1980 in music

• 1980 in British music
• 1980 in Norwegian music

• 1980 in country music
• 1980 in heavy metal music
• 1980 in hip hop music
• 1980 in jazz

• January 1
  • Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.
• January 5 – Donna Summer's third double album in a 14-month period, On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I &II, released on 15 October 1979, reaches the top spot on the Billboard Albums charts.
• January 7 – At the age of 44, songwriter Larry Williams is found dead in his Los Angeles, California, home of a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators are never able to determine whether his death was a murder or suicide.
• January 13 – The Beach Boys, Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Starship perform at a benefit concert at Oakland Coliseum for the people of Kampuchea.
• January 14 – Rush release Permanent Waves, which eventually becomes the band's fifth platinum album.
• January 16 – Paul McCartney is arrested in Tokyo for possession of a half pound of marijuana. The remaining part of McCartney's and Wings' tour was subsequently canceled.
• January 19 – The first UK Indie Chart is published in Record Week, with Spizzenergi's "Where's Captain Kirk" topping the singles chart, and Adam and the Ants' Dirk Wears White Sox topping the album chart.^[1]
• January 25 – Paul McCartney is released from jail in Japan and ejected from the country by Japanese authorities.
• February 7 – Pink Floyd's The Wall Tour opens at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
• February 19 – Bon Scott, lead singer of AC/DC, dies in London. Although common folklore cites pulmonary aspiration of vomit as the cause of his death, the official cause is listed as "Acute alcohol poisoning" and "Death by Misadventure".
• February 27 – The 22nd Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by Kenny Rogers. Billy Joel's 52nd Street wins Album of the Year, while the Doobie Brothers' "What a Fool Believes" wins both Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Rickie Lee Jones wins Best New Artist.
• February 29 – Buddy Holly's trademark glasses and the Big Bopper's wristwatch are "rediscovered" in old police files by the Mason City, Iowa, sheriff (both were killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959, along with singer Ritchie Valens).
• March 3 – Sotheby's auction house in London auctions off a Rivera Hotel, Las Vegas, napkin signed by Elvis Presley for £500. Other items auctioned included four American dollar bills autographed by the Beatles, for £220 and a collection of personal letters belonging to the Rolling Stones, also for £220.
• March 8–16 – Tbilisi Rock Festival (1980): the first state-sanctioned rock music festival in the Soviet Union.
• March 14 – Record producer Quincy Jones receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
• March 19 – Elvis Presley's autopsy was subpoenaed during the trial of Dr. George Nichopoulous, who would later be found guilty of over-prescribing drugs to Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and other clients.
• March 20 – Radio Caroline shuts down in the UK after radio ship Mi Amigo sinks in a storm.

• April 1 – Brian Johnson is made the new lead singer of AC/DC replacing the late Bon Scott.
• April 5 – R.E.M. lead vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, drummer Bill Berry and bassist Mike Mills played their first show.^[2]
• April 13 – The musical Grease closes its run of 3,388 performances, making it the longest running show on Broadway up until that time.
• April 14
  • A member^[who?] of the New Jersey State assembly introduces a resolution to make Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" the official state song.
  • Iron Maiden release their self-titled debut album.
• April 17 – As the "official guests of State", Bob Marley and the Wailers perform at Zimbabwe's Independence festival. Marley calls the event the "greatest honor of my life."
• April 19
  • Johnny Logan wins the 25th Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland, with the song "What's Another Year".
  • R.E.M. performs their first performance under the name R.E.M.^[3]
• April 25 – Black Sabbath release Heaven and Hell, their first album to feature Ronnie James Dio on vocals.
• April 30 – The Roger Daltrey film, McVicar, opens in London.
• May 4 – America's Top 10, the television version of radio's American Top 40 and hosted by Casey Kasem, debuts this week in syndication.
• May 18 – Ian Curtis, vocalist of pioneering post-punk group Joy Division, hangs himself, one day before Joy Division are scheduled to begin their first U.S. tour.
• June 25
  • Rock and Roll pioneer Bill Haley performs for the last time during a tour of South Africa. After this tour, his health deteriorates and he dies in February 1981. July 1980 marks the 25th anniversary of Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" reaching No. 1 on the American singles charts.
  • The Sony Walkman goes on sale in the United States.
  • Kiss plays its first show with new drummer Eric Carr at the New York Palladium.
• June 27 – John Lydon and Keith LeveneofPublic Image Ltd make an appearance on The Tomorrow Show with host Tom Snyder. In a famously uncomfortable interview, Lydon gives curt and vague responses to most of Snyder's questions.

• July 11 – Ultravox release their fourth studio album, Vienna. Their first album with new lead singer Midge Ure following the departures of frontman John Foxx and guitarist Robin Simon, Vienna marks a radical shift in Ultravox's direction and image, transforming the former post-punk band into a more sophisticatedly-oriented new wave/synthpop group. Despite this stylistic shift alienating fans and critics who were more favorable towards the Foxx-led incarnation of the band, Vienna would go on to become Ultravox's most successful studio album to date.
• July 18 – The documentary and concert film No Nukes opens in New York.
• July 25 – Over five months after the death of lead singer Bon Scott, AC/DC release Back in Black, their first album with replacement singer Brian Johnson, who would remain with the band until 2016. The album's success would lead it to become the second-highest-selling album of all time and the highest-selling studio album by any band to date.
• July 29 – Over two months after the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis, the surviving members of Joy Division regroup as New Order and debut anonymously live at Manchester's Beach Club; the group would adopt the moniker "New Order" the following year.
• July 31 – The Eagles end their tour with a contentious show. They would not play together again until 1994.
• August 4 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin the recording of the Double Fantasy album.
• August 16
  • The first Monsters of Rock heavy metal festival is held at Donington Park in England. Rainbow headlines, and Judas Priest, Scorpions, April Wine, Saxon, Riot and Touch also perform.
  • Several bands lose members in one day; bass player Jah Wobble leaves Public Image, Ltd.; keyboard player Jools Holland leaves Squeeze; and drummers Bill Ward and Cozy Powell leave Black Sabbath and Rainbow respectively.
• August 19 – Fans at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto stage a riot after Alice Cooper cancels because of illness.
• August 23 – The Heatwave festival near Toronto features The B-52's, Talking Heads, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello and many others.
• August 26 – Pete Comita replaces Tom PeterssoninCheap Trick.
• August 31 – Karen Carpenter marries Thomas Burris. "Because We Are in Love" is played at their wedding.
• September 13
  • Solid Gold, a new music television series, premieres in syndication.
  • Elton John plays a free concert for 400,000 people in New York's Central Park. He performs the encore in a Donald Duck costume.
  • Gary Numan earns his third consecutive number 1 on the UK Albums Chart in less than fourteen months as Telekon enters the chart at number 1.^[4]
• September 25 – John Bonham, drummer of Led Zeppelin, is found dead by bandmate John Paul Jones.

• October 9 – A riot breaks out at a Black Sabbath concert in Milwaukee after bassist Geezer Butler is hit in the head by a bottle and the band quits the stage.
• October 26 – Paul KantnerofJefferson Starship is rushed to hospital following a cerebral hemorrhage. He soon recovers without surgery, defying medical odds.
• October – Iron Maiden replaces guitarist Dennis Stratton with Urchin guitarist Adrian Smith.
• November 21
  • Iron Maiden play their first gig with new guitarist Adrian SmithinUxbridge, London, England.
• December 4 – Led Zeppelin disbands following the death of drummer John Bonham.
• December 5 – Duran Duran signs with EMI after finalizing its lineup and touring as a support act for Hazel O'Connor.^[5]
• December 7 – Darby Crash, leader of L.A. punk band the Germs, dies of a heroin overdose in a suicide pact.
• December 8 – John Lennonisshot to death outside his apartment building in New York City. Lennon's single, "(Just Like) Starting Over", subsequently becomes a number one hit in many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
• December 14 – Over 100,000 mourners attend a public vigil for John Lennon in Central Park, New York.
• December 31 – The ninth annual New Year's Rockin' Eve special airs on ABC, with appearances by The Charlie Daniels Band, Billy Preston, Syreeta, Chuck Berry and Barry Manilow.

