- Jan 1 Misty Morgan, American country keyboardist (duo with Jack Blanchard - "Tennessee Bird Walk"), dies of cancer at 75
- Jan 3 Gerry Marsden, British rock vocalist (Gerry & Pacemakers - "How Do You Do It?"; "Ferry Cross The Mersey"), and TV personality, dies from a blood infection at 78 [1] [2]
- Jan 6 Bobby Few, American jazz pianist and vocalist, dies at 85
- Jan 8 Eva Badura-Skoda, German-Austrian musicologist (Mozart-Interpretation), dies at 91
- Jan 8 [William Edwin] Ed Bruce, American country singer ("Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys"), dies at 81
- Jan 10 Sydney Hodkinson, Canadian-American classical composer and educator (Eastman School, 1973-99), dies at 86
- Jan 13 Duke Bootee (Edward Fletcher), American hip-hop rapper and record producer ("The Message"), dies of congestive heart disease at 69
- Jan 13 Robert Cohan, American-British dancer (Martha Grahame Dance Company, 1946-57, 1962-69), choreographer, and artistic director (London Contemporary Dance Theatre, 1969-89), dies at 95
- Jan 13 Sylvain Sylvain [Mizrahi], Egyptian-American rock guitarist (New York Dolls), dies of cancer at 69
- Jan 13 Tim Bogert, American rock bassist (Vanilla Fudge; Jeff Beck), dies of cancer at 76
Phil Spector (1939-2021)
Jan 16 American record producer (Wall of Sound), and convicted murderer, dies of COVID-19 complications at 81 [1]
- Jan 17 Julian "Junior" Mance, American jazz pianist (Dinah Washington; Dizzy Gillespie), dies of a brain hemorrhage after a fall at 92
- Jan 18 (James Frederick) "Jimmie" Rodgers, American pop singer and guitarist ("Honey Comb" ; “Oh-Oh, I’m Falling In Love Again”), dies of kidney disease at 87 [1]
- Jan 18 Josep Mestres-Quadreny, Spanish composer, dies at 91
- Jan 18 Perry Botkin Jr, American arranger, composer ("Nadia's Theme"), and producer (Incredible Bongo Band), dies at 87
- Jan 22 James Purify, American R&B singer ("I'm Your Puppet"), dies of COVID-19 complications at 76
- Jan 23 Trisha Noble (aka Patsy Ann), Australian pop singer ("Good Looking Boy"), and actress, dies of mesothelioma at 76
- Jan 29 Grady Gaines, American jazz, blues, and R&B tenor saxophonist (Little Richard; Sam Cooke, James Brown, Jackie Wilson), dies at 86
- Jan 29 Hilton Valentine, British rock guitarist (Animals - "House of the Rising Sun"), dies at 77
- Jan 29 Jeremy Lubbock, British Grammy Award-winning pianist, arranger, and music producer (Joni Mitchell; Minnie Riperton; Chicago, Celine Dion), dies at 89
- Jan 29 Peter Klatzow, South African pianist, composer (Inyanga; Still-life with Moonbeams), and educator, dies at 76
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers