2021 in music

2021 in music

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By genre
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By topic
List of albums released

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

Specific locations[]

Popular music
Timeline of musical events
2020s 2010s 2000s 1990s 1980s 1970s 1960s 1950s 1940s 1930s 1920s 1910s 1900s 1890s 1880s 1870s 1860s 1850s 1840s 1830s 1820s 1810s 1800s 1790s 1780s 1770s 1760s 1750s 1740s 1730s 1720s 1710s 1700s 1690s 1680s 1670s 1660s 1650s 1640s 1630s 1620s 1610s 1600s 1590s 1580s 1570s 1560s 1550s 1540s 1530s 1520s 1510s 1500s 1490s Early history
List of popular music genres
v t

Specific genres[]

Albums released[]

Awards[]

63rd Annual Grammy Awards (USA)
Record of the Year: "Everything I Wanted" by Billie Eilish • Album of the Year: Folklore by Taylor Swift • Song of the Year: "I Can't Breathe" by H.E.R. • Best New Artist: Megan Thee Stallion
2021 Billboard Music Awards (USA)
Top Artist: The Weeknd • Top Male Artist: The Weeknd • Top Female Artist: Taylor Swift • Top New Artist: Pop Smoke • Top Duo/Group: BTS • Top Billboard 200 Album: Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon by Pop Smoke • Top Hot 100 Song: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd • Best K-Pop Album: Membrane by Jeong Jong-hyun
2021 Brit Awards (UK)
British Album of the Year: Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa • British Single: "Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles • British Breakthrough Act: Arlo Parks • British Group: Little Mix
Juno Awards (Canada)
Artist of the Year: The Weeknd • Group of the Year: Arkells • Album of the Year: After Hours by The Weeknd • Single of the Year: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd
2021 MTV Video Music Awards (USA)
Video of the Year: "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" by Lil Nas X • Best New Artist: Olivia Rodrigo • Artist of the Year: Justin Bieber
2021 MTV Europe Music Awards (Europe)
Best Song: "Bad Habits" by Ed Sheeran • Best Video: "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" by Lil Nas X • Best Artist: Ed Sheeran • Best New: Saweetie
2021 American Music Awards (USA)
Artist of the Year: BTS • New Artist of the Year: Olivia Rodrigo • Collaboration of the Year: "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat featuring SZA
Pulitzer Prize for Music (USA)
Stride by Tania León
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (USA)
Inductees: Foo Fighters • The Go-Go's • Jay-Z • Carole King • Todd Rundgren • Tina Turner
Mercury Prize (UK)
Collapsed in Sunbeams by Arlo Parks
Polar Music Prize (Sweden)
Event cancelled as result of COVID-19 pandemic
Polaris Music Prize (Canada)
Parallel World by Cadence Weapon
Eurovision Song Contest 2021 (Europe)
"Zitti e buoni" by Måneskin (Italy)

Bands formed[]

Soloist debuts[]

Bands reformed[]

Bands on hiatus[]

• ALI
• Dogleg^[2]
• Gackt
• Got7
• Kariyushi58
• Little Mix
• Lovelyz
• Lovebites
• Maon Kurosaki
• Rikiya Higashihara
• 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)
  • 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)
• 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
• 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)
  • 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 – 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)
  • Jerold Ottley, 86, American choral conductor (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
• 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
  • , 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, 51, 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)
  • Tony Markellis, 68, American jam band bassist (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
• 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 – 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, 79, American soul singer
• 9 – Juan Nelson, 62, American blues rock bassist (Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals)
• 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
• 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
• 24 – Pat Lupo, 66, American rock bassist (John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band)
• 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
• 9 – Andy Williams, 49, American Christian rock drummer (Casting Crowns)
• 10
  • 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)^[3]
• 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
• 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
  • 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
  • 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 – Olli Wisdom, 63, British goth rock singer (Specimen) and Goa trance producer
• 24
  • Pierre Dutot, 75, French classical trumpeter
  • Fritz McIntyre, 62, British pop keyboardist (Simply Red) (death announced on this date)
  • 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, 72, Cuban son pianist (Son 14, Adalberto Álvarez y su Son)
  • Carol Fran, 87, American soul blues singer and pianist
  • 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)
• 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
  • 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
  • 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)
• 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
• 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
  • Hub, 62, American hip hop bassist (The Roots)
  • Francisco Kröpfl, 90, Argentine classical composer
  • Wanda Young, 78, American R&B singer (The Marvelettes)
• 16
  • Terry Uttley, 70, British rock guitarist (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
  • Tam Harvey, Scottish folk guitarist (The Humblebums)
  • Kangol Kid, 55, American rapper (UTFO)
  • Renée Martel, 77, 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
• 27
  • Victor Socaciu, 68, Romanian folk singer and composer

See also[]

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

References[]