- Dec 4 Bernie Dwyer, British rock drummer (Freddie and The Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now"), dies at 61
- Dec 5 Arvell Shaw, American jazz double-bassist (Louis Armstrong; Teddy Wilson), dies at 79
- Dec 9 Mary Hansen, Australian guitarist and singer (Stereolab), dies at 36
- Dec 11 Lou Stein, American pianist (Tonight! America After Dark), dies at 80
- Dec 13 Zal Yanovsky, Canadian rock guitarist (Lovin' Spoonful - "Do You Believe in Magic?"), dies of a heart attack at 57
- Dec 14 Ruth Kobart [Kahn], American actor and singer (King's Quest VII, Forum), dies at 78
- Dec 22 Joe Strummer, British lead singer of the punk band "The Clash" (Rock the Casbah), dies at age 50
- Dec 24 Luciano Chailly, Italian opera composer (L'Idiota) and artistic director (La Scala), dies at 82
- Dec 31 Kevin Macmichael, Canadian guitarist, songwriter and record producer (Cutting Crew - "(I Just) Died in Your Arms"), dies of lung cancer at 51
Kendrick Lamar
Eminem
XXXTentacion
Tupac Shakur
Nicki Minaj
Coolio