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

bands reformed

• Little Angels

Albums released

Main article: List of 2026 albums

Awards

68th Annual Grammy Awards (USA)
Record of the Year: "Luther" by Kendrick Lamar and SZA • Album of the Year: Debí Tirar Más Fotos by Bad Bunny • Song of the Year: "Wildflower" by Billie Eilish • Best New Artist: Olivia Dean

Bands disbanded

• Amefurasshi ^[1]
• Sepultura ^[2]
• Svalbard ^[3]
• Tokyo Girls' Style ^[4]
• Ukka ^[5]

Deaths

January

• 2
  • Ritva Auvinen, 93, Finnish opera singer. ^[6]
  • Tony Carr, 98, Maltese session drummer and percussionist (CCS, Hot Chocolate). ^[7]
  • Johnny Legend, 77, American rockabilly musician ^[8]
• 5
  • Andrew Bodnar, 71, English bass guitarist (The Rumour) and songwriter ("I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass"). (death announced on this date) ^[9]
  • Andrew Carter, 86, English composer and conductor ^[10]
  • Mike Embro, 63, Canadian drummer (Razor) (death announced on this date) ^[11]
  • Elsje de Wijn, 82, Dutch actress and singer ^[12]
• 6 – Jim McBride, 78, American country music songwriter ("Chasin' That Neon Rainbow", "(Who Says) You Can't Have It All", "Chattahoochee") ^[13]
• 7
  • James Bernard, American music journalist and magazine editor (The Source, XXL) ^[14] (death announced on this date)
  • Ihor Blazhkov, 89, Ukrainian conductor ^[15]
• 8 - Guy Moon, 63, American television composer ^[16]
• 9
  • Dieudonné Larose, 80, Haitian singer
  • Terry Sullivan, 87, British drummer (Renaissance) ^[17]
• 10
  • Yeison Jiménez, 34, Colombian singer, plane crash ^[18]
  • Bob Weir, 78, American Hall of Fame musician (Grateful Dead) and songwriter ("Sugar Magnolia", "One More Saturday Night"), complications from cancer ^[19]
• 11
  • Prashant Tamang, 43, Indian singer (Indian Idol), cardiac arrest ^[20]
  • John Wallace, 76, Scottish trumpeter, composer and arts educator ^[21]
• 12
  • Sheila Bernette, 94, English singer ( The Good Old Days , The Black and White Minstrel Show ) ^[22]
  • Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, 26, British guitarist (Black Midi) ^[23] (death announced on this date)
• 13 – Seán Ó Sé, 89, Irish tenor singer ^[24]
• 14
  • Melania Pérez  [ es ], 76, Argentine singer. ^[25]
  • Quemil Yambay, 87, Paraguayan musician and composer. ^[26]
• 15
  • Raju Bandara, 65, Sri Lankan singer, kidney disease. ^[27]
  • Kenny Morris, 68, English drummer (Siouxsie and the Banshees). ^[28] (death announced on this date)
  • Rubén Patagonia  [ es ], 69, Argentine singer. ^[29]
• 16
  • Tony Dallara, 89, Italian singer ("Come Prima", "Romantica"), respiratory illness. ^[30]
  • Osvaldo Díaz, 76, Chilean singer. ^[31]
  • Joxean Llorente  [ eu ], 63, Spanish choral conductor, composer and musicologist. ^[32]
  • Marcel Osztas  [ sk ], 37, Slovak radio presenter and music concert host. ^[33]
  • Guillermo Rendón García, 90, Colombian composer and organist. ^[34]
• 17
  • Marikena Monti, 82, Argentine singer and actress. ^[35]
  • Tucker Zimmerman, 84, American singer-songwriter, smoke inhalation. ^[36]
• 18
  • Stephen "Cat" Coore, 69, Jamaican guitarist and cellist (Third World). ^[37]
  • Anders Möller  [ sv ], 63, Swedish musician (Black Ingvars, Swedish Erotica), cancer. ^[38]
  • Jaan Ross, 68, Estonian musicologist and psychologist. ^[39]
  • Ralph Towner, 85, American jazz multi-instrumentalist. ^[40]
• 19
  • Mojmír Maděrič  [ cs ], 70, Czech musician, actor and host. ^[41]
  • Billy Parker, 88, American country music singer and DJ. ^[42]
• 20
  • Rob Hirst, 70, Australian musician (Midnight Oil, Ghostwriters) and songwriter ("Forgotten Years"), pancreatic cancer. ^[43] (death announced on this date)
  • Yaw Sarpong, Ghanaian gospel musician and songwriter. ^[44]
• 22
  • Francis Buchholz, 71, German bass guitarist (Scorpions). ^[45]
  • Guy Hovis, 84, American singer ( The Lawrence Welk Show ). ^[46]
• 23
  • Dalibor Brun, 81, Croatian singer. ^[47]
  • Kristinn Svavarsson, 78, Icelandic saxophonist (Mezzoforte). ^[48] (death announced on this date)
• 24 – Yuri Rymanov, 69, Russian guitarist (Lyube). ^[49]
• 25
  • Gabe Lopez, 49, American songwriter and producer, lymphoma. ^[50]
  • Abhijit Majumdar, 54, Indian composer and music director ( Sasura Ghara Zindabad , Balunga Toka , Daha Balunga ), liver disease. ^[51]
  • Marie Rouanet, 89, French singer and writer. ^[52]
  • Lucky Widja  [ id ], 49, Indonesian singer and songwriter, kidney tuberculosis. ^[53]
• 26
  • Richie Beirach, 78, American jazz pianist and composer. ^[54]
  • Sly Dunbar, 73, Jamaican drummer (Sly and Robbie), record producer ("Underneath It All"), and songwriter ("Murder She Wrote"). ^[55]
  • Béla Lattmann, 60, Hungarian jazz bassist. ^[56]
• 27
  • António Chainho, 88, Portuguese fado guitarist. ^[57]
  • Vladislav Chernushenko, 90, Russian conductor. ^[58]
• 28
  • Maroochy Barambah, 70, Australian Turrbal elder and mezzo-soprano singer. ^[59]
  • Nilton César, 86, Brazilian singer. ^[60]
  • Bryan Loren, 59, American songwriter ("Do the Bartman"). ^[61] (death announced on this date)
• 29 – Wojciech Michniewski, 78, Polish composer and conductor. ^[62] (death announced on this date)
• 30
  • Abdelhadi Belkhayat, 85, Moroccan singer. ^[63]
  • Parthenon Huxley, 70, American musician (ELO Part II). ^[64]
  • Fatih Ürek  [ tr ], 59, Turkish singer and actor, complications from a heart attack. ^[65]
• 31
  • Miklós Fenyő  [ hu ], 78, Hungarian singer, songwriter and musician. ^[66]
  • Mingo Lewis, 72, American percussionist and drummer (Santana, Al Di Meola, The Tubes). ^[67] (death announced on this date)
  • Billy Bass Nelson, 75, American Hall of Fame bass guitarist (Parliament-Funkadelic). ^[68]

February

• 1
  • Fernando Esteso, 80, Spanish singer, comedian, and actor, respiratory failure. ^[69]
  • Steve Washington, 67, American musician (Slave, Aurra). ^[70] (death announced on this date)
• 2
  • Chuck Negron, 83, American singer (Three Dog Night), heart failure and COPD. ^[71]
  • Ken Peplowski, 66, American jazz clarinetist and tenor saxophonist. ^[72]
  • Yuan Wei-jen, 57, Taiwanese singer-songwriter. ^[73]
• 3
  • Ron Kenoly, 81, American Christian singer, worship leader, and songwriter. ^[74]
  • Lamonte McLemore, 90, American singer (The 5th Dimension). ^[75]
  • S. P. Venkatesh, 70, Indian film score composer ( Kilukkam , Spadikam , Rajavinte Makan ), cardiac arrest. ^[76]
• 4
  • François Beukelaers, 88, Belgian singer, actor and stage director. ^[77]
  • Tommy Crook, 81, American guitarist. ^[78]
  • Tōsha Meishō, 84, Japanese hayashi musician. ^[79]
• 5
  • Helen Micallef, 75, Maltese singer (Helen and Joseph). ^[80]
  • Fred Smith, 77, American bassist (Television, Blondie). ^[81]
  • Tamás Vásáry, 92, Hungarian pianist and conductor. ^[82]
• 6 – Lynn Blakey, American musician (Tres Chicas, Let's Active). ^[83]
• 7
  • Brad Arnold, 47, American singer (3 Doors Down) and songwriter ("Kryptonite", "Here Without You"), renal cell carcinoma. ^[84]
  • Greg Brown, 56, American musician (Cake, Deathray) and songwriter ("The Distance"). ^[85]
  • Ebo Taylor, 90, Ghanaian musician and producer. ^[86]
• 8 – Matti Caspi, 76, Israeli singer-songwriter, cancer. ^[87]
• 9 – Garland Green, 83, American soul singer and pianist. ^[88]
• 10
  • Des de Moor, 64, English writer and musician. ^[89] (death announced on this date)
  • Andrew Ranken, 72, English drummer (The Pogues). ^[90]
• 11
  • Jerry Kennedy, 85, American record producer, songwriter and guitarist. ^[91]
  • Helmuth Rilling, 92, German choral conductor (Gächinger Kantorei, Oregon Bach Festival, Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart). ^[92]
  • László Somfai, 91, Hungarian musicologist. ^[93]
• 12
  • Saúl Cornejo, 79, Peruvian singer and composer (We All Together). ^[94]
  • Milkman, 36, Mexican rapper, producer, and composer. ^[95]
  • Michel Portal, 90, French composer, saxophonist and clarinetist. ^[96]
• 13 – Simon Harris, 63, British music producer, DJ and electronic musician. ^[97]
• 14 – Tim Very, 42, American rock drummer (Manchester Orchestra). ^[98] (death announced on this date)
• 15
  • Wayne Proctor, American guitarist (We the People). ^[99]
  • Leo Rosas, 27, Bolivian singer ( The Voice of Mexico ). ^[100]
• 16
  • Marzio Mazzanti, Italian singer and bassist (Homo Sapiens). ^[101]
  • Billy Steinberg, 75, American songwriter ("Like a Virgin", "True Colors", "Eternal Flame"), cancer. ^[102]
• 17
  • Jim Čert , 69, Czech singer and accordionist. ^[103]
  • Ray Reach, 77, American musician, composer and convicted pedophile. ^[104]
  • Shinya, 56, Japanese musician (Luna Sea), cancer. ^[105]
  • José van Dam, 85, Belgian operatic bass-baritone. ^[106]
  • Veikko Virtanen, 97, Finnish organ builder. ^[107]
• 18
  • Béatrice Ardisson, 62, French composer, cancer. ^[108]
  • Lil Poppa, 25, American rapper, suicide by gunshot. ^[109]
• 19 - Nikolai Komyagin, 39, Russian singer (Shortparis). ^[110]
• 20 - Zoya Dorodova, 85, Russian singer (Buranovskiye Babushki), cancer. ^[111]
• 21
  • John Bertalot, 94, English organist. ^[112]
  • Willie Colón, 75, American salsa musician ("Pedro Navaja"), respiratory failure. ^[113]
  • Mark Kennedy, 74, Australian drummer (Spectrum, Ayers Rock, Marcia Hines) and record producer. ^[114]
• 22 - Luci4, 23, American rapper. ^[115]
• 23
  • Oliver "Power" Grant, 52, American executive producer (Wu-Tang Clan). ^[116]
  • Sondra Lee, 97, American musical actress ( Hello, Dolly! , Peter Pan , Sunday in New York ) and singer. ^[117]
  • Éliane Radigue, 94, French composer. ^[118]
  • Monti Rock III, 86, American singer (Disco-Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes), complications from COPD. ^[119]
• 24
  • Rostislav Gepp, 74, Russian musician (Ariel). ^[120]
  • Jiří Valenta, 66, Czech keyboardist (Olympic), suicide. ^[121]
  • Héctor Zamorano, 47, Mexican singer ( La Academia ). ^[122]
• 25 - Roman Kofman, 89, Ukrainian conductor (Kyiv Chamber Orchestra) and composer. ^[123]
• 26 - Utsav Charan Das, 80, Indian dancer, lyricist and music composer. ^[124]
• 27 - Neil Sedaka, 86, American singer ("Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", "Bad Blood") and songwriter ("Love Will Keep Us Together"). ^[125]

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. "【オフィシャルレポ】東京女子流「みんなの存在があっての15年」記念ライヴで解散発表". Ototoy (in Japanese). 2025-05-12. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
5. "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.
6. Ihana ja ihmeellinen karjalainen, muistelee Sinikka Sokka tätiään Ritva Auvista (in Finnish)
7. Tony Carr, Maltese jazz drummer to the stars, dies aged 98
8. Daily Update: NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20, CMLL Sin Salida, Johnny Legend
9. Bassist Andrew Bodnar (o.a. Graham Parker & The Rumour) overleden (in Dutch)
10. Andrew Carter - In Memoriam
11. Razor – Former Drummer Mike Embro Dead At 63
12. Karel-zangeres Elsje de Wijn overleden op 82-jarige leeftijd (in Dutch)
13. Alabama Music Hall of Famer, Huntsville native Jim McBride, dies at 78
14. James Bernard, founding editor of ‘The Source’ and co-founder of ‘XXL,’ dies
15. Помер український композитор Блажков, Гордон, 8.1.2026, автор - Ельчін Садаєв (in Ukrainian)
16. "Los Angeles County Medical Examiner". Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
17. Renaissance drummer Terry Sullivan has died
18. Atención: en accidente de avioneta esta tarde en Paipa (Boyacá) muere el cantante Yeison Jiménez y sus músicos (in Spanish)
19. Bob Weir, co-founder of rock group the Grateful Dead, dies at age 78
20. Singer-actor Prashant Tamang passes away at 43 in Delhi
21. Tributes paid to 'extraordinary musician' John Wallace
22. BBC's Good Old Days and Coronation Street star and singer Sheila Bernette dies aged 94
23. Black Midi Co-Founder Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin Dies at 26
24. Renowned Cork singer Seán Ó Sé dies aged 89
25. Adiós a Melania Pérez, voz emblema de la música argentina y del Festival de Cosquín (in Spanish)
26. Fallece el músico Quemil Yambay, ícono del folclore paraguayo (in Spanish)
27. Veteran singer Raju Bandara passed away
28. Siouxsie And the Banshees Drummer Kenny Morris Has Died
29. Murió a los 69 años Rubén Patagonia, figura clave del folclore y referente cultural del sur argentino (in Spanish)
30. Morto Tony Dallara, il cantante aveva 89 anni (in Italian)
31. Muere el cantante Osvaldo Díaz, ídolo de la Nueva Ola y Sábado Gigante (in Spanish)
32. La música enmudece con la partida de Joxean Llorente (in Spanish)
33. Mimoriadne smutná správa: Zomrel moderátor a hypeman Marcel Osťo Osztas (in Slovak)
34. Falleció Guillermo Rendón García a los 90 años: este es el legado del maestro, músico, escritor e investigador colombiano (in Spanish)
35. Murió Marikena Monti: adiós a una voz emblemática del café concert argentino (in Spanish)
36. 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)
37. Stephen ‘Cat’ Coore, Jamaican music icon and Third World co-founder, dies at 69
38. Black Ingvars sångare Anders Möller är död (in Swedish)
39. Suri Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia emeriitprofessor, akadeemik Jaan Ross (in Estonian)
40. RIP Ralph Towner (1940-2026)
41. Zemřel herec a moderátor Mojmír Maděrič. Tvář Prima vařečky předtím kvůli nemoci zhubla 30 kilo (in Czech)
42. Legendary KVOO DJ Billy Parker dies at the age of 88
43. Music industry rocked by the death of Rob Hirst, the powerful engine behind Midnight Oil
44. Gospel icon Yaw Sarpong is dead
45. Scorpions and Michael Schenker bassist Francis Buchholz dies aged 71
46. 'Lawrence Welk' Star Dead at 84
47. Napustio nas je legendarni Dalibor Brun: Ovo je njegovih 10 najvećih hitova, svi ih znamo (in Croatian)
48. Mezzoforte's Kristinn Svavarsson has died
49. Yuri Rymanov, ex-guitarist of the Lube band, has died.
50. Emmy-nominated RuPaul's Drag Race crew member, songwriter Gabe Lopez dies as queens pay tribute: 'Devastating to hear'
51. Popular Odia singer Abhijit Majumdar dies at 54
52. Mort de l’écrivaine biterroise Marie Rouanet : figure de proue de la culture occitane, l’artiste est décédée à 89 ans (in French)
53. Lucky Widja, Steadfast and Professional Until the End
54. Richard Beirach, Pianist, Composer, Early ECM Stalwart, Dies at 78
55. Sly & Robbie's Sly Dunbar dead at 73
56. Elhunyt Lattmann Béla jazzbasszusgitáros (in Hungarian)
57. Calou-se a guitarra de António Chainho (in Portuguese)
58. Скончался народный артист СССР Владислав Чернушенко (in Russian)
59. Turrbal Elder And Revered Songwoman Maroochy Barambah Passes Away, Aged 70
60. Morre Nilton Cesar, voz marcante da música romântica, aos 86 anos (in Portuguese)
61. Bryan Loren, Michael Jackson Collaborator and New Jack Swing Pioneer, Dies at 58
62. Zmarł Wojciech Michniewski, światowej klasy dyrygent urodzony w Łodzi (in Polish)
63. Moroccan Music Icon Abdelhadi Belkhayat Dies at 85
64. Parthenon Willett Miller Huxley
65. Son dakika! Ünlü sanatçı Fatih Ürek hayatını kaybetti (in Turkish)
66. Meghalt Fenyő Miklós (in Hungarian)
67. Fallece Mingo Lewis (in Spanish)
68. P-Funk star Billy Bass Nelson dies at age 75
69. Muere el cómico Fernando Esteso a los 80 años (in Spanish)
70. Steve Washington, co-founder of legendary funk bands Aurra and Slave, dies
71. Three Dog Night’s Chuck Negron, voice behind ‘Joy to the World,’ dies at 83
72. The jazz world mourns the loss of acclaimed clarinetist, saxophonist and bandleader Ken Peplowski
73. 袁惟仁病逝「走得平靜」　黃韻玲悲泣：親愛的小胖離開了 (in Chinese)
74. Gospel legend, Ron Kenoly dies at 81
75. LaMonte McLemore, singer and founding member of The 5th Dimension, dies at 90
76. S.P. Venkatesh, legendary South Indian music director, dies at 70
77. L’acteur belge François Beukelaers est décédé à l’âge de 88 ans (in French)
78. Oklahoma Music Hall of Famer Tommy Crook dies at 81
79. 藤舎名生さん死去　長唄鳴物の人間国宝 (in Japanese)
80. Helen Micallef, Eurovision 1972 singer, dies aged 75
81. Fred Smith, Bassist for Television, Dies at 77
82. Meghalt Vásáry Tamás (in Hungarian)
83. Beloved Indie Rock Musician, Inspiration for the Replacements’ Alt-Rock Anthem ‘Left of the Dial,’ Dies
84. 3 Doors Down Frontman Brad Arnold Dies at 47 After Battle with Stage 4 Cancer
85. Cake founding guitarist Greg Brown has died
86. Ghana music legend Ebo Taylor dies at 90
87. Matti Caspi, one of Israel’s greatest musicians, dies at 76
88. “Jealous Kind of Fella” singer Garland Green dies at 83
89. Much-loved Guild member and writer Des De Moor passes away
90. Tributes paid after death of "drummer, founding member, and heartbeat of The Pogues" Andrew 'The Clobberer' Ranken
91. Jerry Kennedy, a Shreveport native who was a guitarist for Elvis and others, has died
92. Helmuth Rilling ist tot: Gründer der Bachakademie Stuttgart starb mit 92 Jahren (in German)
93. Elhunyt Somfai László zenetörténész, az MTA rendes tagja (in Hungarian)
94. Fallece Saúl Cornejo, pionero del rock peruano y líder de Laghonia y We All Together (in Spanish)
95. Muere el Rapero Mexicano Milkman: Esto Se Sabe de su Fallecimiento (in Spanish)
96. Mort de Michel Portal, un musicien sans frontières (in French)
97. Obituary: Simon Harris, Pioneer of UK Hip Hop and Founder of Music of Life
98. Manchester Orchestra drummer Tim Very dead at 42
99. We The People’s Wayne Proctor Has Died
100. Luto en la música boliviana: Leo Rosas fallece a los 27 años (in Spanish)
101. È morto Marzio Mazzanti, storico componente degli Homo Sapiens (in Italian)
102. ‘Like a Virgin’ songwriter Billy Steinberg dies at 74
103. Zemřel undergroundový písničkář Jim Čert. Spolupracoval s StB, po letech se veřejně omluvil (in Czech)
104. Well-known Alabama jazz musician convicted in child porn case dies in state custody
105. Luna Sea、ドラマー・真矢が56歳で死去　昨年9月には約5年間の闘病を告白 (in Japanese)
106. Operazanger en baron José van Dam (85) overleden (in Dutch)
107. Veikko Virtanen on kuollut (in Finnish)
108. Béatrice Ardisson est décédée à l'âge de 62 ans des suites d'un cancer (in French)
109. Rapper Lil Poppa Dead at 25
110. Shortparis Frontman Nikolai Komyagin Has Died
111. Зоя Дородова: биография, новости, личная жизнь (in Russian)
112. Blackburn Cathedral pays tribute after death of former music director Dr John Bertalot
113. Falleció la leyenda de la salsa, Willie Colón (in Spanish)
114. Mark Kennedy, Legendary Australian Drummer For Spectrum, Ayers Rock And Leo Sayer, Dies Aged 74
115. James Dear
116. Oliver Power Grant, Wu-Tang Clan co-founder, dies at 52
117. Original Hello, Dolly! Star Sondra Lee Dies at 97
118. La compositrice Eliane Radigue, pionnière de la musique électronique, est morte à l’âge de 94 ans (in French)
119. 'Saturday Night Fever' Actor Dead at 86, Remembered for Scene-Stealing Role
120. В Челябинске скончался руководитель ВИА «Ариэль» Ростислав Гепп (in Russian)
121. Valenta z Olympicu měl spáchat sebevraždu. Zastřelil se u řeky, prozradila manželka (in Czech)
122. ¿Quién era Héctor Zamorano, el primer eliminado en la historia de ‘La Academia’? (in Spanish)
123. Renowned Ukrainian Conductor Roman Kofman Passes Away
124. Renowned Ghoda Nacha Artist and Padma Shri Awardee Utsav Charan Das passes away at 80
125. Neil Sedaka, Legendary Singer-Songwriter Behind ‘Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,’ ‘Bad Blood’ and ‘Love Will Keep Us Together,’ Dies at 86