- Jan 1 Juan Bautista Plaza, Venezuelan composer, dies at 66
- Jan 8 Aloÿs-Henri-Gérard Fornerod, Swiss composer, dies at 74
- Jan 14 Jeanette MacDonald, American soprano (When I'm Calling You), dies at 63
- Jan 20 (Albert) "Alan" Freed, American disc jockey and concert promoter who popularized the term "rock-n-roll", and payola scandal figure, dies of from uremia and cirrhosis at 43
- Jan 25 (Gustaaf) "Staf" Nees, Flemish-Belgian carillonist, organist, composer (Maria-oratorio), and educator, dies at 63
- Jan 27 Theo Uden Masman, Dutch big band orchestra leader (The Ramblers), dies at 63
- Jan 28 Jef van Durme, Belgian composer, dies at 57
- Jan 29 Jack Hylton, English orchestra leader and impresario (Crazy Passage Show), dies at 72
- Jan 29 Michał Spisak, Polish composer (Hymne Olympique), dies at 50
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers