1968 in music

• 1968 in British music
• 1968 in Norwegian music

• 1968 in country music
• 1968 in jazz

• January 4 – Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding.
• January 6 – The Gibson Guitar Corporation patents its Gibson Flying V electric guitar design.
• January 13 – Johnny Cash performs his famous concert at Folsom State Prison in California.
• January 20 – The Who and the Small Faces start with a tour of Australia and New Zealand.
• February 1 – Universal Studios offers the Doors $500,000 to star in a feature film, which is never made.
• February 4 – The Bee Gees make their American television debut on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
• February 12 – Jimi Hendrix is given an honorary high school diploma from Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington. Hendrix is also given the key to the city.
• February 16 – The Beatles, Mike Love, Mia Farrow, Donovan and others travel to India to visit Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at Rishikesh.
• February 18 – David Gilmour joins Pink Floyd, replacing founder Syd Barrett, who had checked himself into a psychiatric hospital.
• February 21 – McGraw-Hill, Inc., outbids eight other publishers and pays $150,000 for the U.S. rights to Hunter Davies' authorized biography of the Beatles.
• February 22 – Florence Ballard of the Supremes is released from her contract with Motown.
• February 27 – Doo-wop Singer Frankie Lymon is found dead at his grandmother's house in Harlem, New York, of a heroin overdose
• March 1 – Johnny Cash and June Carter are married in Franklin, Kentucky, with Merle Kilgore as best man.
• March 8 – Bill Graham opens the Fillmore East in an abandoned movie theater in New York City.
• March 25 – The 58th and final new episode of The Monkees airs on NBC.
• March 30 – The Yardbirds record their live album Live Yardbirds at the Anderson Theater.
• April 5 – James Brown appears on national television, in an attempt to calm feelings of anger in the United States following the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.
• April 6
  • Pink Floyd announced that Syd Barrett, who was replaced two months earlier amid deteriorating mental health, had officially left the group.
  • The 13th Eurovision Song Contest is held in the Royal Albert Hall, London. The winning song, Spain's "La, la, la" is sung by Massiel, after Spanish authorities refused to allow Joan Manuel Serrat to perform it in Catalan. The UK finish in second place, just one point behind, with the song "Congratulations" sung by Cliff Richard, which goes on to outsell the winning Spanish entry throughout Europe.
  • The Open Pibroch Competition of the Scottish Piping Society of London is held at the London Scottish headquarters at Buckingham Gate. First place is won by Robert Brown, for the ninth time in ten years, with a performance of The King's Taxes. Second prize goes to Seamus McNeill of the College of Piping, Glasgow, with The Bells of Perth, third prize to Pipe Major Angus MacDonald of the First Battalion, Scots Guards, with Macfarlane's Gathering, and fourth prize to John MacFadyen with The Battle of Auldern. MacFadyen, however, wins narrowly over Brown in the second big competition, that for the Bratach Gorm, the blue banner of the MacCrimmons.[1]
• April 7 – Singer/pianist/songwriter Nina Simone's performance at Westbury Music Fair is dedicated to the late Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. The song "Why? (the king of love is dead)" by Gene Taylor is performed for the first time. The show is partially released on the Emmy nominated album Nuff Said (1968).
• April 29 – The rock musical Hair opens on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre.
• May 4 – Mary Hopkin performs on the British TV show Opportunity Knocks. Hopkin catches the attention of model Twiggy, who recommends her to Paul McCartney. McCartney would soon sign Hopkin to Apple Records.
• May 5 – Buffalo Springfield performs together for the last time in Long Beach, California.
• May 7
  • Aretha Franklin records her live LP Aretha in Paris at the Olympia Theater.
  • Karlheinz Stockhausen begins composing his fifteen intuitive music works, Aus den sieben Tagen.
• May 14 – At a press conference, John Lennon and Paul McCartney introduce the Beatles' new business concept, Apple Corps, Ltd., an entertainment company that included a recording studio, a record label, and clothing store.
• May 26 – Blues artist Little Willie John dies in prison after being convicted of manslaughter.
• May 30 – The Beatles begin recording The White Album (officially titled, simply, The Beatles). Sessions would span over 4 months, ending on October 14.
• June 20
  • David Ruffin is fired from The Temptations due to his ego and because he began inquiring into the Temptations' financial records, demanding an accounting of the group's money.
  • Martha Reeves & the Vandellas make their debut at the Copacabana in New York City, winning a rave review in The New York Times. The engagement was recorded but remains in the Motown vaults.
