluegrass banjoist
  • Don Everly, 84, American country-rock and roll singer and songwriter (The Everly Brothers)
• 22
  • Charles Burles, 85, French opera singer
  • Bob Fish, 72, British doo-wop singer (Darts)
  • Brian Travers, 62, British pop and reggae saxophonist and songwriter (UB40)
  • Eric Wagner, 62, American doom metal singer (Trouble, The Skull)
• 23
  • Fritz McIntyre, 62, British pop keyboardist (Simply Red)
  • Olli Wisdom, 63, British goth rock singer (Specimen) and Goa trance producer
• 24
  • Pierre Dutot, 75, French classical trumpeter
  • Charlie Watts, 80, English rock drummer (The Rolling Stones)
• 25 – Dave Harper, British indie rock drummer (Frankie & The Heartstrings)
• 26 – Kenny Malone, 83, American country drummer
• 27 – Siegfried Matthus, 87, German composer and conductor
• 29
  • Ron Bushy, 79, American psychedelic rock drummer (Iron Butterfly)
  • John Drake, 74, American rock singer (The Amboy Dukes)
  • Lee "Scratch" Perry, 85, Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter and producer
• 30 – Lee Williams, 75, American gospel singer (Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC's)
• 31 – Nobesuthu Mbadu, 76, South African mbaqanga singer (Mahotella Queens)

September

• 1
  • Adalberto Álvarez y su Son
    )
  • Carol Fran, 87, American soul blues singer and pianist
  • Marty Fried, 77, American rock drummer (The Cyrkle)
  • Aleksandr Khrabunov, 61, Russian rock guitarist (Zoopark)
• 2
  • Alemayehu Eshete, 80, Ethiopian jazz singer
  • MadClip
    , 34, Greek-American rapper
  • Mikis Theodorakis, 96, Greek classical and film composer
• 4
  • Billy Cafaro, 84, Argentine rock singer
  • Gerhard Erber, 86, German classical pianist
• 5
  • Rickie Lee Reynolds, 72, American rock guitarist (Black Oak Arkansas)
  • Sarah Harding, 39, British pop singer (Girls Aloud)
• 6
  • Sunil Perera, 68, Sri Lankan pop and baila singer (The Gypsies)
  • Bennie Pete, 45, American jazz and funk sousaphonist (Hot 8 Brass Band)
• 7 – Warren Storm, 84, American swamp pop singer and drummer
• 8
  • Susan Anway, 70, American indie rock singer (The Magnetic Fields)
  • Uno Loop, 91, Estonian estrada, pop and jazz singer, guitarist and music educator
  • Pulamaipithan, 85, Indian film lyricist
• 9 – Amanda Holden, 73, British classical librettist
• 10
  • Michael Chapman, 80, British folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • Rick Newell, 73, British psychedelic rock bassist (Rainbow Ffolly)
  • Rick Yancey, 73, American pop-rock singer and guitarist (Cymarron, The Remingtons)
• 11 – María Mendiola, 69, Spanish pop singer (Baccara)
• 12 – Don Maddox, 90, American country singer (Maddox Brothers and Rose)
• 13 – George Wein, 95, American jazz pianist and co-founder of the Newport Jazz Festival and Newport Folk Festival
• 14 – Vicente Zarzo Pitarch, 83, Spanish classical French horn player
• 15
  • Norman Bailey, 88, British opera singer
  • Leonard Gibbs, 73, American jazz percussionist
• 16
  • Jane Powell, 92, American pop singer
  • George Mraz, 77, Czech-born American jazz bassist and saxophonist (Quest, New York Jazz Quartet, The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra)
• 17 – Dottie Dodgion, 91, American jazz drummer
• 19
  • Sylvano Bussotti, 89, Italian classical composer
  • András Ligeti, 68, Hungarian classical violinist
  • Mats Paulson, 83, Swedish pop singer-songwriter
  • Marina Tucaković, 67, Serbian folk and pop lyricist
• 20
  • Colin Bailey, 87, British-American jazz drummer
  • Sarah Dash, 76, American R&B and funk singer (Labelle)
  • Claude Lombard, 76, Belgian pop singer
  • Julz Sale, British post-punk singer-songwriter and guitarist (Delta 5)
  • Warner Williams, 91, American blues guitarist (
    Little Bit A Blues
    )
• 21
  • Richard H. Kirk, 65, British electronic and industrial multi-instrumentalist (Cabaret Voltaire, Sweet Exorcist)
  • La Prieta Linda, 88, Mexican pop singer
• 22
  • Bob Moore, 88, American country bassist
  • Jan Stanienda, 68, Polish classical violinist
• 23 – Sue Thompson, 96, American pop and country singer
• 24 – Pee Wee Ellis, 80, American jazz and soul saxophonist
• 25 – Patricio Manns, 84, Chilean folk singer-songwriter
• 26
  • George "Commander Cody" Frayne IV, 77, American country rock singer and keyboardist (Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen)
  • Alan Lancaster, 72, British rock bassist (Status Quo, The Party Boys)
• 27
  • Darrell Bath, British punk guitarist (The Vibrators, The Dogs D'Amour)
  • Chris Ho, Singaporean new wave singer (Zircon Lounge)
  • Andrea Martin, 49, American R&B singer-songwriter
  • Teymur Mirzoyev, 85, Azerbaijani jazz singer (Gaya Quartet)
• 28
  • Nana Ampadu, 76, Ghanaian highlife singer and guitarist
  • Karan Armstrong, 79, American opera soprano
  • Pete Fullerton, 75, American folk rock bassist and singer (We Five)
  • Phi Nhung, 49, Vietnamese-American Vọng cổ singer
  • Barry Ryan, 72, British pop singer
  • Lonnie Smith
    , 79, American jazz organist
• 29
  • Hayko, 48, Armenian pop singer
  • Olivier Libaux, 57, French new wave and lounge guitarist (Nouvelle Vague)
  • Mike Renzi, 80, American jazz pianist and composer
• 30
  • Lennart Åberg, 79, Swedish jazz fusion saxophonist
  • Carlisle Floyd, 95, American opera composer
  • Greg Gilbert, 44, British indie rock singer and guitarist (Delays)

October

• 1
  • Raymond Gniewek, 89, American classical violinist
  • Robin Morton, 81, Irish folk singer and bodhran player (The Boys of the Lough)
  • Ewert Ljusberg, 76, Swedish folk singer
• 2
  • John Rossall, 75, English glam rock saxophonist and trombonist (The Glitter Band)
  • Sebastião Tapajós, 78, Brazilian folk guitarist
• 3 – Anouman Brou Félix, 86, Ivorian attie multi-instrumentalist
• 5 – Pat Fish, 64, British indie pop singer and guitarist (The Jazz Butcher)
• 8
  • Everett Morton, 71, Kittian-British ska drummer (The Beat)
  • Jim Pembroke, 65, British-Finnish progressive rock singer (Wigwam, Blues Section)
  • Jem Targal, 74, American psychedelic rock bassist (Third Power)
• 9 – Dee Pop, 65, American post-punk drummer (Bush Tetras, The Gun Club)
• 10 – Luis de Pablo, 91, Spanish classical composer
• 11
  • Misko Barbara, 49, Ukrainian rock singer (Dead Rooster)
  • Deon Estus, 65, American R&B bassist and singer
• 12 – Paddy Moloney, 83, Irish Celtic folk multi-instrumentalist (The Chieftains, Ceoltóirí Chualann)
• 13 – Andrea Haugen, 45, German heavy metal singer
• 14
  • Emani 22, 22, American R&B singer
  • Phil Leadbetter, 59, American bluegrass resonator guitarist
  • Tom Morey, 86, American jazz drummer
• 15 – Regi Hargis, 70, American funk guitarist and singer (Brick)
• 16
  • Tom Gray, 70, American new wave and blues rock singer-songwriter and keyboardist (The Brains, Delta Moon)
  • Ron Tutt, 83, American rock drummer (TCB Band, Jerry Garcia Band)
• 17 – Bruce Gaston, 74, American Thai classical multi-instrumentalist
• 18
  • Franco Cerri, 95, Italian jazz guitarist and bassist
  • Edita Gruberová, 74, Slovak opera singer
• 19 – Leslie Bricusse, 90, British film and theater composer and lyricist
• 21
  • Tommy DeBarge, 64, American R&B-funk bassist and singer (Switch)
  • Dmitriy Galitsky, 65, Russian pop singer and keyboardist (Sinyaya Ptitsa)
  • Bernard Haitink, 92, Dutch classical conductor and violinist
  • Sergei Krinitzin, 65, Russian progressive rock drummer (Autograph)
  • Robin McNamara, 74, American pop rock singer-songwriter
  • Allan Wilmot, 96, Jamaican-born British pop singer (The Southlanders)
• 22
  • Jay Black, 82, American pop-rock singer (Jay and the Americans)
  • Udo Zimmermann, 78, German opera and classical composer and conductor
• 24
  • Willie Cobbs, 89, American blues singer and harmonica player
  • Sonny Osborne, 83, American bluegrass banjoist (Osborne Brothers)
• 25 – Alfredo Diez Nieto, 103, Cuban classical composer and conductor
• 26 – Rose Lee Maphis, 98, American country singer
• 27
  • Letieres Leite, 61, Brazilian afro-jazz composer and conductor (Orkestra Rumpilezz)
  • William Shelby, 65, American funk keyboardist (Lakeside, Dynasty)
  • Benjamin Vallé, 47, Swedish post-punk guitarist (Viagra Boys)
• 28 – Raša Đelmaš, 71, Serbian progressive rock drummer (YU Grupa, Zebra, Pop Mašina)
• 30 – Fan Tsai, 26, Taiwanese indie rock drummer (No Party for Cao Dong)

