It takes a village to make the music we love. There are the voices and instruments out front, of course, and a band clicking everything into place. But there are also the songwriters who pen memorable melodies and words, producers and sound engineers to make everything sound just right, and journalists, photographers and illustrators to tell their stories. The music that has soundtracked your greatest triumphs and soothed your deepest wounds come from a thousand different places and people — that's worth remembering.
What follows is a memorial to those music makers we lost in 2024, listed below in chronological order by the date they left us.
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German guitarist and composer who co-founded the krautrock band Amon Düül
Jan. 20, 1947 — Jan. 2, 2024
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The Philly-born saxophonist became a mentor to the Baltimore jazz scene, where he composed "The Inner Harbor Suite"
July 27, 1944 — Jan. 5, 2024
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The energetic rockabilly guitarist was a member of The Collins Kids with his sister Lorrie
Oct. 4, 1944 — Jan. 5, 2024
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The English musician and sound engineer was a key collaborator with Kate Bush
Nov. 3, 1952 — Jan. 5, 2024
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The Greek-born American composer was a pioneer of new age music
Jan. 9, 1947 — Jan. 6, 2024
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The avant-garde composer and filmmaker tapped into the void with drones and microtones
Oct. 2, 1933 — Jan. 8, 2024
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The first female DJ on BBC Radio 1 and The Old Grey Whistle Test championed new music across genres
April 1, 1940 — Jan. 11, 2024
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The Cajun singer and accordionist found chart success in country music
Oct. 2, 1946 — Jan. 13, 2024
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With more than 100 works to his name — performed by the likes of the New York Philharmonic and Joan Baez — the composer was best known as musical parodist P.D.Q. Bach
July 17, 1935 — Jan. 16, 2024
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The Italian-born, Berlin-based musician studied dhrupad for 15 years to become a master of the North Indian classical vocal style
May 11, 1905 — Jan. 17, 2024
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Operating under the Silent Servant moniker, the Guatemalan-born DJ and electronic music producer helped to shape the L.A. techno scene
Aug. 14, 1977 — Jan. 18, 2024
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Sole member of The Soft Moon, a vehicle for the L.A. songwriter to battle his demons and heal through moody post-punk
May 30, 1979 — Jan. 18, 2024
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The singer exuded a tough yet tender image as leader of the 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las
Dec. 28, 1948 — Jan. 19, 2024
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The sultry nightclub singer's popular take on "California Soul" was sampled by Gang Starr and Quasimoto
Sept. 22, 1939 — Jan. 19, 2024
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A music journalist whose sharp, provocative criticism graced Melody Maker, The Guardian and The Quietus
July 26, 1972 — Jan. 23, 2024
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German producer behind Boney M. and Milli Vanilli, whose success showed a penchant for flash disregard for decorum
July 18, 1941 — Jan. 23, 2024
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Woodstock festival performer who penned the chart-topping innuendo-filled roller skate song "Brand New Key"
Feb. 3, 1947 — Jan. 23, 2024
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After a colleague critiqued his singing, the Japanese engineer invented the karaoke machine
Nov. 29, 1923 — Jan. 26, 2024
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British photographer whose portraits of Kate Bush and Iggy Pop — not to mention album covers for Depeche Mode and Echo and the Bunnymen — defined the 1980s
April 13, 1948 — Jan. 29, 2024
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The singer and dancer lit up Broadway productions of West Side Story, Bye Bye Birdie and Chicago
Jan. 23, 1933 — Jan. 30, 2024
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Guitarist whose revolutionary riffs in MC5 paved the way for punk and later inspired him to co-found Jail Guitar Doors USA, which provides instruments to inmates serving time
April 30, 1948 — Feb. 2, 2024
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Soprano and star of the 1981 French thriller Diva
Jan. 5, 1949 — Feb. 2, 2024
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Bassist and bandleader of Bob Marley and the Wailers
Nov. 22, 1946 — Feb. 3, 2024
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To paraphrase the man himself, a Toby Keith song is the the best receptacle for barbecues, tailgates, fairs and festivals
July 8, 1961 — Feb. 5, 2024
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Longtime Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor
Sept. 1, 1935 — Feb. 6, 2024
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An over-the-top psychobilly rocker who took silly shots at celebrity, but also offered pointed critiques of the establishment
Aug. 2, 1957 — Feb. 7, 2024
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When Can needed a new singer in 1970, the Japanese experimentalist's ecstatic vocalizations expanded the already-adventurous German band's universe
January 16, 1950 — Feb. 9, 2024
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The rockabilly and roots rock musician influenced generations of power duos, including The White Stripes, with his band Flat Duo Jets
June 18, 1966 — Feb. 16, 2024
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Lead singer of reggae band Morgan Heritage
July 11, 1973 — Feb. 25, 2024
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Frontman for the 1970s power-pop band Raspberries and solo star behind "All By Myself" and "Hungry Eyes"
Aug. 11, 1949 — March 2024
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Music supervisor for films that included Roma, plus Lee Daniels' Precious, The Butler and The United States vs. Billie Holiday
1963 — March 1, 2024
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Jazz-rock pianist who performed with Steely Dan, Wayne Shorter and Pat MethenyAug. 26, 1960 — March 2, 2024
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The Bronx-born boogaloo pianist and bandleader's "I Like It Like That" has lived several lives, most recently as a sample on Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin's hit "I Like It"
April 16, 1934 — March 7, 2024
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The husband-and-wife vocal duo Steve & Eydie kept the Tiny Pan Alley tradition alive well into rock and roll's awakening
July 8, 1935 — March 7, 2024
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Noise-maker for the grindcore band Pig Destroyer and effusive hypeman for all things loud, heavy and fast
Dec. 17, 1975 — March 9, 2024
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Welsh singer-songwriter who helped to define 1980s college radio in World Party and The Waterboys
Oct. 19, 1957 — March 10, 2024
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A brash and brilliant pioneer of the alternative Christian rock scene who challenged the faithful to examine their faults and hypocrisies
Dec. 22, 1962 — March 12, 2024
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German composer of emotionally devastating operas
March 4, 1936 — March 13, 2024
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Scottish-born, L.A.-based singer for the '90s band Wild Colonials
Feb. 28, 1960 — March 14, 2024
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Singular American concert pianist who specialized in Chopin
March 24, 1928 — March 14, 2024
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Gospel music singer and twin sister to Andraé Crouch
July 1, 1942 — March 17, 2024
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Born with spina bifida, Matthew Urango used his disco-influenced indie-pop music to advocate for people with disabilities
Feb. 14, 1990 — March 17, 2024
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Co-lead singer of the L.A. ska band Hepcat
Nov. 3, 1970 — March 19, 2024
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Towering, intellectually rigorous, classical pianist
January 5, 1942 — March 23, 2024
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Leading Hungarian modernist composer and conductor
January 2, 1944 — March 24, 2024
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Bassist for British new wave band Ultravox
July 14, 1952 — March 25, 2024
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Member of the 1960s experimental music collective Theatre of Eternal Music and lighting designer for the immersive "Dream House" installation co-created with her husband, the composer La Monte Young
April 15, 1940 — March 28, 2024
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Saxophonist and vocoder wizard in the Robert Glasper Experiment
Oct. 10, 1978 — March 30, 2024
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The poet's radical politics dovetailed with those of the Detroit rock band MC5, which he managed from 1966-1969
Oct. 2, 1941 — April 2, 2024
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An expressive drummer who brought finesse and forward pull to a sweeping expanse of modern jazz over more than seven decades
May 31, 1935 — April 3, 2024
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Guitarist for the English shoegaze band Pale Saints
Feb. 9, 1967 — April 4, 2024
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The in-house drummer for early hip-hop labels Sugar Hill and Tommy Boy also appeared on Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine
Nov. 1954 — April 4, 2024
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New Orleans R&B singer and pianist whose signature croak can be heard on his song "Ain't Got No Home"
March 19, 1937 — April 7, 2024
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German-born Canadian drummer for the punk bands D.O.A., SNFU and Subhumans
Dec. 11, 1960 — April 8, 2024
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Ethiopian singer whose songs from the 1970s and '80s were filled with love and longing for better times
May 15, 1951 — April 9, 2024
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This seminal figure in Atlanta hip-hop, who provided the Dungeon that produced OutKast, Goodie Mob and many other local players, helped lead a regional rap movement as a member of Organized Noize
Feb. 26, 1972 — April 13, 2024
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As a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, his blues, rock and country-influenced guitar style helped define Southern rock in the 1960s and '70s
Dec. 12, 1943 — April 18, 2024
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Bassist for the psychedelic rock band Dead Meadow
May 26, 1976 — April 18, 2024
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The American Idol singer won a Grammy for her 2013 album Overcomer
Oct. 2, 1976 — April 18, 2024
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British conductor and long-standing director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Feb. 2, 1944 — April 20, 2024
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Record producer for the Arista, Freedom and Muse labels, who also curated archival box sets around the works of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Nat "King" Cole
Sept. 20, 1948 — April 20, 2024
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With producer Lee Hazlewood, the unfussy-yet-idiosyncratic guitarist put the twang in early rock and roll
April 26, 1938 — April 30, 2024
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Unapologetic frontman of the San Francisco queercore punk band the Dicks
Dec. 11, 1952 — April 30, 2024
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As the guitarist for Shellac and Big Black, he was abrasive and absurd; as an engineer on thousands of records, he left an indelible mark on how we hear music
July 22, 1962 — May 7, 2024
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Drummer for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Jefferson Airplane and The Turtles, including on the latter's 1967 hit "Happy Together"
April 1, 1945 — May 8, 2024
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The drummer's thunderous swing drove the proto-punk chaos of MC5
Sept. 7, 1948 — May 9, 2024
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An alto saxophonist whose tone was as bright and steadfast as a lighthouse beacon during a career that spanned nearly 60 years
July 30, 1945 — May 12, 2024
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Founding member of Iron Butterfly who sang and played organ on the band's hit song "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"
Sept. 9, 1945 — May 24, 2024
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With his late brother Robert, he wrote "It's A Small World" and scores for several Disney films, including Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
June 12, 1928 — May 25, 2024
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Bassist in metal bands Sumerlands and Eternal Champion
April 26, 1988 — May 29, 2024
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A member of the rap group 2 Live Crew, which pioneered the Miami bass sound in the late '80s
April 2, 1967 — June 3, 2024
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The "voice of house music" gave the fervent sermon heard on Rhythm Controll's 1987 track "My House"
Birth date unknown — June 6, 2024
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France's It Girl of the 1960s was a striking presence on the "yé-yé" scene, yet her musical career outlasted many of her peers, spanning more than 30 studio albums
Jan. 17, 1944 — June 11, 2024
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Caribbean-born singer for the London-based ska band The Selecter
April 29, 1951 — June 11, 2024
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The Mexican-born, South Texas-based TV host introduced many artists, including a teenage Selena Quintanilla, to a wider audience
Aug. 23, 1942 — June 12, 2024
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New York R&B singer whose three-and-half octave range fueled "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" and "I Try"
May 2, 1954 — June 13, 2024
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The music journalist championed the outskirts of country and Americana via SiriusXM
Nov. 18, 1963 — June 14, 2024
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The saxophonist's provocative performances and outlandish punk-funk music in the Contortions pioneered New York's no wave scene
April 20, 1953 — June 18, 2024
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Frontman for Crazy Town, whose "Butterfly" was the only rap-rock song to hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100
Aug. 23, 1974 — June 24, 2024
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One-time record label executive who co-founded Cornerstone Agency and The Fader, linking music media and marketing
July 12, 1968 — June 24, 2024
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The offbeat country singer and mystery novelist — and candidate for Texas governor in 2006 — who blurred the line between his persona and true identity
Nov. 1, 1944 — June 27, 2024
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Record producer with a diverse set of credits, ranging from Rush and Queensrÿche to Jewel and Indigo Girls
Jan. 14, 1951 — June 28, 2024
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The vocalist disappeared after making two hauntingly spare albums for ESP-Disk' in the 1960s, and was celebrated by the avant-garde community upon her return decades later
March 11, 1940 — June 29, 2024
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Austin-based music journalist who wrote scholarly books about the fringes of Texas music
Nov. 30, 1955 — July 1, 2024
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The singer and guitarist's time in the Minneapolis indie rock scene inspired her beloved memoir, Petal Pusher: A Rock and Roll Cinderella Story
Sept. 28, 1961 — July 1, 2024
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Co-founder of Stealers Wheel and co-writer of the Scottish band's "Stuck in the Middle With You"
Oct. 18, 1946 — July 6, 2024
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The hard-bop musician brought a level-headed calm to the role of a trumpet hero
Aug. 28, 1962 — July 7, 2024
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Tenor in the country and gospel vocal quartet The Oak Ridge Boys
May 18, 1948 — July 9, 2024
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The Nashville songwriter penned songs for Kenny Rogers and the Oak Ridge Boys, and had his own hit in "Please Come to Boston"
Nov. 10, 1947 — July 10, 2024
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WRTI host and founder of the Philadelphia Jazz Project who, above all, believed in telling stories
March 4, 1957 — July 13, 2024
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Rising pianist, composer and new music advocate
May 21, 1986 — July 14, 2024
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Editor at Dallas Observer and D Magazine
June 13, 1974 — July 16, 2024
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A civil rights activist who co-founded The Freedom Singers and later started the African American vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock
Oct. 4, 1942 — July 16, 2024
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Long-running Geffen Records president who oversaw the label's Guns N' Roses and Nirvana years
Nov. 6, 1934 — July 16, 2024
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The Greenwich Village folk singer and guitarist worked with Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Pete Seeger and Peter Tosh
May 9, 1938 — July 17, 2024
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Co-vocalist (along with cousin Juan Brujo, who died just two months later) in L.A.-based Latin metal band Brujeria
Nov. 24, 1966 — July 17, 2024
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When the Malian musician plucked the kora's 21 strings, the world fell in love
Aug. 10, 1965 — July 19, 2024
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Lead guitarist for the late-'60s psychedelic three-guitar attack of Moby Grape
July 10, 1943 — July 21, 2024
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The last surviving original member of The Four Tops
Dec. 26, 1935 — July 22, 2024
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Through his band the Bluesbreakers, several guitarists flourished under the "godfather of the British blues," including Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Peter Green
Nov. 29, 1933 — July 22, 2024
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Professor of musicology, preeminent scholar of American music and author of The American Musical Landscape
May 12, 1935 — July 23, 2024
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Strikingly original, and prolific, German composer
March 13, 1952 — July 27, 2024
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The fire-starting Bronx-born rapper and actor who began his career in the duo Art of Origin in the early '90s once feuded with Tupac Shakur
April 8, 1974 — July 28, 2024
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In the New Zealand band The Chills, the songwriter crafted the ramshackle indie-rock sound that influenced the likes of R.E.M. and Pavement
July 2, 1963 — July 28, 2024
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The Snarky Puppy singer and keyboardist was also the music director for gospel music titan Kirk Franklin
Aug. 23, 1978 — Aug. 3, 2024
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Beloved Brazilian cellist and member of the Beaux Arts Trio
Aug. 23, 1957 — Aug. 3, 2024
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Williams' song "Stay," first recorded by his doo-wop group The Zodiacs in 1960, became a hit for The Four Seasons and The Hollies
April 26, 1938 — Aug. 6, 2024
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J. Mascis called on this bassist for his stoner rock band Witch and vice versa for the power-pop band Sweet Apple
Nov. 8, 1965 — Aug. 8, 2024
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The Rocket editor and writer documented Seattle's rising grunge scene and wrote pivotal books on Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain
May 7, 1957 — Aug. 9, 2024
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The New Zealand singer-songwriter made ghostly music as White Winged Moth and in the band Autistic Daughters
March 24, 1975 — Aug. 10, 2024
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The singer-songwriter's 1983 power-pop hit "Jeopardy" reached No. 2 on the pop chart, behind Michael Jackson's "Beat It"
July 10, 1949 — Aug. 13, 2024
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Singer for the hard rock band Great White
Dec. 5, 1960 — Aug. 15, 2024
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The Houston rapper, a self-proclaimed Club Godzilla, produced several viral striptease anthems, including "Then Leave" and the platinum-selling "Thick" with DJ Chose
Nov. 24, 1984 — Aug. 15, 2024
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Founding member of the psychedelic soul band The Chambers Brothers
Aug. 22, 1942 — Aug. 15, 2024
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Keyboardist for the experimental electronic band Ulver
Aug. 16, 1970 — Aug. 16, 2024
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Bluegrass and country music fiddler who played with Bill Monroe and Porter Wagoner
July 21, 1933 — Aug. 16, 2024
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Classical music host and producer for WFIU
March 7, 1943 — Aug. 21, 2024
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Guitarist for Turing Machine and Pitchblende who later opened the Michelin-starred Brooklyn restaurant The Four Horseman with LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy
June 17, 1970 — Aug. 22, 2024
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The adventurous French singer made a pivot from the popular "yé-yé" scene to psychedelic prog-rock in the band Alpes
Sept. 22, 1941 — Aug. 22, 2024
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Vocalist and keyboardist for the synth-doom duo Pinkish Black
June 19, 1976 — Aug. 22, 2024
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A versatile and soulful guitarist who epitomized straight-ahead jazz guitar for his generation
Nov. 8, 1963 — Aug. 23, 2024
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The journalist is best known for his work in Wired and his writing about neurodiversity, but got his start covering 1970s counterculture, including the artists Grateful Dead and David Crosby
Dec. 23, 1957 — Aug. 29, 2024
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A musician who emerged with Brazil's bossa nova movement in the 1960s and became an ambassador for that country's music around the world
Feb. 11, 1941 — Sept. 5, 2024
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The Atlanta rapper scored several hits in the mid-2010s, including "Lifestyle" as part of Rich Gang, but he will be remembered more for his influence on the texture of modern rap
Oct. 4, 1989 — Sept. 5, 2024
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The English bassist was a member of T. Rex and a prolific session musician, whose many credits include the iconic bass line heard on Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side"
May 19, 1938 — Sept. 5, 2024
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Even if you don't know his name, you may well know all of the words he wrote for "My Heart Will Go On" and "Tears in Heaven"
June 27, 1944 — Sept. 6, 2024
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Stalwart soprano who sang 748 performances with the Metropolitan Opera
March 1, 1925 — Sept. 6, 2024
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The historian and critic who helmed Metronome and Downbeat believed that jazz is "America's gift to the world"
Oct. 24, 1929 — Sept. 7, 2024
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For over five decades, the R&B and funk legend kept the cookout classics coming in his band Maze
Dec. 6, 1946 — Sept. 10, 2024
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Reissues of his two 1970s LPs renewed interest in the Brazilian pop singer's music — and laid to rest rumors of his disappearance
May 1, 1905 — Sept. 13, 2024
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Big brother to Michael, singer and guitarist for the Jackson 5
Oct. 15, 1953 — Sept. 15, 2024
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Swans member and Foetus collaborator who carried on his penchant for extremity by producing records for The The and The Young Gods
Nov. 7, 1955 — Sept. 15, 2024
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The singer-songwriter shaped the Southern California sound, penning songs performed by the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt
Nov. 2, 1945 — Sept. 17, 2024
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Vocalist and co-founder of the outsized metal band Brujeria
June 28, 1968 — Sept. 18, 2024
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A master saxophonist revered as much for the durable standards he contributed to the jazz repertoire as for his eloquent tenor sound
Jan. 25, 1929 — Sept. 21, 2024
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Guitarist for the '80s New York anarcho-punk band Reagan Youth
March 19, 1964 — Sept. 21, 2024
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The dancer choreographed Prince's 1987 concert film Sign o' the Times and rapped on his hit "Alphabet St."
July 24, 1964 — Sept. 24, 2024
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A movie star and musical rebel who wrote songs about lovers, loners, boozers and a footloose pair of hitchhikers
June 22, 1936 — Sept. 28, 2024
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Drummer who inaugurated James Blood Ulmer's "avant-gutbucket" jazz trio Odyssey, and who also worked with Nina Simone and Larry Willis
Dec. 22, 1951 — Sept. 29, 2024
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The teenaged Canadian musician had collaborated with the Flaming Lips, and was preparing to release her debut solo album in 2025
July 17, 2007 — Oct. 6, 2024
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Generation-spanning gospel singer who performed with Elvis, Aretha and Van Morrison; mother to Whitney Houston
Sept. 30, 1933 — Oct. 7, 2024
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Eclectic Finnish conductor and composer of 371 symphonies
March 2, 1944 — Oct. 9, 2024
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Thoughtful, Grammy-winning classical music producer
June 5, 1961 — Oct. 10, 2024
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Scottish DJ and producer who performed as Jackmaster
January 11, 1986 — Oct. 12, 2024
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This Brooklyn rapper's hard-work ethic set the standard for DIY artists everywhere. His lyrical precision shone a light back on his community.
Aug. 11, 1972 — Oct. 12, 2024
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A singer who rose to fame as a member of the chart-topping boy band One Direction
Aug. 29, 1993 — Oct. 16, 2024
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Jazz, blues and folk singer who championed social justice causes
May 12, 1927 — Oct. 20, 2024
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Early vocalist for Iron Maiden who sang on the heavy metal band's self-titled debut and Killers
May 17, 1958 — Oct. 21, 2024
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Guitar mangler for the improvised noise trio Borbetomagus
May 7, 1958 — Oct. 22, 2024
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The beloved baritone saxophonist's 1999 debut, Swing Low, was selected for the collection of the William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Feb. 26, 1958 — Oct. 22, 2024
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The Brooklyn-born producer worked with Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G. and Mariah Carey, but will be remembered just as fondly for his mark on rap's sneaker culture
Sept. 28, 1966 — Oct. 24, 2024
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The bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead sang on some of the band's most memorable songs, including "Box of Rain"
March 15, 1940 — Oct. 25, 2024
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With his brother Tim, the illustrator of the Star Wars: A New Hope poster, he also worked on cover art for Black Sabbath's Mob Rules, Manilla Road's Mystification and several Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums
Jan. 23, 1939 — Oct. 31, 2024
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Former drummer of My Chemical Romance, who performed on its landmark album The Black Parade
Dec. 1979 — Nov. 2024
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The pop music mastermind produced hit albums for several decades, including Michael Jackson's Thriller, and composed music for The Wiz and The Color Purple
March 14, 1933 — Nov. 3, 2024
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An alto saxophonist who played a crucial role in both the development of hard bop and its evolution into soul jazz
Nov. 1, 1926 — Nov. 9, 2024
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The first lady of children's music, whose "You'll Sing A Song and I'll Sing A Song" will forever be passed down, believed in learning from the world
Aug. 6, 1924 — Nov. 9, 2024
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Pioneering modern jazz drummer
March 13, 1925 — Nov. 12, 2024
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American producer who shaped the Brit Beat sound with The Who and The Kinks
Aug. 11, 1937 — Nov. 13, 2024
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The garage-rock singer had a voice that could puncture heaven and soothe hell
Feb. 14, 1973 — Nov. 14, 2024
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The British poet co-founded King Crimson with Robert Fripp and penned lyrics for the likes of Cher, Celine Dion and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Dec. 27, 1943 — Nov. 14, 2024
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The iconic James Bond theme would be nothing without the session guitarist's rumbling sound
May 14, 1937 — Nov. 14, 2024
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Drummer for the Bee Gees during its disco years, including the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack
April 14, 1949 — Nov. 14, 2024
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Indian classical musician who collaborated with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, and produced the sumptuously cool Disco Jazz for the pop singer Rupa
Dec. 5, 1939 — Nov. 14, 2024
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The songwriter worked with French artists Jaques Brel and Juliette Gréco and penned Édith Piaf's iconic "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien"
March 26, 1929 — Nov. 18, 2024
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Drummer who appeared on Bee Gees' late '60s albums, including Horizontal and Odessa
March 24, 1946 — Nov. 18, 2024
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Once a dancer in Digital Underground, the Oakland rapper grew to become a singular presence on the Bay Area scene
Aug. 23, 1970 — Nov. 19, 2024
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Producer, songwriter and rocker whose broad catalog — Madonna, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Brian Wilson, Jonathan Richman, SpongeBob SquarePants — was playful and unique
Nov. 1, 1951 — Nov. 20, 2024
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The Elephant 6 collective co-founder meticulously collaged psychedelic-pop symphonies in The Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System
June 14, 1971 — Nov. 29, 2024
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Miami-based producer, songwriter and record label owner who discovered Sam & Dave, released records by KC and the Sunshine Band
Dec. 6, 1939 — Nov. 30, 2024
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The oldest person to win best new artist at the Latin Grammys
June 13, 1927 — Dec. 6, 2024
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Founder of Soultown, As-Shams and The Sun, the only Black-owned labels that operated under Apartheid
1939 — Dec. 7, 2024
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Jazz trumpeter who worked with avant-garde luminaries such as Tim Berne, Satoko Fujii and Anthony Davis
Feb. 21, 1951 — Dec. 10, 2024
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A distinguished French pianist whose dextrous and imaginative command of the jazz language made him a trailblazer in Europe
Aug. 23, 1927 — Dec. 12, 2024
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Indian tabla player who united musicians from diverse cultures and by doing so, shaped modern world music
March 9, 1951 — Dec. 15, 2024
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Alison Krauss, Pete Seeger and many others have recorded his songs, especially the folk standard "Garden Song," which John Denver performed with The Muppets
April 21, 1951 — Dec. 17, 2024
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The beloved rock guitarist joined The Replacements from 1987-1991, and released a pair of stellar solo albums in the '90s
Aug. 14, 1951 — Dec. 18, 2024
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Will Chase and Zazil Davis-Vazquez contributed research to support this story. Tom Huizenga and Sheldon Pearce contributed text. Jacob Ganz edited.