• July – Release in Brazil of the album Tropicália: ou Panis et Circencis by Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso and others, with arrangements by Rogério Duprat, inaugurates the Tropicália movement in music.
• July 7 – The Yardbirds perform for the last time before disbanding.
• July 9–14 – The International Eisteddfod takes place in Llangollen, North Wales
• July 18 – Mina presents her Italian white soul hits "Se stasera sono qui" and "Colpo al cuore". The performance is transmitted live without playback from the Auditorio A of the Radiotelevisione Italiana regional headquarters in Naples.
• August 1 – Jeff Beck Group releases their album Truth. A seminal work of heavy metal, it incorporates blues and hard rock. It introduced the talents of Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood.
• August 4 – Yes performs for the first time, at a summer camp.
• August 5–10 – The Royal National Eisteddfod takes place in Barry, Wales.
• August 21 – Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. At this evening's performance of The Proms in London, the USSR Symphony Orchestra plays with Mstislav Rostropovich as soloist in Dvořák's Cello Concerto.
• August 23 – Simon & Garfunkel give a live concert at the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, California. A recording is later released on CD in 1994 by Australian company Vigotone Records as Voices of Intelligent Dissent.
• September 7 – Led Zeppelin performs for the first time, billed as The New Yardbirds (the Yardbirds had disbanded two months earlier, and guitarist Jimmy Page has subsequently formed this new group). Also this day, The Banana Splits Adventure Hour premieres on NBC.
• September 14 – Two sons of singer Roy Orbison, 10-year-old Roy DeWayne Orbison and 6-year-old Anthony King Orbison, die in a house fire in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Orbison's youngest son, Wesley, is miraculously saved by Roy's parents.
• September 15
  • Song of Summer, Ken Russell's noted TV documentary about Frederick Delius, is shown for the first time as part of the BBC's Omnibus series.
  • PocketDiscs are released in several test markets in the United States.
• September 19 – The Who begin recording Tommy, a rock opera that tells the story about a deaf, dumb and blind boy, including his experiences with life and the relationship with his family.
• October 7 – Jose Feliciano at Tiger Stadium for 1968 World Series in Detroit sing a personal and controversial soul version of "Star-Spangled Banner", this was the first time for the National Anthem in a different style.[2]
• October 8 – The soundtrack for the 1968 film Romeo and Juliet is released, containing popular "What Is a Youth" tune.
• November 8 – John and Cynthia Lennon are divorced.
• November 11 – Three days after their divorce, John Lennon costars with Yoko Ono in Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins, which ends up being a flop.
• November 17 – Diana Ross & the Supremes replace The Beatles' hugely successful "Hey Jude" at number-one in the U.S. with "Love Child"; this would be the last of five turnovers at number-one between the two most successful music acts in America during the 1960s.
• November 22 – The Beatles (also known as "The White Album") by The Beatles is released. Also released is The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks.
• November 26 – Cream plays their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall. It will be the last time Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, and Ginger Baker play together until their 1993 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• December 2
  • Jimi Hendrix's manager Chas Chandler quits over differences with Hendrix during the recording of Electric Ladyland
  • Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company perform their last concert together before Janis goes solo.
  • Elvis Presley's If I Can Dream airs on NBC and finished as not only the highest rated TV show for the week it was broadcast, but the highest rated Television Special of 1968.
• December 9
  • A political confrontation at the Planten un Blomen Hall in Hamburg results in cancellation of the scheduled premiere of Hans Werner Henze's oratorio Das Floß der Medusa, a score dedicated to Che Guevara.
  • TCB airs on NBC starring Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations, becoming the first variety special in America to feature an exclusively African American cast.
  • Shinjuku Music Festival is broadcast for the first time by Nippon Cultural Broadcasting.
• December 11 – The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus was filmed. Acts included The Rolling Stones, The Who, Taj Mahal, Jethro Tull, The Dirty Mac, and Marianne Faithfull. This is the last appearance of Brian Jones as a member of The Rolling Stones.
• December 20 – Peter Tork announces he is leaving The Monkees.
• December 22 – The Animals reunite for one benefit concert at the Newcastle City Hall while Eric Burdon & The Animals are disbanding.
• December 31 – Small Faces break up when Steve Marriott storms off the stage.

In the US, 6,540 pop singles and 4,057 albums were released.[3]

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1968.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	The Beatles	Hey Jude	1968		UK 1 – September 1968, US BB 1 – September 1968, US CashBox 1 of 1968, Canada 1 – August 1968, Netherlands 1 – September 1968, Switzerland 1 – September 1968, Norway 1 – September 1968, Australia 1 of 1968, Germany 1 – Jan 1969, Éire 1 – September 1968, Australia 1 for 15 weeks February 1969, Australia Goset 1 – October 1968, Europe 1 of the 1960s, RYM 1 of 1968, DDD 2 of 1968, OzNet 2, Virgin 3, Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1968, Rolling Stone 8, WXPN 9, TheQ 20, US BB 23 of 1968, POP 23 of 1968, Italy 30 of 1968, Scrobulate 32 of classic rock, Acclaimed 32, Germany 52 of the 1960s, Belgium 55 of all time, Poland 84 of all time
2	Louis Armstrong	What a Wonderful World	1968		UK 1 – February 1968, US BB 1 of 1988, Australia 1 for 1 weeks Jan 1989, POP 1 of 1988, Netherlands 2 – Mar 1968, Norway 6 – May 1968, Germany 6 – Jun 1968, Switzerland 7 – Jun 1968, Scrobulate 7 of jazz, Australia 8 of 1988, RYM 9 of 1967, South Africa 11 of 1968, Poland 22 – April 1988, Australia Goset 29 – Jun 1968, TOTP 31, Party 31 of 2007, US BB 32 – Mar 1988, WXPN 34, Poland 50 of all time, Europe 58 of the 1960s, OzNet 67, Italy 72 of 1976, RIAA 84, Germany 400 of the 1980s, Acclaimed 502
3	Otis Redding	(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay	1968		US BB 1 – February 1968, US BB 1 of 1968, POP 1 of 1968, Canada 2 – Jan 1968, Norway 2 – April 1968, RYM 2 of 1968, UK 3 – February 1968, France 3 – Jun 1970, US CashBox 4 of 1968, DDD 4 of 1968, Scrobulate 5 of soul, Netherlands 6 – February 1968, Switzerland 7 – April 1968, Acclaimed 7, Australia Goset 12 – April 1968, Germany 15 – May 1968, RIAA 22, Rolling Stone 28, OzNet 29, Europe 41 of the 1960s, 49 in 2FM list, WXPN 89
4	The Rolling Stones	Jumpin' Jack Flash	1968		UK 1 – May 1968, Canada 1 – May 1968, Germany 1 – July 1968, Australia Goset 1 – Jun 1968, Netherlands 2 – Jun 1968, Switzerland 2 – May 1968, US BB 3 – Jun 1968, Norway 3 – Jun 1968, RYM 4 of 1968, DDD 6 of 1968, US BB 16 of 1968, POP 16 of 1968, Acclaimed 25, US CashBox 26 of 1968, Europe 56 of the 1960s, Virgin 73, Italy 84 of 1968, Rolling Stone 124, Germany 151 of the 1960s, WXPN 181, Belgium 189 of all time, OzNet 372
5	The Beatles	Lady Madonna	1968		UK 1 – Mar 1968, Canada 1 – Mar 1968, Switzerland 1 – Mar 1968, Australia 1 for 3 weeks August 1968, Australia Goset 1 – April 1968, Norway 2 – Mar 1968, Germany 2 – April 1968, Netherlands 3 – Mar 1968, US BB 4 – Mar 1968, US BB 11 of 1968, Poland 11 – November 2006, POP 11 of 1968, Australia 16 of 1968, RYM 17 of 1968, US CashBox 27 of 1968, Scrobulate 41 of oldies, Italy 49 of 1968, DDD 51 of 1968, OzNet 76, Germany 219 of the 1960s

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1968 (USA)

• "1,2,3, Red Light" w.m. Sal Trimachi and Bobbi Trimachi
• "1432 Franklin Pike Circle Hero" w.m. Bobby Russell
• "Abraham, Martin and John" w.m. Dick Holler
• "Les Bicyclettes de Belsize" w.m. Les Reed & Barry Mason
• "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film of the same name
• "Classical Gas" m. Mason Williams
• "Congratulations" w.m. Bill Martin and Phil Coulter
• "Dear World" w.m. Jerry Herman from the musical Dear World
• "Eli's Comin'" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "The Fool on the Hill" w.m. John Lennon & Paul McCartney
• "For the Good Times" w.m. Kris Kristofferson
• "Galveston" w.m. Jimmy Webb
• "Heffalumps and Woozles" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
• "Honey Pie" w.m. John Lennon and Paul McCartney
• "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach from the musical Promises, Promises
• "Indian Lake" w.m. Tony Romeo
• "Indian Reservation" w.m. John D. Loudermilk, first recorded by Don Fardon
• "Little Green Apples" w.m. Bobby Russell
• "Mac Arthur Park" w.m. Jimmy Webb
• "Mr. Bojangles" w.m. Jerry Jeff Walker
• "My Way" (French: "Comme d'habitude") w.m. Claude François & Jacques Revaux, Eng.: Paul Anka
• "The Night They Raided Minsky's" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse from the film The Night They Raided Minsky's
• "A Perfect Gentleman" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse Introduced by Jason Robards and Norman Wisdom in the film The Night They Raided Minsky's
• "Promises, Promises" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach from the musical Promises, Promises
• "Save The Country" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "Stand By Your Man" w.m. Billy Sherrill & Tammy Wynette
• "Stoned Soul Picnic" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "Sweet Blindness" w.m. Laura Nyro
• "Take Ten Terrific Girls" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse from the film The Night They Raided Minsky's
• "Ten Feet off the Ground w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
• "This Guy's In Love With You" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach
• "Wichita Lineman" w.m. Jimmy Webb
• "The Windmills of Your Mind" w. Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman m. Michel LeGrand from the film The Thomas Crown Affair
• "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day
• "You Rat, You" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse from the film The Night They Raided Minsky's

• Benjamin Britten – The Prodigal Son (church parable)
• Carlos Chávez – Los visitantes (revision of Panfilo e Lauretta)
• Peter Maxwell Davies – Revelation and Fall
• Gian Carlo Menotti – Help, Help, The Globolinks!
• Ástor Piazzolla – María de Buenos Aires

• Cabaret (Kander and Ebb) – London production
• Canterbury Tales     London production
• Dames at Sea     Off-Broadway production opened at the Bouwerie Lane Theatre on December 20 and transferred to the Theatre de Lys on April 22, 1969, for a total run of 575 performances.
• The Dancing Years (Ivor Novello) – London revival
• Darling of the Day (w. E. Y. Harburg m. Jule Styne) Broadway production opened at the George Abbott Theatre on January 27 and ran for 31 performances. Starred Patricia Routledge and Vincent Price
• George M!     Broadway production
• Golden Boy     London production
• Golden Rainbow     Broadway production
• Hair – Broadway (1,750 performances) and London (1,997 performances) productions
• House of Flowers     off-Broadway revival
• Lady, Be Good!     London revival
• Man of La Mancha     London production
• Promises, Promises     Broadway production (1,281 performances)
• The Happy Time – musical/comedy – 286 performances at the Broadway Theatre featuring Robert Goulet 1968 Tony Award winner for Best Actor in a Musical. Nominee 1968 Tony Award Best Musical.
• Zorba – after the movie (Zorba the Greek, 1964) and book (Nikos Kazantzakis, 1952).1969 Tony Award for Best Musical and numerous other nominations, 1969 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics (to Fred Ebb, the first year of that category) and three other nominations. 305 performances starting 11/16/68 at the Imperial Theatre, NY. (Revival 9/16/83 at the Broadway Theatre, NY, ran 362 performances with 1984 Theatre World Award to actor Robert Westenberg.)

• Aashirwad
• Bhagyamudra
• Les Bicyclettes de Belsize
• Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
• Finian's Rainbow
• Funny Girl
• Head – starring The Monkees and written by Jack Nicholson.
• The Jungle Book – animated feature film
• Monterey Pop
• The Night They Raided Minsky's – released December 22 starring Jason Robards and Britt Ekland
• Oliver!
• The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band
• Star!
• Yellow Submarine – animated feature film

• January 9 – Al Schnier, American rock guitarist
• January 11 – Tom Dumont, American guitarist
• January 14 – LL Cool J, American rapper and actor
• January 19 – Ikuko Kawai, Japanese classic violinist and composer
• January 27
  • Mike Patton (Faith No More)
  • Deb Talan, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Weepies)
  • Tricky, English rapper and songwriter
• January 28
  • Sarah McLachlan, Canadian singer-songwriter
  • DJ Muggs (Cypress Hill)
• February 1 – Lisa Marie Presley, American singer-songwriter (daughter of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley)
• February 4 – Marko Matvere, Estonian actor and singer
• February 5 – Chris Barron (Spin Doctors)
• February 7 – Sully Erna, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (Godsmack and Meliah Rage)
• February 12
  • Gregory Charles, Canadian singer, dancer, pianist, and actor
  • Chynna Phillips of Wilson Phillips, daughter of John & Michelle Phillips of the Mamas & the Papas
• February 19 – Stochelo Rosenberg, jazz guitarist
• February 22 – Brad Nowell (Sublime) (died 1996)
• February 25
  • Evridiki, Cypriot singer
  • Oumou Sangaré, Malian Wassoulou singer
• March 4 – Patsy Kensit, British actress and singer
• March 8 – Shawn Mullins, American singer-songwriter
• March 11 – Lisa Loeb, American singer-songwriter
• March 15
  • Jon Schaffer (Iced Earth)
  • Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray)
  • Kahimi Karie, Japanese singer
• March 23 – Damon Albarn, British singer (Blur, Gorillaz)
• March 26
  • James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins)
  • Kenny Chesney, American country singer
• March 29 – Lucy Lawless, New Zealand born singer and actress
• March 30 – Céline Dion, Canadian singer-songwriter
• April 1 – Julia Boutros, Lebanese singer
• April 3 – Sebastian Bach (Sebastian Philip Bierk), Canadian-born heavy metal singer (Skid Row)
• April 9 – Cutfather, Danish music producer, songwriter, DJ and remixer
• April 12 – Toby Gad, A Los Angele's based, German singer-songwriter/music producer (The Veronicas, Madonna, Leona Lewis, Hilary Duff)
• April 16 – Boudewijn Vincent Bonebakker, Dutch rock guitarist (Gorefest)
• April 28 – Howard Donald, British singer and dancer (Take That)
• April 29 – Carnie Wilson of Wilson Phillips, daughter of Brian Wilson
• May 1 – D'arcy Wretzky (The Smashing Pumpkins)
• May 16 – Ralph Tresvant (New Edition)
• May 28 – Kylie Minogue, Australian singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and philanthropist
• June 1 – Jason Donovan, Australian actor and singer
• June 6 – Alan Licht, American guitarist, composer, and journalist (Run On)
• June 10 – The D.O.C., African-American rapper
• June 12 – Bobby Sheehan (Blues Traveler)
• June 13 – Denise Pearson, British singer (Five Star)
• June 30 – Phil Anselmo (Pantera)
• July 4 – Jack Frost, American guitarist and songwriter (Seven Witches and The Bronx Casket Co.)
• July 5 – Nardwuar the Human Serviette, Canadian singer-songwriter and keyboard player (The Evaporators)
• July 10 – Claudia Pop, Romanian soprano and Opera Stage Director, Ph.Doctor in Music, Senior Lecturer
• July 16 – Olga Souza ("Corona"), Brazilian singer and dancer
• July 19 – Robert Flynn, American musician
• July 22 – Rhys Ifans, actor and former vocalist with Super Furry Animals
• July 24 – Kristin Chenoweth, American actress and singer
• July 30 – Elvis Crespo, Puerto Rican singer
• August 1 – Dan Donegan, American rock musician (Disturbed)
• August 2 – John Stanier, American drummer (Helmet, Tomahawk, The Mark of Cain, and Battles)
• August 10 – Michael Bivins, New Edition, Bell Biv Devoe
• August 11 – Charlie Sexton, American guitarist, singer and songwriter
• August 12 – Paul Tucker, British musician (Lighthouse Family)
• August 25 – Stuart Murdoch, Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist (Belle and Sebastian)
• September 10 – Big Daddy Kane, American rapper
• September 11 – Kay Hanley (Letters To Cleo)
• September 12 – Ler LaLonde (Primus, Possessed)
• September 13 – Mike Davenport (The Ataris)
• September 25
  • Catherine Zeta-Jones, Welsh actress, singer and dancer
  • Will Smith, American rapper, actor, producer, comedian, and singer-songwriter (DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
• October 1
  • Kevin Griffin (Better Than Ezra)
  • Sagol 59, Israeli rapper
• October 5 – Nana, rapper
• October 6 – Dominique A, French singer-songwriter
• October 7 – Thom Yorke, British musician (Radiohead)
• October 8 – CL Smooth, African-American rapper
• October 11 – Jane Krakowski, American actress and singer
• October 12 – Hugh Jackman, Australian actor, dancer and singer
• October 14 – Johnny Goudie, American musician
• October 17 – Ziggy Marley, Jamaican reggae artist
• October 17 – Alejandra Ávalos, Mexican musician and actress
• October 19 – Rodney Carrington, American stand-up comic and country musician
• October 22 – Shaggy, Jamaican-American reggae & dancehall singer
• November 9 – Nazzareno Carusi, Italian pianist
• November 10 – Steve Brookstein, British singer
• November 11 – David L Cook, Christian music singer and comedian
• November 14 – Ken Ford, jazz violinist
• November 15
  • Ol' Dirty Bastard, American rapper (d. 2004)
  • Jennifer Charles, American singer
• November 21 – Alex James, British bassist (Blur)
• November 25 – Tunde Baiyewu, British singer (Lighthouse Family)
• November 28 – Dawn Robinson, American singer (En Vogue)
• November 29
  • Martin Carr (Boo Radleys)
  • Jonathan Knight, American singer (New Kids on the Block)
• December 2
  • Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters)
  • Lucy Liu, American actress, director, film producer, singer and artist
• December 9 – Brian Bell (Weezer)
• December 16 – Lalah Hathaway, American singer and daughter of Donny Hathaway
• December 20 – Billy Mann, American songwriter, record producer, creative executive, music publisher, and founder/CEO (P1Nk, Delta Goodrem, Cher, Robyn)
• December 29 – Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket)

• January 18 – Gribouille, French singer, 26 (alcohol and drug-related)
• February 5 – Luckey Roberts, ragtime composer and pianist, 80
• February 13
  • Ildebrando Pizzetti, composer, 87
  • Portia White, contralto singer, 56
• February 15 – Little Walter, blues singer and harmonica player, 37
• February 27 – Frankie Lymon, American singer, 25 (heroin overdose)
• February 28 – Doretta Morrow, dancer, 40 (cancer)
• March 6 – Iša Krejčí, composer and conductor, 63
• March 10 – Blind Joe Reynolds, singer-songwriter
• March 16 – Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, composer, 72
• April 15 – Borys Lyatoshynsky, composer, 73
• April 25 – Harald Kreutzberg, dancer and choreographer, 65
• May 15 – Florence Austral, operatic soprano, 76
• May 19 – Coleman Hawkins, jazz musician, 64
• May 24 – Bernard Rogers, composer, 75
• May 26 – Little Willie John, blues artist, 30 (heart attack)
• June 2 – André Mathieu, pianist and composer, 39
• June 8 – Bumble Bee Slim, blues musician, 63
• June 14 – Karl-Birger Blomdahl, composer and conductor, 51
• June 15 – Wes Montgomery, jazz guitarist, 45 (heart attack)
• June 26 – Ziggy Elman, US trumpet player, 54
• July 21 – Ruth St. Denis, dancer, 89
• July 27 – Lilian Harvey, actress and singer, 62
• July 28 – Carl Ravazza, US violinist, vocalist and bandleader, 58
• July 30 – Jón Leifs, composer, 69
• August 5 – Luther Perkins, guitarist of The Tennessee Two, 40 (burns and smoke inhalation following a house fire)
• August 15 – Luis Gianneo, Argentine composer, pianist and conductor, 71
• August 18 – Arthur Marshall, ragtime composer, 86
• September 19 – Red Foley, country singer, 58
• October 8 – Frank Skinner, film composer, 70
• October 15 – Franz Reizenstein, pianist and composer, 57
• October 20 – Bud Flanagan, music hall star, 72
• October 30 – Pops Foster, jazz musician, 77
• November 6 – Charles Munch, conductor, 77 (heart attack)
• November 8 – Kokomo Arnold, blues musician, 67
• November 9 – Jan Johansson, jazz pianist, 37 (car crash)
• November 11 – Jeanne Demessieux, organist, pianist and composer, 47 (embolism)
• December 1 – Nicolae Bretan, composer, 81
• December 9 – Percy Greenbank, lyricist, 90
• December 14 – Margarete Klose, operatic mezzo-soprano, 69
• December 19 – Tiberiu Brediceanu, composer, 91
• December 31 – Sabin Drăgoi, composer, 74
• date unknown
  • Juan F. Acosta, composer and music teacher
  • Lucille Dompierre, pianist and arranger
  • Billy Pigg, bagpiper
  • Vincenzo Scaramuzza, pianist