2021 in music explained
This topic covers notable events and articles related to 2021 in music
Specific locations
Specific genres
Albums released
See main article: article and List of 2021 albums.
Bands formed
Soloist debuts
Bands reformed
Bands on hiatus
Bands disbanded
Deaths
January
- 1
- Carlos do Carmo, 81, Portuguese fado singer
- Misty Morgan, 75, American country music singer (Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan)
- Liam Reilly, 65, Irish folk rock singer and keyboardist (Bagatelle)
- Jan Vering, 65, German gospel singer
- 3
- 4 – Alexi Laiho, 41, Finnish death metal singer and guitarist (Children of Bodom) (death announced on this date)
- 5 – John Georgiadis, 81, British classical violinist and conductor
- 6 – Paul de Leon, 52, American metal drummer (Las Cruces)
- 7
- 8
- Ed Bruce, 81, American country music singer-songwriter
- Michael Fonfara, 74, Canadian blues and rock keyboardist (The Electric Flag, Rhinoceros, Downchild Blues Band)
- Uno Loop, 91, Estonian singer and guitarist
- Elijah Moshinsky, 75, Australian opera director
- 10 – Thorleif Torstensson, 71, Swedish dansband singer, guitarist and saxophonist (Thorleifs)
- 11
- 12 – Ron Getman, 72, American country rock guitarist and singer (The Tractors)
- 13
- Tim Bogert, 76, American psychedelic rock bassist (Vanilla Fudge, Cactus, Beck, Bogert & Appice)
- Duke Bootee, 69, American rapper, producer and songwriter
- Sylvain Sylvain, 69, American glam rock guitarist (New York Dolls)
- 14
- 16
- Jason Cope, 43, American country guitarist (The Steel Woods)
- Pave Maijanen, 70, Finnish rock keyboardist (Hurriganes, Dingo)
- Claudia Montero, 58, Argentine classical composer
- Phil Spector, 81, American record producer, pop musician (The Teddy Bears), and songwriter
- 17
- 18
- 20 – Joe Jordan, 79, American pop singer and musician (The Jordan Brothers)
- 21
- Randy Parton, 67, American country music singer-songwriter
- Marc Phillips, 66, American rock singer (Hotel) and record producer
- 22
- Narendra Chanchal, 80, Indian religious singer
- Guem, 73, Algerian jazz singer
- James Purify, 76, American R&B singer (James & Bobby Purify)
- 23
- 24 – Tom Stevens, 64, American alternative country bassist (The Long Ryders)
- 25 – Iron, 29, South Korean rapper
- 26
- 27 – Trung Kiên, 81, Vietnamese classical singer
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31 – Wambali Mkandawire, Malawian jazz singer
February
- 1 – Temur Tsiklauri, 75, Georgian pop singer (VIA Iveria)
- 2 – Aaron Wegelin, American indie rock drummer (Elf Power)
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11 – Joel Pina, 100, Portuguese fado guitarist (Amália Rodrigues)
- 12 – Milford Graves, 79, American jazz drummer (New York Art Quartet)
- 13
- 14
- Erriquez, 60, Italian folk rock singer and guitarist (Bandabardò)
- Ari Gold, 47, American R&B singer
- 15
- Steuart Bedford, 81, British classical conductor and pianist
- Lucien Gourong, 77, French cabaret singer
- Andréa Guiot, 93, French opera singer
- Raymond Lévesque, 92, French chanson singer
- Johnny Pacheco, 85, Dominican salsa multi-instrumentalist (Fania All-Stars) and record producer
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21 – Hélène Martin, 92, French chanson singer
- 22 – Yalchin Rzazadeh, 74, Azerbaijani pop singer
- 23 – Sean Kennedy, 35, Australian metalcore bassist (I Killed The Prom Queen, Deez Nuts)
- 24 – Sardool Sikander, 60, Indian folk singer
- 26 – Bob James, 68, American hard rock singer (Montrose)
- 27 – Danilo Rustici, 72, Italian progressive rock guitarist (Osanna)
- 28
March
- 1 – Ralph Peterson Jr., 58, American jazz drummer (Out of the Blue, The Jazz Messengers)
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6 – Carmel Quinn, 95, Irish-American pop singer
- 7
- 9 – James Levine, 77, American classical conductor and pianist (Metropolitan Opera)
- 8
- Adrian Bărar, 61, Romanian heavy metal guitarist and composer (Cargo)
- James Mac Gaw, French progressive rock guitarist (Magma)
- 11
- 12 – Maximiliano Djerfy, 46, Argentine alternative rock guitarist (Callejeros)
- 14
- Eulalio Cervantes, 52, Mexican rock saxophonist (Maldita Vecindad)
- Reggie Warren, 52, American R&B singer (Troop)
- 15
- 16 – Bill Irvine, 87, American rock and roll pianist (Chuck Alaimo Quartet)
- 17
- 18 – Paul Jackson, 73, American jazz fusion bassist (The Headhunters, Azteca)
- 19
- 20
- 23
- 25 – Tavish Maloney, 24, American emo guitarist (Oso Oso)
- 26 – Brett Bradshaw, 50, American glam metal drummer (Faster Pussycat)
- 28 – Malcolm Cecil, 84, British jazz bassist and synthesizer player (Tonto's Expanding Head Band, Blues Incorporated, The Jazz Couriers)
- 29
- Jerry Burgan, 76, American folk rock guitarist (We Five)
- Hans Kinds, 74, Dutch blues rock guitarist (Cuby + Blizzards)
- 30 – Willie Schofield, 81, American R&B singer-songwriter (The Falcons)
- 31
April
- 1 – Tony Pola, Australian blues-rock drummer (Beasts of Bourbon, Kim Salmon and the Surrealists)
- 2
- Shaukat Ali, 76, Pakistani folk singer
- Morris "B.B." Dickerson, 71, American funk bassist and singer (War)
- Gabi Luncă, 82, Romanian lăutărească singer
- Nelu Ploieşteanu, 70, Romanian lăutărească singer
- 3
- 4 – Paul Humphrey, 60, Canadian new wave singer (Blue Peter)
- 5
- 6 – Predrag Živković Tozovac, 85, Serbian folk singer
- 9 – DMX, 50, American rapper
- 10
- 11
- 13
- 14
- 15 – Barby Kelly, 45, Spanish-born German folk singer (The Kelly Family)
- 16
- 17 – Black Rob, 52, American rapper
- 18
- 19 – Jim Steinman, 73, American rock lyricist, composer, pianist, and record producer
- 20 – Les McKeown, 65, Scottish pop rock singer (Bay City Rollers)
- 21
- 22 – Shock G, 57, American rapper (Digital Underground)
- 23
- Fredi, 78, Finnish novelty pop singer
- Milva, 81, Italian pop singer
- 25
- 27 – Paul Couter, 72, Belgian rock guitarist (TC Matic)
- 28
- 29
- Johnny Crawford, 75, American pop singer
- John Hinch, 73, British heavy metal drummer (Judas Priest, Bakerloo)
- Tony Markellis, 68, American jam band bassist (Trey Anastasio Band)
- Will Mecum, 48, American stoner rock guitarist (Karma to Burn, Year Long Disaster)
- 30
May
- 1
- 2 – Tommy West, 78, American music producer and pop singer-songwriter (Cashman & West)
- 3
- Phil Naro, 63, American hard rock singer (Talas)
- Lloyd Price, 88, American R&B singer-songwriter
- 4
- 6
- 7
- 8 – Curtis Fuller, 86, American jazz trombonist (The Jazz Messengers)
- 10
- 12 – Maran, 48, Indian gaana singer
- 13
- 14 – Ester Mägi, 99, Estonian classical composer
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18 – Franco Battiato, 76, Italian progressive rock and new wave singer-songwriter
- 19
- 20 – Roger Hawkins, 75, American rock and soul drummer (Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section)
- 22 – Glenn Douglas Tubb, 85, American country singer-songwriter
- 23
- 24
- 25 – Søren Holm, 25, Danish indie pop singer (Liss)
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 31 - Lil Loaded, 20, American rapper
June
- 3 – Karla Burns, 66, American opera singer
- 6 – Michele Merlo, 28, Italian pop singer-songwriter
- 7 – David C. Lewis, American soft rock and new age keyboardist (Ambrosia, Shadowfax)
- 8
- 9 – Juan Nelson, 62, American blues rock bassist (Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals)
- 10 – Fran McKendree, 74, American folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (McKendree Spring)
- 11
- 14 – Selçuk Tekay, 68, Turkish classical composer and violinist
- 16 – Novica Zdravković, 73, Serbian folk singer
- 17 – Fane Flaws, 70, New Zealand rock guitarist (The Crocodiles, The Spats, Blerta)
- 18
- 20
- 21
- 22 – Parassala B. Ponnammal, 96, Indian Carnatic singer
- 23
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
July
- 1
- 4
- 5 – Raffaella Carrà, 78, Italian pop singer
- 6 – David King, American alternative rock guitarist (Mary's Danish)
- 9 – Andy Williams, 49, American Christian rock drummer (Casting Crowns)
- 10
- 11
- 13 – Brother Resistance, 67, Trinidadian rhythm poet
- 14
- 15
- 16 – Biz Markie, 57, American rapper
- 17
- 19
- 20 – Jerry Granelli, 80, American-born Canadian jazz drummer
- 21
- Tõnu Aare, 67, Estonian rock singer and multi-instrumentalist (Apelsin)
- Clarence McDonald, 76, American pianist, composer, arranger, and producer
- 22
- 23
- 25 – Count M'Butu, 75-76, American blues-rock percussionist (The Derek Trucks Band) (death announced on this date)
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29 – Gonzoe, 45, American rapper (Kausion)
- 30
- Jacob Desvarieux, 65, Guadeloupean-French zouk singer
- Tom LeGarde, 90, Australian country music singer and guitarist (The LeGarde Twins)
- 31 – Jerzy Matuszkiewicz, 93, Polish jazz saxophonist
August
- 1
- 3
- 4
- Razzy Bailey, 82, American country singer
- Jean "Binta" Breeze, 65, Jamaican dub poet
- Paul Johnson, 50, American house DJ
- Stan Lark, 81, American rock and roll bassist (The Fireballs)
- Anders Pettersson, 69, Swedish dansband keyboardist (Lasse Stefanz)
- 6
- 7 – Dennis Thomas, 70, American funk saxophonist (Kool & The Gang)
- 9
- 11
- 12 – Ronnell Bright, 91, American jazz pianist
- 13
- 14 – R. Murray Schafer, 88, Canadian avant-garde classical composer
- 15 – Jagjit Kaur, 91, Indian playback singer
- 16 – Hormoz Farhat, 93, Iranian-American classical composer
- 17 – Squeak, 26, American hip hop producer (Pivot Gang)
- 20
- 21
- Bill Emerson, 83, American bluegrass banjoist
- Don Everly, 84, American country-rock and roll singer and songwriter (The Everly Brothers)
- 22
- Charles Burles, 85, French opera singer
- Bob Fish, 72, British doo-wop singer (Darts)
- Brian Travers, 62, British pop and reggae saxophonist and songwriter (UB40)
- Eric Wagner, 62, American doom metal singer (Trouble, The Skull)
- 23
- 24
- Pierre Dutot, 75, French classical trumpeter
- Charlie Watts, 80, English rock drummer (The Rolling Stones)
- 25 – Dave Harper, British indie rock drummer (Frankie & The Heartstrings)
- 26 – Kenny Malone, 83, American country drummer
- 27 – Siegfried Matthus, 87, German composer and conductor
- 29
- Ron Bushy, 79, American psychedelic rock drummer (Iron Butterfly)
- John Drake, 74, American rock singer (The Amboy Dukes)
- Lee "Scratch" Perry, 85, Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter and producer
- 30 – Lee Williams, 75, American gospel singer (Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC's)
- 31 – Nobesuthu Mbadu, 76, South African mbaqanga singer (Mahotella Queens)
September
- 1
- 2
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7 – Warren Storm, 84, American swamp pop singer and drummer
- 8
- 9 – Amanda Holden, 73, British classical librettist
- 10
- 11 – María Mendiola, 69, Spanish pop singer (Baccara)
- 12 – Don Maddox, 90, American country singer (Maddox Brothers and Rose)
- 13 – George Wein, 95, American jazz pianist and co-founder of the Newport Jazz Festival and Newport Folk Festival
- 14 – Vicente Zarzo Pitarch, 83, Spanish classical French horn player
- 15
- 16
- 17 – Dottie Dodgion, 91, American jazz drummer
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23 – Sue Thompson, 96, American pop and country singer
- 24 – Pee Wee Ellis, 80, American jazz and soul saxophonist
- 25 – Patricio Manns, 84, Chilean folk singer-songwriter
- 26
- 27
- 28
- Nana Ampadu, 76, Ghanaian highlife singer and guitarist
- Karan Armstrong, 79, American opera soprano
- Pete Fullerton, 75, American folk rock bassist and singer (We Five)
- Phi Nhung, 49, Vietnamese-American Vọng cổ singer
- Barry Ryan, 72, British pop singer
- Lonnie Smith, 79, American jazz organist
- 29
- 30
October
- 1
- 2
- 3 – Anouman Brou Félix, 86, Ivorian attie multi-instrumentalist
- 5 – Pat Fish, 64, British indie pop singer and guitarist (The Jazz Butcher)
- 8
- 9 – Dee Pop, 65, American post-punk drummer (Bush Tetras, The Gun Club)
- 10 – Luis de Pablo, 91, Spanish classical composer
- 11
- 12 – Paddy Moloney, 83, Irish Celtic folk multi-instrumentalist (The Chieftains, Ceoltóirí Chualann)
- 13 – Andrea Haugen, 45, German heavy metal singer
- 14
- 15 – Regi Hargis, 70, American funk guitarist and singer (Brick)
- 16
- 17 – Bruce Gaston, 74, American Thai classical multi-instrumentalist
- 18
- 19 – Leslie Bricusse, 90, British film and theater composer and lyricist
- 21
- Tommy DeBarge, 64, American R&B-funk bassist and singer (Switch)
- Dmitriy Galitsky, 65, Russian pop singer and keyboardist (Sinyaya Ptitsa)
- Bernard Haitink, 92, Dutch classical conductor and violinist
- Sergei Krinitzin, 65, Russian progressive rock drummer (Autograph)
- Robin McNamara, 74, American pop rock singer-songwriter
- Allan Wilmot, 96, Jamaican-born British pop singer (The Southlanders)
- 22
- 24
- 25 – Alfredo Diez Nieto, 103, Cuban classical composer and conductor
- 26 – Rose Lee Maphis, 98, American country singer
- 27
- 28 – Raša Đelmaš, 71, Serbian progressive rock drummer (YU Grupa, Zebra, Pop Mašina)
- 30 – Fan Tsai, 26, Taiwanese indie rock drummer (No Party for Cao Dong)
November
- 1
- 2
- 3 – Georgie Dann, 81, French pop singer
- 4 – Mario Lavista, 78, Mexican film composer
- 5 – Marília Mendonça, 26, Brazilian sertanejo singer-songwriter
- 6
- 7
- 8 – Margo Guryan, 84, American pop singer-songwriter
- 10
- 11
- 13 – Philip Margo, 79, American doo-wop singer (The Tokens)
- 15 – Heber Bartolome, 73, Filipino folk singer
- 16 – Belinda Sykes, 55, British medieval folk singer and multi-instrumentalist (Joglaresa)
- 17
- Keith Allison, 79, American garage rock bassist (Paul Revere & the Raiders)
- Dave Frishberg, 88, American jazz pianist and songwriter
- Theuns Jordaan, 50, South African blues singer-songwriter
- Young Dolph, 36, American rapper
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23 – Tatyana Chudova, 77, Russian classical composer
- 24
- 25 – Betty Jean Robinson, 88, American country music singer-songwriter
- 26 – Stephen Sondheim, 91, American film and theater composer and lyricist
- 28
- 30
December
- 1
- 2 – Abdel Karim al Kabli, 89, Sudanese folk singer and oud player
- 4
- 5
- 6 – János Kóbor, 78, Hungarian progressive rock singer (Omega)
- 7
- 8
- Gil Bridges, 80, American rock saxophonist (Rare Earth)
- Barry Harris, 91, American jazz pianist
- Chandidas Mal, 92, Indian classical singer
- Robbie Shakespeare, 68, Jamaican reggae bassist (Sly and Robbie) and record producer
- Ralph Tavares, 79, American R&B singer (Tavares)
- 9 – David Lasley, 74, American pop and R&B singer
- 10
- 11 – Garth Dennis, 72, Jamaican reggae singer (Black Uhuru, The Wailing Souls)
- 12 – Vicente Fernández, 81, Mexican ranchera singer
- 13
- 14 – Phil Chen, 81, Jamaican rock and reggae bassist (Manzarek–Krieger, Butts Band)
- 15
- 16
- Hub, 62, American hip hop bassist (The Roots)
- Terry Uttley, 70, British rock bassist (Smokie)
- Ian Worang, 47, Canadian indie rock singer and guitarist (Uncut)
- 17
- John Morgan, 80, English Scrumpy and Western drummer (The Wurzels)
- Weerasak Sunthornsri, 71, Thai folk rock guitarist (Caravan)
- Lindsay Tebbutt, Australian pub rock drummer (The Choirboys)
- 18
- 19
- 20 – Paul Mitchell, American R&B singer (The Floaters)
- 21 – Anthony Williams, 90, Trinidadian steelband steel pan player
- 23
- 24
- 25 – Tiffini Hale, 46, American pop singer (The Party)
- 27 – Victor Socaciu, 68, Romanian folk singer and composer
- 29
- 30 – Stephen J. Lawrence, 82, American television composer
- 31
Musical films
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak Announce New Album as Silk Sonic. Pitchfork. February 26, 2021. February 26, 2021. Hussey, Allison.
- Web site: Dogleg Take Hiatus As Singer Releases Statement About Possessive Behavior In Past Relationships . Stereogum . 15 November 2021 . en . 15 November 2021.
