- Jan 6 Domingo Santa Cruz Wilson, Chilean composer, dies at 87
- Jan 7 Larry Carr, American pianist (Flight to Rhythm), dies at 72
- Jan 8 Manuel Blancafort, Spanish-Catalan pianist and composer, dies at 89
- Jan 10 Marion Hutton [Thornburg], American singer (Glenn Miller Orchestra, 1938-42), and actress (In Society), dies of cancer at 67 [1]
- Jan 11 Albert Ferber, Swiss-English pianist (b. 1911)
- Jan 14 Alton Purnell, American Dixieland jazz pianist, and singer, dies at 75
- Jan 15 Dolores Hawkins, American R&B singer ("Rocks in My Bed"; "A Kiss Before Dying"), dies at 58
- Jan 15 Ray Bolger, American dancer, actor, and singer (Wizard of Oz - "Scarecrow"; Partridge Family - "Grandpa Renfrew"), dies of bladder cancer at 83
- Jan 16 Robert De Kers [Keersmaeker], Belgian jazz trumpeter and bandleaders, dies at 80
- Jan 18 George Thalben-Ball, Australian-English organist (Birmingham City Organist, 1949-83), and composer (Elegy), dies at 90
- Jan 19 Fred Lohse, German composer and educator, dies at 78
- Jan 25 Emil Hlobil, Czech composer, dies at 85
- Jan 29 Ivo Lhotka-Kalinski, Yugoslav composer, dies at 73
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers