| Jan. 3 | Tawl Ross | Funkadelic guitarist | 75 | |
| Jan. 4 | Davis Soul | actor, singer | 80 | |
| Jan. 5 | Larry Collins | 1950s rockabilly artist | 79 | |
| Jan. 10 | Audie Blaylock | bluegrass singer/guitarist | 61 | |
| Jan. 12 | Bill Hayes | singer "Ballad of Davy Crockett" | 98 | |
| Jan. 13 | Jo-El Sonnier | Cajun singer-songwriter, accordionist | 77 | |
| Jan. 14 | Jerry Coker | jazz saxophonist, educator | 91 | |
| Jan. 16 | Laurie Johnson | film & TV composer "The Avengers" "Dr. Strangelove" | 96 | |
| Jan. 16 | Peter Schickele | composer, satirist, "PDQ Bach" | 88 | |
| Jan. 19 | Marlena Shaw | pop and jazz vocalist | 81 | |
| Jan. 19 | Mary Weiss | pop vocalist, member of the Shangri-Las | 75 | COPD |
| Jan. 23 | Melanie (Safka) | pop vocalist, "Candles in the Rain" | 76 | |
| Jan. 26 | Dean Brown | jazz & fusion guitarist | 68 | cancer |
| Jan. 27 | Barry Jenkins | drummer with The Animals | 79 | |
| Feb. 2 | Wayne Kramer | founded MC5 band | 75 | |
| Feb. 3 | Aston Barrett | member of Bob Marley's Wailers | 77 | |
| Feb. 5 | Seiji Ozawa | conductor | 88 | heart failure |
| Feb. 5 | Toby Keith | country singer-songwriter | 62 | cancer |
| Feb. 7 | Henry Fambrough | last surviving member of the Spinners | 85 | |
| Feb. 6 | Mojo Nixon (Neill Kirby McMillan Jr.) | alternative/rockabilly/novelty musician | 66 | |
| Feb. 6 | Seiji Ozawa | classical conductor | 88 | heart failure |
| Feb. 6 | Donald Kinsey | guitarist, singer (The Kinsey Report, Peter Tosh) | 70 | |
| Feb. 11 | Randy Sparks | folk musician (New Christy Minstrels, Back Porch Majority) | 90 | |
| Feb. 21 | Bobby Tench | British keyboard man (Jeff Beck's "Blow by Blow") | 79 | |
| Feb. 22 | John Lowe | keyboardist with Quarrymen, pre-Beatles | 81 | |
| Mar. 2 | Jim Beard | jazz and rock keyboardist (Steely Dan) | 63 | |
| Mar. 2 | William Ramsey | jazz saxophonist with big bands | 95 | |
| Mar. 7 | W.C .Clark | blues musician | 84 | |
| Mar. 7 | Steve Lawrence | popular singer ("Go Away Little Girl") | 88 | |
| Mar. 9 | Malcolm Holcombe | singer-songwriter | 68 | cancer |
| Mar. 10 | Kurt Wallinger | Welsh musician member of The Waterboys, World Party | 66 | |
| Mar. 10 | T.M. Stevens | bassist with the Pretenders | 72 | dementia |
| Mar. 11 | Eric Carmen | leader of the Raspberries | 74 | |
| Feb. 11 | Randy Sparks | folk musician (New Christy Minstrels, Back Porch Majority) | 90 | |
| Mar. 17 | Steve Harvey | English musician, Steve Harvey & Cockney Rebel | 73 | |
| Mar. 18 | Jimmy Hastings | British prog. rock musician, (Caravan, Soft Machine) | 85 | |
| Mar. 18 | Kevin Toney | jazz pianist | 70 | cancer |
| Mar. 25 | Chris Cross | English musician, member of Ultravox | 71 | |
| Mar. 29 | Gerry Conway | English drummer with Jethro Tull, Cat Stevens, Fairport Convention | 76 | |
| Apr. 3 | Albert "Tootie" Heath | jazz drummer | 88 | leukemia |
| Apr. 5 | Phil Nimmons | influential Canadian jazz musician | 100 | |
| Apr. 7 | Clarence "Frogman" Henry | R&B singer, pianist | 87 | |
| Apr. 14 | Ben Eldridge | bluegrass banjo player (Seldom Scene) | 85 | |
| Apr. 14 | Calvin Keys | jazz guitarist | 82 | stroke |
| Apr. 18 | Dickie Betts | Allman Brothers Band member | 80 | cancer |
| Apr. 20 | Michael Cuscuna | jazz producer, Grammy winning annotator | 75 | cancer |
