- Aug 1 Svyatoslav Richter, Russian pianist, dies of a heart attack at 82
Fela Kuti (1938-1997)
Aug 2 Nigerian Afrobeat musician and composer, dies of an illness, disputedly AIDS related, at 58
- Aug 8 Dardanelle (Breckenbridge), American jazz pianist, vibraphonist, and singer, dies at 79
- Aug 8 Duncan Swift, English jazz pianist, dies at 74
- Aug 9 Robert Satanowski, Polish opera conductor and general, dies at 79
- Aug 10 Conlon Nancarrow, American composer (Soundings 4), dies at 84
- Aug 12 Jack Delano [Jacob Ovcharov], Russian-born American composer and photographer, dies at 83
- Aug 12 Luther Allison, American blues and session guitarist (Howlin' Wolf; James Cotton), dies of lung and brain cancer at 57
- Aug 16 Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pakistani qawwal (Sufi devotional music) vocalist, and composer, dies of cardiac arrest at 48
- Aug 19 Petr Novák, Czech rock singer-songwriter (George and Beatovens; Flamengo), dies of apparent poisoning at 51
- Aug 24 (Vincente) "Tete" Montoliu, Catalonian jazz pianist, dies at 64
Kendrick Lamar
Eminem
XXXTentacion
Tupac Shakur
Nicki Minaj
Coolio