- 1703 Matteo Coferati, composer, dies at 64
- 1817 Antonín Volánek, Czech organist and composer, dies at 55
- 1864 Anton Schindler, German violinist and biographer (Beethoven), dies at 68
- 1886 Amilcare Ponchielli, Italian composer (La Gioconda), dies at 51
- 1891 Clement Léo Delibes, French romantic composer (Coppélia, Sylvia, Le roi l'a dit, Lakmé), dies at 54
- 1901 Jules Barbier, French opera librettist (b. 1825)
- 1919 Jaroslav Jeremiáš, Czech pianist and composer, dies at 19
- 1920 Reginald De Koven, American composer, dies at 60
- 1934 Annie Patterson, Irish organist, composer, and musicologist, dies at 65
- 1935 Richard Wetz, German composer (Requiem, Op. 50 in B minor), dies of lung cancer at 59
- 1947 Fate Marable, American jazz pianist, riverboat calliope player, and bandleader, dies of pneumonia at 56
Arturo Toscanini (1867-1957)
Italian cellist and conductor (La Scala, 1898-1908 & 1921-29; Metropolitan Opera, 1908-15; New York Philharmonic, 1926-36; NBC Symphony Orchestra, 1937-41 & 1944-54), dies after a stroke in NYC at 89
- 1961 Janos Viski, Hungarian composer, dies at 54
- 1963 Gilardo Gilardi, Argentine composer, pianist and conductor (La leyenda del urutaú, Réquiem, Misa de Gloria), dies at 73
- 1963 Ike Quebec, American jazz tenor saxophone player, and pianist, dies of lung cancer at 44
- 1969 Vernon Duke [Vladimir Alexandrovich Dukelsky], American composer and songwriter ("Taking a Chance on Love"), dies of lung cancer at 65
- 1972 David Seville [Ross Bagdasarian], American songwriter ("Come On A-My House"), singer (Alvin & The Chipmunks - "Witch Doctor"), and actor (Rear Window), dies at 52
- 1974 Roy Bargy, American pianist and composer (Jimmy Durante Show), dies at 79
- 1975 Thor Johnson, American conductor (Cincinnati Symphony, 1947-58; Nashville Symphony, 1967-75), dies at 61
- 1979 Fred Elizalde, Spanish Filipino composer, dies at 71
- 1982 Harald Søltoft Agersnap, Danish cellist, pianist, conductor, and composer (Royal Danish Theatre, 1931-66), dies at 82
- 1987 Robert De Kers [Keersmaeker], Belgian jazz trumpeter and bandleaders, dies at 80
- 1991 Cladys "Jabbo" Smith, American jazz trumpet pioneer, dies at 82
- 1995 William Dillard, American jazz trumpeter and Broadway singer dies from complications of Lupus, at 83 [1]
- 1996 Marcia Davenport, American author and music critic (b. 1903)
- 1996 Richard Kermode, American rocker (Kozmic Blues Band), dies at 49
- 1997 Charlie Alfred Galbraith, English jazz trombonist, dies at 76
- 1998 David "Junior" Kimbrough, American blues musician, dies at 67
- 2000 Gene Harris [Haire], American soul-jazz pianist (The Three Sounds), dies of kidney failure at 66
- 2000 Will "Dub" Jones, American bass singer (The Coasters - "Charlie Brown"), dies at 71
- 2001 Virginia O'Brien, American actress and singer (Meet the People, Gus, Ziegfeld Follies), dies of a heart attack at 81
- 2002 Eddie Meduza, Swedish composer (b. 1948)
- 2003 Henryk Czyz, Polish composer and musician, dies at 79
- 2004 John Siomos, American rock drummer, dies at 56
- 2007 Thornton James "Pookie" Hudson, American vocalist (The Spaniels- "Goodnite Sweetheart Goodnite"), dies of cancer at 72
- 2012 Gustav Leonhardt, Dutch harpsichordist, organist and conductor, dies at 87
- 2012 Jimmy Castor, American pop and funk musician (Troglodyte (Cave Man), Jimmy Castor Bunch), died of heart failure at 71
- 2016 Gary Loizzo, American rock guitarist and singer (American Breed - "Bend Me, Shape Me"), dies of pancreatic cancer at 70
- 2017 Cuthbert Johnson, English musician and Benedictine abbot, dies at 70
- 2018 Dave Holland, English heavy metal rocker (Judas Priest - "Breakin' the Law"), dies at 69
- 2019 Rita Vidaurri, American Ranchera singer, dies at 94
- 2020 Barry Tuckwell, Australian horn player (London Symphony, 1955-68), dies at 88
Phil Spector (1939-2021)
American record producer (Wall of Sound), and convicted murderer, dies of COVID-19 complications at 81 [1]
- 2024 Laurence "Laurie" Johnson, British film and television score composer (Dr. Strangelove; The Avengers), dies at 96 [1]
- 2024 Peter Schickele (aka P.D.Q. Bach), American bassoonist, Grammy Award-winning composer, classical music parodist (No-No Nonette; Concerto for Horn & Hardart; Silent Running), and broadcaster, dies at 88 [1]
Assassination
Drug Overdose
Gunshot Wound
Murder
Plane Crash
Suicide