# 2012 in American music

The following is a list of notable events and releases that happened in 2012 in music in the United States.

## Notable events
### January

* 7 – Katy Perry's single "The One That Got Away" reaches #1 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart, making her album, Teenage Dream, the first album in history to have seven songs from the same album reach #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart. It is also only the third album in history to have six singles from the same album reach the top five on the Billboard Hot 100.
* 20 – Etta James dies of leukemia at age 73.

### February

* 4 – Adele's single "Set Fire to the Rain" reaches #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making her album, 21, the first album in history to have three #1 songs from the same album by a British female artist.
* 5 – During Super Bowl XLVI Kelly Clarkson performed the National Anthem, and Madonna, LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., and Cee Lo Green performed during the halftime show. The twelve-minute performance becomes the most watched television event of all time, gathering a record 118 million viewers, six more than the game itself. Subsequently, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" becomes Madonna's 38th top ten hit and her 41st #1 hit on the dance charts.
* 11 – Pop icon Whitney Houston is found dead at the age of 48 in her Los Angeles hotel room hours before a pre-Grammy party hosted by Clive Davis. Further investigations reveal cocaine in her system, but the cause of death is ruled as heart disease and drowning. Sales of her albums spike, and "I Will Always Love You" re-enters the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
* 12 – The 54th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Adele won six awards for her album 21, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year (the latter two for "Rolling in the Deep"). Bon Iver wins Best New Artist. Kanye West and the Foo Fighters swept in their respective categories, with Kanye winning 4 Grammys and the Foo Fighters taking 5.
* 28 – Terrorizer released their first studio album in six years, Hordes of Zombies.
* 28 – Corrosion of Conformity released their first studio album in seven years, Corrosion of Conformity.
* 29 – Davy Jones of the band The Monkees dies in Florida after suffering a severe heart attack at the age of 66.

### March

* 3 – Adele becomes the first female artist to have three singles in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, and the first female artist to have two albums in the top five of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.
** Katy Perry's single "Part of Me" debuts at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming only the 20th song in history to debut atop the chart. It is her seventh consecutive top five single on the chart.
* 26 – Madonna released her twelfth studio album MDNA, which becomes her eighth #1 album on the Billboard 200, debuting with 359,000 copies sold in the second week.
* 26 – Joan Osborne released her first studio album in four years, Bring It on Home.

### April

* 1 – The Academy of Country Music Awards took place in Las Vegas. This was the last year Reba McEntire hosted until 2018.
* 4 – Justin Bieber's single, "Boyfriend", has the second-highest first week sales of a new single, debuting at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, later on surpassed by Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" with 623,000 sales making Bieber the third highest first week sale.
* 10 – Counting Crows released their first album in four years, Underwater Sunshine (or What We Did on Our Summer Vacation).
* 26 – Chiodos' original lead singer, Craig Owens, rejoins the band after being let go in September 2009, replacing Brandon Bolmer, who departed Chiodos in March. Drummer Derrick Frost also rejoins the band, replacing Tanner Wayne, who left with Bolmer in March.
* 28 – Gotye became the first Belgian-Australian solo artist to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Somebody That I Used To Know".
* 29 – Kevin Richardson rejoined the Backstreet Boys permanently, after roughly six years of departure.

### May

* 1 – Pennywise releases All or Nothing, their first album to feature Ignite singer Zoli Téglás on lead vocals, following the August 2009 departure of original lead singer Jim Lindberg.
* 4 – Rapper Adam "MCA" Yauch of the Beastie Boys dies of cancer at the age of 47.
* 8 – Jermaine Paul wins the second season of The Voice. Juliet Simms is named runner-up. Tony Lucca and Chris Mann finishing third and fourth place respectively.
* 15 – Garbage released their first studio album in seven years, Not Your Kind of People.
** Tenacious D released her first studio album in six years, Rize of the Fenix.
* 17 – Donna Summer, known as "The Queen of Disco", dies of cancer at age 63.
* 20 – The Billboard Music Awards took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
* 23 – Phillip Phillips is crowned winner of the eleventh season of American Idol while Jessica Sanchez is named runner-up.
* 29 – Doc Watson dies after complications from abdominal surgery at age 89.

### August

* 1 – No Use for a Name frontman Tony Sly dies at the age of 41 of a drug overdose.
* 2 – Blink-182 celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band with a worldwide tour simply called 20th Anniversary Tour.
* 7 – Sixpence None the Richer released her first studio album in four years, Lost in Transition.
* 4 – Ministry reunited at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.
* 9 – The Monkees announce that Michael Nesmith rejoined the band for a twelve city tour of the U.S..
* 12 – Katy Perry's "Wide Awake" peaks at No. 2, becoming her ninth and final Top 10 single from the Teenage Dream era.
* 28 – TobyMac debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with his sixth full-length studio album Eye on It. The album was the first Christian release since 1997 to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

### September

* 4 – Matchbox Twenty released their first studio album in ten years, North.
* 6 – The MTV Video Music Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
* 11 – DMX released his first studio album in six years, Undisputed.
* 21 – Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day has a meltdown at the iHeartRadio Festival when the tour promoters cut their performance short to extend time for Usher's performance. During their performance of Basket Case, he decides to stop the song and goes on a profanity-filled rant, even going as to say that he's "not Justin Bieber". Billie then smashes his guitar alongside Mike Dirnt, flips off the officials and throws the microphone. He enters rehab the next day.
* 25 – No Doubt released their first studio album in eleven years, Push and Shove.

### October

* 16 – Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard released his solo debut, Former Lives.
* 22 – Taylor Swift released her anticipated album, Red. The album sold 1,208,000 copies in its first week in the U.S, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, the second highest debut for a female artist.
* 30 – The Coup released their first studio album in six years, Sorry to Bother You.

### November

* 1 – The CMA Awards took place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood hosted for the fifth year in a row.

### December

* 18 – Cassadee Pope wins the third season of The Voice. Terry McDermott is named runner-up. Nicholas David finishing third place.
* 19 - Lostprophets frontman Ian Watkins was charged with multiple sexual offences against minors, infants and animals. In December 2013, he was sentenced to 29 years of imprisonment plus six years of extended supervision on licence.

## Bands formed

* 3rdeyegirl
* Body/Head
* The Chainsmokers
* Chelsea Light Moving
* The Collective
* Dan + Shay
* Device
* Emblem3
* Fifth Harmony
* Flying Colors
* The Griswolds
* Haim
* Honeyblood
* Magic!
* Milky Chance
* MisterWives
* On An On
* Perfect Pussy
* Preoccupations
* PVRIS
* Rixton
* Slaves
* Union J
* Them Are Us Too
* The Vamps
* The Winery Dogs
* X Ambassadors

## Bands reformed

* 98 Degrees
* The Afghan Whigs
* At the Drive-In
* The Beach Boys (classic lineup)
* Black Tambourine (single performance)
* Cannibal Ox
* Coal Chamber
* Desaparecidos
* Die Kreuzen
* Firehose (tour only)
* Garbage
* Grandaddy
* Jonas Brothers
* Matchbox Twenty
* The Monkees
* I Mother Earth
* Nasum
* No Doubt
* The Obsessed
* Phantom Planet (five shows only)
* The Procussions
* Refused
* The Replacements
* SikTh
* Treble Charger
* Van Halen

## Bands on hiatus

* Staind
* The Black Eyed Peas
* Gorillaz
* Every Avenue
* Foo Fighters
* Incubus
* Oceano
* Rage Against the Machine
* Scissor Sisters
* She Wants Revenge
* Thrice
* Thursday
* LMFAO
* Ludo

## Bands disbanded

* Beastie Boys
* Behind Crimson Eyes
* The Books
* Buffalo Springfield
* The Carrier
* Creed
* Das Racist
* David Crowder Band
* Defiance
* Diddy-Dirty Money
* D.R.U.G.S.
* The Dubliners
* Girls
* Handsome Furs
* Hole
* INXS
* It Dies Today
* Jack's Mannequin
* Jet
* Made Out of Babies
* Matchbook Romance
* MC5
* Meg & Dia
* Pretty Ricky
* Radio 4
* Revis
* Rock Bottom Remainders
* Selena Gomez & the Scene
* Sherwood
* Sons and Daughters
* A Static Lullaby
* This Time Next Year
* Vains of Jenna
* Ween
* Women
* WU LYF

## Albums released in 2012

List of 2012 albums

### January

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 10 | Live from the Kitchen | Yo Gotti | Hip hop |
| 10 | These Times | SafetySuit | Alternative rockpop rock |
| 10 | Socratic | Socratic | Pop-punk |
| 17 | Beautiful Things | Anthony Green | Indie |
| 17 | Kidz Bop 21 | Kidz Bop Kids | Pop |
| 24 | 100 Proof | Kellie Pickler | Country |
| 24 | Attack on Memory | Cloud Nothings | Indie rockgarage rockalternative rock |
| 24 | The Church of Rock and Roll | Foxy Shazam | Hard rockglam rock |
| 24 | Emotional Traffic | Tim McGraw | Country |
| 24 | Human Again | Ingrid Michaelson | Indie pop |
| 24 | iSoundtrack II | iCarly | Pop |
| 24 | Let's Go Eat the Factory | Guided by Voices | Indie rock |
| 24 | Resolution | Lamb of God | Groove metalthrash metal |
| 24 | Something | Chairlift | Synthpopart popnew wavepost-punk |
| 24 | The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy | Nada Surf | Alternative rock |
| 24 | We're Here with You | Julien K | Electronic rockalternative rockindustrial rocksynth-pop |
| 24 | Wishing Well | Cheyenne Marie Mize | Folk rock |
| 31 | Beyond Magnetic (EP) | Metallica | Heavy metalthrash metalspeed metal |
| 31 | Born to Die | Lana Del Rey | Alternative popbaroque popindie popsadcoretrip hop |
| 31 | Invicta | Hit the Lights | Pop punkindie rockalternative rock |

### February

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 7 | Blues Funeral | Mark Lanegan | Alternative rockblues rock |
| 7 | A Different Kind of Truth | Van Halen | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 7 | Go Fly a Kite | Ben Kweller | Power popalt-countryfolk rock |
| 7 | Home | Dierks Bentley | Country |
| 7 | Scars & Stories | The Fray | Alternative rockpop rocksoft rock |
| 7 | Tramp | Sharon Van Etten | Indie folk |
| 14 | Continued Silence EP | Imagine Dragons | Alternative rockindie rockpop rockpop |
| 14 | King or the Fool | Tony Williams | R&B |
| 14 | Muscle Car Chronicles | Curren$y | Hip hopalternative hip hop |
| 14 | Ski Beatz 24 Hour Karate School Presents Twilight | Ski Beatz | Hip hop |
| 21 | Breakfast | Chiddy Bang | Hip hop |
| 21 | Careless World: Rise of the Last King | Tyga | Hip hop |
| 21 | Electric Sea | Buckethead | Ambientclassicalfolk |
| 21 | On the Impossible Past | The Menzingers | Punk rockheartland rockemoindie rock |
| 21 | Reign of Terror | Sleigh Bells | Noise popindie rock |
| 21 | Some Nights | fun. | Indie poprock |
| 24 | History Speaks | Deep Sea Diver | Indie rock |
| 28 | Black Belt Theatre | Planet Asia | Hip hop |
| 28 | Black Radio | Robert Glasper Experiment | Jazzjazz raphip hopR&Bsoul |
| 28 | Corrosion of Conformity | Corrosion of Conformity | Stoner rocksludge metal |
| 28 | The Day After Tomorrow | Maino | Hip hop |
| 28 | Ghostory | School of Seven Bells | Indie rockdream popshoegazeindietronica |
| 28 | God Save the King | Copywrite | Hip hop |
| 28 | Hordes of Zombies | Terrorizer | Deathgrind |
| 28 | The Minimal Wave Tapes Vol. 2 | Stones Throw Records & Minimal Wave Records | |
| 28 | No Trespassing | Too $hort | Hip hop |
| 28 | PIL2 | Ja Rule | Hip hop |
| 28 | WZRD | WZRD | Alternative rock |

### March

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 6 | Break it Yourself | Andrew Bird | Indie rockbaroque pop |
| 6 | Hit Me Like a Man EP | The Pretty Reckless | Alternative rockhard rockpost-grunge |
| 6 | Mia Pharaoh | Miniature Tigers | Neo-psychedeliadream popsynthpopindie pop |
| 6 | Milk Famous | White Rabbits | Indie rock |
| 6 | Now | Fireflight | Christian rockhard rockpost-grunge |
| 6 | Rapper's Best Friend 2 | The Alchemist | Hip hop |
| 6 | Rigmarole | Pep Love | Hip hop |
| 6 | Threads | Now, Now | Indie rock |
| 6 | Wrecking Ball | Bruce Springsteen | Heartland rockfolk rock |
| 13 | Anarchy, My Dear | Say Anything | Alternative rockpop punk |
| 13 | Felony Flats | Anya Marina | Indie rockindie popalternative rock |
| 13 | Letters from Birmingham | Ruben Studdard | R&Bpopsoul |
| 13 | Port of Morrow | The Shins | Rock |
| 13 | Q.B. O.G.: The Best of MC Shan | MC Shan | Hip hopR&B |
| 13 | South Bronx Teachings: A Collection of Boogie Down Productions | Boogie Down Productions | Hip hop |
| 13 | Torture | Cannibal Corpse | Death metal |
| 20 | Building | Brian Larsen | RockPop Rock |
| 20 | The General Strike | Anti-Flag | Punk rock |
| 20 | Mixed Emotions | Tanlines | electronicindie rock |
| 20 | The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2 | Odd Future | Hip hop |
| 20 | Radio Music Society | Esperanza Spalding | Contemporary jazz |
| 20 | Unexpected Arrival | Diggy | Hip hopR&B |
| 27 | Amaryllis | Shinedown | Hard rockalternative metalpost-grunge |
| 27 | The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 1 | E-40 | Hip hop |
| 27 | The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 2 | E-40 | Hip hop |
| 27 | The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 3 | E-40 | Hip hop |
| 27 | Covered | Macy Gray | R&Bsoulrock |
| 27 | The Electric Age | Overkill | Thrash metal |
| 27 | Kids in the Street | The All-American Rejects | Alternative rockpower pop |
| 27 | Kolexxxion | Bumpy Knuckles & DJ Premier | Hip hop |
| 27 | MDNA | Madonna | Dance-popelectropopelectro houseEurodanceEDMEuro house |
| 27 | The Next Logical Progression | Gift of Gab | Hip hop |
| 27 | The Night the Sun Came Up | Dev | Electropopdance-pop |
| 27 | Noctourniquet | The Mars Volta | Progressive rockexperimental rock |
| 27 | Take Me to Your Leader | ¡Mayday! | Hip hoprap rockalternative rockalternative hip hop |
| 27 | Relapse | Ministry | Industrial metalthrash metal |
| 27 | Seeds | Georgia Anne Muldrow & Madlib | |
| 27 | Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection | Katy Perry | Poppop rock |
| 27 | Tuskegee | Lionel Richie | CountryR&Bpop |
| 27 | Vulnerable | The Used | Emopost-hardcorealternative rock |

### April

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 3 | Bottoms Up | Obie Trice |
| 3 | Changed | Rascal Flatts |
| 3 | Forget the Storm | Tyler Hilton |
| 3 | I Love You, It's Cool | Bear in Heaven |
| 3 | The Lumineers | The Lumineers |
| 3 | Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded | Nicki Minaj |
| 3 | Plans Within Plans | MxPx |
| 3 | Sick-Wid-It Block Op | Laroo & Turf Talk |
| 3 | Weapons | Lostprophets |
| 10 | Bridges | Moka Only & Ayatollah |
| 10 | Dead Sara | Dead Sara |
| 10 | The Fatal Feast | Municipal Waste |
| 10 | The Good Life | Trip Lee |
| 10 | The Liquid Crystal Project III | J. Rawls |
| 10 | New Life | Monica |
| 10 | Slipstream | Bonnie Raitt |
| 10 | Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did On Our Summer Vacation) | Counting Crows |
| 10 | Vava Voom | Bassnectar |
| 14 | Balloon Cement | Buckethead |
| 17 | California 37 | Train |
| 17 | I Missed Us | SWV |
| 17 | Looking for More | Lauren & Kara |
| 17 | Love is a Four Letter Word | Jason Mraz |
| 17 | Pluto | Future |
| 17 | Picture Show | Neon Trees |
| 17 | Raw | Blanco & Nipsey Hussle |
| 24 | Blunderbuss | Jack White |
| 24 | Generation Freakshow | Feeder |
| 24 | Lillie: F-65 | Saint Vitus |
| 24 | Loaded | Mickey Avalon |
| 24 | Mondo | Electric Guest |
| 24 | The Money Store | Death Grips |
| 24 | Speak in Code | Eve 6 |
| 24 | This Machine | The Dandy Warhols |
| 24 | Up All Night | Kip Moore |

### May

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 1 | All or Nothing | Pennywise |
| 1 | Blown Away | Carrie Underwood |
| 1 | Born Villain | Marilyn Manson |
| 1 | Interludes After Midnight | Blockhead |
| 1 | Little Broken Hearts | Norah Jones |
| 1 | Master of My Make-Believe | Santigold |
| 1 | Sound the Drum | The Mowgli's |
| 1 | Strange Clouds | B.o.B |
| 8 | Babylon | Matt Skiba and the Sekrets |
| 8 | Hello | Karmin |
| 8 | In the Belly of the Brazen Bull | The Cribs |
| 8 | Jacaranda | Trevor Rabin |
| 8 | Journey Through the Shadows | The Parlotones |
| 8 | The Looking Away | Animal Kingdom |
| 8 | Lovers | The Royalty |
| 8 | Neck of the Woods | Silversun Pickups |
| 8 | Strangeland | Keane |
| 8 | This Is How I Feel | Tank |
| 8 | Underground Superstars | Punchline & DJ Soulclap |
| 15 | Exister | Hot Water Music |
| 15 | Fire From the Sky | Shadows Fall |
| 15 | Go! Pop! Bang! | Rye Rye |
| 15 | Me.Me. | Plushgun |
| 15 | Not Your Kind of People | Garbage |
| 15 | The Only Place | Best Coast |
| 15 | R.A.P. Music | Killer Mike |
| 15 | Rize of the Fenix | Tenacious D |
| 15 | Taster's Choice Vol. 6 | J Rocc |
| 15 | Trespassing | Adam Lambert |
| 15 | The Temper Trap | The Temper Trap |
| 22 | 2012 | 2012 (Statik Selektah & Termanology) |
| 22 | 3's | Smile Empty Soul |
| 22 | Apocalyptic Love | Slash & Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators |
| 22 | Beneath the Scars | 12 Stones |
| 22 | Born and Raised | John Mayer |
| 22 | Cancer 4 Cure | El-P |
| 22 | Gestalt | The Spill Canvas |
| 22 | He Still Think He Raw | Casual |
| 22 | Listen Up! | Haley Reinhart |
| 22 | Once Upon Another Time (EP) | Sara Bareilles |
| 22 | Thank You Camellia | Kris Allen |
| 22 | The Wolf You Feed | The Riverboat Gamblers |
| 29 | Anxiety | Ladyhawke |
| 29 | From Day 1 | Travis Porter |
| 29 | Heaven | The Walkmen |
| 29 | Here | Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros |
| 29 | Magic Hour | Scissor Sisters |
| 29 | What We Saw from the Cheap Seats | Regina Spektor |

### June

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 4 | Manifest! | Friends |
| 5 | Celebration Rock | Japandroids |
| 5 | Dope Sick | Mad Child |
| 5 | Hope (EP) | Hawthorne Heights |
| 5 | The Industrialist | Fear Factory |
| 5 | Jennette McCurdy | Jennette McCurdy |
| 5 | K.I.C.K. P.U.S.H. | One Be Lo |
| 5 | Lex Hives | The Hives |
| 5 | Life Will Write The Words | The Rocket Summer |
| 5 | Live from the Underground | Big K.R.I.T. |
| 5 | Love & Danger | Kool Keith |
| 5 | Machines That Make Civilization Fun | Bigg Jus |
| 5 | OhNoMite | Oh No |
| 5 | Prisoners | The Agonist |
| 5 | Safe Travels | Jukebox the Ghost |
| 5 | Sand & Snow | A Silent Film |
| 5 | The Stoned Immaculate | Curren$y |
| 5 | That's Why God Made the Radio | The Beach Boys |
| 5 | Thirty Miles West | Alan Jackson |
| 12 | Comet | The Bouncing Souls |
| 12 | Dedication (EP) | Rome |
| 12 | Dirty Bass | Far East Movement |
| 12 | Go | Motion City Soundtrack |
| 12 | Looking 4 Myself | Usher |
| 12 | People Hear What They See | Oddisee |
| 12 | The Photo Album | Wordsworth |
| 12 | Since Our Departure | Dinner and a Suit |
| 12 | Through the Glass (EP) | Atlas Genius |
| 12 | Triple F Life: Fans, Friends & Family | Waka Flocka Flame |
| 12 | Up & Away | Kid Ink |
| 19 | Attractive Sin | Del the Funky Homosapien & Parallel Thought |
| 19 | Believe | Justin Bieber |
| 19 | Cabin by the Sea | The Dirty Heads |
| 19 | The Idler Wheel... | Fiona Apple |
| 19 | The Last Outlaw | Pastor Troy |
| 19 | Let It Go | House Shoes |
| 19 | Rejuvenation | Juvenile |
| 19 | Oceania | The Smashing Pumpkins |
| 19 | Rugby Thompson | Smoke DZA |
| 19 | Still Doubted? | Lil Wyte |
| 19 | The View from the Bottom | Lit |
| 19 | Walk the Moon | Walk the Moon |
| 25 | Gone | Vacationer |
| 26 | Challenger | Memphis May Fire |
| 26 | Days Go By | The Offspring |
| 26 | The Grustle | Lil Scrappy |
| 26 | Invisible Stars | Everclear |
| 26 | Living Things | Linkin Park |
| 26 | Overexposed | Maroon 5 |
| 26 | Professor @ Large | Large Professor |
| 26 | PTX, Volume 1 | Pentatonix |
| 26 | Self Made Vol. 2 | Maybach Music Group |
| 26 | Write Me Back | R. Kelly |

### July

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 3 | Fortune | Chris Brown |
| 3 | H.N.I.C. Part 3 | Prodigy |
| 3 | Wild Ones | Flo Rida |
| 10 | Channel Orange | Frank Ocean |
| 10 | Cookies 'n Cream | Blanco & Yukmouth |
| 10 | Harakiri | Serj Tankian |
| 10 | In Currents | The Early November |
| 10 | Most of My Heroes Still Don't Appear on No Stamp | Public Enemy |
| 10 | Murdered Love | P.O.D. |
| 10 | Skelethon | Aesop Rock |
| 10 | Uncaged | Zac Brown Band |
| 10 | Voyeur | Saint Motel |
| 17 | All I Was | Mark Tremonti |
| 17 | Band of Brothers | Hellyeah |
| 17 | Beautiful Friction | The Fixx |
| 17 | Collide with the Sky | Pierce the Veil |
| 17 | Delayed Reaction | Soul Asylum |
| 17 | Kidz Bop 22 | Kidz Bop Kids |
| 17 | Life Is Good | Nas |
| 17 | Milo Greene | Milo Greene |
| 17 | Rebirth | Jimmy Cliff |
| 17 | Russian Roulette | The Alchemist |
| 17 | Snowgoons Dynasty | Snowgoons |
| 17 | Songs of Patience | Alberta Cross |
| 17 | Spark Seeker | Matisyahu |
| 17 | Weight & Glory | KB |
| 24 | Dance Again... the Hits | Jennifer Lopez |
| 24 | Gossamer | Passion Pit |
| 24 | Handwritten | The Gaslight Anthem |
| 24 | REBELutionary | Reks & Numonics |
| 31 | C.A.R. | Serengeti |
| 31 | Dark Roots of Earth | Testament |
| 31 | God Forgives, I Don't | Rick Ross |
| 31 | Lap of Lux | Sir Michael Rocks |
| 31 | Masters of the Dark Arts | La Coka Nostra |
| 31 | Nicole & Natalie | Nina Sky |

### August

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 7 | Lost in Transition | Sixpence None the Richer |
| 7 | The New Frontier | Kokane & Traffik |
| 7 | Perfectly Imperfect | Elle Varner |
| 9 | The Shores of Molokai | Buckethead |
| 14 | Based on a T.R.U. Story | 2 Chainz |
| 14 | Blood | In This Moment |
| 14 | Freaky Tales | Insane Clown Posse |
| 14 | The Mighty Death Pop! | Insane Clown Posse |
| 14 | Mike E. Clark's Extra Pop Emporium | Mike E. Clark & Insane Clown Posse |
| 14 | Smothered, Covered & Chunked | Insane Clown Posse |
| 14 | Southern Air | Yellowcard |
| 14 | Top of the World | Slightly Stoopid |
| 20 | The Glorious Dead | The Heavy |
| 21 | Chapter V | Trey Songz |
| 21 | Four | Bloc Party |
| 21 | Fragrant World | Yeasayer |
| 21 | Hot Cakes | The Darkness |
| 21 | Kiss the Ring | DJ Khaled |
| 21 | Last of a Dyin' Breed | Lynyrd Skynyrd |
| 21 | The Midsummer Station | Owl City |
| 21 | Year of the Dragon | Busta Rhymes |
| 28 | Beautiful Surprise | Tamia |
| 28 | The Circle in the Square | Flobots |
| 28 | Eye on It | TobyMac |
| 28 | Havoc and Bright Lights | Alanis Morissette |
| 28 | Infinity Overhead | Minus the Bear |
| 28 | Off the Record (EP) | Torae |
| 28 | Sublime Currency | Abandoned Pools |
| 28 | This Time | Beanie Sigel |
| 28 | Violent Waves | Circa Survive |
| 28 | Welcome to: Our House | Slaughterhouse |

### September

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 4 | 4th Street Feeling | Melissa Etheridge |
| 4 | Beacon | Two Door Cinema Club |
| 4 | Centipede Hz | Animal Collective |
| 4 | Give Me My Flowers While I Can Still Smell Them | Blu & Exile |
| 4 | Gravity | Lecrae |
| 4 | Night Visions | Imagine Dragons |
| 4 | North | Matchbox Twenty |
| 4 | The North | Stars |
| 4 | Push Rewind | Chris Wallace |
| 4 | Silver Age | Bob Mould |
| 4 | The Sheepdogs | The Sheepdogs |
| 11 | Away from the World | Dave Matthews Band |
| 11 | Bright Black Heaven | Blaqk Audio |
| 11 | Coexist | The xx |
| 11 | Dead Silence | Billy Talent |
| 11 | Elysium | Pet Shop Boys |
| 11 | Fight or Flight | Hoobastank |
| 11 | Old World Romance | Sea Wolf |
| 11 | Self Entitled | NOFX |
| 11 | Tempest | Bob Dylan |
| 11 | Theatre Is Evil | Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra |
| 11 | Tornado | Little Big Town |
| 11 | Undisputed | DMX |
| 18 | Bad 25 | Michael Jackson |
| 18 | Battle Born | The Killers |
| 18 | Charmer | Aimee Mann |
| 18 | Cinematics | Set It Off |
| 18 | Close the Distance | Go Radio |
| 18 | Cruel Summer | GOOD Music |
| 18 | Down IV Part I - The Purple EP | Down |
| 18 | Enjoy the Company | The Whigs |
| 18 | First of a Living Breed | Homeboy Sandman |
| 18 | Hallelujah! I'm a Bum | Local H |
| 18 | Libertine | Liv Kristine |
| 18 | Mirage Rock | Band of Horses |
| 18 | Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color | Brother Ali |
| 18 | Shields | Grizzly Bear |
| 18 | Somethin' 'Bout Kreay | Kreayshawn |
| 18 | The Sound of the Life of the Mind | Ben Folds Five |
| 18 | Tomorrowland | Ryan Bingham |
| 18 | Tomahawk Technique | Sean Paul |
| 18 | The Truth About Love | P!nk |
| 20 | March of the Slunks | Buckethead |
| 20 | Racks | Buckethead |
| 20 | The Silent Picture Book | Buckethead |
| 25 | Aftermath Of The Lowdown | Richie Sambora |
| 25 | Fame and Fortune | Lucy Fleming |
| 25 | Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 | Lupe Fiasco |
| 25 | Hayley Sings | Rachael MacFarlane |
| 25 | Payback | Danny! |
| 25 | Push and Shove | No Doubt |
| 25 | Ricanstruction: The Black Rosary | Chino XL |
| 25 | Strapped | The Soft Pack |
| 25 | This Generation | Murs & Fashawn |
| 25 | ¡Uno! | Green Day |

### October

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 1 | No Love Deep Web | Death Grips |
| 2 | The Bumpy Johnson Album | Prodigy |
| 2 | Cedar + Gold | Tristan Prettyman |
| 2 | Come of Age | The Vaccines |
| 2 | Kaleidoscope Dream | Miguel |
| 2 | Lightning | Matt & Kim |
| 2 | Officially Miss Guided | OMG Girlz |
| 2 | Paradise | Cody Simpson |
| 2 | Quality Street Music | DJ Drama |
| 2 | Transit of Venus | Three Days Grace |
| 2 | Until the Quiet Comes | Flying Lotus |
| 9 | 119 | Trash Talk |
| 9 | The Afterman: Ascension | Coheed and Cambria |
| 9 | All We Love We Leave Behind | Converge |
| 9 | Diluvia | Freelance Whales |
| 9 | Don't Panic | All Time Low |
| 9 | Glad All Over | The Wallflowers |
| 9 | The Heist | Macklemore and Ryan Lewis |
| 9 | Lace Up | MGK |
| 9 | Lonerism | Tame Impala |
| 9 | Monster | KISS |
| 9 | Mugshot Music | Showbiz and A.G. |
| 9 | Napalm | Xzibit |
| 9 | Numbers | MellowHype |
| 9 | Pines | A Fine Frenzy |
| 9 | Twins | Ty Segall |
| 16 | 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend! | Godspeed You! Black Emperor |
| 16 | Country, God, or the Girl | K'naan |
| 16 | Christmas with Scotty McCreery | Scotty McCreery |
| 16 | Deleted Scenes | Blueprint |
| 16 | Dusk Till Dawn | Bobby V |
| 16 | Former Lives | Ben Gibbard |
| 16 | GMB | Pac Div |
| 16 | Information Retrieved | Pinback |
| 16 | Negroes on Ice | Prince Paul |
| 16 | Night Train | Jason Aldean |
| 16 | Sing to Me (EP) | Savannah Outen |
| 16 | Sunken Condos | Donald Fagen |
| 16 | Two Eleven | Brandy |
| 16 | A Very Merry Perri Christmas (EP) | Christina Perri |
| 16 | A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary | Big Machine Records |
| 16 | A Very Special Christmas: Bringing Peace on Earth | World Records |
| 16 | Vital | Anberlin |
| 22 | Banks | Paul Banks |
| 22 | Cobra Juicy | Black Moth Super Rainbow |
| 22 | Christmas in the Sand | Colbie Caillat |
| 22 | God of the Serengeti | Vinnie Paz |
| 22 | good kid, m.A.A.d city | Kendrick Lamar |
| 22 | Hello My Name Is... | Bridgit Mendler |
| 22 | III | Shiny Toy Guns |
| 22 | Les Is More | Ryan Leslie |
| 22 | On This Winter's Night | Lady Antebellum |
| 22 | Red | Taylor Swift |
| 23 | Kids Raising Kids | Kopecky Family Band |
| 30 | Cee Lo's Magic Moment | Cee Lo Green |
| 30 | Dreams & Nightmares | Meek Mill |
| 30 | Mic Tyson | Sean Price |
| 30 | New Horizons | Flyleaf |
| 30 | Ramblings of an Angry Old Man | Craig G |
| 30 | Sorry to Bother You | The Coup |

### November

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 5 | Glee: The Music Presents Glease | Glee Cast |
| 6 | Fizzyology | Lil' Fame & Termanology |
| 6 | The Greatest Story Never Told Chapter 2: Bread and Circuses | Saigon |
| 6 | History: Function Music | E-40 & Too Short |
| 6 | History: Mob Music | E-40 & Too Short |
| 6 | Life Behind Machines | Allister |
| 6 | Music from Another Dimension! | Aerosmith |
| 6 | R.E.D. | Ne-Yo |
| 9 | Lotus | Christina Aguilera |
| 13 | ¡Dos! | Green Day |
| 13 | King Animal | Soundgarden |
| 13 | Koi No Yokan | Deftones |
| 13 | Paradise | Lana Del Rey |
| 13 | PTXmas | Pentatonix |
| 13 | Reloaded | Roc Marciano |
| 13 | Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs from the Stage | Susan Boyle |
| 13 | The Solution | Buckshot & 9th Wonder |
| 13 | Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors | Big Boi |
| 13 | The World's Most Hardest MC Project | Styles P |
| 13 | Wu Block | Wu-Tang Clan & D-Block Records |
| 16 | Midnight Special | Uncle Kracker |
| 16 | Rebel Soul | Kid Rock |
| 19 | Global Warming | Pitbull |
| 19 | The Greatest Hits | 3 Doors Down |
| 19 | Greatest Hits • Chapter One | Kelly Clarkson |
| 19 | The World from the Side of the Moon | Phillip Phillips |
| 19 | Truth Be Told, Part 1 | Greyson Chance |
| 19 | Woman to Woman | Keyshia Cole |
| 20 | Twelve Reasons to Die | Ghostface Killah |
| 20 | Long Live the Hustle | DJ Scream |
| 20 | Prisoner of Conscious | Talib Kweli |
| 23 | The Evolution of Man | Example |
| 27 | The Art of War III | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony |
| 27 | Diamond in the Ruff | Freeway |
| 27 | Girl on Fire | Alicia Keys |
| 27 | Glee: The Music, Season 4, Vol. 1 | Glee Cast |
| 27 | These Are the Times | Neako |

### December

| Date | Album | Artist |
| 4 | O.N.I.F.C. | Wiz Khalifa |
| 4 | Warrior | Kesha |
| 11 | Almería | Lifehouse |
| 11 | Jesus Piece | Game |
| 11 | The Music of Nashville: Season 1, Volume 1 | Nashville cast |
| 11 | ¡Tré! | Green Day |
| 11 | Unorthodox Jukebox | Bruno Mars |
| 11 | Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors | Big Boi |
| 18 | Finally Rich | Chief Keef |
| 18 | Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head | T.I. |

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

* "Call Me Maybe" – Carly Rae Jepsen (9 weeks)
* "Diamonds" – Rihanna (3 weeks)
* "Locked Out of Heaven" – Bruno Mars (2 weeks in 2012, 4 weeks in 2013)
* "One More Night" – Maroon 5 (9 weeks)
* "Part of Me" - Katy Perry (1 week)
* "Set Fire to the Rain" – Adele (2 weeks)
* "Sexy and I Know It" – LMFAO (2 weeks)
* "Somebody That I Used to Know" – Gotye feat. Kimbra (8 weeks)
* "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" – Kelly Clarkson (3 weeks)
* "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" – Taylor Swift (3 weeks)
* "We Are Young" – fun. feat. Janelle Monáe (6 weeks)
* "We Found Love" – Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris (2 weeks in 2012, 8 weeks in 2011)
* "Whistle" – Flo Rida (2 weeks)

### 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.
* "5 O'Clock" – T-Pain feat. Wiz Khalifa and Lily Allen (#13 in 2012, #10 in 2011)
* "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" – Train (#20)
* "Adorn" – Miguel (#17)
* "As Long as You Love Me" – Justin Bieber feat. Big Sean (#6)
* "Ass Back Home" – Gym Class Heroes feat. Neon Hitch (#12)
* "Back in Time" – Pitbull (#11)
* "Beauty and a Beat" – Justin Bieber feat. Nicki Minaj (#7)
* "Begin Again" – Taylor Swift (#7)
* "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" – Pink (#5)
* "Blown Away" – Carrie Underwood (#20)
* "Both of Us" – B.o.B feat. Taylor Swift (#18)
* "Boyfriend" – Justin Bieber (#2)
* "Brokenhearted" – Karmin (#16)
* "Call Me Maybe" – Carly Rae Jepsen (#1)
* "Catch My Breath" – Kelly Clarkson (#19)
* "Climax" – Usher (#17)
* "Clique" – Kanye West, Jay-Z and Big Sean (#12)
* "Cruise" – Florida Georgia Line (#16)
* "Dance (A$$)" – Big Sean feat. Nicki Minaj (#10)
* "Dance Again" – Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull (#17)
* "Diamonds" – Rihanna (#1)
* "Die in Your Arms" – Justin Bieber (#17)
* "Die Young" – Kesha (#2)
* "Domino" – Jessie J (#6)
* "Don't Wake Me Up" – Chris Brown (#10)
* "Don't You Worry Child" – Swedish House Mafia feat. John Martin (#12)
* "Drive By" – Train (#10)
* "Drunk on You" – Luke Bryan (#16)
* "Everybody Talks" – Neon Trees (#6)
* "Eyes Open" – Taylor Swift (#19)
* "Feel So Close" – Calvin Harris (#12)
* "Gangnam Style" – PSY (#2)
* "Girl on Fire" – Alicia Keys feat. Nicki Minaj (#11)
* "Give Me All Your Luvin'" – Madonna feat. Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. (#10)
* "Give Your Heart a Break" – Demi Lovato (#16)
* "Glad You Came" – The Wanted (#3)
* "Good Feeling" – Flo Rida (#3)
* "Good Girl" – Carrie Underwood (#18)
* "Good Time" – Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen (#8)
* "Headlines" – Drake (#15 in 2012, #13 in 2011)
* "Ho Hey" – The Lumineers (#3)
* "Home" – Phillip Phillips (#7)
* "I Cry" – Flo Rida (#6)
* "I Knew You Were Trouble" – Taylor Swift (#3)
* "I Will Always Love You" – Whitney Houston (#3 in 2012, #1 in 1992)
* "I Won't Give Up" – Jason Mraz (#8)
* "International Love" – Pitbull feat. Chris Brown (#13)
* "It Will Rain" – Bruno Mars (#3)
* "It's Time" – Imagine Dragons (#19)
* "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" – Ne-Yo (#6)
* "Let's Go" – Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo (#17)
* "Lights" – Ellie Goulding (#2)
* "Live While We're Young" – One Direction (#3)
* "Locked Out of Heaven" – Bruno Mars (#1)
* "Mercy" – Kanye West feat. Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz (#13)
* "Mistletoe" – Justin Bieber (#19 in 2012, #11 in 2011)
* "Moves like Jagger" – Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera (#11 in 2012, #1 in 2011)
* "Mr. Know It All" – Kelly Clarkson (#20 in 2012, #10 in 2011)
* "Niggas in Paris" – Jay-Z and Kanye West (#5)
* "Not Over You" – Gavin DeGraw (#18)
* "One More Night" – Maroon 5 (#1)
* "Paradise" – Coldplay (#20 in 2012, #15 in 2011)
* "Part of Me" – Katy Perry (#1)
* "Party Rock Anthem" – LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett and GoonRock (#6 in 2012, #1 in 2011)
* "Payphone" – Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa (#2)
* "Pound the Alarm" – Nicki Minaj (#15)
* "Pumped Up Kicks" – Foster the People (#19 in 2012, #3 in 2011)
* "Rack City" – Tyga (#7)
* "Red" – Taylor Swift (#6)
* "Red Solo Cup" – Toby Keith (#15)
* "Rolling in the Deep" – Adele (#5 in 2012, #1 in 2011)
* "Ronan" – Taylor Swift (#16)
* "Rumour Has It" – Adele (#16)
* "Scream" – Usher (#9)
* "Scream & Shout" – will.i.am feat. Britney Spears (#12)
* "Set Fire to the Rain" – Adele (#1)
* "Sexy and I Know It" – LMFAO (#1)
* "Skyfall" – Adele (#8)
* "So Good" – B.o.B (#11)
* "Some Nights" – fun. (#3)
* "Somebody That I Used to Know" – Gotye feat. Kimbra (#1)
* "Someone like You – Adele (#7 in 2012, #1 in 2011)
* "Springsteen" – Eric Church (#19)
* "Starships" – Nicki Minaj (#5)
* "State of Grace" – Taylor Swift (#13)
* "Stereo Hearts" – Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine (#10 in 2012, #4 in 2011)
* "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" – Kelly Clarkson (#1)
* "Swimming Pools (Drank)" – Kendrick Lamar (#17)
* "Take a Little Ride" – Jason Aldean (#12)
* "Take Care" – Drake feat. Rihanna (#7)
* "The A Team" – Ed Sheeran (#17)
* "The Motto" – Drake feat. Lil Wayne (#14)
* "The One That Got Away" – Katy Perry (#3)
* "Thrift Shop" – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz (#13)
* "Titanium" – David Guetta feat. Sia (#7)
* "Too Close" – Alex Clare (#7)
* "Try" – Pink (#14)
* "Turn Me On" – David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj (#4)
* "Turn Up the Music" – Chris Brown (#10)
* "Want U Back" – Cher Lloyd (#12)
* "Wanted" – Hunter Hayes (#16)
* "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" – Taylor Swift (#1)
* "We Are Young" – fun. feat. Janelle Monáe (#1)
* "We Found Love" – Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris (#1)
* "What Makes You Beautiful" – One Direction (#4)
* "Where Have You Been" – Rihanna (#5)
* "Whistle" – Flo Rida (#1)
* "Wide Awake" – Katy Perry (#2)
* "Wild Ones" – Flo Rida feat. Sia (#5)
* "Without You" – David Guetta feat. Usher (#14 in 2012, #4 in 2011)
* "Work Hard, Play Hard" – Wiz Khalifa (#17)
* "Work Out" – J. Cole (#13)
* "Young, Wild & Free" – Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa feat. Bruno Mars (#7)

## Deaths

* January 1 – Fred Milano, 72, singer (The Belmonts)
* January 2 – Larry Reinhardt, 63, rock guitarist (Iron Butterfly)
* January 17 – Johnny Otis, 90, singer
* January 20
** Etta James, 73, singer
** John Levy, 99, bassist and manager
* January 21 - Gerre Hancock, 77, organist and composer
* January 25 - Mark Reale, 56, guitarist and songwriter (Riot)
* January 26 – Clare Fischer, 83, composer, arranger, keyboardist
* January 29 - Kell Osborne, 72, singer
* February 1 – David Peaston, 54, gospel singer
* February 5 – Al De Lory, 82, keyboard player, producer, and conductor
* February 7 – Robert Maxwell, 90, harpist and songwriter
* February 8 – Jimmy Sabater, 75, singer and timbales player
* February 11 - Whitney Houston, 48, singer
* February 12 – Zina Bethune, 66, actress, dancer, and choreographer
* February 13 – Russell Arms, 92, actor and singer
* February 22
** Mike Melvoin, 74, pianist and composer (The Wrecking Crew)
** Billy Strange, 81, singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor (The Wrecking Crew)
* February 29 - Davy Jones, 66, British singer, percussionist (The Monkees)
* March 6 - Robert B. Sherman, 86, American songwriter (The Sherman Brothers)
* March 24 - Marion Marlowe, 83, singer and actress
* March 28 - Earl Scruggs, 88, bluegrass musician (Flatt and Scruggs)
* April 19
** Greg Ham, 58, Australian songwriter, multi-instrumentalist (Men at Work)
** Levon Helm, 71, American singer, drummer (The Band)
* May 4 - Adam "MCA" Yauch, 47, rapper, bassist (Beastie Boys)
* May 5 - Joe Russell, 72, singer (The Persuasions)
* May 8 - Everett Lilly, 87, singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Lilly Brothers)
* May 12 - Snooky Young, 92, American trumpet player (The Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and Count Basie Orchestra)
* May 13 - Donald "Duck" Dunn, 70, bassist (Booker T. & the M.G.'s)
* May 15 - Joe Sell, 33, guitarist (Lucky Boys Confusion)
* May 16 - Chuck Brown, 75, guitarist and singer
* May 17 - Donna Summer, 63, singer
* May 29 - Doc Watson, 89, singer
* June 4 - Herb Reed, 83, vocalist and founder of The Platters
* June 7 - Bob Welch, 66, guitarist (Fleetwood Mac)
* June 10 - Jimmy Elledge, 69, country musician
* June 21 - Richard Adler, 90, composer and producer
* June 27 - Don Grady, 68, drummer (The Yellow Balloon), musician and actor
* July 1 - Ossie Hibbert, 61, Jamaican-American keyboard player and producer (The Aggrovators and The Revolutionaries)
* July 3 - Andy Griffith, 86, actor, singer
* July 7 - Dennis Flemion, 75, drummer (The Frogs)
* July 13 - Ginny Tyler, 86, voice actress and singer
* July 16 - Kitty Wells, 92, country music singer
* July 17 - Ms. Melodie, 43, rapper
* July 24 - Larry Hoppen, 61, singer and guitarist (Orleans)
* July 27 - Tony Martin, 98, singer and actor
* July 31
** Bobby Edwards, 86, country music singer
** Tony Sly, 41, singer (No Use for a Name)
* August 1 - Douglas Townsend, 90, composer and musicologist
* August 2
** Jimmy Jones, 75, singer-songwriter
** Marguerite Piazza, 92, soprano
* August 6 - Marvin Hamlisch, 68, composer and conductor
* August 18 - Scott McKenzie, 73, singer ("San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)")
* September 1 - Hal David, 91, lyricist ("Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head")
* September 5 - Joe South, 72, singer-songwriter ("Down in the Boondocks", "Games People Play", "Hush", "Rose Garden")
* September 25 - Andy Williams, 84, singer ("Moon River", "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year")
* September 27 - R. B. Greaves, 68, singer
* October 1 - Sahara Davenport, 27, drag queen singer
* October 7 - Wiley Reed, 68, American-Australian singer-songwriter and pianist
* October 21 - Tim Johnson, 52, country music songwriter
* October 24 - Bill Dees, 73, musician and songwriter ("Oh, Pretty Woman", "It's Over")
* October 26 - Natina Reed, 31, singer/rapper (Blaque) and actress (Bring It On)
* October 27 - Terry Callier, 67, singer-songwriter
* November 1
** Jan Crutchfield, 74, singer and songwriter
** Mitch Lucker, 28, singer, lead vocalist of Suicide Silence
* November 12
** Anthony di Bonaventura, 83, pianist and academic
** Bob French, 74, drummer and radio host
* November 17 - Billy Scott, 70, R&B singer
* November 25 - Earl Carroll, 75, American singer (The Cadillacs, The Coasters)
* November 27 - Mickey Baker, 87, guitarist (Mickey & Sylvia)
* December 1 - Dee Harvey, 47, R&B singer
* December 5 - Dave Brubeck, 91, pianist
* December 9 - Jenni Rivera, 43, singer
* December 12 - Eddie "Guitar" Burns, 84, singer-songwriter and guitarist
* December 19 - Inez Andrews, 83, gospel singer and songwriter
* December 20 - Jimmy McCracklin, 91, singer, songwriter and pianist
* December 21 - Lee Dorman, 70, bassist (Iron Butterfly, Captain Beyond)
* December 22 - Marva Whitney, 68, singer
* December 24
** Ray Collins, 76, singer (The Mothers of Invention)
** Capital STEEZ, 19, hip-hop artist
* December 26 - Fontella Bass, 72, singer ("Rescue Me")