- Feb 3 Guillaume Lasceux, French organist and composer, born in Poissy, France (d. 1831)
- Feb 12 Matej Sojka, Bohemian composer, born in Vilémov (d. 1817)
- Feb 15 Ernst Eichner, German composer and bassoonist, born in Arolsen, Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1777)
- Mar 19 Johann Georg Roser, Austrian composer and kapellmeister, born in Naarn im Machland, Upper Austria (d. 1797)
- Mar 24 John Antes, American composer and missionary, born in Frederick, Pennsylvania (d. 1811)
- Apr 4 Wolfgang Nicolaus Haueisen, German organist, composer, and pedagogue, born in Oehrenstock, Electorate of Saxony, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1804)
- May 9 Giovanni Paisiello, Italian composer (Barber of Seville), born in Roccaforzata, Taranto, Italy (d. 1816)
- May 19 Joseph Franz Weigl, German cellist and early proponent of the 'thumb technique', born in Bavaria (d. 1820)
- Jun 8 Gabriele Mario Piozzi, composer, born in Quinzano d'Oglio, Lombardy, Republic of Venice (now Italy) (d. 1809)
- Jun 11 Luigi Gatti, Italian tenor, kapellmeister, priest, and composer, born in Lazise, Verona (d. 1817)
- Aug 10 Samuel Arnold, English organist, theater composer (The Baron Kinkvervankotsdorsprakingatchdern), and music director (Marylebone Gardens), born in London, England (d. 1802)
- Oct 8 Michel-Julien Mathieu, French composer, born in Fontainebleau, France (d. 1777)
- Oct 26 Ernest Louis Muller, Polish composer and flautist, born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1811)
- Nov 4 Augustus Montague Toplady, English hymn writer (Rock of Ages), born in Farnham, Surrey, England (d. 1778)
- Dec 13 Franz Xaver Schnitzer, German composer, born in Bad Wurzach, County of Waldburg-Zeil, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1785)