# List of 2017 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 2017.

## 2017 deaths in popular music

| Preceded by 2016 | List of deaths in popular music 2017 | Succeeded by 2018 |
| Name | Age | Date | Location | Cause of death |
| Mike Gaborno Manic Hispanic | 51 | January 4, 2017 | | Liver cancer |
| Johnny Dick Fanny Adams, Wild Cherries | 73 | January 6, 2017 | | |
| Sylvester Potts The Contours | 78 | January 6, 2017 | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | Alzheimer's disease |
| Eddie Kamae Sons of Hawaii | 89 | January 7, 2017 | Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. | |
| Jerzy Kossela Czerwone Gitary | 74 | January 7, 2017 | Gdynia, Poland | |
| Buddy Bregman American arranger, record producer, conductor and composer | 86 | January 8, 2017 | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | Alzheimer's disease |
| Peter Sarstedt | 75 | January 8, 2017 | | Progressive supranuclear palsy |
| Crazy Toones Record producer | 45 | January 9, 2017 | | Heart attack |
| Tommy Allsup Buddy Holly & The Crickets | 85 | January 11, 2017 | Springfield, Missouri, U.S. | Complications from a hernia operation |
| Tony Booth Poster artist for The Beatles | 83 | January 11, 2017 | Upton, Merseyside, England | Cancer |
| Larry Steinbachek Bronski Beat | 56 | January 12, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Meir Banai | 55 | January 12, 2017 | Hemed, Israel | Cancer |
| Muhammad Fachroni Project Pop | 44 | January 13, 2017 | | Complications from diabetes |
| Richie Ingui Soul Survivors | 70 | January 13, 2017 | | |
| Magic Alex Electronics engineer for The Beatles | 74 | January 13, 2017 | Kolonaki, Athens, Greece | Pneumonia |
| Charles "Bobo" Shaw | 69 | January 16, 2017 | | |
| Franz Jarnach The Rattles | 72 | January 16, 2017 | Hamburg, Germany | |
| Mike Kellie Multi-instrumentalist and record producer for Spooky Tooth, The Only Ones | 69 | January 18, 2017 | | |
| Loalwa Braz | 63 | January 19, 2017 | Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Murdered |
| Howard Kaufman Talent manager for Eagles, Aerosmith, Def Leppard | 79 | January 19, 2017 | | |
| Ronald “Bingo” Mundy The Marcels | 76 | January 20, 2017 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Pneumonia |
| Joey Powers | 82 | January 20, 2017 | Washington, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Maggie Roche The Roches | 65 | January 21, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Walter Morrison Record producer for Ohio Players and music director of Parliament-Funkadelic | 62 | January 21, 2017 | London, England | |
| Jaki Liebezeit Can | 78 | January 22, 2017 | Cologne, Germany | Pneumonia |
| Pete Overend Watts Mott the Hoople, British Lions | 69 | January 22, 2017 | | Throat cancer |
| Bobby Freeman | 76 | January 23, 2017 | San Francisco, California, U.S. | Natural causes |
| Gil Ray Game Theory, The Loud Family | 60 | January 24, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Björn Thelin The Spotnicks | 74 | January 24, 2017 | | |
| Butch Trucks The Allman Brothers Band | 69 | January 24, 2017 | West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. | Suicide by gunshot |
| Benny Collins Tour manager for The Rolling Stones, Journey | 68 | January 27, 2017 | | Pneumonia |
| Guitar Gable | 79 | January 28, 2017 | Opelousas, Louisiana, U.S. | |
| Geoff Nicholls Black Sabbath | 68 | January 28, 2017 | | Lung cancer |
| Elkin Ramírez Kraken | 54 | January 29, 2017 | Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia | Brain cancer |
| James Laurence Record producer for Friendzone | 27 | January 30, 2017 | | |
| Deke Leonard Man, Help Yourself | 72 | January 31, 2017 | | Heart failure |
| John Wetton Asia, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, King Crimson, Wishbone Ash | 67 | January 31, 2017 | Bournemouth, England | Cancer |
| Robert Dahlqvist The Hellacopters, Dundertåget | 40 | February 3, 2017 | Bagarmossen, Sweden | Accidental drowning following seizure |
| Steve Lang April Wine | 67 | February 4, 2017 | | Parkinson’s disease |
| Noel Simms | 82 | February 4, 2017 | Alligator Reef, Florida, U.S. | Lung cancer |
| David Axelrod | 85 | February 5, 2017 | Burbank, California, U.S. | Lung cancer |
| Sonny Geraci The Outsiders, Climax | 69 | February 5, 2017 | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | |
| Tony Särkkä Abruptum, Ophthalamia | 44 | February 8, 2017 | Finspång, Sweden | Alleged suicide |
| Rina Matsuno Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku | 18 | February 8, 2017 | | Cardiac arrhythmia |
| Tony Davis The Spinners | 86 | February 10, 2017 | | |
| Harvey Lichtenstein American arts administrator for Brooklyn Academy of Music | 87 | February 11, 2017 | | Stroke |
| Damian | 52 | February 12, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Robert Fisher Willard Grant Conspiracy | 59 | February 12, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Al Jarreau | 76 | February 12, 2017 | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | Respiratory failure |
| Trish Doan Kittie | 31 | February 13, 2017 | | Suicide |
| Alan Aldridge Artist and graphic designer | 73 | February 17, 2017 | | |
| Peter Skellern | 69 | February 17, 2017 | Lanteglos-by-Fowey, Cornwall, England | Brain cancer |
| David Yorko Guitarist for Johnny and the Hurricanes | 73 | February 17, 2017 | "Heartland of Waterville" | Emphysema |
| Clyde Stubblefield | 73 | February 18, 2017 | Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. | Kidney failure |
| Larry Coryell The Eleventh House | 73 | February 19, 2017 | New York City, New York, U.S. | Heart failure |
| Ilene Berns Record producer, record company director and co-founded of Bang Records | 73 | February 23, 2017 | Miami, Florida, U.S. | Heart failure |
| Leon Ware Record producer | 77 | February 23, 2017 | Marina del Rey, California, U.S. | Prostate cancer |
| Eric Miller Record producer for Pablo Records | 75 | February 25, 2017 | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Toshio Nakanishi Plastics | 61 | February 25, 2017 | Tokyo, Japan | Esophageal cancer |
| Hiroshi Kamayatsu The Spiders | 78 | March 1, 2017 | | Pancreatic cancer |
| Jim Fuller The Surfaris | 69 | March 3, 2017 | Monrovia, California, U.S. | Undisclosed |
| Tommy Page Music industry executive from Reprise Records | 46 | March 3, 2017 | East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Suicide by hanging |
| Edi Fitzroy | 62 | March 4, 2017 | May Pen, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica | |
| Ritchie Adams | 78 | March 6, 2017 | | |
| Lars Diedricson Snowstorm | 55 | March 6, 2017 | Gothenburg, Sweden | |
| Robbie Hoddinoff Kingfish | 62 | March 6, 2017 | | |
| Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya | 56 | March 7, 2017 | Hooghly district, West Bengal, India | Traffic accident |
| Tony Lorenzo Sons of Azrael | 30 | March 9, 2017 | | Complications from paralysis |
| Joni Sledge Sister Sledge | 60 | March 10, 2017 | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | Natural causes |
| Evan Johns The LeRoi Brothers | 69 | March 11, 2017 | Austin, Texas, U.S. | Liver disease |
| Joey Alves Y&T | 63 | March 12, 2017 | | Complications from ulcerative colitis |
| Tommy LiPuma Record producer | 80 | March 13, 2017 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| John Lever The Chameleons | 55 | March 13, 2017 | | |
| James Cotton | 81 | March 16, 2017 | Austin, Texas, U.S. | Pneumonia |
| Chuck Berry | 90 | March 18, 2017 | Wentzville, Missouri, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Billy Bland | 84 | March 22, 2017 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| Sib Hashian Boston | 67 | March 22, 2017 | At sea near Nassau, Bahamas | Heart attack |
| Sven-Erik Magnusson Sven-Ingvars | 74 | March 22, 2017 | Karlstad, Sweden | Prostate cancer |
| Jimmy Dotson | 83 | March 26, 2017 | Houston, Texas, U.S. | |
| Clem Curtis The Foundations | 76 | March 27, 2017 | | Lung cancer |
| Edward Grimes Rachel's, Shipping News | 43 | March 27, 2017 | | |
| Aldo Guibovich Los Pasteles Verdes | 64 | March 29, 2017 | Chimbote, Peru | Brain tumor |
| Lonnie Brooks | 83 | April 1, 2017 | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Brenda Jones The Jones Girls | 62 | April 2, 2017 | | Traffic accident |
| Paul O'Neill Record producer for Trans-Siberian Orchestra | 61 | April 5, 2017 | Tampa, Florida, U.S. | Intoxication of prescription drugs |
| David Peel The Lower East Side Band | 73 | April 6, 2017 | Manhattan, New York, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Joseph Rascoff Tour manager from U2, The Rolling Stones | 71 | April 6, 2017 | | Prostate cancer |
| Kim Plainfield | 63 | April 8, 2017 | Tomkins Cove, New York, U.S. | |
| Keni Richards Autograph | 60 | April 8, 2017 | U.S. | Murdered |
| Banner Thomas Molly Hatchet | 60 | April 10, 2017 | | Pneumonia |
| J. Geils The J. Geils Band | 71 | April 11, 2017 | Groton, Massachusetts, U.S. | Natural causes |
| Tom Coyne Mastering engineer | 63 | April 12, 2017 | U.S. | Multiple myeloma |
| Toby Smith Jamiroquai | 46 | April 12, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Mika Vainio Pan Sonic | 57 | April 12, 2017 | | Multiple myeloma |
| Sylvia Moy Record producer | 78 | April 15, 2017 | Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. | Pneumonia |
| Matt Holt Nothingface | 39 | April 15, 2017 | Frederick, Maryland, U.S. | Undisclosed degenerative illness |
| Allan Holdsworth Soft Machine, U.K. | 70 | April 16, 2017 | Vista, California, U.S. | Heart disease |
| Pat Fitzpatrick Aslan | 60 | April 19, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Cuba Gooding Sr The Main Ingredient | 72 | April 20, 2017 | Woodland Hills, California, U.S. | Natural causes |
| Sandy Gallin American talent agent | 76 | April 21, 2017 | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | Multiple myeloma |
| Calep Emphrey Jr. | 67 | April 25, 2017 | U.S. | |
| Bruce Hampton Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Hampton Grease Band | 70 | May 1, 2017 | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Kevin Garcia Grandaddy | 41 | May 2, 2017 | | Stroke |
| Saxa The Beat | 87 | May 3, 2017 | | |
| Christopher Boykin Entertainer from Rob & Big | 45 | May 9, 2017 | | Heart failure |
| Robert Miles | 47 | May 9, 2017 | Ibiza, Spain | Cancer |
| Jimmy Copley Manfred Mann's Earth Band | 63 | May 13, 2017 | Bristol, England | Leukemia |
| Kevin Stantion Mi-Sex | 61 | May 17, 2017 | New Zealand | Cervical spondylitis |
| Chris Cornell Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog | 52 | May 18, 2017 | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | Suicide by hanging |
| Frankie Paul | 51 | May 18, 2017 | Kingston, Jamaica | |
| Jimmy Hayes The Persuasions | 74 | May 18, 2017 | New York, New York, U.S. | Died during surgery |
| Kid Vinil Record producer | 62 | May 19, 2017 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Jimmy LaFave | 61 | May 21, 2017 | Austin, Texas, U.S. | Spindle cell sarcoma |
| Gregg Allman The Allman Brothers Band | 69 | May 27, 2017 | Richmond Hill, Georgia, U.S. | Liver cancer |
| Aamir Zaki Vital Signs | 49 | June 2, 2017 | Karachi, Pakistan | Heart failure |
| Vin Garbutt | 69 | June 6, 2017 | | Heart failure |
| Sandra Reemer Sandra & Andres | 66 | June 6, 2017 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Breast cancer |
| Rosalie Sorrels | 83 | June 11, 2017 | Reno, Nevada, U.S. | |
| Prodigy Mobb Deep | 42 | June 20, 2017 | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | Accidental choking |
| Gunter Gabriel | 75 | June 22, 2017 | Hanover, Germany | Fall |
| Jimmy Nalls Sea Level | 66 | June 22, 2017 | | Fall |
| Dave Rosser The Afghan Whigs, The Twilight Singers | 50 | June 27, 2017 | | Colon cancer |
| Gary DeCarlo Steam | 75 | June 28, 2017 | Branford, Connecticut, U.S. | Lung cancer |
| Rudy Rotta | 66 | July 3, 2017 | Verona, Italy | |
| John Blackwell | 43 | July 4, 2017 | Land o' Lakes, Florida, U.S. | Brain tumor |
| Melvyn "Deacon" Jones Baby Huey & the Babysitters | 73 | July 6, 2017 | Hollywood, California, U.S. | |
| Ray Phiri | 70 | July 12, 2017 | Nelspruit, South Africa | Lung cancer |
| Simon Holmes The Hummingbirds | 54 | July 13, 2017 | Sydney, Australia | |
| Fresh Kid Ice 2 Live Crew | 53 | July 13, 2017 | Miami, Florida, U.S. | cirrhosis of the liver |
| David Zablidowsky Adrenaline Mob, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, SOTO, ZO2 | 38 | July 14, 2017 | Micanopy, Florida, U.S. | Traffic accident |
| Roland Cazimero The Brothers Cazimero | 66 | July 16, 2017 | U.S. | |
| Thor Lindsay Record producer for Tim/Kerr | 58 | July 16, 2017 | | |
| Chester Bennington Linkin Park, Dead by Sunrise, Stone Temple Pilots | 41 | July 20, 2017 | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | Suicide by hanging |
| Kenny Shields Streetheart | 69 | July 21, 2017 | | Complications from cardiac surgery |
| Bobby Taylor Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers | 83 | July 22, 2017 | | Cancer |
| Michael Johnson | 72 | July 25, 2017 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | |
| Billy Joe Walker Jr. | 65 | July 25, 2017 | Kerrville, Texas, U.S. | |
| Goldy McJohn Steppenwolf | 72 | August 1, 2017 | Burien, Washington, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Tony Cohen Record producer for The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds | 60 | August 2, 2017 | Dandenong, Victoria, Australia | |
| Glen Campbell | 81 | August 8, 2017 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | Alzheimer's disease |
| Benard Ighner | 72 | August 14, 2017 | Houston, Texas, U.S. | Lung cancer |
| Melissa Bell Soul II Soul | 53 | August 28, 2017 | | Kidney failure |
| Skip Prokop Lighthouse, The Paupers | 73 | August 30, 2017 | St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada | |
| Walter Becker Steely Dan | 67 | September 3, 2017 | Manhattan, New York, U.S. | Esophageal cancer |
| Dave Hlubek Molly Hatchet | 66 | September 3, 2017 | Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Earl Lindo The Wailers | 64 | September 4, 2017 | London, England | |
| Holger Czukay Can | 79 | September 5, 2017 | Weilerswist, Germany | Natural causes |
| Rick Stevens Tower of Power | 77 | September 5, 2017 | U.S. | Liver cancer |
| Troy Gentry Montgomery Gentry | 50 | September 8, 2017 | | Helicopter accident |
| Michael Friedman In association of The Civilians | 41 | September 9, 2017 | Manhattan, New York, U.S. | HIV/AIDS |
| Virgil Howe Little Barrie | 41 | September 11, 2017 | | Heart attack |
| Will Youatt Man, Neutrons | 67 | September 12, 2017 | | |
| Jessi Zazu Those Darlins | 28 | September 12, 2017 | | Cervical cancer |
| Grant Hart Hüsker Dü | 56 | September 14, 2017 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | Liver cancer |
| Mark Selby | 56 | September 18, 2017 | Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | Cancer |
| Billy Hatton Bass guitarist for The Fourmost | 76 | September 19, 2017 | | Unknown |
| Johnny Sandlin Record producer for The Allman Brothers Band | 72 | September 19, 2017 | Decatur, Arkansas, U.S. | Cancer |
| Cecs Bergman Record producer for Catapult | 65 | September 21, 2017 | | |
| Ammon Tharp Drummer for Bill Deal and the Rhondels | 75 | September 22, 2017 | | Undisclosed cause |
| Charles Bradley | 68 | September 23, 2017 | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | Stomach cancer |
| CeDell Davis | 91 | September 27, 2017 | Hot Springs, Arkansas, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Frank Slay Record producer, and record label owner | 87 | September 30, 2017 | | |
| Tom Petty Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Traveling Wilburys | 66 | October 2, 2017 | Santa Monica, California, U.S. | Cardiac arrest |
| Jerry Ross Record producer and co-founder of Heritage Records | 84 | October 4, 2017 | Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Prostate cancer |
| Bunny Sigler Record producer | 76 | October 6, 2017 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Jimmy Beaumont The Skyliners | 76 | October 7, 2017 | McKeesport, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Natural causes/Died in his sleep |
| Grady Tate | 85 | October 8, 2017 | Manhattan, New York, U.S. | Complications from Alzheimer's disease |
| Francisco Ernesto Ruíz Banda Cuisillos | 32 | October 12, 2017 | Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico | Gunshot |
| Iain Shedden The Saints | 60 | October 16, 2017 | Sydney, Australia | Laryngeal cancer |
| Gord Downie The Tragically Hip | 53 | October 17, 2017 | Kingston, Ontario, Canada | Glioblastoma |
| Howard Carroll Guitarist for The Dixie Hummingbirds | 92 | October 17, 2017 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | Unknown |
| Martin Eric Ain Celtic Frost, Hellhammer | 50 | October 21, 2017 | Zürich, Switzerland | Heart attack |
| Scott Putesky Marilyn Manson | 49 | October 22, 2017 | | Colon cancer |
| Al Hurricane | 81 | October 22, 2017 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | Prostate cancer |
| George Young The Easybeats, Flash and the Pan | 70 | October 22, 2017 | Singapore | |
| Fats Domino | 89 | October 24, 2017 | Harvey, Louisiana, U.S. | Natural causes |
| Dick Noel | 90 | October 27, 2017 | Escondido, California, U.S. | |
| Billy Mize | 88 | October 28, 2017 | U.S. | |
| Muhal Richard Abrams | 87 | October 29, 2017 | Manhattan, U.S. | |
| Katie Lee | 98 | November 1, 2017 | Jerome, Arizona, U.S. | |
| Robert Knight | 72 | November 5, 2017 | Tennessee, U.S. | |
| Pentti Glan Alice Cooper | 71 | November 7, 2017 | Innisfil, Ontario, Canada | Lung cancer |
| Chuck Mosley Faith No More, Bad Brains | 57 | November 9, 2017 | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | Drug overdose |
| Chad Hanks Co-Founder and Bassist for American Head Charge | 46 | November 12, 2017 | | Terminal illness/Cancer |
| Bonnie Flower Wendy and Bonnie | 63 | November 15, 2017 | | |
| Lil Peep | 21 | November 15, 2017 | Tucson, Arizona, U.S. | Drug overdose |
| Ben Riley | 84 | November 18, 2017 | West Islip, New York, U.S. | Lung disease |
| Malcolm Young AC/DC | 64 | November 18, 2017 | Sydney, Australia | Dementia |
| Charles Manson | 83 | November 19, 2017 | Bakersfield, California, U.S. | Colon cancer Manson died while serving time in California State Prison, Corcoran. |
| Warren "Pete" Moore The Miracles | 78 | November 19, 2017 | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | Complications from diabetes |
| Della Reese | 86 | November 19, 2017 | Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
| David Cassidy The Partridge Family | 67 | November 21, 2017 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. | Liver failure |
| Wayne Cochran | 78 | November 21, 2017 | Miami, Florida, U.S. | Cancer |
| George Avakian Record producer from Decca Records, Columbia Records, World Pacific Records, Warner Bros. Records, and RCA Records | 98 | November 22, 2017 | Upper West Side, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| Tommy Keene | 59 | November 22, 2017 | | Cardiac arrest |
| Mitch Margo The Tokens | 70 | November 24, 2017 | Studio City, California, U.S. | Natural causes |
| Robert Popwell The Young Rascals, The Crusaders | 66 | November 27, 2017 | Lebanon, Tennessee, U.S. | |
| Robert Walker | 80 | November 29, 2017 | California, U.S. | Cancer |
| Zé Pedro Xutos & Pontapés | 61 | November 30, 2017 | | |
| Norihiko Hashida | 72 | December 2, 2017 | Kyoto, Japan | Parkinson's disease |
| Johnny Hallyday | 74 | December 6, 2017 | Marnes-la-Coquette, France | Lung cancer |
| Sir Christus Negative | 39 | December 7, 2017 | | |
| Sunny Murray | 81 | December 8, 2017 | Paris, France | Multiple organ failure |
| Leon Rhodes Ernest Tubb and His Texas Troubadours | 85 | December 9, 2017 | | |
| Keith Chegwin Brown Sauce | 60 | December 11, 2017 | | Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis |
| Manno Charlemagne | 69 | December 10, 2017 | Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. | Cancer |
| Pat DiNizio The Smithereens | 62 | December 12, 2017 | Summit, New Jersey, U.S. | |
| Dave Christenson Stabilizers | 54 | December 15, 2017 | | Lung cancer |
| Warrel Dane Sanctuary, Nevermore | 56 | December 13, 2017 | São Paulo, Brazil, U.S. | Heart attack |
| Michael Prophet | 60 | December 16, 2017 | Bedford, England | Lung cancer |
| Richard Dobson | 75 | December 16, 2017 | Diessenhofen, Switzerland | Cancer |
| Kevin Mahogany | 59 | December 17, 2017 | Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. | Diabetes |
| Larry Harris Record producer from Casablanca Records | 70 | December 20, 2017 | Port Angeles, Washington, U.S. | |
| Kim Jong-hyun Shinee | 27 | December 18, 2017 | Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea | Suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning |
| Combat Jack American music journalist, editor and podcaster | 53 | December 20, 2017 | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | Colon cancer |
| Jordan Feldstein Manager from Maroon 5 | 40 | December 23, 2017 | | Pulmonary thromboembolism |