- Jan 5 Henri Herz, Austrian composer, dies at a day before his 85th birthday
- Jan 14 Stephen Heller, Hungarian composer and pianist, dies at 74
- Jan 21 Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh, British born composer who worked in Australia (Australia's 1st opera), dies at 83
- Feb 22 Jean-Delphin Alard, French violinist and composer, dies at 72
- Mar 10 Ciro Pinsuti, Italian pianist and composer, dies at 57
- Mar 29 Charles-Valentin Alkan, French pianist and composer, dies at 74
- Apr 14 William Fiske Sherwin, American composer, dies at 62
- May 19 Hermann Hirschboch, German composer and music critic, dies at 76
- Jun 3 Cark Reidel, German composer, dies at 60
- Jun 20 Cesare Dominiceti, Italian composer, dies at 66
- Jun 23 Emil Naumann, German composer, dies at 60
- Jul 10 Rafael Hernando, Spanish composer of zarzuelas, dies at 66
- Aug 8 Friedrich Wilhelm Jahns, German composer, voice teacher and musicologist, dies at 79
- Aug 9 Isaac Strauss, French violinist, conductor and composer, dies at 82
- Dec 2 Franz Xaver Witt, German church musician, composer, and priest, dies at 54
- Dec 10 Marià Obiols, Catalan composer, dies at 79
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers