Highest critically reviewed albums (Metacritic)

January

• 1 – Patti Page (85), American pop and country music singer
• 4 – Sammy Johns (66), American country music singer-songwriter
• 11 – John Wilkinson, 67, American guitarist (Elvis Presley's TCB Band) and singer
• 19 – Steve Knight (77), American musician (Mountain)
• 21 – Bob Dawdy (70), American rock and roll guitarist (The Velaires)
• 26 – Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner (69), American funk singer and guitarist (Ohio Players)
• 30 – Patty Andrews (94), American singer (The Andrews Sisters)

February

• 4 – Reg Presley (71), British singer and songwriter (The Troggs)
• 6 – Mo-Do (46), Italian musician
• 11
  • Rick Huxley (72), English musician (The Dave Clark Five)
  • Kevin Peek (66), Australian musician (Sky)
• 16
  • Stanley Knight (64), American guitarist (Black Oak Arkansas)
  • Tony Sheridan (72), English rock and roll singer, early collaborator with The Beatles
• 18
  • Kevin Ayers (68), English psychedelic rock songwriter and musician (Soft Machine)
  • Damon Harris (62), American soul and R&B singer (The Temptations)
• 27 – Van Cliburn (78), American pianist

March

• 1 – Jewel Akens (79), American R&B singer
• 3 – Bobby Rogers (73), American soul singer and songwriter (The Miracles)
• 6 - Alvin Lee (68), English blues-rock guitarist (Ten Years After)
• 7
  • Kenny Ball (82), English jazz trumpeter
  • Peter Banks (65), English rock guitarist (Yes, Flash)
  • Claude King (90), American country music singer

April

• 3 – Chris Bailey (62), Australian bass guitarist (The Angels)
• 8 – Annette Funicello (70), American actress (The Mickey Mouse Club) and singer
• 9 – Emilio Pericoli (85), Italian singer
• 14 – Sir Colin Davis, British conductor, 85
• 17 – Sita Chan (26), Hong Kong Cantopop singer
• 21 – Chrissy Amphlett (53), Australian singer (Divinyls)
• 22
  • Richie Havens (72), American folk singer and guitarist
  • Nathaniel Romerson (75), American R&B singer (The Ballads)
• 26 – George Jones (81), American country music singer and songwriter

May

• 1 – Chris Kelly (34), American rap artist (Kris Kross)
• 7
  • Peter Rauhofer (48), Austrian DJ, remixer and record producer
  • Romanthony (45), American DJ, record producer and singer
• 17 – Alan O'Day (72), American singer-songwriter
• 18 – Marek Jackowski (66), Polish rock musician (Maanam)
• 20
  • Ray Manzarek (74), American rock musician (The Doors)
  • Zach Sobiech (18), American pop singer and viral video performer
• 21 – Trevor Bolder (62), British musician (David Bowie, Uriah Heep)
• 24 – Lorene Mann (76), American country music singer and songwriter
• 25 – Tyrone Brunson (57), American musician

June

• 1 - Richard Raines (48), American guitarist (Perfect Stranger)
• 4 – Joey Covington (67), American musician (Jefferson Airplane)
• 5 – Don Bowman (75), American comedian, country singer and songwriter
• 14 – Tom Tall (75), American rockabilly singer
• 15 – Robert Morris "B.J." Jones (70), American rock guitarist (Sweathog)
• 19 – Slim Whitman (90), American country singer-songwriter
• 21 – Mary Love (69), American soul and gospel singer
• 23 – Bobby Bland (83), American blues and soul singer
• 24
  • Sammy Hall, 67, American garage rock singer (The Birdwatchers)
  • Puff Johnson (40), American pop singer and songwriter
  • Alan Myers (58), American rock drummer (Devo)

July

• 4 – Bernie Nolan (52), Irish singer (The Nolans) and actress
• 13 – Cory Monteith (31), Canadian actor (Glee) and singer
• 21 – WanBi Tuấn Anh (26), Vietnamese singer, musician, actor and model
• 26 – J.J. Cale (74), American guitarist, singer, and songwriter
• 30 – Nick Nixon (74), American country music singer-songwriter

August

• 5 – George Duke (67), American jazz fusion keyboardist
• 8 – Jack Clement (82), American record and film producer, songwriter and singer
• 10 – Eydie Gormé (84), American singer
• 13
  • Jon Brookes (44), English rock drummer (The Charlatans)
  • Tompall Glaser (79), American country music singer
• 14 – Allen Lanier (67), American rock keyboardist and guitarist (Blue Öyster Cult)

September

• 9 – Forrest (60), American singer
• 12 – Joan Regan (85), British traditional pop singer
• 15 – Jackie Lomax (69), English guitarist and singer-songwriter
• 16 – Mac Curtis (74), American rockabilly singer
• 17 – Marvin Rainwater (88), American country and rockabilly singer
• 25 – Billy Mure (97), American guitarist

October

• 8
  • Larry Verne (77), American singer
  • Philip Chevron (56), Irish musician (The Pogues)
• 10
  • Jan Kuehnemund (51), American musician (Vixen)
  • Cal Smith (81), American country music singer
• 19 – Noel Harrison (79), British singer and actor
• 20 – Leon Ashley (77), American country music singer
• 26 – Al Johnson (65), American soul singer (The Unifics)
• 27 – Lou Reed (71), American rock musician and songwriter (The Velvet Underground)
• 30 – Pete Haycock (62), English guitarist (Climax Blues Band)
• 31 – Bobby Parker (76), American blues-rock guitarist

November

• 2 – Jack Alexander (77), Scottish folk singer and pianist (The Alexander Brothers)
• 6 – Clyde Stacy (77), American rockabilly singer and guitarist
• 11 – Bob Beckham (86), American music publisher and country singer
• 29
  • Dick Dodd (68), American musician (The Bel-Airs, The Standells)
  • Oliver Cheatham (65), American R&B singer

December

• 2 – Junior Murvin (67), Jamaican reggae singer
• 8 – Hung Sin Nui (88), Cantonese opera singer
• 16 – Ray Price (87), American country music singer
• 23 – Yusef Lateef (93), American saxophonist