| Apr. 20 | Sir Andrew Davis | English classical conductor | 80 | leukemia |
| Apr. 21 | Alex Hassilev | member of the Limeliters | 91 | |
| Apr. 24 | Mike Pinder | Member of the Moody Blues | 82 | |
| Apr. 30 | Duane Eddy | pioneering rock guitarist | 86 | cancer |
| May 1 | Richard Tandy | keyboardist with ELO | 76 | |
| May 2 | John Pisano | jazz guitarist | 83 | |
| May 6 | Bill Holman | jazz composer, arranger | 96 | |
| May 7 | Phil Wiggins | blues musician (Cephas & Wiggins) | 69 | cancer |
| May 8 | John Barbata | drummer with the Turtles, Jefferson Airplane & Starship | 79 | |
| May 9 | Dennis Thompson | drummer & co-founder of MC5 | 75 | heart attack |
| May 12 | David Sanborn | jazz and pop saxophonist | 78 | cancer |
| May 18 | "Spider" John Koerner | songwriter, guitarist | 85 | |
| May 18 | Palle Danielsson | Danish jazz bassist, recorded with Keith Jarrett | 77 | |
| May 24 | Doug Ingle | founder of Iron Butterfly, wrote "In-a-Gadda-Da Vida" | 78 | |
| May 25 | Richard M. Sherman | film composer ("Mary Poppins," "The Jungle Book") | 95 | |
| May 31 | Ed Mann | drummer & keyboardist, worked with Frank Zappa | 69 | |
| June 8 | Mark James | songwriter "Hooked on a Feeling", "Suspicious Minds" | 83 | |
| June 11 | Françoise Hardy | popular French singer | 80 | cancer |
| June 13 | Angela Bofill | singer-songwriter | 70 | |
| June 18 | Tom Prasada-Rao | folksinger-songwriter | 66 | |
| June 25 | John DeFrancesco | jazz organist, father of Johnny DeFrancesco | 83 | |
| June 27 | Martin Mull | musician, humorous songwriter, actor | 80 | |
| June 27 | Kinky Friedman | singer-songwriter, satirist, politician | 79 | |
| July 2 | Tom Fowler | bassist with Mothers of Invention, It's a Beautiful Day, Ray Charles | 73 | |
| July 3 | Mark Germino | rock singer-songwriter | 73 | |
| July 7 | Jim Rotondi | jazz trumpeter | 61 | heart attack |
| July 6 | Joe Egan | Scottish musician, half of Stealer's Wheel | 77 | |
| July 16 | Bernice Johnson Reagon | folksinger in Sweet Honey in the Rock | 81 | |
| July 18 | Jerry Fuller | songwriter ("Young Girl" "Travelin' Man") | 85 | |
| July 20 | Dave Loggins | country singer-songwriter "Please Come to Boston" | 76 | |
| July 19 | Toumani Diabate | renowned Malian Kora player | 58 | |
| July 20 | Jerry Miller | founder of Moby Grape, songwriter | 81 | |
| July 22 | John Mayall | influential British brock-rock musician | 90 | |
| July 22 | Duke Fakir | co-founder of The Four Tops | 88 | cancer |
| Aug. 3 | Shaun Martin | keyboardist with Snarky Puppy | 45 | stroke |
| Aug. 6 | David LaFamme | founder, violinist in It's a Beautiful Day | 82 | |
| Aug. 7 | Jack Russell | vocalist in Great White | 63 | |
| Aug. 9 | Carl Weatherby | blues guitarist (Albert King) | 71 | |
| Aug. 13 | Greg Kihn | rock musician, founded Greg Kihn band | 75 | Alzheimer's |
| Aug. 15 | Joe Chambers | Member of the Chambers Brothers | 81 | |
| Aug. 23 | Russell Malone | jazz guitarist | 60 | heart attack |
| Sep. 5 | Sergio Mendes | influential Brazilian musician | 83 | Long COVID |
| Sep. 5 | Herbie Flowers | English musician (T. Rex, Sky) | 86 | |
| Sep. 6 | Will Jennings | Grammy-winning lyricist "Higher Love" "MyHeart Will Go On" | 80 | |
| Sep. 7 | Dan Morgenstern | Grammy Winning jazz journalist, annotator | 94 | |
| Sep. 8 | Zoot Money | British keyboardist, vocalist (The Animals) | 82 | |
| Sep. 10 | Frankie Beverly | singer-songwriter (Maze) | 77 | |
| Sep. 15 | Tito Jackson | musician, member of Jackson Five | 70 | heart attack |
| Sep. 16 | Billy Edd Wheeler | singer-songwriter | 91 | |
| Sep. 18 | Nick Gravenites | rock & blues musician (Electric Flag, Big Brother & the Holding Co.) | 85 | dementia |
| Sep. 20 | Kathryn Crosby | singer, actress, wife of Big Crosby | 90 | |
| Sep. 21 | Benny Golson | jazz saxophonist and composer | 95 | |
| Sept. 27 | J.D. Souther | songwriter, musician | 78 | |
| Sept. 28 | Kris Kristofferson | singer-singwriter, actor | 88 | |
| Oct. 2 | Ken Tobias | Canadian singer-songwriter | 79 | brain cancer |
| Oct. 7 | Johnny Neel | member of Allman Brothers Band | 70 | heart failure |
| Oct. 13 | Libby Titus | singer-songwriter, wife of Donald Fagen | 77 | |
| Oct. 16 | Liam Payne | "One Direction" singer | 31 | death by falling |
| Oct. 17 | Mitzi Gaynor | singer, dancer, actress | 93 | |
| Oct. 20 | Barbara Dane | folk, blues and jazz singer | 97 | |
| Oct. 25 | Phil Lesh | bassist, member of Grateful Dead | 84 | |
| Oct. 22 | Claire Daly | jazz baritone saxophonist with Diva Orchestra | 66 | |
| Oct. 23 | Jack Jones | popular singer (Love Boat Theme) | 86 | |
| Oct. 23 | Linda LaFlamme | member of It's a Beautiful Day 85 | ||
| Nov. 3 | Quincy Jones | jazz musician, arranger and pop producer | 91 | |
| Nov. 3 | Andy Leek | founder of Dexy's Midnight Runners | 66 | |
| Nov. 8 | George Bohanan | jazz trombonist | 87 | |
| Nov. 9 | Lou Donaldson | jazz saxophonist | 98 | |
| Nov. 12 | Roy Haynes | jazz drummer with long career | 99 | |
| Nov. 14 | Pete Sinfield | King Crimson lyricist | 80 | |
| Nov. 14 | Vic Flick | Guitarist on James Bond Theme | 87 | Alzheimer's |
| Nov. 20 | Andy Paley | musicians, composers (Modern Lovers, Spongebob Squarepants) | 72 | |
| Nov. 20 | Mike Pinera | guitarist (Iron Butterfly, Blues Image) | 76 | |
| Nov. 21 | Alice Brock | inspiration for Alice's Restaurant | 83 | |
| Nov. 22 | Toni Price | country-blues singer | 63 | brain aneurysm |
| Nov. 26 | Leah Kunkel | singer-songwriter, backing vocalist | 76 | |
| Dec. 9 | Ella Jenkins | singer-songwriter | 100 | |
| Dec. 10 | Martial Solal | French jazz pianist, composer | 97 | |
| Dec. 13 | Bill Kelly | regional musician, member of Buoys, Dakota | 74 | |
| Dec. 14 | George Cummings | guitarist with Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show | 86 | |
| Dec. 15 | Jon Camp | bassist, member of Renaissance | 75 | |
| Dec. 15 | Zakir Hussain | percussionist | 73 | |
| Dec. 15 | David Mallett | folk singer-songwriter | 73 | |
| Dec. 16 | Steve Lewinson | bassist, Simply Red | 58 | |
| Dec. 17 | Mike Brewer | folk-rock musician (Brewer & Shipley) | 80 | |
| Dec. 17 | Alfa Anderson | pop vocalist, member of Chic | 78 | |
| Dec. 18 | Slim Dunlap | guitarist with the Replacements | 73 | |
| Dec. 24 | Richard Perry | popular 1970s record producer (Tiny Tim, Carly Simon, Harry Nilsson) | 82 | |
| Dec. 28 | Barre Phillips | Jazz bassist | 90 | |
| Dec. 29 | Jimmy Carter | US President, arguably the "first rock & roll president" | 100 | |
| Dec. 31 | Don Nix | "Southern Rock" musician, songwriter | 83 |
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