- May 3 Yoshinao Nakada, Japanese composer, dies at 76
- May 6 Leonard Salzedo, British orchestral, ballet, and film composer (The Witch Boy; Requiem Sine Voxibus, Hammer Films), dies at 78
- May 8 Karl-Rudi Griesbach, German composer, dies at 83
- May 10 Dédé Fortin, Quebec singer and songwriter (Les Colocs) (b. 1962)
- May 13 Olivier Greif, French classical composer (Lettres de Westerbork), dies at 50
- May 16 William Ferris, American composer and conductor (William Ferris Chorale, 1971-2000), dies while conducting a rehearsal of Verdi's Requiem at 63
- May 18 Gideon William Waldrop, American composer and educator (Julliard School, 1961-85), dies at 80
- May 18 Steve Wolownik, American ethnomusicologist, balalaika player, arranger, and co-founder of the Balalaika and Domra Association of America, dies at 54
- May 20 Jean-Pierre Rampal, French classical flautist (The Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano), dies of heart failure at 72
- May 23 Marcus Hutson, American R&B singer (The Whispers - "And the Beat Goes On"; "Rock Steady"), dies of prostate cancer at 57
- May 30 Tex Beneke, American bandleader and musician (b. 1914)
- May 31 Joe Puma, American session and jazz guitarist (Herbie Mann; Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five; Chuck Wayne), dies at 72
- May 31 Johnnie Taylor, American R&B and multi-genre singer ("Disco Lady"; "I Believe In You"), dies at 66
- May 31 Tito Puente, American mambo and Latin jazz bandleader ("Oye Como Va"), dies at 77
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Pop Singers
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