- Feb 22 Josef Foerster, Czech composer and music teacher, born in Osenice, Bohemia, Austro-Hungarian Empire (d. 1907)
- Mar 20 Henry Southwick Perkins, American composer, educator, and founder of Music Teachers' National Association, born in Stockbridge, Vermont (d. 1914)
- Apr 17 Jean-Baptiste Accolay, Belgian composer, born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1900)
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
May 7 German composer and conductor (Hungarian Dances; A German Requiem), born in Hamburg, German Confederation (now Germany)
- May 9 Boleslaw Dembinski, Polish organist and composer, born in Poznań (d. 1914)
- Jun 7 Alexander Ritter, German composer, born in Narva, Estonia (d. 1896)
- Jun 27 Władysław Zaremba, Polish pianist and composer, born in Dunajowce, Podolia Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) (d. 1902)
- Jul 22 Benjamin Hanby, American composer ("Jolly Old Saint Nicholas"), born in Rushville, Ohio (d. 1867)
- Sep 21 Josef Richard Rozkošný, Czech composer, born in Prague (d. 1913)
- Oct 18 Johannes Habert, Austrian composer, born in Oberplan, Bohemia (now Horní Planá, Czech Republic) (d. 1896)
- Nov 12 Alexander Borodin, Russian chemist and composer (Robert LeDiable), born in Saint Petersburg, Russia (d. 1887)
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers