- May 3 Billy Higgins, American jazz drummer, dies at 64
- May 9 James E. Myers, American songwriter (Rock Around the Clock) and producer, dies at 81
- May 12 (Pierino) Perry Como, American singer ("Catch A Falling Star") and TV personality (The Perry Como Show), dies at 89
- May 16 Brian Pendleton, English musician (The Pretty Things) (b. 1944)
- May 17 Ikuma Dan, Japanese composer (Yūzuru), dies at 77
- May 19 Mike Sammes, British arranger, session, pop and easy-listening vocalist (The Mike Sammes Singers; Disneyland; The Beatles - "I Am The Walrus", "Good Night"; Olivia Newton-John - "Let Me Be There"), dies at 73
- May 19 Susannah McCorkle, American singer (b. 1946)
- May 20 Renato Carosone, Italian canzone napoletana singer, pianist, songwriter ("Tu vuò fà l'americano" - "You Want to Be American"), and accordionist, dies at 81
- May 22 Lorez Alexandria, American jazz and gospel singer (Alexandria the Great), dies at 71
- May 23 Tommy Eyre, British touring and session keyboardist, and musical director (Joe Cocker, Gerry Rafferty, Wham!), dies of esophageal cancer at 51
- May 30 Tony Ashton, British musician (Ashton, Gardner & Dyke), dies of cancer at 55
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers