- Jan 1 Del Reeves, American country music singer, dies at 74
- Jan 1 Julius Hegyi, American conductor, dies at 83
- Jan 1 Tad Jones, American jazz music historian, dies at 54
- Jan 3 Janos Furst, Hungarian orchestral conductor (b. 1935)
- Jan 6 "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow, American country-rock session and touring pedal-steel guitarist (Flying Burrito Brothers; George Harrison, Jackson Browne), dies at 72
- Jan 7 Lou Brown, American orchestra leader (Jerry Lewis Show), dies at 94
- Jan 11 (Aurea) "Puch" Balseiro, Puerto Rican bolero and filin singer-songwriter and guitarist, dies at 80
- Jan 12 Alice Coltrane [née McLeod], American jazz harp, piano, and organ player (Journey in Satchidananda), dies of respiratory failure at 69
- Jan 13 Doyle Holly, American comedian and musician (Buckaroos), dies at 70
- Jan 13 Michael Brecker, American jazz saxophonist (Brecker Brothers), dies at 57
- Jan 16 Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson, American vocalist (The Spaniels- "Goodnite Sweetheart Goodnite"), dies of cancer at 72
- Jan 18 Brent Liles, American rock bassist (Agent Orange, 1981-84; Social Distortion, 1988-92), dies after being hit by a truck while cycling at 43
- Jan 19 Denny Doherty, Canadian musician, singer, songwriter (The Mamas and The Papas - "California Dreamin'"), dies from abdominal aortic aneurysm at 66
- Jan 19 Murat Nasyrov, Russian singer and composer, dies at 37
- Jan 26 Witold Silewicz, Polish-Austrian classical double bassist (Tonkünstler Orchestra), arranger, and composer, dies at 85
- Jan 28 Karel Svoboda, Czech pianist, composer of popular songs and television music, dies of suspected suicide at 68
- Jan 31 (Kirill) "Kirka" Babitzin, Finnish pop-rock singer ("Hetki Lyö" (Beat the Clock)), dies at 56
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers