2013 in music

Last updated December 26, 2025

This topic covers notable events and articles related to 2013 in music.

Specific genres

Albums released

Highest critically reviewed albums (Metacritic)

List of albums which received "universal acclaim" at Metacritic
Number	Artist	Album	Average score	Number of reviews	Reference
1	James Hunter	Minute by Minute	86	8 reviews	^[1]

Awards

Category/Organization	2013 MTV Video Music Awards August 25, 2013	2013 MTV Europe Music Awards November 10, 2013	American Music Awards of 2013 November 24, 2013	2014 Grammy Awards January 26, 2014	2014 Billboard Music Awards May 18, 2014
Best Album	N/A	N/A	N/A	Random Access Memories Daft Punk	The 20/20 Experience Justin Timberlake
Best Song	N/A	"Locked Out of Heaven" Bruno Mars	"Cruise" Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly	"Get Lucky" Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers	"Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
Best Video	"Mirrors" Justin Timberlake	"Wrecking Ball" Miley Cyrus	N/A	"Suit & Tie" Justin Timberlake featuring Jay Z	"Wrecking Ball" Miley Cyrus
Best Artist	N/A	N/A	Taylor Swift	N/A	Justin Timberlake
Best New Artist	Austin Mahone	Macklemore & Ryan Lewis	Ariana Grande	Macklemore & Ryan Lewis	Lorde

Bands formed

See Musical groups established in 2013

Bands reformed

Bands disbanded

See Musical groups disestablished in 2013

Deaths

January

1 – Patti Page (85), American pop and country music singer
4 – Sammy Johns (66), American country music singer-songwriter
11 – John Wilkinson, 67, American guitarist (Elvis Presley's TCB Band) and singer
19 – Steve Knight (77), American musician (Mountain)
21 – Bob Dawdy (70), American rock and roll guitarist (The Velaires)
25 – Cecil Womack (65), American singer (Womack & Womack)
26 – Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner (69), American funk singer and guitarist (Ohio Players)
30 – Patty Andrews (94), American singer (The Andrews Sisters)

February

4 – Reg Presley (71), British singer and songwriter (The Troggs)
6 – Mo-Do (46), Italian musician
11
- Rick Huxley (72), English musician (The Dave Clark Five)
- Kevin Peek (66), Australian musician (Sky)
16
- Stanley Knight (64), American guitarist (Black Oak Arkansas)
- Tony Sheridan (72), English rock and roll singer, early collaborator with The Beatles
18
- Kevin Ayers (68), English psychedelic rock songwriter and musician (Soft Machine)
- Damon Harris (62), American soul and R&B singer (The Temptations)
27 – Van Cliburn (78), American pianist

March

1
- Jewel Akens (79), American R&B singer
- Dorothy Howard (84), Canadian mezzo-soprano, opera director, and voice teacher^[2]
3 – Bobby Rogers (73), American soul singer and songwriter (The Miracles)
6 – Alvin Lee (68), English blues-rock guitarist (Ten Years After)
7
- Kenny Ball (82), English jazz trumpeter
- Peter Banks (65), English rock guitarist (Yes, Flash)
- Claude King (90), American country music singer
16 – Jason Molina (39), American musician, singer and songwriter (Songs: Ohia, Magnolia Electric Co.)

April

3 – Chris Bailey (62), Australian bass guitarist (The Angels)
8 – Annette Funicello (70), American actress ( The Mickey Mouse Club ) and singer
9 – Emilio Pericoli (85), Italian singer
14 – Sir Colin Davis, British conductor, 85
17 – Sita Chan (26), Hong Kong Cantopop singer
21 – Chrissy Amphlett (53), Australian singer (Divinyls)
22
- Richie Havens (72), American folk singer and guitarist
- Nathaniel Romerson (75), American R&B singer (The Ballads)
26 – George Jones (81), American country music singer and songwriter

May

1 – Chris Kelly (34), American rap artist (Kris Kross)
7
- Peter Rauhofer (48), Austrian DJ, remixer and record producer
- Romanthony (45), American DJ, record producer and singer
17 – Alan O'Day (72), American singer-songwriter
18 – Marek Jackowski (66), Polish rock musician (Maanam)
20
- Ray Manzarek (74), American rock musician (The Doors)
- Zach Sobiech (18), American pop singer and viral video performer
21 – Trevor Bolder (62), British musician (David Bowie, Uriah Heep)
24 – Lorene Mann (76), American country music singer and songwriter
25 – Tyrone Brunson (57), American musician

June

1 - Richard Raines (48), American guitarist (Perfect Stranger)
4 – Joey Covington (67), American musician (Jefferson Airplane)
5 – Don Bowman (75), American comedian, country singer and songwriter
14 – Tom Tall (75), American rockabilly singer
15 – Robert Morris "B.J." Jones (70), American rock guitarist (Sweathog)
19 – Slim Whitman (90), American country singer-songwriter
21 – Mary Love (69), American soul and gospel singer
23 – Bobby Bland (83), American blues and soul singer
24
- Sammy Hall, 67, American garage rock singer (The Birdwatchers)
- Puff Johnson (40), American pop singer and songwriter
- Alan Myers (58), American rock drummer (Devo)

July

4 – Bernie Nolan (52), Irish singer (The Nolans) and actress
13 – Cory Monteith (31), Canadian actor ( Glee ) and singer
21 – WanBi Tuấn Anh (26), Vietnamese singer, musician, actor and model
26 – J.J. Cale (74), American guitarist, singer, and songwriter
30 – Nick Nixon (74), American country music singer-songwriter

August

5 – George Duke (67), American jazz fusion keyboardist
8 – Jack Clement (82), American record and film producer, songwriter and singer
10 – Eydie Gormé (84), American singer
13
- Jon Brookes (44), English rock drummer (The Charlatans)
- Tompall Glaser (79), American country music singer
14 – Allen Lanier (67), American rock keyboardist and guitarist (Blue Öyster Cult)

September

9 – Forrest (60), American singer
11 – Jimmy Fontana (78), Italian singer-songwriter
12 – Joan Regan (85), British traditional pop singer
15 – Jackie Lomax (69), English guitarist and singer-songwriter
16 – Mac Curtis (74), American rockabilly singer
17 – Marvin Rainwater (88), American country and rockabilly singer
25 – Billy Mure (97), American guitarist

October

8
- Larry Verne (77), American singer
- Philip Chevron (56), Irish musician (The Pogues)
10
- Jan Kuehnemund (51), American musician (Vixen)
- Cal Smith (81), American country music singer
19 – Noel Harrison (79), British singer and actor
20 – Leon Ashley (77), American country music singer
26 – Al Johnson (65), American soul singer (The Unifics)
27 – Lou Reed (71), American rock musician and songwriter (The Velvet Underground)
30 – Pete Haycock (62), English guitarist (Climax Blues Band)
31 – Bobby Parker (76), American blues-rock guitarist

November

2 – Jack Alexander (77), Scottish folk singer and pianist (The Alexander Brothers)
6 – Clyde Stacy (77), American rockabilly singer and guitarist
11 – Bob Beckham (86), American music publisher and country singer
29
- Dick Dodd (68), American musician (The Bel-Airs, The Standells)
- Oliver Cheatham (65), American R&B singer

December

2 – Junior Murvin (67), Jamaican reggae singer
8 – Hung Sin Nui (88), Cantonese opera singer
16 – Ray Price (87), American country music singer
23 – Yusef Lateef (93), American saxophonist

Musical films

Begin Again

References

↑ "Minute by Minute by James Hunter" – via www.metacritic.com.
↑ "Dorothy Howard". The Canadian Encyclopedia. May 8, 2017.

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[1] "Minute by Minute by James Hunter" – via www.metacritic.com.

[2] "Dorothy Howard". The Canadian Encyclopedia. May 8, 2017.

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