List of 2021 deaths in popular music

This is a list of notable performers of rock music and other forms of popular music, and others directly associated with the music as producers, songwriters, or in other closely related roles, who died in 2021.

2021 deaths in popular music

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.

Preceded by 2020

List of deaths in popular music 2021

Succeeded by 2022

Name	Age	Date	Location of death	Cause of death
Misty Morgan Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan	75	January 1, 2021	Florida, U.S.	Cancer[1]
Mick Bolton Mott the Hoople, Dexys Midnight Runners	72	January 1, 2021	Hastings, England	Undisclosed[2]
Carlos do Carmo	81	January 1, 2021	Lisbon, Portugal	[3]
Gerry Marsden Gerry & the Pacemakers	78	January 3, 2021	Arrowe Park, Merseyside, England	Blood infection[4]
Jamie O'Hara The O'Kanes	70	January 7, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	Cancer[5]
Ed Bruce	81	January 8, 2021	Clarksville, Tennessee, U.S.	Natural causes[6]
Marsha Zazula Megaforce Records founder	68	January 10, 2021	Clermont, Florida, U.S.	Cancer[7]
John Oakley-Smith Rhodesian singer	71	January 11, 2021	Mutare, Zimbabwe	Murder
Tim Bogert Beck, Bogert & Appice, Vanilla Fudge, Cactus	76	January 13, 2021	Simi Valley, California, U.S.	Cancer[8]
Sylvain Sylvain New York Dolls	69	January 13, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	Cancer[9]
Phil Spector Record producer	81	January 16, 2021	San Joaquin, California, U.S.	COVID-19[10] Spector was serving time at California Health Care Facility for the Murder of Lana Clarkson.[11]
Jason Cope The Steel Woods	43	January 16, 2021		Complications from diabetes[12]
Jimmie Rodgers	87	January 18, 2021	Palm Desert, California, U.S.	Heart attack[13]
Ronnie Nasralla Record producer from Byron Lee and the Dragonaires	90	January 20, 2021	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.	Natural causes[14]
Hilton Valentine The Animals	77	January 29, 2021		Undisclosed[15]
Sophie	34	January 30, 2021	Athens, Greece	Accidental fall from a building[16]
Double K People Under the Stairs	43	January 30, 2021		Unknown[17]
David Donato Black Sabbath, White Tiger	66	February 2, 2021		Unknown[18]
Jim Weatherly	77	February 3, 2021	Brentwood, Tennessee, U.S.	Natural causes[19]
Stefan Cush The Men They Couldn't Hang	60	February 4, 2021		Heart attack[20]
Örs Siklósi AWS	29	February 5, 2021		Leukaemia[21]
Mary Wilson The Supremes	76	February 8, 2021	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.	Hypertensive heart disease[22]
Chick Corea Return to Forever, Chick Corea Elektric Band	79	February 9, 2021	Tampa Bay, Florida, U.S.	Cancer[23]
Cedrick Cotton Ideal	46	February 9, 2021	Houston, Texas, U.S.	Stabbing[24]
Jon Mark Mark-Almond, John Mayall	77	February 10, 2021		Unknown[25]
Louis Clark Music arranger from Electric Light Orchestra	73	February 13, 2021	Elyria, Ohio, U.S.	Kidney failure[26]
Françoise Cactus Stereo Total, Lolitas	56	February 17, 2021	Berlin, Germany	Breast cancer[27]
U-Roy	78	February 17, 2021	Kingston, Jamaica	Kidney failure[28]
Prince Markie Dee The Fat Boys	52	February 18, 2021	Miami, Florida, U.S.	Congestive heart failure[29]
James Burke The Five Stairsteps	70	February 19, 2021		Pneumonia[30]
Đorđe Balašević Rani Mraz	67	February 19, 2021	Novi Sad, Serbia	[31]
Scott Pettersen Backwater	64	February 21, 2021	Austin, Texas, U.S.	Cancer[32]
Viktoras Michnevičius Member of Sel	47	February 24, 2021	?, Lithuania	Undisclosed
Bob James Swan, Montrose, Magnet	68	February 26, 2021		Ulcer complications[33]
Anna Kast Little Big	39	February 28, 2021		Infection[34]
Ian North Milk 'N' Cookies	68	February 28, 2021	Sarasota, Florida, U.S. (?)	Heart attack[35]
Bunny Wailer The Wailers	73	March 2, 2021	Kingston, Jamaica	Complications from a stroke[36]
Alan Cartwright Procol Harum	75	March 4, 2021		Stomach cancer[37]
Michael Stanley	72	March 5, 2021		Lung cancer[38]
James MacGaw Magma	52	March 8, 2021		Brain tumour[39]
Ray Campi	86	March 11, 2021	U.S.	Unknown[40]
Reggie Warren Troop	52	March 14, 2021	Pasadena, California, U.S.	Cause not disclosed[41]
Doug Parkinson Fanny Adams, The Life Organisation	74	March 15, 2021	Northern Beaches, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia	Undisclosed[42]
Matt "Money" Miller Titus Andronicus	34	March 17, 2021		Unknown[43]
Corey Steger Underoath	42	March 17, 2021		Traffic collision[44]
Dan Sartain	39	March 20, 2021	Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.	Unknown[45]
Malcolm Cecil Record producer from Tonto's Expanding Head Band	84	March 28, 2021		Unknown[46]
Oscar Kraal Niels Geusebroek, Van Dik Hout, Milow	50	April 1, 2021		Pancreatic cancer[47]
Patrick Juvet	70	April 1, 2021	Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain	Cardiac arrest[48]
B.B. Dickerson War	71	April 2, 2021	Long Beach, California, U.S.	A long, undisclosed illness[49]
Ralph Schuckett Utopia	73	April 3, 2021		Unknown[50]
Paul Humphrey Blue Peter	61	April 4, 2021	Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Multiple system atrophy[51]
DMX	50	April 9, 2021	White Plains, New York, U.S.	Heart attack leading to organ failure[52]
Bob Porter American Hall of Fame record producer, discographer and broadcaster	80	April 10, 2021	Northvale, New Jersey, U.S.	Esophageal cancer[53]
Bosse Skoglund Peps Persson	85	April 10, 2021		Unknown[54]
Leonid Bortkevich Pesniary	71	April 13, 2021		Unknown[55]
Rusty Young Poco	75	April 14, 2021	Davisville, Missouri, U.S.	Heart attack[56]
Evgeniy Ostapenko Ukrainian singer	44	April 14, 2021	Klaipėda, Lithuania	Heart failure
Barby Kelly The Kelly Family	45	April 15, 2021	Belascoáin, Spain	Heart failure[57]
Barry Mason	85	April 16, 2021		Unknown[58]
Mike Mitchell The Kingsmen	77	April 16, 2021		Died on his 77th birthday of unknown cause[59]
Lew Lewis Eddie and the Hot Rods	65–66	April 17, 2021		Unknown[60]
Paul Oscher	74	April 18, 2021	Austin, Texas, U.S.	COVID-19[61]
Lars Ratz Metalium	53	April 18, 2021	Vilafranca de Bonany, Mallorca, Spain	Ultralight crash[62]
Jim Steinman	73	April 19, 2021	Danbury, Connecticut, U.S.	Kidney failure[63]
Les McKeown Bay City Rollers	65	April 20, 2021	London, England	Suspected heart attack[64]
Joe Long The Four Seasons	88	April 21, 2021	Long Beach, New Jersey, U.S.	COVID-19[65]
Shock G Digital Underground	57	April 22, 2021	Tampa, Florida, U.S.	Accidental overdose[66]
Denny Freeman	76	April 25, 2021	Austin, Texas, U.S.	Abdominal cancer[67]
Al Schmitt Recording engineer for RCA Records, Capitol Studios	91	April 26, 2021	Bell Canyon, California, U.S.	Unknown[68]
Paul Couter TC Matic	72	April 27, 2021	Ghent, Belgium	Cancer[69]
Anita Lane The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds	61	April 28, 2021		Unknown[70]
John Hinch Judas Priest, Bakerloo	73	April 29, 2021		Unknown[71]
Tony Markellis Trey Anastasio Band	68	April 29, 2021	Saratoga Springs, New York, U.S.	Unknown[72]
Will Mecum Karma to Burn, Year Long Disaster	48	April 29, 2021	Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.	Accidental fall[73]
Wondress Mantronix	56	May 1, 2021		Unknown[74]
Phil Naro Singer for Talas	63	May 3, 2021		Tongue cancer[75]
Lloyd Price	88	May 3, 2021	New Rochelle, New York, U.S.	Natural causes[76]
Nick Kamen	59	May 4, 2021	London, England	Bone marrow cancer.[77]
Pervis Staples The Staple Singers	85	May 6, 2021	Dolton, Illinois, U.S.	Undisclosed causes[78]
Tawny Kitaen Whitesnake video actress	59	May 7, 2021	Newport Beach, California, U.S.	Dilated cardiomyopathy[79]
Franco Battiato	76	May 18, 2021	Milo, Catania, Italy	[80]
Alix Dobkin	80	May 19, 2021	Woodstock, New York, U.S.	Stroke[81]
Roger Hawkins	75	May 20, 2021	Sheffield, Alabama, U.S.	Undisclosed[82]
Florian Pilkington-Miksa Curved Air	70	May 20, 2021		Pneumonia[83]
Lorrae Desmond	91	May 23, 2021	Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia	Unknown[84]
John Davis Milli Vanilli	66	May 24, 2021	Nuremberg, Germany	COVID-19[85]
Søren Holm Liss	25	25 May 2021	Denmark	Unknown[86]
B. J. Thomas	78	May 29, 2021	Arlington, Texas, U.S.	Lung cancer[87]
Phil Johnstone	63	May 31, 2021		Died after long battle with undisclosed illness[88]
Lil Loaded	20	May 31, 2021	Dallas, Texas, U.S.	Suicide by gunshot[89]
Michele Merlo	28	June 6, 2021	Bologna, Italy	Fulminant leukemia[90]
David C. Lewis Ambrosia, Shadowfax	80-81	June 7, 2021	Agua Dulce, California, U.S.	Brain cancer[91]
Don Hill Saxophonist for The Treniers	99	June 18, 2021	Died at his home	Unknown[92]
Takeshi Terauchi	82	June 18, 2021	Yokohama, Japan	Pneumonia[93]
Ellen McIlwaine	75	June 23, 2021	Calgary, Canada	Esophageal cancer[94]
Wes	57	June 25, 2021	Paris, France	Infection[95]
Johnny Solinger Skid Row	55	June 26, 2021		Liver failure[96]
Jon Hassell	84	June 26, 2021		Natural causes[97]
Peps Persson Blues Quality, Peps Blodsband	74	June 27, 2021	Vittsjö, Sweden	Unknown[98]
Bryan St. Pere Hum, Castor	52	June 29, 2021	Evansville, Indiana, U.S.	Unknown[99]
John Lawton Uriah Heep, Lucifer's Friend, Les Humphries Singers	74	June 29, 2021		Unknown[100]
Steve Kekana	62	July 1, 2021	Johannesburg, South Africa	COVID-19 Related complications[101]
Sanford Clark	85	July 4, 2021	Joplin, Missouri, U.S.	COVID-19 during cancer treatment[citation needed]
Rick Laird Mahavishnu Orchestra	80	July 4, 2021	New City, New York, U.S.	Lung cancer[102]
Raffaella Carrà	78	July 5, 2021	Rome, Italy	Lung cancer[103]
Andy Williams Drummer for Casting Crowns	49	July 9, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	Motorcycle accident[104]
Jeff LaBar Cinderella	58	July 14, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	Undisclosed[105]
Gary Corbett Keyboardist for Cinderella, Kiss	62	July 15, 2021		Aggressive lung cancer[106]
Pyotr Mamonov Zvuki Mu	70	July 15, 2021	Moscow, Russia	COVID-19[107]
Tsepo Tshola Member of Sankomota	68	July 15, 2021	?, South Africa	COVID-19
Biz Markie Juice Crew	57	July 16, 2021	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.	Complications from diabetes.[108]
Robby Steinhardt Kansas	71	July 17, 2021	Tampa, Florida, U.S.	Complications from pancreatitis[109]
James Weatherstone The Demics	63	July 18, 2021	Died at his home	Unknown[110]
Raimundas Narsas Vocalist for Nars	56	July 23, 2021	?, Lithuania	Unknown
Joey Jordison Slipknot	46	July 26, 2021		Acute transverse myelitis[111]
Mike Howe Metal Church	55	July 26, 2021	Eureka, California, U.S.	Suicide by hanging[112]
Dusty Hill ZZ Top	72	July 28, 2021	Houston, Texas, U.S.	Complications from bursitis[113]
Johnny Ventura	81	July 28, 2021	Santiago, Dominican Republic	Heart attack[114][115]
Paul Cotton Poco	78	July 31, 2021	Eugene, Oregon, U.S.	Unknown[116]
Paul Johnson	50	August 4, 2021	Evergreen Park, Illinois, U.S.	COVID-19[117]
Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas Kool & the Gang	70	August 7, 2021	New Jersey, U.S.	Natural causes[118]
Joey Ambrose Bill Haley & His Comets	87	August 9, 2021	Henderson, Nevada, U.S.	Unknown[119]
Nanci Griffith	68	August 13, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	Cancer[120]
Charli Britton "Edward H. Dafis"	68	August 14, 2021	Bangor, Gwynedd	Unknown[121]
Gary "Chicken" Hirsh Country Joe and the Fish	81	August 17, 2021	Ashland, Oregon, U.S.	Unknown[122]
Ian Carey	45	August 20, 2021		Unknown[123]
Tom T. Hall	85	August 20, 2021	Franklin, Tennessee, U.S.	Suicide by gunshot wounds[124]
Don Everly The Everly Brothers	84	August 21, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	Unknown[125]
Micki Grant	92	August 22, 2021	New York City, New York, U.S.	Unknown[126][127]
Brian Travers UB40	62	August 22, 2021	Birmingham, England	Cancer[128]
Eric Wagner Trouble, The Skull, Probot	62	August 23, 2021	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.	COVID-19[129]
Olli Wisdom Specimen	63	August 23, 2021	London, England	Unknown[130]
Charlie Watts The Rolling Stones	80	August 24, 2021	London, England	Undisclosed[131]
Kenny Malone	83	August 26, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	COVID-19[132]
Lee "Scratch" Perry The Upsetters, Producer	85	August 29, 2021	Lucea, Jamaica	An unspecified illness[133]
Ron Bushy Iron Butterfly	79	August 29, 2021	Santa Monica, California, U.S.	Esophageal cancer[134]
Marty Fried The Cyrkle	77	September 1, 2021	U.S.	Pancreatic cancer[135]
Timo Kaltio Hanoi Rocks, Cheap & Nasty, Cherry Bombz	61	September 2, 2021	Helsinki, Finland	Unknown[136]
Rickie Lee Reynolds Black Oak Arkansas	72	September 5, 2021	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.[137]	Kidney failure and cardiac arrest[138]
Sarah Harding Girls Aloud	39	September 5, 2021	Manchester, England	Breast cancer[139]
Michael Chapman	80	September 10, 2021		Unknown[140]
María Mendiola Baccara	69	September 11, 2021	Madrid, Spain[141]	Cancer[142]
Ron Leejack Wicked Lester, Cactus	78	September 12, 2021	New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.	Unknown[143]
David Stenshoel Boiled in Lead	71	September 16, 2021		Squamous cell carcinoma of the gingiva[144]
Marina Tucaković Serbian musician and member of Zana	67	September 19, 2021	Belgrade, Serbia	Breast cancer
Sarah Dash LaBelle	76	September 20, 2021		Heart failure[145]
Richard H. Kirk Cabaret Voltaire	65	September 21, 2021		Unknown[146]
Bob Moore	88	September 22, 2021	U.S.	Unknown[147]
Pee Wee Ellis James Brown Band	80	September 24, 2021	Somerset, England	Unknown[148]
Alan Lancaster Status Quo	72	September 26, 2021	Sydney, Australia	Multiple sclerosis[149]
George Frayne Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen	77	September 26, 2021	Saratoga Springs, New York, U.S.	Esophageal cancer[150]
Andrea Martin	49	September 27, 2021	New York City, U.S.	Undisclosed[151]
Barry Ryan	72	September 28, 2021		Lung disorder[152]
Greg Gilbert Delays	44	September 30, 2021	Southampton, England	Bowel cancer[153]
Ghanashyam Nayak	77	October 3, 2021	Mumbai, India	Cancer[154]
Pat Fish The Jazz Butcher	63	October 5, 2021		Heart attack[155]
Dee Pop Bush Tetras, The Gun Club	65	October 9, 2021	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.	Heart failure[156]
Misko Barbara Dead Rooster	49	October 11, 2021	Lviv, Ukraine	Cardiac arrest[157]
Paddy Moloney The Chieftains	83	October 11, 2021	Dublin, Ireland	Unknown[158]
Andrea Meyer Cradle of Filth, Nebelhexe	52	October 13, 2021	Kongsberg, Norway	Murdered in bow and arrow attack[159]
Toby Slater Catch, Brattish	42	October 13, 2021		Unknown[160]
Ron Tutt	83	October 16, 2021	Franklin, Tennessee, U.S.	Unknown[161]
Einár	19	October 21, 2021	Stockholm, Sweden	Murdered by gunshot[162]
Jay Black Jay and the Americans	82	October 22, 2021	Queens, New York City, U.S.	Pneumonia[163]
Willie Cobbs	89	October 25, 2021		[164]
Alvin "Seeco" Patterson Wailers	90	November 1, 2021	Kingston, Jamaica	Unknown[165]
Ronnie Wilson The Gap Band	73	November 2, 2021	Died at his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma	Stroke[166]
Marília Mendonça	26	November 5, 2021	Minas Gerais, Brazil	Plane crash[167]
Terence "Astro" Wilson UB40	64	November 6, 2021		Allergic reaction[168]
Andrew Barker 808 State	53	November 6, 2021	Manchester, England	Unknown[169]
Graeme Edge The Moody Blues	80	November 11, 2021	Bradenton, Florida, U.S.	Metastatic cancer[170]
John Goodsall Brand X, Atomic Rooster, The Fire Merchants	68	November 11, 2021		Unknown[171]
Young Dolph	36	November 17, 2021	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.	Murdered[172]
Jim Gallagher The Astronauts	78	November 20, 2021	U.S.	Unknown[173]
Billy Hinsche Dino, Desi, and Billy, The Beach Boys	70	November 20, 2021		Lung cancer[174][175]
David Longdon Big Big Train	56	November 20, 2021	Nottingham, England	Accidental fall[176]
Gared O'Donnell Planes Mistaken for Stars	44	November 25, 2021	Peoria, Illinois, U.S.	Esophegal cancer[177]
Melvin Parker	77	December 3, 2021	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.	Unknown[178]
Stonewall Jackson	89	December 4, 2021	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.	Vascular dementia[179]
John Miles The Alan Parsons Project	72	December 5, 2021	Newcastle upon Tyne, England	Unknown[180]
János Kóbor Omega	79	December 6, 2021		COVID-19[181]
Robbie Shakespeare Sly and Robbie	68	December 8, 2021	Miami, Florida, U.S.	Kidney failure[182]
Gil Bridges Rare Earth	80	December 8, 2021		COVID-19[183]
David Lasley Chic	74	December 9, 2021		Unknown[184]
Steve Bronski Bronski Beat	61	December 9, 2021		House fire[185]
Michael Nesmith The Monkees	78	December 10, 2021	Carmel Valley, California, U.S.	Natural causes[186]
Vicente Fernández	81	December 12, 2021	Guadalajara, Mexico	Complications from injuries[187]
Joe Simon	85	December 13, 2021		[188]
Wanda Young The Marvelettes	78	December 15, 2021	Garden City, Michigan, U.S.	COPD[189]
John Morgan The Wurzels	80	December 17, 2021	Gloucester, England	COVID-19[190]
Drakeo the Ruler	28	December 18, 2021	Los Angeles, California	Stabbing[191]
Kangol Kid UTFO	55	December 18, 2021	Manhasset, New York, U. S.	Colon Cancer[192]
Billy Conway Morphine	65	December 19, 2021		Liver cancer[193]
Ron Anderson vocal coach	75	December 19, 2021		Undisclosed cause[194]
Carlos Marín Il Divo	53	December 19, 2021	Manchester, England	COVID-19[195]
Luboš Andršt Framus Five, Energit, Jazz Q	73	December 20, 2021		Undisclosed cause[196]
John Hartman The Doobie Brothers	71	December 29, 2021		Unknown[197]

See also

• Biography portal
• Rock music portal
• Lists portal

• List of deaths in popular music
• List of murdered hip hop musicians
• 27 Club