• The Roland Corporation releases the Roland TR-808 drum machine, which became a cornerstone of the emerging electronic, dance, and hip hop genres. The machine went on to become one of the most influential instruments in popular music, comparable to the Fender Stratocaster's influence on rock.^[6][7]
• Record labels established in 1980
• Record labels disestablished in 1980
• The single "Groovy Ghost Show" by Casper is one of the first recorded hip hop songs from Chicago.
• British comedy group The Hee Bee Gee Bees release "Meaningless Songs (in Very High Voices)", a parody of a Bee Gees' disco-style single. Though not a hit in the UK, it is a huge success elsewhere, especially in South Africa, and helps to encourage the Gibb brothers to diversify stylistically.
• Phil Collins signs a contract with Atlantic Records to distribute his solo records in the US and in Europe outside the UK (onWEA label).

See Category:Musical groups established in 1980

See Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1980

• BBC Young Musician of the Year: Nicholas Daniel, oboist
• Boy Edgar Award: Rein de Graaff
• 1980 Country Music Association Awards
• Eurovision Song Contest 1980
• Grammy Awards of 1980
• Harriet Cohen International Music Award

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1980.

(in chronological order)

• George Crumb – A Little Suite for Christmas, A.D. 1979, for piano
• Mario Davidovsky
  • Consorts, for symphonic band
  • String Quartet No. 4
• Peter Maxwell Davies
  • Farewell to Stromness (interlude from The Yellow Cake Review), for piano, Op. 89, No. 1
  • Symphony No. 2, Op. 91
  • A Welcome to Orkney, for ensemble, Op. 90
  • The Yellow Cake Revue, for singer or reciter and piano, Op. 88
  • Yesnaby Ground (interlude from The Yellow Cake Review), for piano, Op. 89, No. 2
• Sofia Gubaidulina – Offertorium («Жертвоприношение»), concerto for violin and orchestra
• Helmut Lachenmann – Ein Kinderspiel, seven little pieces for piano
• Trygve Madsen – Sonata for Tuba and Piano
• Arvo Pärt – De profundis, for accompanied chorus; first performance 1981
• Krzysztof Penderecki – Symphony No. 2: "Christmas"'
• Simeon ten Holt
  • Natalon in E for piano
  • Bi-Ba-Bo for vocal quartet

• Peter Maxwell Davies – Cinderella (children's opera)
• Lorenzo Ferrero – Marilyn
• Philip Glass – Satyagraha
• Kirke Mechem – Tartuffe
• William Mathias – The Servants (libretto by Iris Murdoch)
• Karlheinz Stockhausen – Donnerstag aus Licht
• Mieczysław Weinberg – The Portrait

• Barnum – Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on April 30 and ran for 854 performances
• Brigadoon (Lerner & Loewe) – Broadway revival opened at the Majestic Theatre on October 16 and ran for 133 performances
• Camelot (Lerner & Loewe) – Broadway revival opened at the New York State Theater on July 8 and ran for 56 performances
• Colette – London production opened at the Comedy Theatre on September 24 and ran for 47 performances
• A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine – Broadway production opened at the John Golden Theatre on April 2 and transferred to the Royale Theatre on June 17 for a total run of 588 performances
• Forty-Second Street – Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on August 25, transferred to the Majestic Theatre on March 30, 1981, and transferred to the St. James Theatre on April 7, 1987, for a total run of 3486 performances
• The Life and Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby – London production opened at the Aldwych Theatre on June 5
• On The Twentieth Century – London production opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on March 19 and ran for 165 performances
• Sweeney Todd (Stephen Sondheim) – London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on July 2 and ran for 157 performances
• The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg London production opened at the Phoenix Theatre on April 10
• West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein) – Broadway revival opened at the Minskoff Theatre on February 14 and ran for 333 performances

• The Blues Brothers
• Can't Stop the Music
• Fame
• The Idolmaker
• The Jazz Singer
• Kallukkul Eeram
• La boum
• One Trick Pony
• Popeye
• Qurbani
• Ram Balram
• Times Square
• Xanadu

• January 14 – Hiroshi Tamaki, Japanese actor, model, and singer
• January 16 – Lin-Manuel Miranda, American playwright, singer, songwriter, rapper and composer
• January 17 – Zooey Deschanel, American actress and singer-songwriter.
• January 18 – Estelle, British singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actress
• January 21 – Nana Mizuki, Japanese voice actress and singer
• January 28
  • Nick Carter, American singer, actor and musician (Backstreet Boys)
  • Brian Fallon, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• January 30
  • Wilmer Valderrama, American actor, singer, producer and television personality (Demi Lovato, Mandy Moore)
  • Josh Kelley, American musician
• February 3 – Sarah Lewitinn, American record producer and journalist
• February 5 – Tiwa Savage, Nigerian singer
• February 7 – William Tell, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the piano rock band Something Corporate.
• February 15 – Conor Oberst, American singer-songwriter (Bright Eyes)
• February 17 – Vahe Tilbian, Ethiopian singer
• February 18
  • Cezar, Romanian opera singer and pianist
  • Regina Spektor, Russian-American singer-songwriter^[23]
• February 22
  • Shamari Fears, American singer-songwriter and actress (Blaque)
  • Kang Sung-hoon, South Korean singer
• February 27 – Cyrus Bolooki, (New Found Glory)
• February 26 – Alex Fong Lik-Sun, Hong Kong singer and actor
• March 2
  • Vince Walker, American rock singer (Suburban Legends)
  • Rebel Wilson, Australian actress, writer, comedienne, singer and producer
• March 8 – Charli Robinson, Australian actress, singer and dancer
• March 13 – Flavia Cacace, Italian dancer
• March 19 – Agnes Pihlava, Finnish pop singer
• March 20 – Mikk Murdvee, violinist and conductor
• March 21 – Deryck Whibley, Canadian musician and producer (Sum 41) (Avril Lavigne)
• March 22 – Shannon Bex, American singer, reality show personality, professional dancer (Danity Kane. Dumblonde)
• March 27 – Tai Orathai, Luk Thung singer
• March 28 – Rasmus Seebach, Danish singer-songwriter and record producer
• March 30 – Yalin, Turkish pop singer and songwriter
• March 31
  • Trenyce, American singer
  • Maaya Sakamoto, Japanese singer
• April 10 – Bryce Soderberg, Canadian musician (Lifehouse)
• April 12 – Brian McFadden, Irish (Was part of Westlife)
• April 14 – Win Butler, American/Canadian musician
• April 15 – Patrick Carney, American musician and producer (The Black Keys) (Michelle Branch)
• April 16 – Jake Andrews, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• April 21 - Rai Thistlethwayte, Australian Thirsty Merc, Sun Rai, Jazz, Rock Musician (Worked with Delta Goodrem)
• April 24 – Danny Gokey, American Idol season 8 finalist
• April 26 – Channing Tatum, American dancer, performer and actor (Jessie J, Jenna Dewan)
• April 29 – Kian Egan (Westlife)
• May 3 – Souleye (hip hop artist), American rapper and hip hop artist (Bassnectar, BLVD, Alanis Morissette)
• May 5
  • Maia Hirasawa, Swedish pop singer
  • Hank Green, American singer, songwriter, educator, blogger, science communicator, entrepreneur and author.
• May 6 – Taebin, Korean hip-hop artist (1TYM)
• 10 May - Madeleine Sami, New Zealand actress, comedian, movie producer and musician.
• May 12 – Romina Arena, Italian-American singer-songwriter
• May 16 – Harmony Samuels, English record producer, composer and songwriter.
• May 17 – Ariën van Weesenbeek, Dutch drummer, screamer, keyboardist, percussion (Epica, MaYaN)
• May 21
  • Gotye, Australian multi-instrumental musician and singer-songwriter (Kimbra)
  • Anika Moa, New Zealand recording artist, activist and television presenter
• May 24 – Cecilia Cheung, Hong Kong singer and actress
• May 28
  • Mark Feehily (Westlife)
  • Lindi Ortega, Canadian country singer-songwriter
• May 31 – Andy Hurley, American drummer (Fall Out Boy and The Damned Things)
• June 2 – Orish Grinstead, American R&B singer (died 2008)
• June 5 – Brandi Shearer, American singer-songwriter
• June 6 – Peter Mosely, American bass player (Yellowcard and Inspection 12)
• June 7 – Henkka Seppälä, Finnish bassist (Children of Bodom)
• June 13 – Sarah Connor, German singer
• June 16 – Joey Yung, Hong Kong singer
• June 17 – Kimeru, Japanese singer
• June 18 – Colin Munroe, Canadian singer-songwriter and producer
• June 20 – Tony Lovato (Mest)
• June 23
  • Jessica Taylor, English singer, television personality, and dancer (Liberty X)
  • Theresa Wayman, also known by the stage name TT, is an American musician, singer-songwriter and occasional actress, best known as guitarist and vocalist of the indie rock band Warpaint.
• June 26 – Jason Schwartzman (Phantom Planet)
• June 27 – Jennifer Goodridge, American keyboard player (Your Enemies Friends)
• June 29 – Katherine Jenkins, Welsh soprano
• July 2 – Ciara Sotto, Filipina singer and actress
• July 3 – Kid Sister, American rapper
• July 5
  • Pauly D, American DJ (Britney Spears)
  • Mads Tolling, Danish-American violinist and composer (Turtle Island Quartet)
• July 10 – Jessica Simpson, American singer-songwriter, designer and actress
• July 11 – Jenny Hval, Norwegian singer-songwriter, record producer and musician.
• July 13
  • Corey Clark, American singer
  • Emile Haynie, American record producer (Lana Del Rey, Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, Florence Welch)
• July 15 – JW-Jones, Canadian blues artist
• July 17 – Kaya (Japanese musician), Japanese visual kei musician, EDM artist
• July 18 – Kristen Bell, American actress, vocal actress and singer
• July 19 – Michelle Heaton, English pop singer, actress, television personality and personal trainer. (Liberty X)
• July 20
  • Dado Dolabella, Brazilian actor and singer
  • Mike Kennerty (The All-American Rejects)
• July 21 – Really Doe, American rapper
• July 22
  • Kate Ryan, Belgian singer-songwriter
  • Tablo, South Korean-Canadian rapper, songwriter, record producer, and author
• July 23 – Michelle Williams, Gospel singer-songwriter (Destiny's Child)
• July 25 = Diam's, French rapper and singer of Greek Cypriot origin.
• July 5 – Rebeka Dremelj, Slovenian singer
• July 26 – Dave Baksh (Sum 41)
• July 28
  • Stephen Christian, American Christian rock singer (Anberlin)
  • Noel Sullivan, Welsh singer (Hear'Say) and actor
• July 30 – Diam's, French rapper
• August 12
  • Matt Thiessen, Canadian singer/guitarist
  • Jade Villalon, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress (Sweetbox)
• August 16
  • Vanessa Carlton, American singer-songwriter, musician
  • Øystein Moen, Norwegian pianist and composer (Puma and Jaga Jazzist)
  • Bob Hardy, British bassist band (Franz Ferdinand)
• August 17 – Lene Marlin, Norwegian singer and musician
• August 19
  • Houcine Camara, French singer
  • Darius Danesh, Scottish singer-songwriter & actor
• August 20 - Mayra Veronica, American singer, model, actress and television personality
• August 26 – Macaulay Culkin, American actor, author, painter, podcaster, musician and president of Bunnyears
• August 29
  • Nicholas Tse, Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor
  • Richa Sharma, playback singer
• August 30 – Alicia Warrington, American drummer (Lillix)
• August 31 – Joe Budden, American rapper
• September 5 – Kevin Simm, English singer (Liberty X)
• September 6 – Kerry Katona, English singer, author, model (Atomic Kitten)
• September 11 – Mikey Way, bassist of My Chemical Romance
• September 13 – Teppei Teranishi (Thrice)
• September 14 – Ayọ, Nigerian-German singer-songwriter and actress
• September 15 - Jolin Tsai, a Taiwanese singer, songwriter, and actress.
• September 19 – Tegan and Sara Quin (Tegan And Sara), Canadian singer-songwriters, musicians, multi-instrumentalists
• September 24 – Homeboy Sandman, American rapper
• September 25 – T.I., American rapper
• September 29
  • Dallas Green (musician), Canadian singer/songwriter
  • Zachary Levi, American actor, singer and comedian
• October 3 – Danny O'Donoghue, Irish singer
• October 5 – Paul Thomas (Good Charlotte)
• October 8 – Nick Cannon, American actor and rapper
• October 10 – Sherine, Egyptian singer
• October 11 – Colleen Lee, Hong Kong classical pianist
• October 12 – Soledad Pastorutti, Argentine folklore singer and The Voice coach
• October 13 – Ashanti, American singer-songwriter, actress, dancer
• October 15 – Siiri Nordin, Finnish singer-songwriter
• October 18 – Josh Gracin, American singer
• October 24
  • Kaushiki Chakraborty, Indian classical vocalist
  • Monica, American singer, songwriter, producer and actress
• October 27 – Tanel Padar, Estonian singer-songwriter and guitarist
• October 31 – Isabella Summers, English musician, songwriter, producer, remixer, DJ (Florence and the Machine).
• November 3 – Dan Marsala, American musician
• November 4 – George Huff, American singer
• November 5 – Essaï Altounian, French-Armenian actor, singer-songwriter, keyboardist and music producer
• November 7 – Karthik, playback singer
• November 10 – Calvin Chen, Taiwanese pop singer
• November 12
  • Shaun Cooper, American bass player
  • Ryan Gosling, American actor, musician and singer (contributed music to: Dead Man's Bone, La La Land, Barbie (film))
• November 14 – Matt Brann, Canadian drummer
• November 15 – Ace Young, American singer and reality show finalist
• November 17 – Isaac Hanson (Hanson)
• November 18 – Dustin Kensrue (Thrice)
• November 26 – Satoshi Ohno, Japanese singer
• November 28 – Lisa Middelhauve, German singer (Xandria)
• November 29 – Janina Gavankar, American musician and actress
• December 1 – Roger Peterson, Aruban-Dutch singer-songwriter
• December 3 – Jenna Dewan, American dancer, performer, business woman, choreographer, producer, actor and television host
• December 5 – Ibrahim Maalouf, trumpeter
• December 6 – Kei Yasuda, Japanese singer
• December 8 – Kate Voegele, American singer-songwriter and actress
• December 9 – Simon Helberg, American actor, comedian, singer and pianist
• December 10
  • Sarah Chang, American classical violinist
  • Chris Gaynor (The All-American Rejects)
• December 14 – Tata Young, Thai-American singer and actress
• December 16 – Axle Whitehead, Australian singer, musician, TV host and actor
• December 18 – Christina Aguilera, American R&B-Soul singer-songwriter
• December 19 – Verbal Jint, South Korean musician, rapper and record producer
• December 20 – Yangwei Linghua, Chinese singer, member of Phoenix Legend
• December 24 – Tomas Kalnoky, American musician (Streetlight Manifesto)
• December 25 – Park Ji-young, South Korean singer, dancer and actress, former leader of After School