November

• 1
  • Emmett Chapman, 85, American jazz guitarist and inventor of the Chapman Stick
  • Nelson Freire, 77, Brazilian classical pianist
  • Gilberto Grácio, 85, Portuguese luthier
  • Pat Martino, 77, American jazz guitarist
• 2
  • Sabah Fakhri, 88, Syrian Muwashshah and Qudud Halabiya singer
  • Declan Mulligan, 83, Irish-born American rock guitarist and bassist (The Beau Brummels)
  • Ernest Wilson, 69, Jamaican reggae singer (The Clarendonians)
  • Ronnie Wilson, 73, American funk multi-instrumentalist (The Gap Band)
• 3 – Georgie Dann, 81, French pop singer
• 4 – Mario Lavista, 78, Mexican film composer
• 5 – Marília Mendonça, 26, Brazilian sertanejo singer-songwriter
• 6
  • Astro, 64, British reggae singer and percussionist (UB40)
  • Andy Barker, 53, British acid house keyboardist and bassist (808 State)
  • Barry Coope, English folk singer (Coope Boyes and Simpson)
  • Marinko Rokvić, 67, Bosnian folk singer
• 7
  • Clifford Grant, 91, Australian opera singer
  • Bopol Mansiamina, 72, Congolese soukous guitarist (Les Quatre Étoiles)
• 8 – Margo Guryan, 84, American pop singer-songwriter
• 10
  • Mike “Bones” Gersema, American hard drummer (L.A. Guns)
  • John Kinsella, 81, Irish classical composer
  • Miroslav Žbirka, 69, Slovak rock singer (Modus)
• 11
  • Graeme Edge, 80, British progressive rock drummer (The Moody Blues)
  • Mark Gillespie, Australian pop singer-songwriter
  • John Goodsall, 68, American-British progressive rock and jazz fusion guitarist (Brand X, Atomic Rooster)
• 13 – Philip Margo, 79, American doo-wop singer (The Tokens)
• 15 – Heber Bartolome, 73, Filipino folk singer
• 16 – Belinda Sykes, 55, British medieval folk singer and multi-instrumentalist (Joglaresa)
• 17
  • Keith Allison, 79, American garage rock bassist (Paul Revere & the Raiders)
  • Dave Frishberg, 88, American jazz pianist and songwriter
  • Theuns Jordaan, 50, South African blues singer-songwriter
  • Young Dolph, 36, American rapper
• 18
  • Slide Hampton, 89, American jazz trombonist
  • Ack van Rooyen, 91, Dutch jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist
• 19
  • Hank von Hell, 49, Norwegian punk singer (Turbonegro)
  • David Longdon, 56, British progressive rock singer and multi-instrumentalist (Big Big Train)
• 20
  • Jim Gallagher, 78, American surf rock drummer (The Astronauts)
  • Billy Hinsche, 70, American pop singer, guitarist and keyboardist (Dino, Desi & Billy)
  • Merima Njegomir, 68, Serbian sevdah singer
• 21
  • Yul Anderson, 63, American blues and gospel singer, guitarist and pianist
  • Gurmeet Bawa, 77, Indian folk singer
  • Gordon Crosse, 83, British classical composer
• 22
  • Joanne Shenandoah, 63, American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • Asya Sultanova, 98, Azerbaijani classical composer
• 23 – Tatyana Chudova, 77, Russian classical composer
• 24
  • Mārtiņš Brauns, 70, Latvian pop and theater composer and multi-instrumentalist
  • Marilyn McLeod, 82, American R&B singer-songwriter
  • Gared O'Donnell, 44, American post-hardcore singer and guitarist (Planes Mistaken for Stars)
• 25 – Betty Jean Robinson, 88, American country music singer-songwriter
• 26 – Stephen Sondheim, 91, American film and theater composer and lyricist
• 28
  • Alexander Gradsky, 72, Russian rock singer and composer
  • Laila Halme
    , 87, Finnish pop singer
  • Meñique, 87, Panamanian salsa singer
• 30
  • Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry, 66, Indian film and theatre lyricist and singer
  • Martin Wright, British alternative rock guitarist (Intastella)

December

• 1
  • Grand Jojo, 85, Belgian pop singer
  • Alvin Lucier, 90, American experimental composer and sound artist
• 2 – Abdel Karim al Kabli, 89, Sudanese folk singer and oud player
• 4
  • Thoppil Anto, 81, Indian playback singer
  • Stonewall Jackson, 89, American country music singer
• 5
  • John Miles, 72, British progressive rock singer-songwriter
  • Toni Santagata, 85, Italian folk singer
  • Bill Staines, 74, American folk singer-songwriter
• 6 – János Kóbor, 78, Hungarian progressive rock singer (Omega)
• 7
  • Steve Bronski, 61, Scottish new wave keyboardist (Bronski Beat)
  • DJ Scholar, British grime rapper (Ruff Sqwad)
  • Greg Tate, 63, American multi-genre guitarist (Burnt Sugar) and music critic
• 8
  • Gil Bridges, 80, American rock saxophonist (Rare Earth)
  • Barry Harris, 91, American jazz pianist
  • Chandidas Mal, 92, Indian classical singer
  • Robbie Shakespeare, 68, Jamaican reggae bassist (Sly and Robbie) and record producer
  • Ralph Tavares, 79, American R&B singer (Tavares)
• 9 – David Lasley, 74, American pop and R&B singer
• 10
  • Les Emmerson, 77, Canadian rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Five Man Electrical Band)
  • Mensi, British punk rock singer (Angelic Upstarts)
  • Michael Nesmith, 78, American rock and country singer, songwriter and guitarist (The Monkees, The First National Band)
• 11 – Garth Dennis, 72, Jamaican reggae singer (Black Uhuru, The Wailing Souls)
• 12 – Vicente Fernández, 81, Mexican ranchera singer
• 13
  • Joe Simon
    , 85, American R&B and soul singer
  • Toby Slater, 42, British indie pop singer-songwriter (Catch)
• 14 – Phil Chen, 81, Jamaican rock and reggae bassist (Manzarek–Krieger, Butts Band)
• 15
  • Francisco Kröpfl, 90, Argentine classical composer
  • Wanda Young, 78, American R&B singer (The Marvelettes)
• 16
  • Hub, 62, American hip hop bassist (The Roots)
  • Terry Uttley, 70, British rock bassist (Smokie)
  • Ian Worang, 47, Canadian indie rock singer and guitarist (Uncut)
• 17
  • John Morgan, 80, English Scrumpy and Western drummer (The Wurzels)
  • Weerasak Sunthornsri, 71, Thai folk rock guitarist (Caravan)
  • Lindsay Tebbutt, Australian pub rock drummer (The Choirboys)
• 18
  • Custom, 54, Canadian alternative rock singer-songwriter
  • Tam Harvey, Scottish folk guitarist (The Humblebums)
  • Kangol Kid, 55, American rapper (UTFO)
  • Renée Martel, 74, Canadian country singer
• 19
  • Billy Conway, 66, American blues rock and alternative rock drummer (Morphine, Treat Her Right)
  • Drakeo the Ruler, 28, American rapper
  • Carlos Marín, 53, Spanish classical crossover singer (Il Divo)
• 20 – Paul Mitchell, American R&B singer (The Floaters)
• 21 – Anthony Williams, 90, Trinidadian steelband steel pan player
• 23
  • Robin Le Mesurier, 68, British rock guitarist
  • Emil Ramsauer, 103, Swiss pop bassist (Takasa)
• 24
  • J. D. Crowe, 84, American bluegrass banjo player (New South)
  • Marco Mathieu, 57, Italian hardcore punk bassist (Negazione)
  • Meor Aziddin Yusof
    , 54, Malaysian folk singer-songwriter
• 25 – Tiffini Hale, 46, American pop singer (The Party)
• 27 – Victor Socaciu, 68, Romanian folk singer and composer
• 29
  • Paolo Giordano, 59, Italian classical guitarist
  • Peter Klatzow, 76, German classical composer and pianist
• 30 – Stephen J. Lawrence, 82, American television composer
• 31
  • Juraj Filas, 66, Serbian classical composer
  • Ivan Mozgovenko, 97, Russian classical clarinetist

Musical films

• Anita

See also

• Timeline of musical events
• Women in Music
• Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry

References