- Dec 1 Dai-Keong Lee, Hawaiian-American classical and theater composer, dies at 90
- Dec 3 Lance Dossor, British-Australian concert pianist, dies at 89
- Dec 4 Gloria Lasso [Rosa Montserrat Coscolín], French-Spanish n canción melódica singer ("Etranger au paradis"; "Buenas noches mi amor"), dies of a heart attack at 83
- Dec 5 Danny Williams, British pop singer, known as "Britain's Johnny Mathis" ("Moon River"; "White on White"), dies of lung cancer at 63
- Dec 6 Danny Williams, South African-born singer (b. 1942)
- Dec 8 Donald James Martino, American classical composer (Notturno - Pulitzer Prize, 1974), dies at 74
- Dec 9 György Sándor, Hungarian pianist, dies at 93
- Dec 13 Timothy Jordan II, American pop-rock musician (The All American Rejects; Jonezetta), takes his own life at 24
- Dec 16 Enzo Stuarti [Scapone], Italian-American pop tenor (That's A'Nice!), dies at 86
- Dec 25 (Märta) Birgit Nilsson, Swedish operatic soprano (Elektra, Salome), dies at 87
- Dec 25 Derek Bailey, English guitar virtuoso (b. 1930)
- Dec 26 Bill DeArango, American jazz guitarist (Charlie Ventura; Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis; "Slam" Stewart), dies at 85
- Dec 26 Muriel Costa-Greenspon, American mezzo-soprano (b. 1937)
- Dec 31 Enrico di Giuseppe, American tenor, dies of cancer at 73
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