• January 1 – Adolph Deutsch (82), American composer
• January 2 – J. Mayo Williams (85), African American blues music producer
• January 3 – Amos Milburn (52), African American R&B singer and pianist
• January 6
  • Poley McClintock, jazz musician
  • Georgeanna Tillman (36), pop and R&B singer
• January 7 – Larry Williams (44), singer, songwriter and pianist
• January 13 – Andre Kostelanetz (78), Russian-born conductor and arranger
• January 21 – Elvira de Hidalgo (88), coloratura soprano and singing teacher
• January 29
  • Jimmy Durante (86), pianist & entertainer^[24]
  • Edward Lewis (79), founder of Decca Records
• January 30 – Professor Longhair (61), pianist
• February 17 – Jerry Fielding (57), American conductor and music director (heart failure)
• February 18
  • Muriel Brunskill (80), British contralto
  • Gale Robbins (58), American singer and actress (lung cancer)
• February 19 – Bon Scott (33), lead singer of AC/DC (acute alcohol poisoning)
• February 28 – Dinorá de Carvalho (75), Brazilian pianist, conductor and composer
• March 5 – Winifred Wagner (82), daughter-in-law of Richard Wagner, close friend of Adolf Hitler (born 1897)
• March 14 – Anna Jantar (29), Polish singer (air crash)
• March 18 – Jessica Dragonette (80), American singer
• March 23 – Jacob Miller (27), reggae artist
• March 25 – Walter Susskind (66), Czech conductor^[25]
• March 26
  • Jon Paulus (32), the Buckinghams, drug overdose
  • Ted Shapiro (80), songwriter & pianist
• March 28 – Dick Haymes, (63), Argentinian-born US singer and actor^[24]
• March 29 – Mantovani (74), Italian-born British orchestra leader and composer
• April 4 – Red Sovine (62), American country & folk singer & songwriter
• April 20 – Katherine Kennicott Davis (87), American composer
• April 22 – Jane Froman (72), American singer and actress^[26]
• April 28 – Tommy Caldwell (30), bassist of Marshall Tucker Band (car accident)
• May 4 – Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson (60), pianist (heart attack)^[27]
• May 18 – Ian Curtis (23), lead singer of Joy Division (suicide)
• May 30 – Carl Radle (37), rock bassist
• June 11 – Bolesław Woytowicz (80), Polish pianist and composer
• June 16 – Bob Nolan (72), country singer and songwriter
• June 20 – Allan Pettersson (68), Swedish composer
• June 21 – Bert Kaempfert (56), German composer, bandleader and arranger (stroke)
• June 27 – Barney Bigard (74), jazz clarinetist
• June 28 – José Iturbi (84), pianist^[24]
• July 5 – A. J. Potter (72), Irish composer
• July 9 – Vinicius de Moraes (66), Brazilian lyricist and composer
• July 14 – Malcolm Owen (26), Lead singer The Ruts (overdose)
• July 15 – Ben Selvin (82), "The Dean of Recorded Music"
• July 23 – Keith Godchaux (32), keyboardist with Grateful Dead (car accident)
• July 25 – Vladimir Vysotsky (42), Russian singer-songwriter, poet, actor (heart failure)
• July 31 – Mohammed Rafi (55), Indian singer (heart attack)^[28]
• August 5 - George Scott III (26), American No Wave bassist for Contortions and John Cale, heroin overdose
• August 11 – Jacques Singer (70), conductor
• August 17 – Harold Adamson (73), lyricist
• August 18 – John Sebastian (66), harmonica virtuoso
• August 20 – Joe Dassin (41), singer (heart attack)^[29]
• August 22 – Cosmé McMoon (79), pianist and composer
• August 26 – Miliza Korjus (71), Estonian-Polish opera singer
• September 2 – Marcel Ciampi (89), French pianist and teacher
• September 7 – Arvella Gray (74), blues and folk singer and guitarist
• September 12 – Lillian Randolph (81), actress and singer
• September 15 – Bill Evans (51), jazz pianist
• September 16 – Ludmila Červinková (72), operatic soprano
• September 17 – Waldemar Seidel (87), Australian pianist
• September 18 – Walter Midgley (67), English operatic tenor
• September 25 – John Bonham (32), drummer (Led Zeppelin) (pulmonary aspiration)
• September 30 – Horace Finch (74), pianist and organist
• October 3 – Jerzy Żurawlew (93), pianist, conductor, teacher, and founder of the International Chopin Piano Competition.
• October 25 – Virgil Fox (68), organist (cancer)
• October 27 – Steve Peregrin Took (31), bongo player for Tyrannosaurus Rex later a solo artist/frontman (asphyxiation)
• November 15 – Bill Lee (64), American actor and playback singer
• December 7 – Darby Crash (22), singer of the (Germs) (suicide)
• December 8 – John Lennon (40), singer, guitarist and songwriter (The Beatles) (murdered)
• December 24 – Siggie Nordstrom (87), American model, actress, entertainer, socialite and lead singer (The Nordstrom Sisters)
• December 29 – Tim Hardin (39), singer-songwriter (heroin overdose)
• December 31 – Robert Pete Williams (66), blues singer and guitarist