- Jan 18 Ernst Rudorff, German pianist, composer, and teacher, born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1916)
- Feb 2 Louis Bourgault-Ducoudray, French Breton composer, born in Nantes, Frances (d. 1910)
- Feb 3 Georges Jacobi, German violinist, composer (The Black Crook), and conductor (Alhambra Theatre, London, 1872-98), born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1906)
- Feb 25 Alexis Hollander, German composer, born in Ratibor, Silesia (now Racibórz, Poland) (d. 1924)
- Mar 8 Franco Faccio, Italian composer and conductor, born in Verona, Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia, Austrian Empire (d. 1891)
- Mar 26 Carli Zoeller, German composer, born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1889)
- Apr 11 John Conrad Nordqvist, Swedish composer, born in Vänersborg, Älvsborg County, Sweden (d. 1920)
- Apr 12 Edmond Audran, French composer, born in Lyon, France (d. 1901)
- Apr 12 Franz Xaver Haberl, German priest and musicologist (Magister choralis), born in Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg, Kingdom of Bavaria (d. 1910)
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
May 7 Russian composer of the late-Romantic period (1812 Overture; The Nutcracker; Swan Lake), born in Votkinsk, Russia
- May 11 Filippo Capocci, Italian organ virtuoso and composer, born in Rome, Papal States (now Italy) (d. 1911)
- Jun 6 John Stainer, English organist, composer (The Crucifixion), musicologist, and educator, born in Southwark, London (d. 1901)
- Jun 24 Louis Brassin, Belgian composer and pianist, born in Aix-la-Chapelle (d. 1884)
- Jul 4 James McGranahan, American composer, born in Adamsville, Pennsylvania (d. 1907)
- Aug 1 Aldine Silliman Kieffer, American composer, born in Miami, Missouri (d. 1904)
- Aug 28 Ira D. Sankey, American evangelist, composer and singer (Gospel hymns), born in Edinburg, Pennsylvania (d. 1908)
- Sep 3 Jacob Christian Fabricius, Danish composer, born in Aarhus, Denmark (d. 1919)
- Sep 9 Gentil Theodoor Antheunis, Flemish poet and songwriter, born in Oudenaarde, Belgium (d. 1907)
- Sep 14 George Elbridge Whiting, American composer, born in Holliston, Massachusetts (d. 1923)
- Sep 30 Johan Svendsen, Norwegian composer, born in Christiania, Norway (d. 1911)
- Oct 4 Charles Lenepveu, French composer, born in Rouen, France (d. 1910)
- Oct 5 Fran Gerbič, Slovenian composer and tenor, born in Cerknica (d. 1917)
- Oct 30 Carlotta Patti, Italian soprano, born in Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) (d. 1889)
- Nov 16 Frederick Scotson Clark, English organist and composer, born in Southwark, London (d. 1883)
- Dec 7 Hermann Goetz, German composer, born in Königsberg, East Prussia (d. 1876)
- Dec 17 C. F. E. Horneman, Danish composer, born in Copenhagen (d. 1906)
Country Singers
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Pop Singers
Rappers
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