- 1609 Alexander Hume, Scottish poet (Hymns and Sacred Songs), dies
- 1676 Johann Georg Ebeling, German composer, dies at 39
- 1732 John Gay, English poet and dramatist (The Beggar's Opera), dies at 47
- 1836 Daniel Read, American composer, dies at 79
- 1884 Alice Mary Smith, British composer, dies at 45
- 1915 Gustav Hollaender, German violinist, conductor, and composer, dies at 60
- 1935 Johan Halvorsen, Norwegian violinist, conductor (Nationaltheatret Orchestra, 1899-1929), and composer (Bergensiana), dies at 71
- 1938 Dina Appeldoorn, Dutch classical pianist and composer, dies at 54
- 1953 Daniel Gregory Mason, American composer (Chanticker), dies at 80
- 1954 Nina Varzar, wife of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, dies at 46
- 1959 Rosetta Duncan, American vaudevillian (Duncan Sisters), actress (Topsy and Eva), and songwriter (Remeberin'). dies in an auto accident at 65
- 1969 Alceo Toni, Italian arranger (Vivaldi's "Four Season's" for piano four-hands), composer (Elegiac Quintet), and musicologist, dies at 85
- 1974 Sophie-Carmen "Sonia" Eckhardt-Gramatté, Russian-Canadian pianist and composer, dies at 75
- 1976 Tommy Bolin, American rock guitarist and songwriter (Deep Purple), dies of heroin and other substances overdose at 25
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
English composer (The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra; Peter Grimes), dies of heart failure at 63
- 1985 Marcel Boereboom, Belgian pianist, critic, educator, and musicologist (Handbook of Music History), dies at 83
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
American rock guitarist, composer, (Mothers of Invention - "Peaches en Regalia"; "Baby Snakes"), activist, and filmmaker (200 Motels), dies from prostate cancer at 52
- 2002 Bernie Dwyer, British rock drummer (Freddie and The Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now"), dies at 61
- 2004 Elena Souliotis, Greek soprano, dies of heart failure at 61
- 2005 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
- 2007 Friedrich Zehm, German pianist and composer, dies at 85
- 2007 Pimp C. [Chad Butler], American rapper (Underground Kingz), dies of overuse of prescription cough syrup and sleep apnea at 33
- 2011 Hubert Sumlin, American blues guitarist (Howlin' Wolf), dies at 80
- 2012 Jonathan Harvey, British composer (Bhakti; Wheel of Emptiness),educator, and musicologist (Music of Stockhausen), dies at 73
- 2015 Rodney Milne [Blumer], British opera critic (Opera magazine, 1971-99), musicologist, and libretto translator, dies at 79
- 2016 Julia Gomelskaya, Ukrainian composer, dies in a car crash at 52
- 2016 Radim Hladík, Czech guitarist (The Blue Effect), dies from lung illness at 69
- 2020 Bassam Saba, Lebanese violinist, oud, and nay player (New York Arabic Orchestra; Silk Road Ensemble), dies of COVID-19 complications at 62 [1]
- 2021 Stonewall Jackson, American country music musician ("Waterloo"; "A Wound Time Can't Erase"), dies from complications of vascular dementia at 89
- 2022 Bob McGrath, American musician, singer (Sing Along With Mitch), and actor (Sesame Street, 1969-2017), dies of complications from a stroke at 90 [1]
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide