2026 in music

This topic covers events and articles related to 2026 in music.

Specific locations

• African music
• American music
• British music
• Japanese music
• Philippine music
• Scandinavian music
• South Korean music

Specific genres

• Country
• Heavy metal
• Hip hop
• Latin
• Rock
• K-pop
• J-pop

Albums released

Main article: List of 2026 albums

Bands disbanded

• Amefurasshi ^[1]
• Sepultura ^[2]
• Svalbard ^[3]
• Ukka ^[4]

Deaths

January

• 2 - Johnny Legend, 77, American rockabilly musician ^[5]
• 5
  • Andrew Bodnar, 71, English bass guitarist (The Rumour) and songwriter ("I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass"). (death announced on this date) ^[6]
  • Andrew Carter, 86, English composer and conductor ^[7]
  • Mike Embro, 63, Canadian drummer (Razor) (death announced on this date) ^[8]
  • Elsje de Wijn, 82, Dutch actress and singer ^[9]
• 6 - Jim McBride, 78, American country music songwriter ("Chasin' That Neon Rainbow", "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All", "Chattahoochee") ^[10]
• 7
  • James Bernard, American music journalist and magazine editor (The Source, XXL) ^[11] (death announced on this date)
  • Ihor Blazhkov, 89, Ukrainian conductor. ^[12]
• 8 - Guy Moon, 63, American television composer^{[ citation needed ]}
• 9
  • Dieudonné Larose, 80, Haitian singer
  • Terry Sullivan, 87, British drummer (Renaissance) ^[13]
• 10
  • Yeison Jiménez, 34, Colombian singer, plane crash ^[14]
  • Bob Weir, 78, American Hall of Fame musician (Grateful Dead) and songwriter ("Sugar Magnolia", "One More Saturday Night"), complications from cancer ^[15]
• 11
  • Prashant Tamang, 43, Indian singer (Indian Idol), cardiac arrest ^[16]
  • John Wallace, 76, Scottish trumpeter, composer and arts educator ^[17]
• 12
  • Sheila Bernette, 94, English singer ( The Good Old Days , The Black and White Minstrel Show ) ^[18]
  • Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, 26, British guitarist (Black Midi) ^[19] (death announced on this date)
• 13 - Seán Ó Sé, 89, Irish tenor singer ^[20]
• 14
  • Melania Pérez  [ es ], 76, Argentine singer. ^[21]
  • Quemil Yambay, 87, Paraguayan musician and composer. ^[22]
• 15
  • Raju Bandara, 65, Sri Lankan singer, kidney disease. ^[23]
  • Kenny Morris, 68, English drummer (Siouxsie and the Banshees). ^[24] (death announced on this date)
  • Rubén Patagonia  [ es ], 69, Argentine singer. ^[25]
• 16
  • Tony Dallara, 89, Italian singer ("Come Prima", "Romantica"), respiratory illness. ^[26]
  • Osvaldo Díaz , 76, Chilean singer. ^[27]
  • Joxean Llorente  [ eu ], 63, Spanish choral conductor, composer and musicologist. ^[28]
  • Marcel Osztas  [ sk ], 37, Slovak radio presenter and music concert host. ^[29]
  • Guillermo Rendón García  [ es ], 90, Colombian composer and organist. ^[30]
• 17
  • Marikena Monti , 82, Argentine singer and actress. ^[31]
  • Tucker Zimmerman, 84, American singer-songwriter, smoke inhalation. ^[32]
• 18
  • Stephen "Cat" Coore, 69, Jamaican guitarist and cellist (Third World). ^[33]
  • Anders Möller  [ sv ], 63, Swedish musician (Black Ingvars, Swedish Erotica), cancer. ^[34]
  • Jaan Ross, 68, Estonian musicologist and psychologist. ^[35]
  • Ralph Towner, 85, American jazz multi-instrumentalist. ^[36]
• 19
  • Mojmír Maděrič  [ cs ], 70, Czech musician, actor and host. ^[37]
  • Billy Parker, 88, American country music singer and DJ. ^[38]
• 20
  • Rob Hirst, 70, Australian musician (Midnight Oil, Ghostwriters) and songwriter ("Forgotten Years"), pancreatic cancer. ^[39] (death announced on this date)
  • Yaw Sarpong, Ghanaian gospel musician and songwriter. ^[40]
• 22
  • Francis Buchholz, 71, German bass guitarist (Scorpions). ^[41]
  • Guy Hovis, 84, American singer ( The Lawrence Welk Show ). ^[42]
• 23
  • Dalibor Brun, 81, Croatian singer. ^[43]
  • Kristinn Svavarsson, 78, Icelandic saxophonist (Mezzoforte). ^[44] (death announced on this date)
• 24 - Yuri Rymanov, 69, Russian guitarist (Lyube). ^[45]
• 25
  • Gabe Lopez, 31, American songwriter and producer, lymphoma. ^[46]
  • Abhijit Majumdar, 54, Indian composer and music director ( Sasura Ghara Zindabad , Balunga Toka , Daha Balunga ), liver disease. ^[47]
  • Marie Rouanet, 89, French singer and writer. ^[48]
  • Lucky Widja  [ id ], 49, Indonesian singer and songwriter, kidney tuberculosis. ^[49]
• 26
  • Richie Beirach, 78, American jazz pianist and composer. ^[50]
  • Sly Dunbar, 73, Jamaican drummer (Sly and Robbie), record producer ("Underneath It All"), and songwriter ("Murder She Wrote"). ^[51]
  • Béla Lattmann  [ hu ], 60, Hungarian jazz bassist. ^[52]
• 27
  • António Chainho, 88, Portuguese fado guitarist. ^[53]
  • Vladislav Chernushenko, 90, Russian conductor. ^[54]
• 28
  • Maroochy Barambah, 70, Australian Turrbal elder and mezzo-soprano singer. ^[55]
  • Nilton César, 86, Brazilian singer. ^[56]
  • Bryan Loren, 59, American songwriter ("Do the Bartman"). ^[57] (death announced on this date)
• 29 - Wojciech Michniewski, 78, Polish composer and conductor. ^[58] (death announced on this date)

References

1. "AMEFURASSHIが解散を発表「メンバーそれぞれが新たなステージへ」". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2025-12-28. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
2. "Andreas Kisser Is Still Hoping Cavalera Brothers Will Take Part in Sepultura's Final Concert: 'There's No Reason to Be Fighting'". Blabbermouth.net. January 31, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
3. "Svalbard calling it quits in 2026". Lambgoat. May 28, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
4. "ukka、5月のワンマンライブをもって解散". Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. 2025-12-28. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
5. Daily Update: NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20, CMLL Sin Salida, Johnny Legend
6. Bassist Andrew Bodnar (o.a. Graham Parker & The Rumour) overleden (in Dutch)
7. Andrew Carter - In Memoriam
8. Razor – Former Drummer Mike Embro Dead At 63
9. Karel-zangeres Elsje de Wijn overleden op 82-jarige leeftijd (in Dutch)
10. Alabama Music Hall of Famer, Huntsville native Jim McBride, dies at 78
11. James Bernard, founding editor of ‘The Source’ and co-founder of ‘XXL,’ dies
12. Помер український композитор Блажков, Гордон, 8.1.2026, автор - Ельчін Садаєв (in Ukrainian)
13. Renaissance drummer Terry Sullivan has died
14. Atención: en accidente de avioneta esta tarde en Paipa (Boyacá) muere el cantante Yeison Jiménez y sus músicos (in Spanish)
15. Bob Weir, co-founder of rock group the Grateful Dead, dies at age 78
16. Singer-actor Prashant Tamang passes away at 43 in Delhi
17. Tributes paid to 'extraordinary musician' John Wallace
18. BBC's Good Old Days and Coronation Street star and singer Sheila Bernette dies aged 94
19. Black Midi Co-Founder Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin Dies at 26
20. Renowned Cork singer Seán Ó Sé dies aged 89
21. Adiós a Melania Pérez, voz emblema de la música argentina y del Festival de Cosquín (in Spanish)
22. Fallece el músico Quemil Yambay, ícono del folclore paraguayo (in Spanish)
23. Veteran singer Raju Bandara passed away
24. Siouxsie And the Banshees Drummer Kenny Morris Has Died
25. Murió a los 69 años Rubén Patagonia, figura clave del folclore y referente cultural del sur argentino (in Spanish)
26. Morto Tony Dallara, il cantante aveva 89 anni (in Italian)
27. Muere el cantante Osvaldo Díaz, ídolo de la Nueva Ola y Sábado Gigante (in Spanish)
28. La música enmudece con la partida de Joxean Llorente (in Spanish)
29. Mimoriadne smutná správa: Zomrel moderátor a hypeman Marcel Osťo Osztas (in Slovak)
30. Falleció Guillermo Rendón García a los 90 años: este es el legado del maestro, músico, escritor e investigador colombiano (in Spanish)
31. Murió Marikena Monti: adiós a una voz emblemática del café concert argentino (in Spanish)
32. Un couple d’octogénaires perd la vie à Saint-Georges : « J’ai tenté d’entrer dans la maison pour leur sauver la vie », Philippe a vu le domicile de ses voisins prendre feu sous ses yeux (in French)(subscription required)
33. Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore, Jamaican music icon and Third World co-founder, dies at 69
34. Black Ingvars sångare Anders Möller är död (in Swedish)
35. Suri Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia emeriitprofessor, akadeemik Jaan Ross (in Estonian)
36. RIP Ralph Towner (1940-2026)
37. Zemřel herec a moderátor Mojmír Maděrič. Tvář Prima vařečky předtím kvůli nemoci zhubla 30 kilo (in Czech)
38. Legendary KVOO DJ Billy Parker dies at the age of 88
39. Music industry rocked by the death of Rob Hirst, the powerful engine behind Midnight Oil
40. Gospel icon Yaw Sarpong is dead
41. Scorpions and Michael Schenker bassist Francis Buchholz dies aged 71
42. 'Lawrence Welk' Star Dead at 84
43. Napustio nas je legendarni Dalibor Brun: Ovo je njegovih 10 najvećih hitova, svi ih znamo (in Croatian)
44. Mezzoforte's Kristinn Svavarsson has died
45. Yuri Rymanov, ex-guitarist of the Lube band, has died.
46. Emmy-nominated RuPaul's Drag Race crew member, songwriter Gabe Lopez dies as queens pay tribute: 'Devastating to hear'
47. Popular Odia singer Abhijit Majumdar dies at 54
48. Mort de l’écrivaine biterroise Marie Rouanet : figure de proue de la culture occitane, l’artiste est décédée à 89 ans (in French)
49. Lucky Widja, Steadfast and Professional Until the End
50. Richard Beirach, Pianist, Composer, Early ECM Stalwart, Dies at 78
51. Sly & Robbie's Sly Dunbar dead at 73
52. Elhunyt Lattmann Béla jazzbasszusgitáros (in Hungarian)
53. Calou-se a guitarra de António Chainho (in Portuguese)
54. Скончался народный артист СССР Владислав Чернушенко (in Russian)
55. Turrbal Elder And Revered Songwoman Maroochy Barambah Passes Away, Aged 70
56. Morre Nilton Cesar, voz marcante da música romântica, aos 86 anos (in Portuguese)
57. Bryan Loren, Michael Jackson Collaborator and New Jack Swing Pioneer, Dies at 58
58. Zmarł Wojciech Michniewski, światowej klasy dyrygent urodzony w Łodzi (in Polish)