- Jan 2 Armi Aavikko, Finnish beauty queen (Miss Finland, 1977), and pop singer, dies at 43
- Jan 2 Zac Foley, English rock bassist (EMF "Unbelievable"), dies at 31
- Jan 3 Esquivel! [Juan García Esquivel], Mexican pianist, composer, and bandleader known as the "King of Space-Age Pop", dies at 83
- Jan 7 Jon Lee, Welsh drummer (Feeder) takes his own life at 33
- Jan 11 (Charles) Gene Dinwiddie, American blues saxophonist (Paul Butterfield Blues Band), dies at 65
- Jan 11 George Jinda, Hungarian-American smooth jazz and world music percussionist (Special EFX), dies from multiple medical condition complications at 41
- Jan 12 Edward Staempfli, Swiss pianist, conductor, and composer, dies at 93
- Jan 13 Kurt Brüggemann, German composer, conductor, and music educator, dies at 93
- Jan 16 Eddie Meduza, Swedish composer (b. 1948)
- Jan 17 Héctor Tosar, Uruguayan pianist and composer, dies at 78
- Jan 20 Henry Cosby, American songwriter, musician and producer for Motown ("Tears of a Clown"), dies at 73
- Jan 20 Ivan Karabits, Ukrainian composer, conductor, and educator, dies at 57
Peggy Lee (1920-2002)
Jan 21 American singer ("Fever"; "Is That All There Is?"), songwriter ("Mañana"), and actress (Pete Kelly's Blues; Lady and the Tramp), dies of a heart attack at 81
- Jan 22 Peter Bardens, English musician (Camel), dies of cancer at 56
- Jan 22 Sheldon Allman, American-Canadian actor, singer, and songwriter (Nevada Smith, Harris Against the World), dies at 77
- Jan 23 Igor Kipnis, American harpsichordist, pianist, conductor, and educatordies of renal cancer at 71
- Jan 30 Carlo Karges, German guitarist and songwriter (Nena - "99 Luftballons"), dies of liver failure at 50
- Jan 30 Ellis Larkins, American classically trained (1st Black student at Peabody Institute) jazz pianist (Ruby Braff), and accompanist (Ella Fitzgerald; Eartha Kitt, Mildred Bailey), dies at 79
- Jan 31 Henry Kloss, American audio engineer (acoustic loudspeaker), dies at 73
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers