- Jan 10 Martin Andreas Udbye, composer, dies at 68
- Jan 14 Ema Puksec, Croatian singer (b. 1834)
- Feb 1 Joseph Gungl, Austro-Hungarian bandmaster and composer of dances and marches, dies at 78
- Feb 26 Karl Davydov, Russian virtuoso cellist, dies at 51
- Mar 3 (Edward) Sydney Smith, British pianist and composer, dies at 49
- Mar 18 William Henry Monk, composer, dies at 66
- Mar 27 Moritz Fürstenau, German composer, dies at 64
- Apr 6 Frederick Ouseley, British organist, composer (The Martyrdom of St Polycarp), musicologist, and Anglican priest, dies at 63
- Apr 30 Carl Rosa, German-born violinist and composer (founder of the Rosa opera company that toured UK and US), dies at 47
- Jun 27 Carlotta Patti, Italian soprano, dies at 48
- Jun 27 Whitney Eugene Thayer, American composer, dies at 50
- Jun 30 Eugenio Terziani, Italian composer and music director (Teatro Apollo; La Scala), dies at 64
- Jul 4 Auguste Mermet, French opera composer, dies at 79
- Jul 7 Giovanni Bottesini, Italian Romantic composer, conductor and a double bass virtuoso, dies at 67
- Jul 13 Carli Zoeller, German composer, dies at 49
- Aug 4 Carl Ludwig Amand Mangold, German composer, dies at 75
- Aug 17 Ernst Franck, German composer and conductor, dies at 42
- Oct 3 Karel Miry, Belgian composer (De Vlaamse Leeuw), dies at 66
- Oct 10 Adolf von Henselt, German composer, dies at 75
- Oct 22 Olivier Métra, French composer of balletss, light opera, and popular waltzes (Esperance!), and conductor, dies at 59
- Oct 24 Loisa Puget, French composer, dies at 79
- Dec 3 Baltasar Saldoni, Spanish composer and musicologist, dies at 82
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers