- May 3 Pierre Moerlen, French rock-jazz fusion drummer and percussionist (Gong; Mike Oldfield), dies at 52
- May 9 Nasrat Parsa, Afghani singer, dies at 36
- May 10 David Wayne, American singer (Metal Church) (b. 1958)
- May 11 Michalis Genitsaris, Greek rebetiko singer, and composer, dies at 88
- May 12 Frankie LaRocka (Frank LaRocca), American session and touring drummer, and record producer (Spin Doctors), dies of heart surgery complications at 51
- May 12 Monica Zetterlund, Swedish jazz singer (with Bill Evans - "Waltz For Debby"), and dies in an accidental apartment fire at 67
- May 13 Eddie Barclay, French record producer (b. 1921)
- May 22 Thurl Ravenscroft, American voice actor (Tony the Tiger), and bass singer ("You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"), dies from prostate cancer at 91
- May 25 Ruth Laredo, American concert pianist, dies of ovarian cancer at 67
- May 29 George Rochberg, American composer (Concord Quartet), dies at 86
- May 29 Oscar Brown, American singer, songwriter ("Brown Baby"; "Forbidden Fruit"), playwright, and poet, dies from complications of osteomyelitis at 78
- May 31 Jaime Mendoza-Nava, Bolivian-American composer and conductor, dies at 79
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers