This topic covers notable events and articles related to 2018 in music.
Awards
| Billboard Music Awards |
| Artist of the Year: Ed Sheeran, New Artist of the Year: Khalid, Top Hot 100 Song: Despacito by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber, Top Billboard 200 Album: DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar |
| 2018 MTV Video Music Awards |
| Video of the Year: Havana by Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug, Artist of the Year: Camila Cabello, New Artist: Cardi B |
| 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards |
| Video of the Year: TBA, Artist of the Year: TBA, New Artist: TBA |
| 60th Annual Grammy Awards |
| Record of the Year: 24K Magic by Bruno Mars, Song of the Year: That's What I Like by Bruno Mars, Album of the Year: 24K Magic by Bruno Mars, Best New Artist: Alessia Cara |
Deaths
January
- 1
- 2 – Rick Hall (85), American record producer
- 3 – Josiah Boyd (32), American heavy metal bassist (A Hill to Die Upon)
- 4 – Ray Thomas (76), British progressive rock flautist (The Moody Blues)
- 5 – Mikio Fujioka (36), Japanese heavy metal guitarist (Babymetal)
- 7
- 9
- 10 – "Fast" Eddie Clarke (67), British heavy metal guitarist (Motörhead, Fastway)
- 13 – Tzimis Panousis (63), Greek comedy singer
- 15
- 16
- 18 – Steve Nisbett (63), Nevisian-born British reggae drummer (Steel Pulse)
- 19 – Fredo Santana (27), American rapper
- 20
- 22 – Preston Shannon (70), American blues singer and guitarist
- 23
- 24 – Mark E. Smith (60), British post-punk singer-songwriter (The Fall)
- 25
- 26
- 27 – Grant Fell (56), New Zealand industrial rock bassist (Headless Chickens)
- 28 – Neil Harris (63), British punk guitarist (Sham 69)
- 28
- 31
February
- 1 – Mowzey Radio (33), Ugandan pop singer (Goodlyfe Crew)
- 2 – Dennis Edwards (74), American R&B singer (The Temptations)
- 3 – Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (65), American jazz and rock drummer
- 5 – Zeno Roth (51), German rock guitarist
- 6 – John Perry Barlow (70), American rock songwriter (Grateful Dead)
- 7 – Pat Torpey (64), American hard rock drummer (Mr. Big)
- 8
- 9
- 11
- 12 – Daryle Singletary (46), American country singer
- 13
- 14 – Nuray Hafiftaş (53), Turkish folk singer
- 16 – Barbara Alston (74), American R&B singer (The Crystals)
- 19
- 22 – Errol Buddle (89), Australian jazz bassoonist and saxophonist
- 23 – Eddy Amoo (73), British soul singer (The Real Thing)
March
- 1 – Bill Burkette (75), American pop singer (The Vogues)
- 2
- 3
- 7 – Jerzy Milian (82), Polish jazz vibraphonist
- 9 – Pyarelal Wadali (75), Indian Sufi folk singer (Wadali Brothers)
- 11 – Ken Dodd (90), British comedian and pop singer
- 12
- 13
- 16
- 18 – Killjoy (48), American death metal singer (Necrophagia, Viking Crown)
- 20 – Peter "Mars" Cowling (72), British blues rock bassist (Pat Travers Band, The Flying Hat Band, Gnidrolog)
- 24 – Lys Assia (94), Swiss pop singer
- 25 – Seo Min-woo (33), South Korean pop singer (100%)
- 26 – Kenny O'Dell (73), American country singer-songwriter
- 28 – Caleb Scofield (39), American alternative rock and sludge metal bassist and singer (Cave In, Zozobra, Old Man Gloom)
- 30
- 31 – Frode Viken (63), Norwegian rock guitarist (D.D.E.)
April
- 1 – Audrey Morris (89), American jazz singer
- 3 – Lill-Babs (80), Swedish pop singer
- 5 – Cecil Taylor (89), American jazz pianist
- 6 – Jacques Higelin (77), French chanson singer
- 8 – Nathan Davis (81), American jazz multi-instrumentalist
- 10 – Yvonne Staples (80), American soul singer (The Staple Singers)
- 11 – Timmy Matley (36), Irish pop singer (The Overtones)
- 14 – Milan Škampa (89), Czech classical violist (Smetana Quartet)
- 16 – Dona Ivone Lara (97), Brazilian samba singer
- 17
- 19 – Reginald McArthur (63), American R&B singer (The Controllers)
- 20
- 23 – Bob Dorough (94), American jazz singer and pianist
- 24 – Paul Gray (54), Australian new wave singer, songwriter and keyboardist (Wa Wa Nee)
- 26 – Charles Neville (79), American R&B saxophonist (The Neville Brothers)
- 29 – Ted Devoux (55), American rapper (Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.)
- 30
May
- 1
- 2 – Tony Cucchiara (80), Italian folk singer
- 4
- 5 – Dick Williams (91), American pop singer (The Williams Brothers)
- 7 – Gayle Shepherd (81), American pop singer (Shepherd Sisters)
- 9
- Ben Graves (46), American horror punk drummer (Murderdolls)
- Carl Perkins (59), New Zealand reggae singer (House of Shem)
- 10 – Scott Hutchison (36), British indie singer, songwriter and guitarist (Frightened Rabbit, The Fruit Tree Foundation, Mastersystem)
- 11 – Matt Marks (38), American contemporary classical multi-instrumentalist (Alarm Will Sound)
- 13 – Glenn Branca (69), American avant-garde composer and guitarist (Theoretical Girls)
- 16 – Hideki Saijo (63), Japanese pop singer
- 17 – Jon Sholle (70), American jazz, roots music and blues multi-instrumentalist
- 19
- 25 – Piet Kee (90), Dutch classical organist
- 27 – Andy MacQueen, Australian punk guitarist (Exploding White Mice)
- 28
- 29 – Jürgen Marcus (69), German schlager singer
- 31 – Demba Nabé (46), German dancehall rapper (Seeed)
June
- 1
- 3 – Clarence Fountain (88), American gospel singer (The Blind Boys of Alabama)
- 4 – Jalal Mansur Nuriddin, American spoken word poet (The Last Poets)
- 5
- 8 – Danny Kirwan (68), British rock and blues guitarist (Fleetwood Mac)
- 9 – John McElrath, 77, American rock singer and keyboardist (The Swingin' Medallions)
- 10
- 11 – Wayne Dockery (76), American jazz bassist
- 12 – Jon Hiseman (73), British jazz fusion and blues drummer (Colosseum, Colosseum II, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers)
- 13 – D. J. Fontana (87), American rock and roll drummer (The Blue Moon Boys)
- 15
- 16 – Rebecca Parris (66), American jazz singer
- 18
- 19
- 22
- 24 – George Cameron (70), American baroque pop drummer (The Left Banke)
- 26
- 27 – Steve Soto (54), American punk rock bassist (Adolescents, Agent Orange, Manic Hispanic)
- 29 – Eugene Pitt (80), American doo wop singer (The Jive Five)
- 30 – Dean Webb (81), American bluegrass mandolinist (The Dillards)
July
- 2
- 3 – Richard Swift (41), American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (The Shins, The Arcs, Starflyer 59)
- 4 – Carmen Campagne (58), Canadian folk singer
- 6
- 7
- 8 – Tab Hunter (86), American actor and pop singer
- 9 – Stefan Demert (78), Swedish pop singer
- 10 – Ye Lwin (70), Burmese rock guitarist
- 13 – K. Rani (75), Indian playback singer
- 15 – Theryl DeClouet (66), American jazz-funk and R&B singer (Galactic)
- 18 – Raivo Rätte (48), Estonian alternative rock bassist (Kosmikud)
- 27 – Mark Shelton (60), American heavy metal guitarist (Manilla Road)
- 28 – Olga Jackowska (67), Polish rock singer (Maanam)
- 29
- Sam Mehran (31), British dance-punk singer and guitarist (Test Icicles)
- Tomasz Stańko (76), Polish jazz trumpeter and composer
- 31 – Irvin Jarrett (69), Jamaican reggae percussionist (Inner Circle, Third World)
August
- 1
- 2 – Neil Argo (71), American film and television composer
- 3 – Tommy Peoples (70), Irish folk fiddler (The Bothy Band)
- 4 – Lorrie Collins (76), American rockabilly singer and guitarist (The Collins Kids)
- 5
- 8 – Linda Mkhize (37), South African rapper
- 9 – Arthur Davies (77), Welsh opera singer
- 14
- 16 – Aretha Franklin (76), American R&B and soul singer
- 17
- 20 – Eddie Willis (82), American soul and R&B guitarist (The Funk Brothers)
- 21 – Spencer P. Jones (61), Australian punk singer and guitarist (The Johnnys, Beasts of Bourbon)
- 22
- 24 – DJ Ready Red (53), American hip hop DJ (Geto Boys)
- 25 – Kyle Pavone (28), American metalcore singer (We Came as Romans)
- 26 – Inge Borkh (97), German opera singer
- 29 – Ellie Mannette (90), Trinidadian steelpan drummer
- 30 – Joseph Kobzon (80), Russian pop singer
September
- 1 – Randy Weston (92), American jazz pianist
- 2 – Conway Savage (58), Australian alternative rock keyboardist (Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds)
- 5 – Nasty Savage (50), American thrash metal bassist (Nasty Savage)
- 7 – Mac Miller (26), American rapper
- 8 – Chelsi Smith (43), American pop singer
- 10 – Johnny Strike (70), American punk singer and guitarist (Crime)
- 12 – Rachid Taha (59), Algerian rock singer (Carte de Séjour)
- 14 – Max Bennett (90), American jazz and pop bassist (L.A. Express, The Wrecking Crew)
- 16
- 18 – Wesley Tinglin (75), Jamaican reggae singer (The Viceroys)
- 22 – Chas Hodges (74), British folk singer and keyboardist (Chas & Dave)
- 27 – Marty Balin (76), American psychedelic rock singer and guitarist (Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship)
- 29
- Otis Rush (84), American blues singer and guitarist
- Michael Weiley (58), Australian ska guitarist (Spy vs. Spy)
- 30 – Kim Larsen (72), Danish rock singer and guitarist (Gasolin')
October
- 1
- 3 – John Von Ohlen (77), American jazz drummer (Blue Wisp Big Band)
- 4 – Hamiet Bluiett (78), American jazz saxophonist (World Saxophone Quartet)
- 5 – Bernadette Carroll (74), American pop singer (The Angels)
- 6 – Montserrat Caballé (85), Spanish opera singer
- 7 - John Wicks, British power pop singer and guitarist (The Records, The Kursaal Flyers)
- 8 – Tim Chandler, (48), American Christian alternative rock bassist (Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies, The Choir)
- 10 – Jane Walker, New Zealand new wave keyboardist (Toy Love)
- 12 – Andy Goessling, American progressive bluegrass multi-instrumentalist (Railroad Earth)
