- Jan 6 Calvin Simon, American funk and gospel vocalist (Parliament/Funkadelic - "Livin' the Life"), dies at 79
- Jan 8 Marc Wilkinson, Australian-British conductor and film and theater composer ( Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead; The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu), dies at 92
- Jan 8 Marilyn Bergman (née Katz), American Emmy, Grammy, and Academy Award-winning lyricist, with husband Alan ("The Way We Were"; "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?"; "You Don't Bring Me Flowers"), dies of respiratory failure at 93
- Jan 9 James Mtume [Forman], American Grammy Award-winning jazz and R&B percussionist, songwriter, record producer (Miles Davis, 1971-75; "Juicy Fruit"), social activist, and radio personality, dies at 76
- Jan 9 Maria Ewing, American opera mezzo-soprano singer (Metropolitan Opera, 1976-97), dies at 71
- Jan 10 Francis Jackson, British organist, composer (East Acklam; A Time of Fire), and music director (York Minster, 1946-82), dies at 104
- Jan 10 Gerry Granahan, American rockabilly singer-songwriter (Dickey Doo & The Dont's - "Click-Clack"), record producer, and label executive, dies at 89
- Jan 10 Khan Jamal [Warren Cheeseboro], American jazz vibraphonist and marimba player (Sounds of Liberation; Creative Art Ensemble), dies of kidney failure at 75 [1]
- Jan 11 Rosa Lee Hawkins, American pop singer (The Dixie Cups - "Chapel Of Love"; "Iko Iko"), dies from surgery complications at 76
- Jan 12 Everett Lee, American violinist, and theater and classical conductor (Cosmopolitan Little Symphony, 1947-55; Norrkoping Symphony, 1962-72), dies at 105
- Jan 12 Jouko Linjama, Finnish organist and composer (Suomalainen sielunmessu (Finnish Mass for the Dead)), dies at 87
- Jan 12 Ronnie Spector [Veronica Bennett], American pop singer (The Ronettes -"Be My Baby"), dies of cancer at 78 [1]
- Jan 13 Fred Parris, American doo-wop singer and songwriter (The Five Satins - "In The Still Of The Night"), dies at 85
- Jan 13 Sonny Turner, American singer (The Platters, 1959-70 - "With This Ring", The Metrotones), dies of cancer at 82
- Jan 14 Dallas Frazier, American country music songwriter ("Alley Oop"; "Elvira"; "There Goes My Everything"), dies from stroke complications at 82
- Jan 15 Ralph Emery, American country music DJ and television host (Nashville Now), dies at 88
- Jan 18 Dick Halligan, American Grammy Award-winning jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger (Blood, Sweat & Tears, 1967-72 - "Variations On A Theme By Erik Satie"), dies at 78
- Jan 18 Paavo Heininen, Finnish pianist, contemporary classical composer (Tritopos; Veitsi - The Knife), and pedagogue, dies at 84 [1]
- Jan 20 Elza Soares, Brazilian samba and jazz singer, named one of the Singers of the Millennium by BBC Radio, dies at 91
Meat Loaf (1947-2022)
Jan 20 American rock musician and singer-songwriter ("Bat Out of Hell"; Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"), dies at 74 [1]
- Jan 22 Don Wilson, American rock guitarist (The Ventures - "Hawaii 5-0 Theme"; "Walk, Don't Run"), dies at 88 [1]
- Jan 23 Beegie Adair [Bobbe Long], American jazz and Nashville-based session pianist, and educator, dies at 84
- Jan 25 Heinz Werner Zimmermann, German contemporary sacred music composer (Prosalieder; Missa profana), and educator, dies at 91
- Jan 26 Janet Mead, Australian Catholic nun and pop-rock singer (The Lord's Prayer), dies of cancer at 84
- Jan 27 Diego Verdaguer [Miguel Boccadoro], Argentine-Mexican singer-songwriter, bandoneón player, and trumpeter ("Volveré"; "Voy a Conquistarte"), dies of COVID-19 complications at 70
- Jan 29 Sam Lay, American drummer and vocalist (Original Thunderbirds; Howlin' Wolf; Bob Dyan; Paul Butterfield), dies of heart issues at 86
- Jan 30 Hargus “Pig” Robbins, American Nashville session piano player (Patsy Cline; Charlie Rich; Roger Miller; Bob Dylan; Ween), dies at 84 [1]
- Jan 30 Jon Appleton, American electronic and electro-acoustic music composer, educator and co-developer of the Synclavier, dies at 83
- Jan 30 Norma Waterson, British folk music revivalist, and singer-songwriter, dies at 82
- Jan 31 Carleton Carpenter, American magician, stage and screen actor (Two Weeks With Love; Up Periscope), songwriter, and mystery novelist (Cat Got Your Tongue?), dies at 95
- Jan 31 James "Jimmy" Johnson, American gospel and blues singer and guitarist, dies at 93 [1]
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers