# 2020 in American music

The following is a list of events and releases that happened in 2020 in music in the United States.

## Events
### January

* 10 – Selena Gomez released her first studio album in nearly five years, Rare.
** Echosmith released their first studio album in six years, Lonely Generation.
* 13 – Lauren Daigle performed the National Anthem at the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
* 26 – The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards, hosted by Alicia Keys, took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas took home the most awards with five each. Eilish won all four General field awards, including Album of the Year with When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Bad Guy", and Best New Artist. She is the first artist to win every major award in the same year since Christopher Cross in 1981.
* 31 – Taylor Swift released Miss Americana, a Netflix documentary based on the singer's life and her recent stance on politics to critical acclaim. Along with the documentary, Swift released a song, "Only the Young" alongside the documentary.

### February

* 2 – Demi Lovato performed the National Anthem, and Jennifer Lopez and Shakira performed the halftime show during Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
* 3 – Green Day released their first studio album in nearly four years, Father of All Motherfuckers.
* 14 - Justin Bieber released his first album in nearly five years, Changes.
* 24 – Armor for Sleep announced a reunion for a 2020 summer tour which will celebrate the 15th anniversary of their 2005 album, What to Do When You Are Dead, but soon the tour was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

### March

* 2 – After 35 years with the group, Flavor Flav was fired from Public Enemy.
* 6 – Lauv released his full-length debut studio album How I'm Feeling.
** Mandy Moore released her first studio album in eleven years, Silver Landings.
*** Lil Uzi Vert released their long-awaited studio album "Eternal Atake"
* 13 – Jay Electronica released his debut studio album and his first full project in thirteen years, A Written Testimony.
* 20 – Legendary country singer and actor Kenny Rogers died at the age of 81.
** Conan Gray released his full-length debut studio album Kid Krow, becoming the biggest new artist debut of the year.
* 22 – Childish Gambino, released his first studio album in four years, 3.15.20.
* 27 – Pearl Jam released their first studio album in seven years, Gigaton.
** Jessi Alexander released her first album in six years, Decatur Country Red.

### April

* 3 – Testament released their first studio album in four years, Titans of Creation.
** Sam Hunt released his first studio album in six years, Southside.
* 10 – Sparta released their first studio album in fourteen years, Trust the River.
** The Strokes released their first studio album in seven years, The New Abnormal.
** Maddie & Tae released their first studio album in five years, The Way It Feels.
* 17 – Fiona Apple released her first studio album in eight years, Fetch the Bolt Cutters.
* 22 – X released their first studio album in 27 years, Alphabetland.

### May

* 9 – Little Richard died at the age of 87 due to bone cancer.
* 17 - Just Sam won the eighteenth season of American Idol. Arthur Gunn was named runner-up.
* 19 - Todd Tilghman was named winner of the eighteenth season of The Voice. Toneisha Harris was named runner-up.
* 29 – Lady Gaga released her first studio album in nearly four years, Chromatica.

### June

* 11 - Lady Antebellum changed their name to Lady A (a nickname fans have gave them since they first came out) in the wake of the George Floyd protests, to remove any associations the old name might have had with Civil War history, slavery and the Antebellum South.
* 19 – Lamb of God released their self-titled album, their first studio album of original material in five years.
** Mushroomhead released their first studio album in six years, A Wonderful Life.
** Phantom Planet released their first studio album in twelve years, Devastator.
* 23 – Hum released their first studio album in 22 years, Inlet.
* 26 – Kansas released their first studio album in four years, The Absence of Presence.

### July

* 6 – Country music legend Charlie Daniels died at the age of 83.
* 10 – Rufus Wainwright released his first studio album in eight years, Unfollow The Rules.
** Static-X released Project Regeneration Volume 1, their first studio album in 11 years; it features some of the final recordings of original frontman Wayne Static who died in November 2014.
** The Rentals released their first studio album in six years Q36.
** My Morning Jacket released their first studio album in five years, The Waterfall II.
* 17 - The Chicks, formerly known as the Dixie Chicks, released their first album in fourteen years, Gaslighter. It is also their first album under their new name. They had dropped "Dixie", which referenced the American Mason–Dixon line, separating the free and slave-owning southern states. The name change followed criticism that the word had connotations of American slavery.
* 24 – Neon Trees released their first studio album in six years, I Can Feel You Forgetting Me.
* 31 – Brandy released her first studio album in eight years, B7.

### August

* 14 – Tanya Donelly released her first studio album in fourteen years, Tanya Donelly and the Parkingtion Sisters.
* 21 – Bright Eyes released their first studio album in nine years, Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was.
** Tim McGraw released his first solo studio album in five years, Here on Earth.
* 22 – Singer Alex Varkatzas left Atreyu after 22 years with the band.
* 28 – G.E. Smith released his first studio album in five years, Stony Hill.
* 30 – The MTV Video Music Awards took place. Lady Gaga took home the most awards with five including Artist of the Year.

### September

* 16 – The 55th Academy of Country Music Awards took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was originally scheduled for April 5 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* 18 – Alicia Keys released her first studio album in four years, Alicia.
* 25 – Sufjan Stevens released his first solo studio album in five years, The Ascension.
** Deftones released their first studio album in four years, Ohms.

### October

* 2 – Aloe Blacc released his first studio album in six years, All Love Everything.
** Bon Jovi released their first studio album in four years, 2020.
** Dolly Parton released her first Christmas album in 30 years, A Holly Dolly Christmas.
* 6 – Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen died from throat cancer at the age of 65. The following month, the band officially announced their disbandment.
* 9 – DevilDriver released their first studio album of original material in four years, Dealing With Demons I. The first part of a double-album cycle, the second part was due to be released in 2021, but will arrive in 2023.
** Blue Öyster Cult released their first studio album in nineteen years, The Symbol Remains.
* 14 – The Billboard Music Awards took place.
* 21 – The CMT Music Awards took place.
* 23 – Armored Saint released their first studio album in five years, Punching the Sky.
* 30 – Busta Rhymes released his first studio album in eight years, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God.
** Mr. Bungle released their first studio album in 21 years, The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo.
** Puscifer released their first studio album in five years, Existential Reckoning.

### November

* 6 – Fates Warning released their first studio album in four years, Long Day Good Night.
* 11 – The CMA Awards took place. Darius Rucker and Reba McEntire hosts.
* 12 – Billie Eilish released "Therefore I Am", the second single from her second studio album Happier Than Ever. The song made the fourth-biggest leap in Billboard Hot 100 history, vaulting from 94-2 on the chart.
* 22 – The American Music Awards took place.
* 27 – Hatebreed released their first studio album in four years, Weight of the False Self.

### December

* 4 – Geographer released their first full-length studio album in five years, Down And Out In The Garden Of Earthly Delights.
* 7 – It was announced that Bob Dylan had sold all rights in his entire song catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group.
* 11 – M. Ward released his first studio album in four years, Think of Spring.
** Less Than Jake released their first studio album in seven years, Silver Linings; it is also their first album without founding drummer Vinnie Fiorello, who left the band in 2018.
** Kid Cudi released his first solo studio album in four years, Man on the Moon III: The Chosen.
* 12 – Charley Pride, the first Black superstar of country music died at age 86, due to complications of COVID-19.

## Bands reformed

* Armor for Sleep
* Attack Attack!
* Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows
* Dream Street
* The Firm
* Foxy Shazam
* Genesis
* I, the Breather
* Jazz Warriors
* JLS
* The Juliana Theory
* Living Things
* The Microphones
* Mott the Hoople
* Mr. Bungle
* Narcissus
* The Network
* The Original Rudeboys
* Rage Against the Machine
* The Receiving End of Sirens
* Secret Machines
* Son of Sam
* Tribe
* Thursday
* Toto
* The Union Underground

## Bands on hiatus

* Against Me!
* The Chainsmokers
* Grizzly Bear
* Imagine Dragons
* Night Riots
* Real Friends
* Stone Sour

## Bands disbanded

* Babes In Toyland
* JJ Doom
* KMD
* Madvillain
* The Mowgli's
* She Wants Revenge
* Van Halen

## Albums released in 2020
### January

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 3 | Dead and Gone (EP) | Stabbing Westward | Industrial metalalternative metalalternative rock |
| 10 | Re-Dunn | Ronnie Dunn | Countrycountry rock |
| 10 | Lonely Generation | Echosmith | PopIndie pop |
| 10 | Rare | Selena Gomez | Pop |
| 10 | I Disagree | Poppy | Pop-metal |
| 17 | 20/20 Vision | Anti-Flag | Punk rock |
| 17 | How to Be Human | Chelsea Cutler | EDM |
| 17 | Music to Be Murdered By | Eminem | Hip hopHorrorcore |
| 17 | The Juice | G. Love & Special Sauce | Alternative rock |
| 17 | Manic | Halsey | Indie popelectropopR&B |
| 17 | Nothing But Love | Jana Herzen | Folkrock |
| 17 | Nightfall | Little Big Town | Country |
| 17 | Tullahoma | Dustin Lynch | Country |
| 17 | Masquerade | Mest | Pop punk |
| 17 | Circles | Mac Miller | Hip hop |
| 17 | UR FUN | of Montreal | Indie rockindie pop |
| 17 | Born to Rule | Transviolet | Indie popalternative rock |
| 24 | Aurora | Breaking Benjamin | Acoustichard rockpost-grunge |
| 24 | Leave What's Lost Behind | Colony House | Indie rock |
| 24 | Good Good Man | Vance Gilbert | Folk |
| 24 | 1000 Faces | Jason Ross | Housetrance |
| 31 | The Best Ones of The Best Ones | Dashboard Confessional | Rockpop |
| 31 | Ice Cream Hell | Tinsley Ellis | Bluesrock |
| 31 | High Road | Kesha | Popdance |
| 31 | Likewise | Frances Quinlan | Indie rockindie pop |
| 31 | Treat Myself | Meghan Trainor | Popdance |

### February

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 7 | Country Fuzz | The Cadillac Three | Country |
| 7 | Almost Forever | Cheerleader | Indie popalternative rock |
| 7 | Wake Up | Fat Tony | Hip hop |
| 7 | Father of All Motherfuckers | Green Day | Alternative rockrock |
| 7 | Limitless | Richard Marx | Rockpop |
| 7 | Never Not Together | Nada Surf | Alternative rock |
| 7 | Perdida | Stone Temple Pilots | Acousticrock |
| 7 | Play That Rock N' Roll | The Supersuckers | Rock |
| 14 | Honeymoon | Beach Bunny | Indie poppower pop |
| 14 | New Empire, Vol. 1 | Hollywood Undead | Hard rockrap rockheavy metal |
| 14 | Weather | Huey Lewis and the News | Rockpop |
| 14 | Carly Pearce | Carly Pearce | Country |
| 14 | And It's Still Alright | Nathaniel Rateliff | Folkfolk rock |
| 14 | Swimmer | Tennis | Indie popdream pop |
| 14 | Baby Gravy 2 | Yung Gravy & bbno$ | Hip hop |
| 21 | Always Tomorrow | Best Coast | Indie pop |
| 21 | Dreamland | COIN | Indie poppop rock |
| 21 | The Studio album Collection | Dio | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 21 | Envy | Framing Hanley | Alternative rock |
| 21 | Surrender Your Poppy Field | Guided by Voices | Lo-fialternative rock |
| 21 | Wild Wild West | Sunny Jain | Jazzworld |
| 21 | From This Place | Pat Metheny | Jazzworld |
| 28 | F8 | Five Finger Death Punch | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 28 | Brain Pain | Four Year Strong | Pop punkmelodic hardcore |
| 28 | It's Easy To Feel Like A Nobody | Juiceboxxx | Hip hop |
| 28 | Saturn Return | The Secret Sisters | Folkcountry |
| 28 | Color Theory | Soccer Mommy | Indie rockpop rock |

### March

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 6 | Chilombo | Jhene' Aiko | Contemporary R&B |
| 6 | Kids Like Us | The Grahams | Rockfolk |
| 6 | You'll Be Fine | Hot Mulligan | Pop punk |
| 6 | How I'm Feeling | Lauv | Pop |
| 6 | Eternal Atake | Lil Uzi Vert | Hip hoptrap |
| 6 | Silver Landings | Mandy Moore | Pop |
| 6 | Ceremony | Phantogram | Electronic rock |
| 6 | Bone Structure | Ron Pope | Rockpop |
| 6 | Superstar | Caroline Rose | Indie popindie rockalternative rock |
| 6 | PLACEMENT | Watsky | Alternative hip hop |
| 13 | Darwin Deez 10 Yearz | Darwin Deez | Indie rock |
| 13 | You Know I'm Not Going Anywhere | The Districts | Indie rockfolk rock |
| 13 | Healer | Grouplove | Alternative rockindie pop |
| 13 | A Written Testimony | Jay Electronica | Hip hop |
| 13 | Possession | Joywave | Indie rockalternative rock |
| 13 | Supernova | Caitlyn Smith | Popcountry |
| 13 | Thrill Seeker (EP) | Sub Urban | Indie popalternative rock |
| 13 | Pink | Two Feet | Electronic rock |
| 20 | Kelsea | Kelsea Ballerini | Country pop |
| 20 | The Light | Delta Rae | Blues rockfolk rock |
| 20 | Kid Krow | Conan Gray | Dream popindie pop |
| 20 | Mabern Plays Mabern | Harold Mabern | Jazzblues |
| 22 | 3.15.20 | Childish Gambino | Hip hopPBR&Bpsychedelic |
| 26 | Ghosts V: Together | Nine Inch Nails | Ambientindustrial rock |
| 26 | Ghosts VI: Locusts | Nine Inch Nails | Ambientindustrial rock |
| 27 | Decatur Country Red | Jessi Alexander | Country |
| 27 | Thirtes | Jill Andrews | Bluegrasspop |
| 27 | Mother | In This Moment | Hard rock |
| 27 | Gigaton | Pearl Jam | Alternative rockhard rock |
| 27 | Saint Cloud | Waxahatchee | Indie rockindie folk |
| 27 | Calm | 5 Seconds of Summer | Poppop rockrocknew wave |

### April

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 1 | Tafelmuzik Means More When You're Alone | The Dandy Warhols | |
| 3 | Wake Up, Sunshine | All Time Low | Pop punkpop rock |
| 3 | Southside | Sam Hunt | Country pop |
| 3 | The Mike & Micky Show Live | The Monkees | Rockpop |
| 3 | Titans of Creation | Testament | Thrash metal |
| 3 | Migration Stories | M. Ward | Indie folkalternative rock |
| 10 | It's Spooky (30th Anniversary) | Jad Fair & Daniel Johnston | Indie rockalternative rock |
| 10 | Tangerine (EP) | Hot Chelle Rae | Pop rock |
| 10 | The Loves of Your Life | Hamilton Leithauser | Indie rock |
| 10 | LIFERS | Local H | Alternative rock |
| 10 | The Way It Feels | Maddie & Tae | Country |
| 10 | Declaration | Red | Christian rockrock |
| 10 | Trust the River | Sparta | Alternative rockpost-hardcore |
| 10 | The New Abnormal | The Strokes | Indie rockgarage rockalternative rock |
| 17 | Fetch the Bolt Cutters | Fiona Apple | Art pop |
| 17 | Trust Fall (Side B) (EP) | Incubus | Alternative rock |
| 17 | Illusory | Jarboe | Art rockblues |
| 17 | Harmonic Disruptor | Julien-K | Electronic rockindustrial rock |
| 17 | Shelby Lynne | Shelby Lynne | Popcountrycountry pop |
| 17 | Hurry Up and Wait | Soul Asylum | Rock |
| 22 | Alphabetland | X | Punk rock |
| 23 | Flowers on the Weekend | Asher Roth | Hip hop |
| 24 | Shortly After Take Off | BC Camplight | Indie rock |
| 24 | Afterburner | Dance Gavin Dance | Post-hardcoreprogressive rock |
| 24 | For Their Love | Other Lives | Indie rock |
| 24 | Heartwork | The Used | Alternative rockhard rock |
| 24 | Good Souls Better Angels | Lucinda Williams | Country |

### May

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 1 | Making a Door Less Open | Car Seat Headrest | Indie rockpop rock |
| 1 | Invasion of the B-Girls | Josie Cotton | Pop rocknew wave |
| 1 | Color TV | Dramarama | Alternative rockrock |
| 1 | Flowers For You | Sawyer Fredericks | Bluesfolk |
| 1 | Good to Know | JoJo | Pop |
| 1 | Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between | Man Man | Indie rock |
| 8 | It Was Good Until It Wasn't | Kehlani | R&B |
| 8 | Straight Songs of Sorrow | Mark Lanegan | Rock |
| 8 | That's How Rumors Get Started | Margo Price | Countrypop |
| 8 | Half Written Story | Hailee Steinfeld | Popdance |
| 8 | Petals for Armor | Hayley Williams | Rockpop |
| 15 | All Visible Objects | Moby | Popdance |
| 15 | Set My Heart on Fire Immediately | Perfume Genius | Indie popchamber pop |
| 15 | The Album Part II | Chase Rice | Countrypop |
| 15 | Temple | Thao & the Get Down Stay Down | Indie rockexperimental rock |
| 15 | In The Dark Moving | Emily Wells | Alternativeclassical |
| 22 | Hollywood Park | The Airborne Toxic Event | Indie rockalternative rock |
| 22 | Ghosts of West Virginia | Steve Earle | Countryheartland rock |
| 22 | I Don't Have To Be Good | Emily Keener | Popfolk |
| 22 | Colour Vision | MAX | Popdance |
| 29 | These Two Windows | Alec Benjamin | Pop |
| 29 | Life on the Flip Side | Jimmy Buffett | Americana |
| 29 | Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil | Diplo | Country poptrapEDM |
| 29 | Giovannie and the Hired Guns | Giovannie and the Hired Guns | Country rockrock |
| 29 | Chromatica | Lady Gaga | Popdance |
| 29 | The Bastards | Palaye Royale | Art rockalternative rock |

### June

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 5 | Message to the World | Ballyhoo! | Punk rockalternative rock |
| 5 | Blues With Friends | Dion | Popblues |
| 5 | Everything's Strange Here | G-Eazy | Rapalternative hip hop |
| 5 | What In The World | Michael McDermott | Americana |
| 5 | Rearrange Us | Mt. Joy | Indie rock |
| 5 | Muzz | Muzz | Art rockindie rockpost-rock |
| 5 | RTJ4 | Run the Jewels | Hip hop |
| 12 | Ungodly Hour | Chloe x Halle | R&B |
| 12 | Canyons | Gone West | Country |
| 12 | Chosen Family Tree | Kree Harrison | Countrypop |
| 12 | Class of 98 | Eric Hutchinson | Rockpop |
| 12 | Pick Me Up off The Floor | Norah Jones | Popjazz |
| 12 | Self Made Man | Larkin Poe | Roots rockfolk rock |
| 18 | Punisher | Phoebe Bridgers | Indie rockindie pop |
| 19 | You Make Me Feel | Don Bryant | R&Bsoul |
| 19 | South Front Street Retrosepctive 1997-2019 | Grayson Capps | Americanablues rock |
| 19 | Rough and Rowdy Ways | Bob Dylan | Folkfolk rock |
| 19 | Lamb of God | Lamb of God | Groove metalmetalcorethrash metal |
| 19 | A Wonderful Life | Mushroomhead | Alternative metalnu metalindustrial metal |
| 19 | Forever + Ever x Infinity | New Found Glory | Pop punk |
| 19 | Devastator | Phantom Planet | Alternative rockgarage rock |
| 23 | Inlet | Hum | Post-hardcorealternative metalshoegazing |
| 26 | Speak of the Devil | Mickey Avalon | Hip hop |
| 26 | Women in Music Pt. III | Haim | Pop rocksoft rockindie rock |
| 26 | The Absence of Presence | Kansas | Rockpop |
| 26 | I Can Feel You Forgetting Me | Neon Trees | Pop rockalternative rock |
| 26 | Soul Food Cooking with Maceo | Maceo Parker | R&Bsouljazz |
| 26 | A Portrait of an Ugly Man | Remo Drive | Indie rockpower poppop punk |
| 26 | Keepin' It Real | Bobby Watson | JazzR&B |

### July

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 3 | The Black Hole Understands | Cloud Nothings | Indie rock |
| 3 | So Icy Summer | Gucci Mane | Hip hop |
| 3 | First Rose of Spring | Willie Nelson | Country |
| 3 | The Things That Got Us Here | Sidewalk Prophets | Christianpop |
| 3 | A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip | Sparks | Rockpopnew wave |
| 3 | Shadow Work | Trapt | Nu metalhard rock |
| 10 | 1000 Gecs and the Tree of Clues | 100 gecs | Electronicexperimentalavant-pop |
| 10 | Sunday Drive | Brett Eldredge | Country pop |
| 10 | Brainwashed Generation | Enuff Z'Nuff | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 10 | Legends Never Die | Juice Wrld | Hip hoptrapemo rap |
| 10 | The Waterfall II | My Morning Jacket | Indie rock |
| 10 | RoundAgain | Joshua Redman | Jazz |
| 10 | Q36 | The Rentals | New Wavealternative rock |
| 10 | Project Regeneration Vol. 1 | Static-X | Industrial metal |
| 10 | Unfollow the Rules | Rufus Wainwright | Indie poprock |
| 17 | Species | Bing & Ruth | Alternative rockindie rock |
| 17 | Gaslighter | The Chicks | Country |
| 17 | A Small Death | Samantha Crain | Folk |
| 17 | Rosewood | Mike Dillon | Rockpop |
| 17 | Ugly Is Beautiful | Oliver Tree | Alternative rock |
| 17 | My Love Is A Hurricane | David Ramirez | Americana |
| 24 | Into the Raging Sea | Broadside | Pop punkalternative rock |
| 24 | Let There Be Nothing | Judicator | Power metalheavy metal |
| 24 | Bad Vacation | Liza Anne | Rockalternative rock |
| 24 | Superbloom | MisterWives | Indie poppop rock |
| 24 | Look for the Good | Jason Mraz | Rockpop |
| 24 | The Balladeer | Lori McKenna | Countryfolk |
| 24 | Folklore | Taylor Swift | Indie folkalternative rockfolktronicachamber pop |
| 24 | Endless Space (Between You And I) | Winter | Doom metaldeath metal |
| 29 | Supraliminal | Tommy Walter | Instrumental rock |
| 31 | Born Innocent | Alcatrazz | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 31 | B7 | Brandy | R&B |
| 31 | What Could Possibly Go Wrong | Dominic Fike | Alternative hip hoppop rock |
| 31 | Alphaville | Imperial Triumphant | Black metaldeath metal |
| 31 | Sucker's Lunch | Madeline Kenney | Indie rock |
| 31 | Once In A Lifetime | Mac McAnally | Country |

### August

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 7 | Anywhere Else But Here (EP) | American Hi-Fi | Rock |
| 7 | Just Coolin | Art Blakey | Jazz |
| 7 | Born Here Live Here Die Here | Luke Bryan | Country pop |
| 7 | Mukiltearth | The Fall of Troy | Mathcorepost-hardcore |
| 7 | Jumpin In The Night (Reissue) | Flamin' Groovies | Garage rockrock |
| 7 | Eight Gates | Jason Molina | Indie rockalternative rock |
| 7 | Purple Noon | Washed Out | Chillwaveindie pop |
| 14 | 5 Hot August Nights | Neil Diamond | Rockpop |
| 14 | Tanya Donelly & The Parkington Sisters | Tanya Donelly | Alternative rockindie rock |
| 14 | If It Wasn't For You | Caylee Hammack | Countrypop |
| 14 | Gift Of Sacrifice | King Buzzo | Grungepunk rockalternative metal |
| 14 | Matt Rollings Mosaic | Matt Rollings | Countrypop |
| 21 | Beneath the Black Palms | Blaqk Audio | Synth-popdark wave |
| 21 | Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was | Bright Eyes | Indie rock |
| 21 | Sugaregg | Bully | Indie rockpunk rock |
| 21 | New Age Norms 2 | Cold War Kids | Indie rockalternative rock |
| 21 | In Sickness & In Flames | The Front Bottoms | Indie rockfolk punk |
| 21 | Mirrored Aztec | Guided By Voices | Indie rock |
| 21 | The Beautiful Madness | Jerry Joseph | Rockpopcountry |
| 21 | Imploding the Mirage | The Killers | Alternative rockpop rock |
| 21 | Songs For The General Public | The Lemon Twigs | Rockpop |
| 21 | En Español | The Mavericks | Tejanocountry |
| 21 | Here on Earth | Tim McGraw | Country |
| 21 | The Land That Time Forgot | Chuck Prophet | Rockcountry rock |
| 28 | Sunset Suburbia | Diesel | Hip hop |
| 28 | B4 The Storm | Internet Money | Hip hop |
| 28 | Blackbirds | Bettye LaVette | BluesR&Bsoul |
| 28 | Conversations with Myself About You | lovelytheband | Alternative rockindie pop |
| 28 | The Barfly Sessions | Heidi Newfield | Countrypop |
| 28 | The Room | Ricky Reed | Hip hoppop |
| 28 | Smile | Katy Perry | Popdance |
| 28 | Stony Hill | G.E. Smith | Rockpop rock |

### September

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 4 | Detroit 2 | Big Sean | Hip hop |
| 4 | Gold Record | Bill Callahan | Alternative countrylo-fi |
| 4 | Levels | Fame on Fire | Hard rockrap rock |
| 4 | When I Wait For You | Dirk Powell | Folkcountry |
| 4 | Sun Racket | Throwing Muses | Alternative rock |
| 4 | AngelHead Hipster Songs of T Rex | Various Artists | Rockpop |
| 11 | Aftermath | Elizabeth Cook | Countrypop |
| 11 | Yellow Coat | Matt Costa | Indie rockfolk rock |
| 11 | American Head | The Flaming Lips | Indie rockpost-punkalternative rock |
| 11 | The Essential Gary Lucas | Gary Lucas | Rockpopblues |
| 14 | For Farewell of Nostalgia | Vision Eternel | Ambient rock |
| 18 | Host | Cults | Indie popindie rock |
| 18 | Find the Sun | Deradoorian | Art popindie popindie rock |
| 18 | Alicia | Alicia Keys | R&BsoulOrchestral pop |
| 18 | No Good Left to Give | Movements | Emopost-hardcore |
| 18 | Trouble And Strife | Joan Osborne | Rockfolkpop |
| 18 | Paint Your Emotion | The Ries Brothers | Rockpop |
| 18 | The Speed of Now Part 1 | Keith Urban | CountryR&B pop |
| 18 | Two to One | James Williamson | Hard rockpunk rock |
| 18 | Nite Creatures | Joe Wong | poprock |
| 22 | Shore | Fleet Foxes | Indie folk |
| 25 | Holy Smokes Future Jokes | Blitzen Trapper | Alternative countryindie folk |
| 25 | Generations | Will Butler | Indie rock |
| 25 | Gangsta's Paradise (25th Anniversary) | Coolio | Hip-hoprap |
| 25 | Ohms | Deftones | Alternative metal |
| 25 | Building | Shannon LaBrie | PopAmericana |
| 25 | Tickets to My Downfall | Machine Gun Kelly | Pop punkpop rock |
| 25 | Queen of the Night | Anya Marina | Indie rockindie pop |
| 25 | Blue Hearts | Bob Mould | Punk rockalternative rock |
| 25 | Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones | The Neighbourhood | Alternative rockindie rock |
| 25 | The Ascension | Sufjan Stevens | Indie folkindie rock |
| 25 | Free Love | Sylvan Esso | Electropopindie pop |
| 25 | My Gift | Carrie Underwood | Christmascountry |

### October

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 2 | Gold | The Bangles | Rockpopnew wave |
| 2 | All Love Everything | Aloe Blacc | R&Bfunksoul |
| 2 | Bon Jovi: 2020 | Bon Jovi | Rockpop rock |
| 2 | A Holly Dolly Christmas | Dolly Parton | Christmascountry |
| 2 | Gasanova | Yung Gravy | Hip hop |
| 9 | Wild, Free | Acceptance | Alternative rock |
| 9 | The Symbol Remains | Blue Öyster Cult | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 9 | Dealing With Demons Part I | DevilDriver | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 9 | As Long as You Are | Future Islands | Indie rock |
| 9 | Sliver Ladders | Mary Lattimore | Electronicdance |
| 9 | Edge of the World | Youngblood Hawke | Indie rockindie pop |
| 16 | Serpentine Prison | Matt Berninger | Rockalternative rock |
| 16 | Impossible Weight | Deep Sea Diver | Indie rock |
| 16 | ANDRO | Tommy Lee | Hard rockrock |
| 16 | Private Lives | Low Cut Connie | Rockpop |
| 16 | Closer To Mars | Mario | R&B |
| 16 | night, love you. | Nightly | Pop rockindie pop |
| 16 | Wildflowers & All The Rest | Tom Petty | Rockpop |
| 16 | Arm In Arm | Steep Canyon Rangers | Bluegrass |
| 23 | Punching the Sky | Armored Saint | Heavy metal |
| 23 | This Is What I Live For | Blue October | Alternative rockrock |
| 23 | Volume 2 | The Bouncing Souls | Punk rock |
| 23 | Pixel Bath | Jean Dawson | Alternative hip hopexperimental popindie rock |
| 23 | Razzmatazz | I Dont Know How But They Found Me | Indie popalternative rock |
| 23 | Modern Yesterdays | Kaki King | Experimental rockindie rock |
| 23 | Can You Feel the Sun | Missio | Indie rockpop rock |
| 23 | Getting Into Knives | The Mountain Goats | Indie rock |
| 23 | Forgotten Days | Pallbearer | Hard rockheavy metaldoom metal |
| 23 | Living on Mercy | Dan Penn | Countryrockpop |
| 23 | Blood & Stone | Sevendust | Alternative metalrock |
| 23 | Love Is the King | Jeff Tweedy | Indie rock |
| 23 | My Echo | Laura Veirs | Folkchamber folk |
| 30 | The Day Before Halloween | Atmosphere | Hip hop |
| 30 | The Human Condition | Black Stone Cherry | Heavy metalhard rock |
| 30 | Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God | Busta Rhymes | Hip hoprap |
| 30 | The Otherside | Cam | Country |
| 30 | Live at the Fillmore (vinyl) | Dredg | Art rockrockalternative rock |
| 30 | Earth to Dora | Eels | Indie rock |
| 30 | It's Christmas All Over | Goo Goo Dolls | Christmasrock |
| 30 | Positions | Ariana Grande | PopR&B |
| 30 | A Tori Kelly Christmas | Tori Kelly | Christmaspop |
| 30 | The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo | Mr. Bungle | Thrash metal |
| 30 | All Rise | Gregory Porter | R&Bsoul |
| 30 | Existential Reckoning | Puscifer | Alternative rockpost-industrial |

### November

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 6 | A View From The Inside | Reb Beach | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 6 | The Glitz The Glamour | Perry Farrell | Alternative rockrock |
| 6 | Long Day Good Night | Fates Warning | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 6 | American Dream | Larry Keel | Countrybluegrass |
| 6 | Get Closer | Linda Ronstadt | Rockpop |
| 13 |
| 13 | Weekend in London | George Benson | R&Bjazzsoul |
| 13 | Renegades | L.A. Guns | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 13 | From Exile (Vinyl Reissue) | The Menzingers | Punk rockindie rock |
| 13 | Staunch Honey | David Nance | Alternative rockrock |
| 13 | Starting Over | Chris Stapleton | Country |
| 20 | Hey World | Lee Brice | Countrypop |
| 20 | Wreckless Abandon | Mike Campbell | Rockpop |
| 20 | A Decade of Destruction Vol 2 | Five Finger Death Punch | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 20 | Harmony | Josh Groban | Easy listeningpop rocksoft rock |
| 20 | 20 | Matchbox Twenty | Alternative rockpop rock |
| 27 | Plastic Hearts | Miley Cyrus | Popdance |
| 27 | Weight of the False Self | Hatebreed | Metalcorehardcore punk |
| 27 | Black Coffee (Vinyl Reissue) | Peggy Lee | Jazzpop |
| 27 | Grandpa Metal | Brian Posehn | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 27 | For Such A Time As This | Eric Reed | JazzpopR&Bsoul |
| 27 | Cyr | The Smashing Pumpkins | Alternative rock |

### December

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre (s) |
| 4 | Hyperspace (Deluxe Edition) | Beck | Alternative rock |
| 4 | Life Is Only One Event | Cloud Nothings | Indie rock |
| 4 | Southern Symphony | Russell Dickerson | Countrypop |
| 4 | Down and Out in the Garden of Earthly Delights | Geographer | Dream popelectronic rock |
| 4 | Never Look Back | Goldfinger | Ska punkpunk rock |
| 4 | The End | Three 6 Mafia | Hip hoprap |
| 4 | Sabbath Sessions Vol. 1 | Craig Wedren | Indie rockalternative rock |
| 11 | George Coleman Quintet in Baltimore | George Coleman | Jazzpost-bopR&B |
| 11 | In the Darkest of Nights, Let the Birds Sing | Foster the People | Indie rockPsychedelic pop |
| 11 | Burn | Foxy Shazam | Glam rockpop rockexperimental rock |
| 11 | Man on the Moon III: The Chosen | Kid Cudi | Hip hop |
| 11 | Silver Linings | Less Than Jake | Pop punkpunk rockska punk |
| 11 | I Can See Your House From Here (Vinyl Reissue) | Pat Metheny | Jazzjazz fusion |
| 11 | Alter Egos | Ingrid Michaelson | Indie popindie folk |
| 11 | Evermore | Taylor Swift | Alternative rockchamber rockfolk-popindie folk |
| 11 | Think of Spring | M. Ward | Alternative countryindie rock |
| 18 | The New OK | Drive-By Truckers | Southern rock |
| 18 | As Daylight Dies (Vinyl Reissue) | Killswitch Engage | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 18 | Swimming In Circles | Mac Miller | Hip hop |
| 18 | Influence | Shane Ochsner | Hard rockrock |
| 18 | Operation: Wake Up | Mike Posner | Hip hop |
| 18 | Notes From The Archive | Maggie Rogers | Popart pop |
| 25 | Space Camp | Audio Karate | Alternative rockindie rock |
| 25 | Buzz (Reissue) | Autograph | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 25 | Piano Solos | Dustin O'Halloran | Classicalpop |
| 25 | Whole Lotta Red | Playboi Carti | Hip hop |
| 25 | Headstrong Greatest Hits | Trapt | Alternative rockhard rock |

## Top songs on record
### Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Songs

* "All I Want for Christmas Is You" – Mariah Carey (2 weeks in 2019, 2 weeks in 2020)
* "Blinding Lights" – The Weeknd (4 weeks)
* "Cardigan" – Taylor Swift (1 week)
* "Circles" – Post Malone (2 weeks in 2019, 1 week in 2020)
* "Dynamite" – BTS (3 weeks)
* "Franchise" – Travis Scott feat. Young Thug and M.I.A. (1 week)
* "Life Goes On" – BTS (1 week)
* "Mood" – 24kGoldn feat. Iann Dior (6 weeks)
* "Positions" – Ariana Grande (1 week)
* "Rain on Me" – Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande (1 week)
* "Rockstar" – DaBaby feat. Roddy Ricch (7 weeks)
* "Savage" – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé (1 week)
* "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)" – Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo and BTS (1 week)
* "Say So" – Doja Cat feat. Nicki Minaj (1 week)
* "Stuck with U" – Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber (1 week)
* "The Box" – Roddy Ricch (11 weeks)
* "The Scotts" – The Scotts, Travis Scott and Kid Cudi (1 week)
* "Toosie Slide" – Drake (1 week)
* "Trollz" – 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj (1 week)
* "WAP" – Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion (4 weeks)
* "Watermelon Sugar" – Harry Styles (1 week)
* "Willow" – Taylor Swift (1 week)

### Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 Hits

All songs that reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the year, complete with peak chart placement.
* "10,000 Hours" – Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber (#4 in 2019, #5 in 2020)
* "34+35" – Ariana Grande (#8)
* "7 Summers" – Morgan Wallen (#6)
* "A Holly Jolly Christmas" – Burl Ives (#4)
* "Adore You" – Harry Styles (#6)
* "After Hours" – The Weeknd (#20)
* "All I Want for Christmas Is You" – Mariah Carey (#1)
* "Baby Pluto" – Lil Uzi Vert (#6)
* "Bad Energy" – Juice Wrld (#16)
* "Bad Guy" – Billie Eilish (#1 in 2019, #14 in 2020)
* "Ballin'" – Mustard feat. Roddy Ricch (#11)
* "Be Like That" – Kane Brown, Swae Lee and Khalid (#19)
* "Bean (Kobe)" – Lil Uzi Vert feat. Chief Keef (#19)
* "Before You Go" – Lewis Capaldi (#9)
* "Blinding Lights" – The Weeknd (#1)
* "Blood on My Jeans" – Juice Wrld (#12)
* "Blue & Grey" – BTS (#13)
* "Blueberry Faygo" – Lil Mosey (#8)
* "Body" – Megan Thee Stallion (#12)
* "Bop" – DaBaby (#11 in 2019, #12 in 2020)
* "Break My Heart" – Dua Lipa (#13)
* "Cardigan" – Taylor Swift (#1)
* "Chasin' You" – Morgan Wallen (#16)
* "Chicago Freestyle" – Drake feat. Giveon (#14)
* "Circles" – Post Malone (#1)
* "Come & Go" – Juice Wrld and Marshmello (#2)
* "Conversations" – Juice Wrld (#7)
* "Dakiti" – Bad Bunny and Jhay Cortez (#5)
* "Dance Monkey" – Tones and I (#4)
* "D4L" – Drake, Future and Young Thug (#19)
* "Does to Me" – Luke Combs feat. Eric Church (#20)
* "Don't Start Now" – Dua Lipa (#2)
* "Dreams" – Fleetwood Mac (#1 in 1977, #12 in 2020)
* "Dynamite" – BTS (#1)
* "Everything I Wanted" – Billie Eilish (#8 in 2019, #9 in 2020)
* "Exile" – Taylor Swift feat. Bon Iver (#6)
* "Falling" – Trevor Daniel (#17)
* "Feliz Navidad" – José Feliciano (#10)
* "For the Night" – Pop Smoke feat. Lil Baby and DaBaby (#6)
* "Forever After All" – Luke Combs (#2)
* "Franchise" – Travis Scott feat. Young Thug and M.I.A. (#1)
* "Glock in My Lap" – 21 Savage and Metro Boomin (#19)
* "Go Crazy" – Chris Brown and Young Thug (#9)
* "Godzilla" – Eminem feat. Juice Wrld (#3)
* "Gooba" – 6ix9ine (#3)
* "Good as Hell" – Lizzo (#3 in 2019, #6 in 2020)
* "Good News" – Mac Miller (#17)
* "Got What I Got" – Jason Aldean (#16)
* "Greece" – DJ Khaled feat. Drake (#8)
* "Hate the Other Side" – Juice Wrld and Marshmello feat. Polo G and The Kid Laroi (#10)
* "Hawái" – Maluma and The Weeknd (#12)
* "Heartless" – The Weeknd (#1 in 2019, #4 in 2020)
* "Heatin Up" – Lil Baby feat. Gunna (#18)
* "High Fashion" – Roddy Ricch feat. Mustard (#20)
* "Highest in the Room" – Travis Scott (#1 in 2019, #8 in 2020)
* "Holy" – Justin Bieber feat. Chance the Rapper (#3)
* "Hot Girl Bummer" – Blackbear (#11)
* "I Hope" – Gabby Barrett feat. Charlie Puth (#3)
* "I Love Me" – Demi Lovato (#18)
* "Ice Cream" – Blackpink and Selena Gomez (#13)
* "In Your Eyes" – The Weeknd (#16)
* "Intentions" – Justin Bieber feat. Quavo (#5)
* "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" – Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres and His Orchestra (#12)
* "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" – Andy Williams (#6)
* "Jingle Bell Rock" – Bobby Helms (#3)
* "Jump" – DaBaby feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again (#17)
* "Kings & Queens" – Ava Max (#13)
* "Last Christmas" – Wham! (#11)
* "Laugh Now Cry Later" – Drake feat. Lil Durk (#2)
* "Lemonade" – Internet Money and Gunna feat. Don Toliver and Nav (#6)
* "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" − Dean Martin (#11)
* "Levitating" – Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby (#20)
* "Life Goes On" – BTS (#1)
* "Life Is Good" – Future feat. Drake (#2)
* "Life's a Mess" – Juice Wrld and Halsey (#9)
* "Lo Mein" – Lil Uzi Vert (#8)
* "Lonely" – Justin Bieber and Benny Blanco (#14)
* "Lose You to Love Me" – Selena Gomez (#1 in 2019, #5 in 2020)
* "Memories" – Maroon 5 (#2)
* "Midnight Sky" – Miley Cyrus (#14)
* "Monster" – Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber (#8)
* "Mood" – 24kGoldn feat. Iann Dior (#1)
* "Mood Swings" – Pop Smoke feat. Lil Tjay (#17)
* "More Than My Hometown" – Morgan Wallen (#15)
* "Move Ya Hips" – ASAP Ferg feat. Nicki Minaj and MadeinTYO (#19)
* "Mr. Right Now" – 21 Savage and Metro Boomin feat. Drake (#10)
* "My Future" – Billie Eilish (#6)
* "My Oh My" – Camila Cabello feat. DaBaby (#12)
* "My Tears Ricochet" – Taylor Swift (#16)
* "Myron" – Lil Uzi Vert (#13)
* "No Guidance" – Chris Brown feat. Drake (#5 in 2019, #15 in 2020)
* "No Time to Die" – Billie Eilish (#16)
* "Nobody but You" – Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani (#18)
* "Old Town Road" – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (#1 in 2019, #15 in 2020)
* "On" – BTS (#4)
* "One Margarita" – Luke Bryan (#19)
* "One of Them Girls" – Lee Brice (#17)
* "P2" – Lil Uzi Vert (#11)
* "Pain 1993" – Drake feat. Playboi Carti (#7)
* "Panini" – Lil Nas X (#5 in 2019, #17 in 2020)
* "Popstar" – DJ Khaled feat. Drake (#3)
* "Positions" – Ariana Grande (#1)
* "Rags2Riches" – Rod Wave feat. ATR Son Son (#12)
* "Rain on Me" – Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande (#1)
* "Righteous" – Juice Wrld (#11)
* "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Brenda Lee (#2)
* "Rockstar" – DaBaby feat. Roddy Ricch (#1)
* "Roses (Imanbek remix)" – Saint Jhn (#4)
* "Roxanne" – Arizona Zervas (#4 in 2019, #5 in 2020)
* "Runnin" – 21 Savage and Metro Boomin (#9)
* "Said Sum" – Moneybagg Yo (#17)
* "Savage" – Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé (#1)
* "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)" – Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo and BTS (#1)
* "Say So" – Doja Cat feat. Nicki Minaj (#1)
* "Señorita" – Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (#1 in 2019, #11 in 2020)
* "Silly Watch" – Lil Uzi Vert (#9)
* "Sleigh Ride" − The Ronettes (#19)
* "Smile" – Juice Wrld and The Weeknd (#8)
* "Someone You Loved" – Lewis Capaldi (#1 in 2019, #4 in 2020)
* "Stuck with U" – Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber (#1)
* "Stupid Love" – Lady Gaga (#5)
* "Suicidal" – YNW Melly and Juice Wrld (#20)
* "Sum 2 Prove" – Lil Baby (#16)
* "Sunday Best" – Surfaces (#19)
* "Tap In" – Saweetie (#20)
* "That Way" – Lil Uzi Vert (#20)
* "The 1" – Taylor Swift (#4)
* "The Bigger Picture" – Lil Baby (#3)
* "The Bones" – Maren Morris (#12)
* "The Box" – Roddy Ricch (#1)
* "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)" − Nat King Cole (#11 in 2019, #15 in 2020)
* "The Last Great American Dynasty" – Taylor Swift (#13)
* "The Scotts" – The Scotts, Travis Scott and Kid Cudi (#1)
* "The Woo" – Pop Smoke feat. 50 Cent and Roddy Ricch (#11)
* "Therefore I Am" – Billie Eilish (#2)
* "Titanic" – Juice Wrld (#14)
* "Toosie Slide" – Drake (#1)
* "Trampoline" – Shaed (#13 in 2019, #16 in 2020)
* "Trollz" – 6ix9ine and Nicki Minaj (#1)
* "Truth Hurts" – Lizzo (#1 in 2019, #18 in 2020)
* "Turks" – Nav, Gunna and Travis Scott (#17)
* "WAP" – Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion (#1)
* "Watermelon Sugar" – Harry Styles (#1)
* "We Paid" – Lil Baby and 42 Dugg (#10)
* "What a Man Gotta Do" – Jonas Brothers (#16)
* "Whats Poppin" – Jack Harlow feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez and Lil Wayne (#2)
* "Willow" – Taylor Swift (#1)
* "Wishing Well" – Juice Wrld (#5)
* "Woah" – Lil Baby (#15)
* "Wonder" – Shawn Mendes (#18)
* "Yummy" – Justin Bieber (#2)

## Deaths

* January 1 –
** Lexii Alijai, 21, rapper
** Marty Grebb, 74, rock keyboardist
** Tommy Hancock, 90, country singer
* January 2 – Lorraine Chandler, 73, soul singer
* January 8 – Edd Byrnes, 87, actor and pop singer
* January 9 – Bobby Comstock, 78, rock and roll singer
* January 14 – Steve Martin Caro, 71, singer
* January 15 – Chris Darrow, 75, country and rock singer
* January 18 – David Olney, 71, folk singer-songwriter
* January 19 –
** Jimmy Heath, 93, jazz saxophonist
** Robert Parker, 89, R&B singer
* January 24 –
** Joe Payne, 35, metal bassist
** Sean Reinert, 48, metal drummer
* January 25 –
** Bob Gullotti, 71, free jazz drummer
** Vernon Sandusky, 80, rock singer and guitarist (The Chartbusters)
* January 26 – Bob Shane, 85, folk singer and guitarist
* January 28 – Bob Nave, 75, bubblegum pop keyboardist
* February 1 –
** Harold Beane, 73, funk guitarist
** Peter Serkin, 72, classical pianist
* February 6 – Diego Farias, 27, progressive metalcore guitarist
* February 10 – Lyle Mays, 66, jazz fusion keyboardist
* February 12 – Paul English, 87, country drummer
* February 13 –
** Jacob Thiele, 40, indie rock keyboardist
** Buzzy Linhart, 76, folk singer-songwriter
* February 19 –
** Bob Cobert, 95, composer
** Pop Smoke, 20, rapper
* February 25 – David Roback, 61, alternative rock and dream pop guitarist
* February 28 – Mike Sommerville, 67, rock guitarist and songwriter
* March 3 – Les Cauchi, 77, pop singer (Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge)
* March 4 – Barbara Martin, 76, R&B singer
* March 6 –
** McCoy Tyner, 81, jazz pianist
** Elinor Ross, 93, opera soprano
* March 7 – Jim Owen, 78, country singer songwriter
* March 9 –
** Keith Olson, 74, rock bassist, record producer
** Eric Taylor, 70, folk singer songwriter
* March 11 – Charles Wuorinen, 81, classical composer
* March 16 – Jason Rainey, 53, thrash metal guitarist
* March 20 –
** Kenny Rogers, 81, country singer-songwriter, actor
** Jerry Slick, 80, rock drummer
* March 22
** Mike Longo, 83, jazz pianist
** Eric Weissberg, 80, country and bluegrass banjoist
* March 23 – Tres Warren, 41, rock singer and guitarist
* March 25 – Bill Rieflin, 59, rock drummer
* March 28 – Jan Howard, 91, country singer songwriter
* March 29 –
** Joe Diffie, 61, country singer
** Alan Merrill, 69, rock singer and bassist
* March 30 – Bill Withers, 81, soul and R&B singer-songwriter
* March 31 – Cristina, 61, no wave singer
* April 1 –
** Ellis Marsalis Jr., 85, jazz pianist
** Adam Schlesinger, 52, singer-songwriter, record producer, guitarist
** Bucky Pizzarelli, 94, jazz guitarist
* April 2 – Vaughan Mason, 69, funk musician (Vaughan Mason & Crew, Raze)
* April 4 -
** Timothy Brown, 82, pop and soul singer
** Alex Harvey, 73, country singer songwriter
* April 7 –
** Betty Bennett, 98, jazz and big band singer
** Hutch Davie, 89, pianist, arranger and composer
** Steve Farmer, 71, rock guitarist, songwriter (The Amboy Dukes)
** Travis Nelsen, 38, indie rock drummer
** John Prine, 73, country folk singer-songwriter
** Hal Willner, 64, record producer
* April 8 –
** Carl Dobkins, Jr., 79, singer and songwriter
** Chynna Rogers, 25, rapper
* April 9 – Andrew Gonzalez, 69, Latin jazz bassist
* April 10 –
** Big George Brock, 87, blues harmonicist
** Jymie Merritt, 92, jazz bassist
* April 15 –
** Lee Konitz, 92, jazz saxophonist
** Henry Grimes, 84, jazz bassist
** Gary McSpadden, 77, gospel singer, songwriter, producer
* April 17 – Giuseppi Logan, 84, jazz instrumentalist
* April 21 – Derek Jones, 35, metalcore guitarist
* April 24 –
** Hamilton Bohannon, 78, percussionist and music producer
** Harold Reid, 80, country singer songwriter
* April 25 – Alan Abel, 91, classical percussionist
* April 26 – Big Al Carson, 66, blues singer
* April 27 –
** Troy Sneed, 52, gospel singer
** Lynn Harrell, 79, classical cellist
* April 28 – Bobby Lewis, 95, R&B singer
* April 29 – Stezo, 51, rapper
* April 30 – Sam Lloyd, 56, a cappella singer
* May 1 – Richard Cole, 72, jazz saxophonist
* May 2 – Cady Groves, 30, country singer-songwriter
* May 3 – Rosalind Elias, 90, opera singer
* May 4
** John Erhardt, 58, indie rock musician
** Frederick C. Tillis, 90, jazz saxophonist
* May 5 –
** Sweet Pea Atkinson, 74, dance rock singer
** Sonny Cox, 82, jazz saxophonist
** Kiing Shooter, 24, rapper
* May 8 – Andre Harrell, 59, record producer, songwriter, and rapper
* May 9 – Little Richard, 87, R&B, soul, and rock-n-roll singer
* May 10 – Betty Wright, 66, R&B soul singer
* May 11 – Moon Martin, 74, rockabilly singer-songwriter and guitarist
* May 17 – Lucky Peterson, 55, blues guitarist
* May 19 – Willie K, 59, folk ukuleleist
* May 22 –
** Steve Hanford, 50, punk rock drummer
** KJ Balla, 23, rapper
* May 24 –
** Jimmy Cobb, 91, jazz drummer
** Al Rex, 91, rock & roll bassist
* May 25 – Bucky Baxter, 65, folk and rock guitarist
* May 26 – Lennie Niehaus, 90, jazz saxophonist and film composer
* May 28 – Bob Kulick, 70, hard rock guitarist (Balance, Kiss, W.A.S.P.)
* May 31 – Bob Northern, 86, jazz French hornist
* June 1 – Joey Image, 63, punk rock drummer
* June 2 – Chris Trousdale, 34, pop singer and actor
* June 7 –
** Frank Bey, 74, blues singer
** Floyd Lee, 86, blues singer and guitarist
* June 8 –
** James Hand, 67, country singer
** Bonnie Pointer, 69, R&B soul singer (The Pointer Sisters)
* June 24 – Michael Hawley, 58, classical pianist
* June 26 – Huey, 31, rapper
* June 27 –
** Pete Carr, 70, rock, pop, and soul guitarist
** Freddy Cole, 88, jazz singer and pianist
** Tom Finn, 71, baroque pop guitarist
* June 29 –
** Stepa J. Groggs, 32, rapper (Injury Reserve)
** Johnny Mandel, 94, film composer, arranger
** Benny Mardones, 73, soft rock singer, songwriter
* July 1 – Max Crook, 83, pop rock keyboardist
* July 3 – J. Marvin Brown, 66, soul singer
* July 5 – Cleveland Eaton, 80, jazz bassist
* July 6 – Charlie Daniels, 83, country singer
* July 8 – Naya Rivera, 33, pop singer and actress (Glee)
* July 10 – Eddie Gale, 78, jazz trumpeter
* July 12 –
** Rod Bernard, 79, swamp pop singer
** Eleanor Sokoloff, 106, classical pianist
* July 16 – Jamie Oldaker, 68, country music drummer
* July 19 – Emitt Rhodes, 70, pop rock singer
* July 27 – Miss Mercy, 71, psychedelic rock singer
* July 29 – Malik B., 47, rapper (The Roots)
* July 31 – Bill Mack, 88, country singer-songwriter
* August 2 –
** Steve Holland, 66, southern rock guitarist
** Larry Novak, 87, jazz pianist
** Leon Fleisher, 92, classical pianist
* August 4
** Tony Costanza, 52, heavy metal drummer
** FBG Duck, rapper
* August 6 – Vern Rumsey, 47, indie rock bassist
* August 11 – Trini Lopez, 83, pop singer
* August 13 – Steve Grossman, 69, jazz fusion saxophonist
* August 18 –
** Ron Heathman, rock guitarist (The Supersuckers)
** Hal Singer, 100, jazz saxophonist and bandleader
* August 19 –
** Todd Nance, 57, jam band drummer
** Randall Craig Fleischer, 61, classical conductor
* August 20 – Frankie Banali, 68, rock drummer (Quiet Riot)
* August 22 –
** Walter Lure, 71, punk rock guitarist
** D.J. Rogers, 72, soul singer
* August 23 –
** Justin Townes Earle, 38, singer-songwriter
** Peter King, 80, jazz saxophonist and clarinetist
** Charlie Persip, 91, jazz drummer
* August 24 – Riley Gale, 35, thrash metal singer (Power Trip)
* September 3 – Bill Pursell, 94, composer
* September 4 – Gary Peacock, 85, jazz double-bassist
* September 6 – Bruce Williamson, 49, R&B singer
* September 8 – Simone Coxe, 82, electronic rock singer
* September 9 –
** Ronald Bell, 68, saxophonist (Kool & The Gang)
** Sid McCray, punk rock singer
* September 12 – Edna Wright, 76, R&B singer
* September 14 – Al Kasha, 83, pop songwriter
* September 16 – Roy C, 81, soul singer
* September 18 –
** Georgia Dobbins, 78, R&B singer
** Pamela Hutchinson, 62, R&B singer (The Emotions)
* September 21 –
** Tommy DeVito, 92, singer, guitarist (The Four Seasons)
** Roy Head, 79, country singer
* September 23 – W.S. Holland, 85, country music dummer
* September 26 – Mark Stone, hard rock bassist
* September 29
** Mac Davis, 78, country singer
** Rocco Prestia, 69, funk bassist
* October 6 –
** Eddie Van Halen, 65, rock guitarist, songwriter (Van Halen)
** Johnny Nash, 80 singer, songwriter
* October 7 – Ray Pennington, 86, country singer songwriter
* October 9 – Pierre Kezdy, 58, punk rock bassist
* October 11 – Harold Betters, 92, jazz trombonist
* October 12 –
** Jon Gibson, 80, minimalist multi instrumentalist
** Kim Massie, 62, blues and soul singer
* October 13 – Saint Dog, 44, rapper
* October 16 – Johnny Bush, 85, country music singer songwriter
* October 18 – Chet "JR" White, 40, indie rock bassist
* October 21 – Viola Smith, 107, swing and classical drummer
* October 22 – Margie Bowes, 79, country singer
* October 23 – Jerry Jeff Walker, 78, country singer songwriter
* October 26 – Stan Kesler, 92, rock and roll singer, songwriter
* October 28 – Billy Joe Shaver, 81, country singer, songwriter
* October 31 –
** MF DOOM, 49, rapper
** Rance Allen, 71, gospel singer, guitarist and keyboardist
* November 1 – Nikki McKibbin, 42, singer, American Idol season one third place finalist
* November 5 – Len Barry, 78, soul singer
* November 6 – King Von, 26, rapper
* November 10 – Alec Baillie, 73, bassist
* November 11 –
** Andrew White, jazz saxophonist
** MO3, 28, rapper
* November 12 – Jim Tucker, 74, rock guitarist
* November 13 – Doug Supernaw, 60, country singer
* November 16 – Bruce Swedien, 86, recording engineer
* November 23 – Hal Ketchum, 67, country singer
* November 25 – Camilla Wicks, 92, classical violinist
* December 7 –
** LD Beghtol, 55, experimental rock singer
** Howard Wales, 77, jazz and rock keyboardist
* December 8 – Harold Budd, 84, avant-garde composer and poet
* December 9 –
** Sean Malone, 50, progressive metal bassist (Cynic)
** Jason Slater, 49, alternative rock bassist
* December 12 – Charley Pride, 86, country singer
* December 15 – Sam Jayne, 46, indie rock singer and guitarist
* December 16 – Carl Mann, 78, rockabilly singer
* December 17 –
** Jeff Clayton, 66, jazz saxophonist
** Stanley Cowell, 79, jazz pianist
* December 19 – Clay Anthony, 61, hard rock bassist
* December 21 – K.T. Oslin, 78, country singer
* December 23
** John Fletcher, 56, rapper
** Leslie West, 75, hard rock singer and guitarist
* December 25 – Tony Rice, 69, bluegrass guitarist
* December 29 –
** Phyllis McGuire, 89, pop singer (The McGuire Sisters)
** Rudy Salas, 71, R&B and soul guitarist
* December 30 –
** Frank Kimbrough, 64, jazz pianist
** Alto Reed, 72, rock saxophonist
** Eugene Wright, 97, jazz bassist