- Dec 4 Bob McGrath, American musician, singer (Sing Along With Mitch), and actor (Sesame Street, 1969-2017), dies of complications from a stroke at 90 [1]
- Dec 5 John Beckwith, Canadian composer, pianist, educator, and musicologist, dies of pneumonia at 95
- Dec 6 Edino Krieger, Brazilian conductor, avant-garde composer (Canticum Naturale), and record producer, dies at 94
- Dec 6 Hamish Kilgour, New Zealand drummer (The Clean - "Tally Ho!"), found dead 10 days after being reported missing at 65
- Dec 6 Jim Stewart, American audio engineer, producer, and record label co-founder (Stax), dies at 92 [1]
- Dec 9 Ruth Madoc, British singer and actress (Hi Di Hi), dies from complications after a fall at 79
- Dec 10 Beryl Grey [Groom], English prima ballerina (Sadler’s Wells/Royal Ballet, 1941-57), artistic director, and dance teacher, dies at 95 [1]
- Dec 11 Angelo Badalamenti, American Grammy Award-winning film composer (Twin Peaks; The Straight Story; Blue Velvet; Mulholland Drive), dies at 85 [1]
- Dec 13 Kim Simmonds, Welsh blues-rock guitarist (Savoy Brown), dies of bladder cancer at 75
- Dec 13 Sol Amarfio, Ghanaian drummer and musician (Osibisa), dies at 84
- Dec 13 tWitch [Stephen Boss], American television personality, dancer, DJ, and producer (The Ellen DeGeneres Show, 2014-22), takes his own life at 40 [1]
- Dec 15 Dino Danelli, American rock drummer (Fotomaker; Young Rascals; Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul), dies at 78
- Dec 15 Shirley Eikhard, Canadian Juno Award-winning country singer-songwriter (Something to Talk About), dies of cancer at 67
- Dec 16 Charlie Gracie [Graci], American rock pioneer, rhythm and blues singer, and guitarist ("Butterfly"; "Fabulous"), dies of complications following COVID-19 at 86
- Dec 16 Rick Anderson, American actor and rock bassist (Tubes - "I'll Talk To You Later"), dies at 75
- Dec 17 Elayne Jones, American classical timpanist and civil rights activist, dies at 94 [1]
- Dec 18 Martin Duffy, British rock keyboardist (Primal Scream), dies of head injuries after a fall at 55
- Dec 18 Terry Hall, British rock-ska-pop singer (Specials; Fun Boy Three; Vegas), dies at 63
- Dec 21 Richard Trythall, American-Italian pianist, contemporary classical and electronic music composer (Continuums; Parts Unknown), and educator, dies at 83
- Dec 22 Thom Bell, American session musician, arranger and Grammy Award-winning "Philadelphia soul" producer (Delfonics; Stylistics; The Spinners), dies at 79
- Dec 22 Walter "Wolfman" Washington, American funk, R&B, and blues guitarist (Johnny Adams; The Roadmasters), dies of tonsil cancer at 79 [1]
- Dec 23 Maxi Jazz [Maxwell Fraser], English DJ, guitarist, rapper, singer-songwriter and hip-hop producer (The Soul Food Café System; Faithless), dies at 65
- Dec 28 Alan Copeland, American Grammy Award-winning arranger, songwriter, and singer (The Modernaires; Your Hit Parade), dies at 96
- Dec 29 Ian Tyson, Canadian folk singer-songwriter (Ian & Sylvia), dies at 89 [1]
- Dec 31 Anita Pointer, American pop and R&B singer (The Pointer Sisters - "He's So Shy"; "I'm So Excited"), dies at 74
- Dec 31 Jeremiah Green, American drummer (Modest Mouse), dies of cancer at 45
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