- Jan 7 Emanuil Manolov, Bulgarian composer (Siromahkinia - 1st Bulgarian opera), born in Gabrovo, Ottoman Bulgaria (d. 1902)
- Mar 12 Salvatore Di Giacomo, Italian poet and songwriter during "Golden Age of Neapolitan Song", born in Naples, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (d. 1934)
- Mar 13 Hugo Wolf, Austrian composer, born in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia (d. 1903)
- May 4 Emil Nikolaus von Reznicek, Austrian composer (Donna Diana), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1945)
- May 29 Isaac Albéniz, Spanish pianist and composer (Suite española, Tango in D), born in Camprodon, Spain (d. 1909)
- Jun 25 Gustave Charpentier, French opera composer (Louise), born in Dieuze, France (d. 1956)
- Jul 3 William Wallace, Scottish composer, born in Greenock, Scotland (d. 1940)
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
Jul 7 Austrian composer (Symphony No. 2 - "Resurrection"), and conductor (New York Philharmonic, 1909-11), born in Kalischat, Bohemia (now Austria)
- Aug 10 Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande, Indian musicologist (Hundu classical music), born in Walkeshwar, Bombay. British India (now in Mumbai, Indaia) (d. 1936)
- Sep 18 Alberto Franchetti, Italian composer, born in Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia (now Italy) (d. 1942)
- Oct 8 Felix Woyrsch, German composer, born in Opava, Czech Republic (d. 1944)
- Oct 17 Dionyssios Lavrangas, Greek conductor, composer, and pedagogue, born in Argostólion, Greece (d. 1915)
- Nov 16 Edmund Schücker, Austrian composer, born in Vienna (d. 1911)
Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860-1941)
Nov 18 Polish pianist, composer and statesman (Prime Minister of Poland, 1919), born in Kuryłówka, Russian Empire (now Ukraine)
- Nov 29 Hans Haym, German conductor, born in Halle, Province of Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia (now Germany) (d. 1921)
- Dec 18 Edward Alexander MacDowell, American composer (Indian Suite), born in New York (d. 1908)
- Dec 28 Alexander von Fielitz, German composer and conductor (Chicago Symphony Orchestra), born in Leipzig, Saxony (d. 1930)
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
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