- Jan 1 Hugo Leichtentritt, German Jewish composer and musicologist, born in Pleschen, Poland (d. 1951)
- Jan 4 Josef Suk, Czech violinist (Bohemian String Quartet, 1891-1933), composer (Asrael Symphony; Ripening; Serenade for Strings), and educator, born in Křečovice, Bohema (d. 1935)
- Jan 29 Robert Lach, Austrian composer, born in Vienna (d. 1958)
- Feb 11 Fritz Bennicke Hart, British composer and conductor (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra), born in Greenwich, London (d. 1949)
- Feb 15 Emilis Melngailis, Latvian composer and ethnomusicologist, born in Vidriži, Russian Empire (d. 1954)
- Feb 16 Marie Gutheil-Schoder, German operatic soprano (Vienna State Opera, 1920-26), and pedagogue, born in Weimar, Thuringia, Germany (d. 1935)
- Feb 20 Mary Garden, Scottish-American operatic soprano, 1900-34, and M-G-M talent scout, born in Aberdeen Scotland (d. 1967)
- Feb 26 Carl Vogler, Swiss composer, born in Oberrohrdorf, Switzerland (d. 1951)
- Mar 9 Richard Ohlsson, Swedish composer, born in Stockholm, Sweden (d. 1940)
- Mar 12 Edmund Eysler, Austrian composer, mostly of operettas (Bruder Straubinger; The Golden Mistress), born in Hernals, Austria (d. 1949)
- Mar 26 Oskar Nedbal, Czech composer, born in Tábor, Kingdom of Bohemia (d. 1930)
- Apr 3 Eduardo Sanchez de Fuentes, Cuban composer, born in Havana, Cuba (d. 1944)
- Apr 9 Julius Bittner, Austrian composer (Little Violet; Missa Austriaca), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1939)
- May 13 Henry Clough-Leiter, American composer, born in Washington D.C. (d. 1956)
- May 22 Francesco Paolo Neglia, Italian composer, born in Enna, Italy (d. 1932)
- Jun 7 Theodor Streicher, Austrian composer, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1940)
- Jun 11 Richard Stöhr, Austrian composer, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1967)
- Jun 12 Willem Landré, Dutch composer and music educator, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1948)
- Jun 16 Mikhail Vladimirovich Ivanov-Boretsky, Russian composer, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1936)
- Jun 28 Oley Speaks, American composer (On the Road to Mandalay), born in Canal Winchester, Ohio (d. 1948)
- Jun 29 Georg Göhler, German composer (Rückert), born in Zwickau, German Empire (d. 1954)
- Jul 5 Gerhard von Keussler, German composer, born in Gulbene, Latvia (d. 1949)
- Jul 26 Serge Koussevitzky, Russian-American conductor (Boston Symphony, 1924-49), born in Vyshny Volochyok, Russia (d. 1951)
- Aug 9 Reynaldo Hahn, Venezuelan-French singer, composer, conductor, and music critic, born in Caracas, Venezuela (d. 1947)
- Aug 10 Bill Johnson, American jazz double bassist and banjo player, born in Talladega, Alabama (d. 1972) [birthdate disputed]
- Aug 22 Edward Bairstow, English composer, born in Trinity Street, Huddersfield, England (d. 1946)
- Sep 11 Heinrich Kaspar Schmid, German composer, born in Landau, German Empire (now Germany) (d. 1953)
Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)
Sep 13 Austrian-American composer (Verklärte Nacht - Transfigured Night; 2nd Quartet), and painter associated with the expressionist movement, born in Vienna, Austria
Charles Ives (1874-1954)
Oct 20 American composer (Holiday Quick Step), born in Danbury, Connecticut
- Nov 13 Marguerite Long, French concert pianist (Ravel) and teacher (Paris Conservatoire, 1906-40), born in Nîmes, France (d. 1966)
- Nov 18 Riccardo Martin, American tenor and composer, born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (d. 1952)
- Nov 19 Karl Adrian Wohlfart, Swedish composer, born in Hycklinge, Sweden (d. 1943)
- Dec 1 Dominicus Johner, German composer and scholar, born in Waldsee (d. 1955)
- Dec 22 Franz Schmidt, Austrian composer and musician, born in Bratislava, Slovakia (d. 1939)
- Dec 25 Lina Cavalieri, Italian dramatic soprano, and silent film actress, born in Viterbo, Kingdom of Italy (d. 1944)
- Dec 27 Max Ettinger, Jewish-German composer (Jiddische Requiem), born in Lwow, Poland (d. 1951)
- Dec 31 Ernest Austin, English composer, born in Poplar, London (d. 1947)
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers