2016 in American music

See also: Timeline of musical events

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

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The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2016 in music in the United States.

Notable events

January

• 8 — David Bowie released his final album, Blackstar , just two days before his death. It was his first album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.
• 11 — Ciara performed the National Anthem at the second College Football Playoff Championship.
• 15 — Panic! at the Disco released their fifth studio album, Death of a Bachelor . It is their first album to be entirely written and recorded by Brendon Urie, the last remaining member of the band. It is also their first album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200.
• 28 — Rihanna released her eighth studio album Anti ; two days following its release the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) after receiving 1 million free downloads in 15 hours due to a deal with Samsung, becoming the fastest certified platinum album in history. ^{[1] [2]}

February

• 7 — During Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara, California, Lady Gaga performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" and British band Coldplay performed at halftime with artists Beyoncé, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson.
• 14 — Kanye West, released his 7th Studio album The Life Of Pablo, he also unveiled Yeezy Season 3 in a magnificent listening experience at Madison Square Garden
• 15 – The 58th Annual Grammy Awards, hosted by LL Cool J, took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Kendrick Lamar won the most awards of the night with five. Taylor Swift won Album of the Year for the second time with 1989 , becoming the first woman to do so; her previous win was for Fearless in 2010.
• 26 – Anthrax released their first studio album in five years, For All Kings .

March

• 4 — Ninja Sex Party released their first cover album, and album with Tupper Ware Remix Party as their backing band.
• 5 – Rihanna's single "Work" became the first dancehall song to top the Billboard Hot 100 since Sean Paul's "Temperature" in 2006. It is also her 14th number-one hit, surpassing Michael Jackson, for having the third-most number-one songs of the Hot 100, behind Mariah Carey and The Beatles.
• 11 — 3 Doors Down released their first studio album in five years, Us and the Night .
• 18 — Gwen Stefani released her first solo studio album in ten years, This Is What the Truth Feels Like . The album became her first number one on the Billboard 200.
• 19 — I, the Breather played their last concert in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
  • At the Drive-In's guitarist and co-founder, Jim Ward, leaves the band shortly before their 2016 reunion tour. ^[3]
• 25 — Zayn Malik, released his first solo studio album, Mind of Mine , and becomes the British male artist to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
• 30 – R&B singer-songwriter Brandy filed a lawsuit against her label, Chameleon Entertainment Group, for allegedly blocking her from recording and releasing new music.

April

• 1 — Cheap Trick released their first album in seven years, Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello .
  • Guns N' Roses performed a concert at the Troubadour, marking the first time Axl Rose performed with classic era band members Slash and Duff McKagan in twenty-three years.
• 3 – The 51st Annual ACM Awards took place in Las Vegas. Chris Stapleton was the big winner of the night and Jason Aldean won the biggest award of the night, Entertainer of the Year. Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley were hosts.
  • The 3rd iHeartRadio Music Awards took place in Inglewood, California. Taylor Swift was the big winner of the night.
• 7 — Trent Harmon won the fifteenth season of American Idol . This was the show's last season, but was picked up by ABC the following year. La'Porsha Renae is runner-up. All fourteen previous winners, and several Idol alumni took part of the two-hour finale.
• 21 – Seven time Grammy Award winner Prince dies at his recording studio in Minnesota at the age of 57. ^[4]
• 23 — Beyoncé premiered her sixth studio album Lemonade on HBO with an hour-long film. The album was released on Tidal, where it remained exclusively available to stream for 24 hours, until it was uploaded to all formats, including iTunes. Upon the album debuting at number-one on the Billboard 200 chart, Beyoncé became the first act in Billboard history to have their first six albums debut at number one.
• 29 — Drake releases his first studio album in three years, Views . The album spends longest time atop the Billboard 200 for a rapper, since To the Extreme by Vanilla Ice in 1990, spending 12 weeks at number-one.

May

• 13 — Chance the Rapper, released his streaming-only album, Coloring Book , and becomes the first album to chart on the Billboard 200, without selling any copies.
• 20 — Saosin released Along the Shadow , their first studio album since 2009, and also their first full-length album with original lead vocalist Anthony Green (who originally left the band before they released their 2006 debut). It is also their first album without lead guitarist Justin Shekoski.
• 22 – The 2016 Billboard Music Awards took place in Las Vegas. Britney Spears won the Millennium Award, Céline Dion won the Icon Award and Rihanna won Chart Achievement Award.
• 24 — Alisan Porter won the tenth season of The Voice . Adam Wakefield was named runner-up. Hannah Huston and Laith Al-Saadi finishing third and fourth place respectively. Christina Aguilera becomes the first female winning coach in The Voice history.
• 27 — Thrice released their first studio album in five years after returning from hiatus.

June

• 1 – The Dixie Chicks played their first headlining U.S. tour in ten years on the DCX MMXVI World Tour.
• 10 – Former The Voice contestant Christina Grimmie, age 22, was shot following a concert in Orlando, Florida; she died from her injuries.
• 17 - Red Hot Chili Peppers released their first studio album in five years, The Getaway .

July

• 1 — Blink-182 released California , their first album to feature Alkaline Trio frontman Matt Skiba as a full-time member, and also their first album without founding member Tom DeLonge. It was also their first studio album in five years.
• 15 — Good Charlotte released their first studio album in six years, Youth Authority.
• 22 — Tonic released their first studio album in six years, Lemon Parade Revisited .
• 29 – The Descendents released Hypercaffium Spazzinate , their first studio album in 12 years.

August

• 6 — Sia became the first female artist over 40 years old to have a number one song, with "Cheap Thrills", since Madonna in 2000.
• 20 — Frank Ocean released his first studio album in four years, Blonde.
• 26 — Britney Spears released her first album in three years, Glory .
  • Céline Dion released her first French-language studio album in four years, Encore Un Soir and became one of the biggest-selling records of the year. The album was also a tribute to her husband, who passed away 7 months earlier.
  • Fear Factory perform live at Reload Festival in Sulingen, Germany. The performance marks the band's last live appearance for seven years and their final performance with original vocalist Burton C. Bell before his departure four years later.
• 28 – The 2016 MTV Video Music Awards took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Beyoncé won eight awards, becoming the most-awarded act in the show's history, surpassing Madonna. Rihanna received the Michael Jackson Vanguard Award. Britney Spears makes her first performance in the show in nine years.
• 29 – With "Ride" charting at number-five and "Heathens" at four in the same week, the musical duo Twenty One Pilots became the third rock act with simultaneous top five Hot 100 singles in the chart's 58-year history, following only the Beatles and Elvis Presley, as well as the first act in 47 years. ^{[5] [6]}

September

• 30 — Solange releases her first studio album in eight years, A Seat at the Table .

October

• 7 — Green Day released the first studio album in four years, Revolution Radio
• 14 — JoJo released her first studio album in ten years, Mad Love .
• 21 — Lady Gaga released her fourth studio album, Joanne , which debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, making her the first woman of the 2010s to have four number one albums ^[7]
• 28 — Dope released their first studio album in seven years, Blood Money Part 1 .

November

• 2 – The 50th Annual CMA Awards took place live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood returned to host for the ninth straight year.
• 4 — Alicia Keys released her first studio album in four years, HERE .
• 11 — A Tribe Called Quest released We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service , their first studio album since 1998 and also their final studio album.
• 18 — Metallica released their first studio album in eight years, Hardwired... to Self-Destruct .
• 20 – The American Music Awards took place live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Ariana Grande won Artist of the Year.

December

• 12 — Live announced the return of original lead vocalist Ed Kowalczyk, who had left the band in 2009.
• 13 — Sundance Head won the eleventh season of The Voice. Billy Gillman was named runner-up. Wé McDonald and Josh Gallagher finishing third and fourth place respectively.
• 18 — Fifth Harmony announced that Camila Cabello had left the group. ^[8]

Bands formed

• Cruel Youth
• lovelytheband
• The Magpie Salute
• Nightly
• Prophets of Rage
• Vimic
• Why Don't We
• PrettyMuch
• Blackpink

Bands reformed

• At the Drive-In
• Abandon All Ships
• The Anniversary
• Bash & Pop
• Belly
• Blake Babies
• Boss Hog
• The Damned Things
• A Different Breed of Killer
• Eric B. & Rakim
• Galactic Cowboys
• Game Theory
• G.R.L.
• Guided by Voices ^[9]
• Hopesfall
• Le Tigre
• Letters to Cleo
• Misfits (featuring Glenn Danzig) ^[10]
• Nasty Savage
• The Number Twelve Looks Like You
• Piebald
• P.S. Eliot
• Rainbow
• The Revolution
• The Righteous Brothers
• Squirrel Nut Zippers
• Stabbing Westward
• Stir
• A Thorn for Every Heart
• Temple of the Dog
• Thursday
• Tickle Me Pink
• The Union Underground

Bands on hiatus

• Coal Chamber
• Flyleaf
• Man Overboard
• Middle Class Rut
• On An On
• We Are the in Crowd
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Bands disbanded

• 3rdeyegirl
• Agalloch
• Aiden
• Augustines
• Bane
• Blood on the Dance Floor
• Chiodos
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young ^[11]
• Dinner and a Suit
• Dream
• Eagles
• Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)
• Fearless Vampire Killers
• Finch
• For Today
• Funeral for a Friend
• Gnashing of Teeth
• Gossip
• I, the Breather
• Joey + Rory
• Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
• A Lighter Shade of Brown
• Lionheart
• Matchbook Romance
• Maybeshewill
• Mischief Brew
• Motion City Soundtrack
• Mudvayne
• P.M. Dawn
• Thee Satisfaction
• School of Seven Bells
• Sockweb
• Sorry About Dresden
• The Stooges
• Suicide
• Trailer Choir
• Transit
• Twisted Sister
• You, Me, and Everyone We Know

Albums released in 2016

January

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
1	In My Feelings (Goin’ Thru It) [12]	Boosie Badazz	Hip hop
	Wildfire	Rachel Platten	Pop
8	A War Against You	Ignite	Melodic hardcore
15	Malibu	Anderson. Paak	Hip hop R&B soul
	The Casket Factory [13]	Blaze Ya Dead Homie	Gangsta rap horrorcore
	Pawn Shop	Brothers Osborne	Country
	Cuzznz [14]	Daz and Snoop	West Coast hip hop G-funk
	Church Clothes 3 [15]	Lecrae	Christian hip hop conscious hip hop
	Death of a Bachelor [16]	Panic! at the Disco	Hip hop pop rock
	Nothing Shines Like Neon [17]	Randy Rogers Band	Country
	It's About Time	Hank Williams, Jr.	Country rock Southern rock
21	Jesu/Sun Kil Moon	Jesu and Sun Kil Moon	Post-metal indie folk electronic music ambient music spoken word
22	The Boop-A-Doo	Cherry Poppin' Daddies [18]	Jazz swing
	Debutante [19] [20]	Cait Brennan	Indie rock
	Moth [21] [22]	Chairlift	Indie pop
	New View [23]	Eleanor Friedberger
	Perfect [24]	Half Japanese	Art punk indie rock
	We Come Apart [25]	Sonya Kitchell
	Dystopia [26]	Megadeth	Thrash metal
	99¢ [27]	Santigold	Art pop alternative dance new wave
	Emotional Mugger [28] [29]	Ty Segall	Garage rock hard rock glam rock
	Jet Plane and Oxbow [30]	Shearwater	Indie rock Sub Pop
	Sex Love & Pain II [31]	Tank	R&B soul
	The Catastrophist [32]	Tortoise	Post-rock
	Something About April II [33]	Adrian Younge	Soul R&B
29	Pillars of Ash [34] [35]	Black Tusk
	Bridges [36]	Cavo	Hard rock
	The Astonishing [37]	Dream Theater	Progressive metal progressive rock
	Islah [38]	Kevin Gates	Hip hop
	American Appetite [39]	Harriet
	Paper Plane	Anya Marina	Indie rock
	Who Sold My Generation [40]	Night Beats	Rock
	X (No Absolutes) [41]	Prong
	Nine Track Mind	Charlie Puth	Pop
	Anti	Rihanna	R&B
	New City Blues	Aubrie Sellers	Country country pop
	Let Me Get By [42]	Tedeschi Trucks Band	Blues Rock R&B Soul
	MartyrLoserKing	Saul Williams	Alternative hip hop
	10 Ways to Steal Home Plate [43]	Wolfgang Gartner	Electro house

February

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
5	Songs for the Late Night Drive Home [44]	Anchor & Braille	Alternative rock electronic rock shoegazing post-punk revival
	Is the Is Are [45]	DIIV	Indie rock shoegazing krautrock
	Hellelujah	Drowning Pool	Heavy metal alternative metal
	Evol	Future	Hip hop, trap
	The Driver	Charles Kelley	Country
	I Don't Think It Is	Say Anything	Emo pop punk
	Porta Bohemica [46]	Trixie Whitley
	The Ghosts of Highway 20 [47]	Lucinda Williams	Country
	Khalifa	Wiz Khalifa	Hip hop
12	It's Not Over...The Hits So Far	Daughtry	Alternative rock hard rock pop rock post-grunge
	Oil & Water	Lee DeWyze	Folk rock pop
	Down to My Last Bad Habit [48]	Vince Gill	Country
	Synitha	The Jezabels	Indie Rock
	Letting Go...Slow	Lorrie Morgan	Country
	Wynonna & the Big Noise [48]	Wynonna Judd	Country
	SVIIB [49]	School of Seven Bells	Indie rock dream pop
	Family Dinner - Volume 2	Snarky Puppy	Jazz fusion
	Life Screams [50]	Lacey Sturm	Hard rock Christian rock
14	Hymns That Are Important to Us [48]	Joey + Rory	Christian country
	The Life of Pablo	Kanye West	Hip hop
19	Painting With	Animal Collective	Experimental pop psychedelic pop
	Need Your Light [51]	Ra Ra Riot	Indie rock
21	Side A	Christina Grimmie	Pop teen pop
26	For All Kings	Anthrax [52]	Heavy metal thrash metal
	Anvil is Anvil	Anvil	Heavy metal thrash metal
	This Unruly Mess I've Made	Macklemore & Ryan Lewis	Hip hop
	Dig in Deep	Bonnie Raitt	Blues Americana rock
	Zoetic	The Rocket Summer	Alternative rock pop rock indie rock
	Drinking from a Salt Pond	Run River North	Alternative rock indie rock
	Turning Point	Chuck Wicks	Country

March

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
4	ColleGrove	2 Chainz	Hip hop
	Piece by Piece Remixed	Kelly Clarkson	Pop remixes
	Protection	Face to Face	Punk rock
	Folk Hop 'N Roll	Judah & the Lion	Americana alternative
	55	The Knocks	Electronic EDM
	Untitled Unmastered.	Kendrick Lamar	Hip hop jazz rap funk
	Full Circle [48]	Loretta Lynn	Country
	You Know Who You Are	Nada Surf	Alternative rock
	United Crushers	Polica	Synth pop
	Remington	Granger Smith	Country
	Limitless	Tonight Alive	Pop punk
	We Can Do Anything	Violent Femmes	Rock alternative rock
	More Rain	M. Ward	Indie folk indie rock
	This Means War	ZZ Ward	Blues rock
	Under the Covers	Ninja Sex Party	Rock, new wave, progressive rock, glam rock
8	Phone Power	They Might Be Giants	Alternative rock
11	Us and the Night	3 Doors Down	Alternative rock post-grunge hard rock alternative metal
	After Party	Adore Delano	Dance Pop
	All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend	AURORA	Synthpop folktroinica
	Painkillers	Brian Fallon	Rock alternative rock
	3001: A Laced Odyssey	Flatbush Zombies	Hip hop
	Fired Up	Randy Houser	Country
	Incarnate	Killswitch Engage	Metalcore
	Good Grief	Lucius	Indie pop indie rock
18	Letting You In	Kris Allen	Pop rock alternative rock
	Post Pop Depression	Iggy Pop	Art rock garage rock
	Change of Fortune	Soul Asylum	Alternative rock
	This Is What the Truth Feels Like	Gwen Stefani	Pop
25	Sept. 5	dvsn	R&B PBR&B
	XI	Metal Church	Heavy metal thrash metal speed metal power metal
	Patch the Sky	Bob Mould	Alternative rock indie rock
	We Disappear	The Thermals	Indie rock lo-fi
	Slime Season 3	Young Thug	Hip hop, trap
	Stiff	White Denim	Indie rock, garage rock, progressive rock, psychedelic rock

April

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
1	Kentucky	Black Stone Cherry	Hard rock southern rock
	Welcome the Worms	Bleached	Rock punk rock
	Changes	Charles Bradley	Soul
	Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello	Cheap Trick	Rock
	The Wilderness	Explosions in the Sky	Post-rock
	Stories for Monday	The Summer Set	Pop rock pop punk
	TWENTY88	Twenty88	Hip Hop Contemporary R&B
	Acoustic	Unwritten Law	Acoustic
	Weezer (White Album)	Weezer	Alternative rock power pop
	Amen & Goodbye	Yeasayer	Experimental rock neo-psychedelia progressive pop
8	Chasing Shadows (EP)	Angels & Airwaves	Alternative rock
	Distortland	The Dandy Warhols	Alternative rock
	Gore	Deftones	Alternative metal post metal
	Crazy Eyes	Filter	Industrial rock rock
	Man About Town	Mayer Hawthorne	R&B soul pop
	Cleopatra	The Lumineers	Americana folk rock indie rock
	Human Performance	Parquet Courts	Indie rock art rock
	Book of Shadows II	Zakk Wylde	Heavy Metal
15	You'll Pay for This	Bear Hands	Experimental rock alternative rock indie rock
	Material	Blaqk Audio	Electronic new wave
	The Diary	J Dilla	Hip hop
	Life on Earth	Musiq Soulchild	R&B
	This Path Tonight	Graham Nash	Rock
	Layers	Royce da 5'9"	Hip hop
	Santana IV	Santana	Latin rock
	Dreamland	Wild Belle	Psychedelic pop
20	OK	The Fall of Troy	Mathcore post-hardcore progressive rock
22	Always Strive and Prosper	ASAP Ferg	Hip hop
	Home	Blue October	Rock alternative rock
	Disappearing in Airports	Candlebox	Alternative rock post-grunge
	Please Be Honest	Guided By Voices	Indie rock lo-fi
	Therapy Session	NF	Hip hop
	Helter Seltzer	We Are Scientists	Indie rock
23	Lemonade	Beyoncé	R&B
29	American Hi-Fi Acoustic	American Hi-Fi	Acoustic
	Reckless	Martina McBride	Country
	Ohana	Pepper	Reggae rock alternative rock
	Better	Haley Reinhart	Pop funk rock soul R&B jazz fusion
	Delusions of Grand Fur	Rogue Wave	Indie rock
	Prayers for the Damned	Sixx:A.M.	Hard rock alternative metal
	Culcha Vulcha	Snarky Puppy	Jazz fusion
	Dust	Tremonti	Thrash metal Heavy metal
	The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser	Rob Zombie	Heavy metal

May

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
5	Acoustia	Alex Lloyd	Acoustic
6	The Blue Swell	Beverly	Indie pop indie rock
	Bottomless Pit	Death Grips	Experimental hip hop
	Boxes	Goo Goo Dolls	Alternative rock
	Detour	Cyndi Lauper	Country
	At Night, Alone	Mike Posner	Singer-songwriter indie folk
	Washed Away [53]	Rooney	Indie rock power pop
	You Should Be Here	Cole Swindell	Country
	Ripcord [54]	Keith Urban	Country country pop
13	Night Sports	3OH!3	Alternative hip hop
	Coloring Book	Chance the Rapper	Hip hop, gospel rap
	Trust no One	DevilDriver	Groove metal melodic death metal
	Cloud Nine	Kygo	Electronic
	Playing with Fire	Jennifer Nettles	Country
	Misadventures	Pierce the Veil	Alternative rock punk rock
	Thank You	Meghan Trainor	Dance-pop R&B
18	Up at Night	Cimorelli	Teen pop
20	Drive (EP)	Amerie	R&B
	Teens of Denial	Car Seat Headrest	Indie rock lo-fi
	I Still Do	Eric Clapton	Rock blues pop rock
	Fallen Angels	Bob Dylan	Rock
	Dangerous Woman	Ariana Grande	Pop
	Along the Shadow	Saosin	Alternative rock post-hardcore
	If I'm Honest	Blake Shelton	Country
27	Black	Dierks Bentley	Country
	Double Vanity	Broncho	Indie rock
	The Evil Divide	Death Angel	Thrash metal
	7/27	Fifth Harmony	Pop R&B
	Skin	Flume	Electronica
	Good Times!	The Monkees	Pop rock
	The Home Inside My Head [55] [56]	Real Friends	Pop punk
	To Be Everywhere Is to Be Nowhere [57]	Thrice	Post-hardcore

June

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
3	Obsessed	Dan + Shay	Country
	Unden!able	Hellyeah	Heavy metal
	A Whole Lot More to Me	Craig Morgan	Country
	Hero	Maren Morris	Country
	Summer	Cassadee Pope	Country country pop
	Stranger to Stranger	Paul Simon	Folk rock
	Future Present Past (EP)	The Strokes	Indie rock garage rock
	Train Does Led Zeppelin II	Train	Rock hard rock blues rock
	Reunion [58]	Whitford/St. Holmes	Rock hard rock
9	Tween	Wye Oak	Indie rock indie folk
10	El Río	Frankie Ballard	Country
	Why Are You OK	Band of Horses	Southern rock indie rock
	Big Day in a Small Town	Brandy Clark	Country
	Fitz and the Tantrums	Fitz and the Tantrums	Indie pop neo soul
	Strange Little Birds	Garbage	Alternative rock
	Wanderlust	Little Big Town	Country pop psychedelic pop R&B folk sunshine pop
	Last Year Was Complicated [59]	Nick Jonas	Pop
	Egomaniac	KONGOS	Alternative rock
	Love, Lies & Therapy	Saliva	Rock nu metal
17	Friday Night	Will Butler	Indie rock indie pop
	Otero War	Caveman	Indie rock
	The Fighters	LoCash	Country
	California Sunrise	Jon Pardi	Country
	The Getaway	Red Hot Chili Peppers	Rock
	Some Things Never Leave You	Sherwood	Rock indie rock alternative rock
	Still Brazy	YG	West coast hip hop
24	True Sadness	The Avett Brothers	Folk rock
	Blood, Sweat & 3 Years	Cash Cash	Progressive house electro house
	The Magic	Deerhoof	Indie rock
	On Desire	Drowners	Indie rock
	Say It Out Loud	The Interrupters	Ska punk
	Act One	Marian Hill
	Boom Boom Room (Side A)	Palaye Royale	Art rock
26	New English	Desiigner	Trap

July

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
1	What We Live For	American Authors	Indie rock pop rock
	California	Blink-182	Punk rock alternative rock pop punk
	FMA	Grace	Hip hop soul
	Bobby Tarantino	Logic	Hip hop
	blackSUMMER'S'night	Maxwell	R&B soul
	Coolaid	Snoop Dogg	West Coast hip hop
	Waking at Dawn	Roy Woods	Hip hop PBR&B
8	The North Corridor	Chevelle	Rock
	Snapshots	Nine Days	Alternative rock
	Blank Face LP	Schoolboy Q	Hip hop
	Where the Light Shines Through	Switchfoot	Alternative rock power pop
15	Savage Mode	21 Savage and Metro Boomin	Hip hop
	Dirty Heads	Dirty Heads	Reggae rock alternative rock
	No Hard Feelings	Dreezy	Hip hop, R&B
	Youth Authority	Good Charlotte	Pop punk alternative rock
	Kidz Bop 32	Kidz Bop Kids	Children's music pop
	Fighter	David Nail [48]	Country
	We're All Somebody From Somewhere	Steven Tyler [48]	Country Southern rock
22	Everybody Looking	Gucci Mane	Hip hop
	Forever!	Hed PE	Rap rock nu metal
	Lil Durk 2X	Lil Durk	Hip hop, trap
	Periphery III: Select Difficulty	Periphery	Metal Djent
	Air for Free	Relient K	Alternative rock Christian rock
	Lemon Parade Revisited	Tonic	Acoustic
29	Simplicity	The Bouncing Souls	Punk rock
	Hypercaffium Spazzinate	Descendents	Punk rock pop punk
	Major Key	DJ Khaled	Hip hop
	American Love	Jake Owen	Country
	Love Remains	Hillary Scott & the Scott Family	Gospel
	Generationwhy	Zhu	Electronic

August

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
5	Bury Me in Boots	The Cadillac Three	Country
	Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not	Dinosaur Jr.	Indie rock alternative rock
	Encore	DJ Snake	Electronic
	Hurricane	Nick Fradiani	Pop
	Girl Problems	Chris Lane	Country pop
	Unleashed	Skillet	Christian metal hard rock
	Now 59	Various	Various artists
	Boy King	Wild Beasts	Art rock electronica synth-funk alternative rock
10	Sorry, Mom	Destroy Boys	Punk rock
11	Zone [60]	JEFF the Brotherhood	Rock indie rock
12	Fishing Blues	Atmosphere	Hip hop
	And Then Like Lions	Blind Pilots	Indie folk indie pop
	Kinda Don't Care	Justin Moore	Country
	Innocence Reaches	Of Montreal	Art pop indie rock
	PartyNextDoor 3	PartyNextDoor	R&B PRB&B
	SremmLife 2	Rae Sremmurd	Hip Hop trap PBR&B
	Home of the Strange	Young the Giant [61]	Indie rock alternative rock
19	Bad Omens	Bad Omens	Metalcore rock
	Vacancy	Bayside	Punk rock power pop
	July 4	Carl Broemel
	Endless	Frank Ocean	Alternative R&B alternative hip hop dream pop
	Pure & Simple	Dolly Parton	Country
	DNA	Trapt	Hard rock alternative metal
20	Blonde	Frank Ocean	Alternative R&B dream pop neo soul hip hop
26	Anything But Words	Banks & Steelz	East Coast hip-hop
	This Album Does Not Exist	Dreamers	Alternative rock
	Dig Your Roots	Florida Georgia Line	Country
	As Seen on the Internet	Futuristic	Hip hop Trap
	I'm Alone, No You're Not	Joseph	Alternative pop folk
	Mangy Love	Cass McCombs	Indie rock folk
	It Doesn't Have to Make Sense	Ingrid Michaelson	Pop rock
	Glory	Britney Spears	Pop
	Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway	Barbra Streisand	Traditional pop
	Stay Gold	Butch Walker	Alternative rock
	Jeffery	Young Thug	Trap hip hop

September

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
2	Bad Vibrations	A Day to Remember	Metalcore pop punk
	The Sun's Tirade	Isaiah Rashad	Hip hop
	Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight	Travis Scott	Hip hop trap
6	My Kind of Christmas	Reba McEntire	Christmas country acoustic
9	They Don't Know	Jason Aldean	Country
	Cold World	Of Mice & Men	Alternative metal metalcore
	Thin Line	Billy Ray Cyrus	Country
	Pixie Queen	Anthony Green	Indie rock emo
	Big Mess	Grouplove	Indie rock indie pop
	Signs of Light	The Head and the Heart	Indie rock indie folk
	Leo Rising	Karmin	Pop
	Sunlit Youth	Local Natives	Indie rock
	Polar Similar	Norma Jean	Metalcore post-hardcore
	Low Tides	This Wild Life	Acoustic emo
	Acoustic Recordings 1998–2016	Jack White	Acoustic
	Why?	Jacob Whitesides	Pop Indie
	Schmilco	Wilco	Folk rock indie rock
16	Shape Shift with Me	Against Me!	Punk rock indie rock
	I Remember	AlunaGeorge	Alternative pop
	Disappear Here	Bad Suns	Alternative rock
	Legends Never Die	Chinx	Hip hop
	Femejism	Deap Vally	Garage rock alternative rock
	Sinner	Aaron Lewis	Country
	Braver Than We Are	Meat Loaf	Rock
	The Divine Feminine	Mac Miller	Alternative hip hop
	Tidal Wave	Taking Back Sunday	Rock
	Hard II Love	Usher	R&B hip hop trap
23	The Art of Elegance	Kristin Chenoweth
	If You See Me, Say Yes	Flock of Dimes	Indie rock indie folk
	West of the West [62]	Goldroom	Electronic electropop
	Natural Causes	Skylar Grey	Alternative pop
	The Healing Component	Mick Jenkins	Hip hop
	I Had a Dream That You Were Mine	Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam	Indie rock
	idina.	Idina Menzel	Pop
	Illuminate	Shawn Mendes	Pop
	Chapter and Verse	Bruce Springsteen	Rock
	Heads Up	Warpaint	Indie rock
	Swimmin' Pools, Movie Stars	Dwight Yoakam	Country
27	Atrocity Exhibition	Danny Brown	Alternative hip hop
30	The Altar	Banks	Alternative R&B
	22, A Million [63]	Bon Iver	Indie folk folktronica
	Where'd Your Weekend Go?	The Mowgli's	Alternative rock
	Head Carrier	Pixies	Alternative rock indie rock
	A Seat at the Table	Solange	Alternative R&B neo soul
	Remember Us To Life	Regina Spektor	Indie pop
	Blue Mountain	Bob Weir	Folk rock
	Yellowcard	Yellowcard	Alternative rock pop punk

October

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
7	The Last Hero	Alter Bridge	Alternative metal
	Light We Made	Balance and Composure	Emo post-grunge
	Mothership	Dance Gavin Dance	Post-hardcore experimental rock
	Sit Still, Look Pretty	Daya	Pop
	Revolution Radio [64]	Green Day	Punk rock
	Day Breaks	Norah Jones	Jazz pop rock
	First Ditch Effort	NOFX	Punk rock
	Oh My My	OneRepublic	Pop rock
	Three	Phantogram	Electro rock dream pop
	Big Boat	Phish	Rock
	Upside Down	Set It Off	Alternative rock pop rock pop punk
8	The Beer Sessions	Sponge	Alternative rock rock
14	Drunk Dynasty	Bowling for Soup	Pop punk
	_	BT	Ambient electronica
	Dissociation	The Dillinger Escape Plan	Mathcore metalcore
	The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns	Mike Doughty	Indie rock
	1992	The Game	West Coast hip hop gangsta rap
	Woptober	Gucci Mane	Hip hop trap
	Kevin Hart: What Now? (The Mixtape Presents Chocolate Droppa)	Kevin Hart	Hip hop
	Mad Love	JoJo	Pop R&B Soul
	Walls	Kings of Leon	Rock
	Ruminations	Conor Oberst	Indie rock folk
	Two Tongues Two	Two Tongues	Indie rock pop punk
	It Must Be Christmas	Chris Young	Christmas country
21	Lighthouse	David Crosby	Rock
	Big Baby D.R.A.M.	DRAM	Hip hop trap
	Excommunication	Tyler Glenn	Pop rock
	Lifelines	I Prevail	Post-hardcore metalcore pop-punk
	Integrity Blues	Jimmy Eat World	Rock
	The Serenity of Suffering	KoЯn	Nu metal
	Joanne	Lady Gaga	Pop
	Love Gloom	Night Riots	Alternative rock
	A Pentatonix Christmas	Pentatonix	A capella Christmas
	Alone	The Pretenders	Rock
	Who You Selling For	The Pretty Reckless	Rock hard rock
	saintmotelevision	Saint Motel	Indie pop
28	The Stage	Avenged Sevenfold	Heavy metal progressive Metal
	'Tis the SeaSon	Jimmy Buffett	Christmas
	Cosmic Hallelujah	Kenny Chesney	Country
	New Skin	CRX	Hard rock garage rock industrial rock
	Blood Money Part 1	Dope	Nu metal alternative metal
	Glow	Brett Eldredge	Christmas country
	Someday at Christmas	Jackie Evancho	Christmas classical crossover
	Parachutes	Frank Iero and the Patience	Post-hardcore alternative rock
	Dead to the World	Helmet	Alternative metal
	Trap or Die 3	Jeezy	Hip hop trap
	DC4	Meek Mill	Hip hop trap
	This Light I Hold	Memphis May Fire	Metalcore
	I Dreamt I Was a Cowboy [65]	Miniature Tigers	Indie pop indie rock
	A Very Kacey Christmas	Kacey Musgraves	Christmas country
	To Celebrate Christmas	Jennifer Nettles	Christmas country
	'Tis the Season	Jordan Smith	Christmas
	Brotherhood of the Snake	Testament	Thrash metal

November

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
4	This House Is Not for Sale	Bon Jovi	Rock
	Eternally Even	Jim James	Indie rock psychedelic rock
	Here	Alicia Keys	R&B hip hop soul
	SafetySuit	SafetySuit	Alternative rock pop rock
	Nightride	Tinashe	Alternative R&B
11	Christmas Together	Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood	Christmas country
	Tattooed Heart	Ronnie Dunn	Country
	My Name Is Joe Thomas	Joe	R&B
	Simply Christmas	Leslie Odom Jr.	Christmas
	Coke N Butter	O.T. Genasis	Hip hop
	Slugger	Sad13	Indie rock
	Jessica Rabbit	Sleigh Bells	Indie pop noise pop
	We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service	A Tribe Called Quest	Hip hop alternative hip hop jazz rap
18	Free 6LACK	6LACK	R&B Hip hop
	DNCE	DNCE	Pop
	The D-Boy Diary: Book 1	E-40	Hip hop
	The D-Boy Diary: Book 2
	Dear Life	High Valley	Country
	The Boy Who Died Wolf	Highly Suspect	Hard rock alternative rock
	Don't Waste Your Wishes	The Killers	Christmas
	The Weight of These Wings	Miranda Lambert	Country
	24K Magic	Bruno Mars	Pop R&B
	Nemesis	Bridgit Mendler	Pop
	Hardwired...to Self-Destruct	Metallica	Thrash metal
	An Odd Entrances	Thee Oh Sees	Garage rock psychedelic rock
25	Gunslinger	Garth Brooks	Country

December

Date	Album	Artist	Genre (s)
2	"Awaken, My Love!"	Childish Gambino	R&B
	Darkness and Light	John Legend	R&B
	Don't Smoke Rock	Smoke DZA, Pete Rock	Hip hop
9	4 Your Eyez Only	J. Cole	Hip hop
	Peace Trail	Neil Young
	Stoney	Post Malone	Hip hop
	The Storm	Tech N9ne	Hip hop
	Do What Thou Wilt.	Ab-Soul	Hip hop
	Fireplace: TheNotTheOtherSide	Hodgy	Hip hop
	Hamilton, Charles	Charles Hamilton	Hip hop
16	Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin'	Kid Cudi	Hip hop
	The Return of East Atlanta Santa	Gucci Mane	Hip hop Trap
22	Beautiful Crutch	Dommin	Rock alternative rock
23	Not the Actual Events (EP)	Nine Inch Nails	Industrial Rock
	White Friday (CM9)	Yo Gotti	Hip hop
25	Run the Jewels 3	Run the Jewels	Hip hop

Top songs on record

See also: List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 2016, List of Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2016, and Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2016

Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Songs

• "Black Beatles" – Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane (6 weeks)
• "Can't Stop the Feeling!" – Justin Timberlake (1 week)
• "Cheap Thrills" – Sia feat. Sean Paul (4 weeks)
• "Closer" – The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey (12 weeks)
• "Hello" – Adele (7 weeks in 2015, 3 weeks in 2016)
• "Love Yourself" – Justin Bieber (2 weeks)
• "One Dance" – Drake feat. Wizkid and Kyla (10 weeks)
• "Pillowtalk" – Zayn (1 week)
• "Sorry" – Justin Bieber (3 weeks)
• "Work" – Rihanna feat. Drake (9 weeks)

Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 Hits

All songs that reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the year, complete with peak chart placement.

• "2 Phones" – Kevin Gates (#17)
• "24K Magic" – Bruno Mars (#4)
• "6 Inch" – Beyoncé feat. The Weeknd (#18)
• "679" – Fetty Wap feat. Remy Boyz (#4 in 2015, No. 11 in 2016)
• "7 Years" – Lukas Graham (#2)
• "Adventure of a Lifetime" – Coldplay (#13)
• "All I Want for Christmas Is You" – Mariah Carey (#11)
• "All We Know" – The Chainsmokers feat. Phoebe Ryan (#18)
• "Antidote" – Travis Scott (#16)
• "Back to Sleep" – Chris Brown (#20)
• "Bad Things" – Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello (#10)
• "Black Beatles" – Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane (#1)
• "Broccoli" – DRAM feat. Lil Yachty (#5)
• "Cake by the Ocean" – DNCE (#9)
• "Can't Feel My Face" – The Weeknd (#1 in 2015, No. 15 in 2016)
• "Can't Stop the Feeling!" – Justin Timberlake (#1)
• "Caroline" – Aminé (#12)
• "Cheap Thrills" – Sia feat. Sean Paul (#1)
• "Close" – Nick Jonas feat. Tove Lo (#14)
• "Closer" – The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey (#1)
• "Cold Water" – Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber and MØ (#2)
• "Controlla" – Drake (#16)
• "Dangerous Woman" – Ariana Grande (#8)
• "Deja Vu" – J. Cole (#7)
• "Don't" – Bryson Tiller (#13)
• "Don't Let Me Down" – The Chainsmokers feat. Daya (#3)
• "Don't Mind" – Kent Jones (#8)
• "Don't Wanna Know" – Maroon 5 feat. Kendrick Lamar (#7)
• "Down in the DM" – Yo Gotti feat. Nicki Minaj (#13)
• "Ex's & Oh's" – Elle King (#10 in 2015, No. 14 in 2016)
• "Fake Love" – Drake (#10)
• "For Free" – DJ Khaled feat. Drake (#13)
• "Formation" – Beyoncé (#10)
• "Gold" – Kiiara (#13)
• "Hands to Myself" – Selena Gomez (#7)
• "Heathens" – Twenty One Pilots (#2)
• "Hello" – Adele (#1)
• "Here" – Alessia Cara (#5)
• "Hold Up" – Beyoncé (#13)
• "H.O.L.Y." – Florida Georgia Line (#14)
• "Hotline Bling" – Drake (#2 in 2015, No. 3 in 2016)
• "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" – Zayn and Taylor Swift (#6)
• "I Hate U, I Love U" – Gnash feat. Olivia O'Brien (#10)
• "I Know What You Did Last Summer" – Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (#20)
• "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" – Mike Posner (#4)
• "Immortal" – J. Cole (#11)
• "In the Night" – The Weeknd (#12)
• "Into You" – Ariana Grande (#13)
• "Juju on that Beat (TZ Anthem)" – Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall (#5)
• "Jumpman" – Drake and Future (#12)
• "Just Like Fire" – Pink (#10)
• "Let It Go" – James Bay (#16)
• "Let Me Love You" – DJ Snake feat. Justin Bieber (#4)
• "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" – Meghan Trainor feat. John Legend (#8 in 2015, No. 9 in 2016)
• "Little Red Corvette" – Prince (#6 in 1983, No. 20 in 2016)
• "Love on the Brain" – Rihanna (#20)
• "Love Yourself" – Justin Bieber (#1)
• "Low Life" – Future feat. The Weeknd (#18)
• "Luv" – Tory Lanez (#19)
• "Make Me..." – Britney Spears feat. G-Eazy (#17)
• "Me, Myself & I" – G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha (#7)
• "Me Too" – Meghan Trainor (#13)
• "Middle" – DJ Snake feat. Bipolar Sunshine (#20)
• "My House" – Flo Rida (#4)
• "Needed Me" – Rihanna (#7)
• "Neighbors" – J. Cole (#13)
• "Never Be like You" – Flume feat. Kai (#20)
• "Never Forget You" – Zara Larsson and MNEK (#13)
• "No" – Meghan Trainor (#3)
• "On My Mind" – Ellie Goulding (#13 in 2015, No. 14 in 2016)
• "One Call Away" – Charlie Puth (#12)
• "One Dance" – Drake feat. Wizkid and Kyla (#1)
• "Ooouuu" – Young M.A (#19)
• "Oui" – Jeremih (#19)
• "Panda" – Desiigner (#1)
• "Party Monster" – The Weeknd (#16)
• "Perfect Illusion" – Lady Gaga (#15)
• "Piece by Piece" – Kelly Clarkson (#8)
• "Pillowtalk" – Zayn (#1)
• "Pop Style" – Drake feat. The Throne (#16)
• "Purple Rain" – Prince and The Revolution (#2 in 1984, No. 4 in 2016)
• "Ride" – Twenty One Pilots (#5)
• "Rise" – Katy Perry (#11)
• "Roses" – The Chainsmokers feat. ROZES (#6)
• "Same Old Love" – Selena Gomez (#5)
• "Scars to Your Beautiful" – Alessia Cara (#13)
• "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" – Adele (#8)
• "Side to Side" – Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj (#4)
• "Sorry" – Beyoncé (#11)
• "Sorry" – Justin Bieber (#1)
• "Starboy" – The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk (#2)
• "Starving" – Hailee Steinfeld and Grey feat. Zedd (#12)
• "Stitches" – Shawn Mendes (#4 in 2015, No. 6 in 2016)
• "Stressed Out" – Twenty One Pilots (#2)
• "Sucker for Pain" – Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa and Imagine Dragons with Logic and Ty Dolla $ign featuring X Ambassadors (#15)
• "Summer Sixteen" – Drake (#6)
• "The Greatest" – Sia feat. Kendrick Lamar (#18)
• "The Hills" – The Weeknd (#1 in 2015, No. 7 in 2016)
• "This Is What You Came For" – Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna (#3)
• "Too Good" – Drake feat. Rihanna (#14)
• "Treat You Better" – Shawn Mendes (#6)
• "Unsteady" – X Ambassadors (#20)
• "Used to This" – Future feat. Drake (#14)
• "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" – Silentó (#3 in 2015, No. 19 in 2016)
• "We Don't Talk Anymore" – Charlie Puth feat. Selena Gomez (#9)
• "What Do You Mean?" – Justin Bieber (#1 in 2015, No. 5 in 2016)
• "When Doves Cry" – Prince (#1 in 1984, No. 8 in 2016)
• "When We Were Young" – Adele (#14)
• "White Iverson" – Post Malone (#14)
• "Wildest Dreams" – Taylor Swift (#5 in 2015, No. 18 in 2016)
• "Work" – Rihanna feat. Drake (#1)
• "Work from Home" – Fifth Harmony feat. Ty Dolla $ign (#4)

Musical theater

• Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 , written by Dave Malloy: Broadway production starring Josh Groban and Denée Benton ^[66]

Deaths

• January 1 – Gilbert Kaplan, 74, conductor
• January 2 – Brad Fuller, 62, composer
• January 3 – Jason Mackenroth, 46, drummer (Rollins Band, Mother Superior)
• January 4 – Long John Hunter, 84, blues singer-songwriter and guitarist
• January 5
  • Nicholas Caldwell, 71, singer (The Whispers)
  • Elizabeth Swados, 64, composer
• January 7
  • Robert M. Cundick, 89, organist and composer
  • Kitty Kallen, 94, singer
  • Troy Shondell, 76, singer-songwriter
• January 8
  • Otis Clay, 73, R&B singer
  • Red Simpson, 81, country singer-songwriter
  • Brett Smiley, 60, singer-songwriter
• January 10 - David Bowie, 69, singer-songwriter and actor
• January 13 – Bern Herbolsheimer, 67 composer
• January 15
  • Noreen Corcoran, 72, singer
  • Pete Huttlinger, 54, guitarist
• January 16 – Gary Loizzo, 70, singer, guitarist, and producer (The American Breed)
• January 17
  • Blowfly, 76, singer-songwriter and producer
  • Mic Gillette, 64, bass player (Tower of Power and Sons of Champlin)
  • Ramblin' Lou Schriver, 86, country singer
• January 18 – Glenn Frey, 67, singer-songwriter and guitarist (Eagles)
• January 20 – Lee Abramson, 45, bass player and composer
• January 22 – Cadalack Ron, 34, rapper
• January 26
  • Margaret Pardee, 95, violinist
  • T.J. Tindall, 65, guitarist (MFSB)
• January 28
  • Signe Toly Anderson, 74, singer (Jefferson Airplane and KBC Band)
  • Paul Kantner, 74, singer-songwriter and guitarist (Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and KBC Band)
• January 29 – Billy Faier, 85, banjo player
• February 1 – Jon Bunch, 45, singer-songwriter (Sense Field and Further Seems Forever)
• February 3
  • Big Kap, 45, hip-hop DJ and producer
  • Maurice White, 74 singer-songwriter and producer (Earth, Wind & Fire)
• February 4
  • Leslie Bassett, 93, composer
  • Joe Dowell, 76, singer
  • Jimmie Haskell, 79, composer and conductor
• February 5 – Ray Colcord, 66, composer
• February 6
  • Dan Hicks, 74, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and drummer (The Charlatans)
  • Sam Spence, 88, composer
• February 8 – Ken Delo, 77, singer ( The Lawrence Welk Show )
• February 11
  • Bob Raymond, 69, bassist (Sugarloaf)
  • Kim Williams, 68, songwriter
• February 12 – George Tipton, 84, composer and conductor
• February 14
  • Steven Stucky, 66, composer
  • L. C. Ulmer, 87, blues singer-songwriter
• February 15
  • Louis Lane, 92, conductor
  • Joyce Paul, 78, singer
  • Vanity, 57, singer-songwriter (Vanity 6)
• February 17 – Ray West, 90, sound mixer ( Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope )
• February 18 – Paul Gordon, 52, keyboard player and producer (New Radicals and The B-52's)
• February 21 – Betty Jane Watson, 94, singer
• February 22 – Sonny James, 87, country singer-songwriter
• February 24 – Lennie Baker, 69, singer and saxophonist (Sha Na Na and Danny & the Juniors)
• February 26 – C. L. Blast, 81, soul singer
• March 1
  • Gayle McCormick, 67, singer (Smith)
  • Martha Wright, 92, singer
• March 3 – Gavin Christopher, 66, R&B singer-songwriter and producer
• March 4
  • Bankroll Fresh, 28, rapper
  • Joey Feek, 40, country singer (Joey + Rory)
• March 5
  • Jimmy Henderson, 61, rock guitarist (Black Oak Arkansas)
  • Chip Hooper, 53, talent agent
• March 6 – Aaron Huffman, 43, bassist (Harvey Danger)
• March 7 – Joe Cabot, 94, jazz trumpeter and bandleader
• March 8 – Ron Jacobs, 78, producer, co-creator of American Top 40
• March 9
  • Karen Carroll, 58, singer
  • Ray Griff, 75, country singer
• March 10
  • Ernestine Anderson, 87, singer
  • Gogi Grant, 91, singer
• March 11
  • Joe Ascione, 54, jazz drummer
  • Shawn Elliott, 79, singer
  • Ruth Terry, 95, singer and actress
• March 12 – Tommy Brown, 84, R&B singer
• March 13 – Sidney Mear, 97, trumpeter
• March 15 – Daryl Coley, 60, gospel singer
• March 16 – Frank Sinatra, Jr., 72, singer-songwriter
• March 17 – Steve Young, 73, country singer-songwriter
• March 18
  • David Egan, 61, singer-songwriter
  • Ned Miller, 90, country singer-songwriter
• March 22 – Phife Dawg, 45, rapper (A Tribe Called Quest)
• March 23 – James Jamerson, Jr., 58, bass player (Chanson)
• March 25 – Shannon Bolin, 99, actress and singer
• March 26 – David Baker, 84, composer
• March 29 – Patty Duke, 69, singer
• March 30 – Frankie Michaels, 60, singer
• March 31 – Terry Plumeri, 71, bassist, composer, and conductor
• April 2 – Gato Barbieri, 83, jazz saxophonist and composer
• April 3 – Bill Henderson, 90, jazz singer
• April 4 – Carlo Mastrangelo, 78, doo-wop singer and bassist (The Belmonts)
• April 5
  • Leon Haywood, 74, singer-songwriter and producer
  • Zena Latto, 90, jazz clarinetist and saxophonist
• April 6
  • Dennis Davis, 66, drummer
  • Merle Haggard, 79, country singer-songwriter and guitarist
• April 7 – Jimmie Van Zant, 59, singer-songwriter and guitarist
• April 8 – Jack Hammer, 90, singer-songwriter and pianist
• April 9 – Tony Conrad, 76, composer
• April 12 – Gib Guilbeau, 78, musician and songwriter (The Flying Burrito Brothers)
• April 13
  • Jeremy Steig, 73, jazz flutist
  • Pete Yellin, 74, jazz saxophonist
• April 18 – Brian Asawa, 49, opera singer
• April 19
  • Richard Lyons, 57, experimental musician (Negativland)
  • Pete Zorn, 65, multi-instrumentalist (Steeleye Span)
• April 21
  • Lonnie Mack, 74, singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • Prince, 57, musician, singer-songwriter
• April 24 – Billy Paul, 81, soul singer
• April 25 – Remo Belli, 88, jazz drummer
• May 7 – John Stabb, 54, singer (Government Issue)
• May 12 – Julius La Rosa, 86, singer
• May 13 – Buster Cooper, 87, jazz trombonist
• May 14
  • Johnny Sea, 75, country music singer
  • Paul Smoker, 75, composer and jazz trumpeter
• May 15 – Jane Little, 87, classical double bass player (Atlanta Symphony Orchestra)
• May 16 – Emilio Navaira, 53, singer-songwriter
• May 17 – Guy Clark, 74, singer-songwriter
• May 21 – Nick Menza, 51, drummer and instrumentalist (Megadeth, OHM)
• May 27 – Marshall "Rock" Jones, 75, bassist (Ohio Players)
• May 28 – Floyd Robinson, 83, country singer
• May 30 – Thomas Fekete, 27, guitarist (Surfer Blood)
• June 4 – Phyllis Curtin, 94, soprano
• June 8 – Norro Wilson, 79, country music singer-songwriter and record producer
• June 9 – J. Reilly Lewis, 71, choral conductor and Baroque music specialist
• June 10 – Christina Grimmie, 22, singer-songwriter
• June 12 – Chris Warren, 49, singer and musician
• June 13
  • Anahid Ajemian, 92, violinist
  • Randy Jones, 72, jazz drummer (Chet Baker, Dave Brubeck, Maynard Ferguson)
  • Chips Moman, 79, songwriter and record producer
• June 16
  • Jerome Teasley, 67, soul drummer
  • Charles Thompson, 98, jazz pianist
• June 17 – Attrell Cordes, 46, singer and rapper (P.M. Dawn)
• June 20 – Bill Ham, 79, manager (ZZ Top)
• June 21 – Wayne Jackson, 74, trumpeter (Mar-Keys, The Memphis Horns)
• June 22 – Steve French, 56, gospel singer
• June 23
  • Shelley Moore, 84, jazz singer
  • Ralph Stanley, 89, singer and banjoist (The Stanley Brothers)
• June 24 – Bernie Worrell, 72, keyboardist (Parliament-Funkadelic)
• June 26 – Mike Pedicin, 98, saxophonist and jazz bandleader
• June 27 – Sir Mack Rice, 82, singer-songwriter
• June 28 – Scotty Moore, 84, guitarist (Elvis Presley)
• June 29
  • Stan Harper, 94, virtuoso harmonica player, arranger and composer
  • Rob Wasserman, 64, composer and bassist
• June 30 – Don Friedman, 81, jazz pianist
• July 3 – Richard Grayson, 75, composer and pianist
• July 5 – Gladys Nordenstrom, 92, composer
• July 6 – Danny Smythe, 67, drummer (The Box Tops)
• July 9
  • Geneviève Castrée, 34, singer and guitarist
  • Maralin Niska, 89, operatic soprano
  • Carole Switala, 69, singer and voice actress
• July 14 – Lisa Gaye, 81, actress, singer and dancer
• July 15
  • Charles Davis, 83, jazz saxophonist
  • Erik Petersen, 38, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (Mischief Brew)
• July 16
  • Bonnie Brown, 77, singer (The Browns)
  • Alan Vega, 78, singer (Suicide)
  • Claude Williamson, 89, jazz pianist
• July 17 – Gary S. Paxton, 77, record producer, singer-songwriter (Skip & Flip, The Hollywood Argyles)
• July 21 – Lewie Steinberg, 82, bassist (Booker T. & the M.G.'s)
• July 22 – Dominic Duval, 71, free jazz bassist
• July 24 – Marni Nixon, 86, singer
• July 25 – Allan Barnes, 66, jazz saxophonist (The Blackbyrds)
• July 26 – Sandy Pearlman, 72, record producer and band manager (Blue Öyster Cult, The Clash, Black Sabbath)
• July 27 – Pat Upton, 75, singer, guitarist, songwriter (Spiral Starecase)
• July 30 – Gloria DeHaven, 91, actress and singer
• August 3 – Ricci Martin, 62, musician and singer, son of Dean Martin
• August 4 – Patrice Munsel, 91, coloratura soprano
• August 5 – Richard Fagan, 69, songwriter and musician
• August 6 – Pete Fountain, 86, jazz clarinetist
• August 7
  • B. E. Taylor, 65, singer
  • Ruby Winters, 74, soul singer
• August 11 – Glenn Yarbrough, 86, folk singer
• August 12 – Ruby Wilson, 68, blues and gospel singer
• August 13 – Connie Crothers, 75, jazz pianist
• August 14
  • DJ Official, 39, Christian hip hop musician (116 Clique)
  • James Woolley, 49, keyboardist (Nine Inch Nails)
• August 15 – Bobby Hutcherson, 75, jazz vibraphone and marimba player
• August 17 – Preston Hubbard, 63, bassist (The Fabulous Thunderbirds)
• August 19 – Lou Pearlman, 62, record producer and manager (Backstreet Boys, NSYNC)
• August 20
  • Irving Fields, 101, pianist
  • Matt Roberts, 38, guitarist (3 Doors Down)
  • Louis Smith, 85, jazz trumpeter
• August 25 – Rudy Van Gelder, 91, recording engineer
• August 30 – Hoot Hester, 65, country music and bluegrass artist (The Time Jumpers)
• September 1
  • Fred Hellerman, 89, folk singer, guitarist, songwriter (The Weavers)
  • Kacey Jones, 66, singer-songwriter
• September 2 – Jerry Heller, 75, music manager (N.W.A.)
• September 6 – Clifford Curry, 79, R&B singer
• September 16 – Jerry Corbetta, 68, singer-songwriter and keyboardist (Sugarloaf)
• September 17 – Charmian Carr, 73, actress and singer
• September 19 – Bobby Breen, 87, actor and singer
• September 20 – Micki Marlo, 88, singer and model
• September 21
  • John D. Loudermilk, 82, singer and songwriter
  • Shawty Lo, 40, rapper
• September 24 – Buckwheat Zydeco, 68, accordionist and zydeco musician
• September 25
  • Michael Jones (aka Kashif), 59, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, record producer (B.T. Express)
  • Jean Shepard, 82, singer-songwriter
• October 8 – Don Ciccone, 70, singer-songwriter (The Critters)
• October 24 – Bobby Vee, 73, pop singer
• October 27 – John Zacherle, 98, television and radio personality, novelty singer
• November 3 – Kay Starr, 94, jazz and pop singer
• November 11 – Victor Bailey, 56, jazz bassist
• November 13 – Leon Russell, 74, singer
• November 14 – Holly Dunn, 59, singer
• November 18 – Sharon Jones, 60, soul singer (Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings)
• November 29 – Allan Zavod, 71, keyboardist (Frank Zappa, Jean-Luc Ponty, Eric Clapton, etc.)
• December 2 – Mark Gray, 64, singer, songwriter, and keyboardist (Exile)
• December 4 – Ralph Johnson, 67, singer (The Impressions)
• December 7 – Brian Bennett, 65, garage-rock keyboardist (The Cherry Slush)
• December 11 – Joe Ligon, 80, gospel singer (Mighty Clouds of Joy)
• December 19 – Andrew Dorff, 40, songwriter ^[67]
• December 25 – Alphonse Mouzon, 68, jazz fusion drummer
• December 28 – Debbie Reynolds, 84, actress and singer

See also

• 2010s in music
• 2016 in music

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