Events in Music
- May 2 "New Faces of 1965" opens at Booth Theater NYC for 52 performances
- May 9 The Beatles attend a Bob Dylan concert, at the Royal Albert Hall in London
- May 11 "Flora, the Red Menace" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 87 performances
Music History
May 12 The Rolling Stones record their smash hit single "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
- May 16 "Roar of the Greasepaint" opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 232 performances
- May 22 "Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious", from the film "Mary Poppin" hits #66
- May 22 Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" single goes #1
- May 25 Dave Davies of The Kinks knocked unconscious in an on stage scuffle with drummer Mick Avory at Cardiff’s Capital Theatre
Birthdays in Music
- May 2 Matthew Barley, British classical, contemporary, and jazz cellist (The Peasant Girl), born in London, England
- May 6 Nathalie Stutzmann (née Dupuy), French concert contralto and conductor (Orfeo 55, 2009-19), born in Suresnes, France
- May 7 Chris O'Connor, American alternative rock singer-songwriter, and guitarist (The I-Rails; Primitive Radio Gods - "Outside a Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand"), born in California
- May 11 Greg Dulli, American rock guitarist, songwriter, and producer (The Afghan Whigs), born in Hamilton, Ohio
- May 13 Lari White, American country music singer and actress (You Can Be A Star winner- 1988), born in Dunedin, Florida (d. 2018)
- May 13 Tasmin Little, English classical violinist, born in London, England
- May 16 Krist Novoselic, American rock bassist, and accordion player (Nirvana - "Smells Like Teen Spirit"; Giants In The Trees), born in Compton, California
Trent Reznor (57 years old)
May 17 American rock singer-songwriter (Nine Inch Nails - Hurt; The Downward Spiral), Grammy and Academy Award-winning film score composer (The Social Network), born in Mercer, Pennsylvania
- May 18 Christopher Hall, American rock vocalist (Stabbing Westward; The Dreaming), born in Illinois
- May 18 Ingo Schwichtenberg, German heavy metal drummer (Helloween), born in Hamburg, West Germany (d. 1995)
- May 19 Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot, British pop singer (Curiosity Killed Cat - Keep Your Distance), born in Earls Court, London, England
- May 25 Mark Knight, American rock guitarist (Bang Tango - "Dancin' On Coals"), born in California
- May 25 Remco Prins, Dutch rockabilly guitarist, mandolin player, and vocalist (Stringcaster; Burma Shave)
- May 28 Chris Ballew, American alt rock singer-songwriter, and bassist (The Presidents Of The United States -"Lump"; Caspar Babypants), born in Seattle, Washington
- May 31 Steve White, British session and touring drummer (The Style Council; Paul Weller), born in Southwark, London, England
Weddings in Music
- May 6 Britis singer Mariane Faithfull weds British artist John Dunbar in Cambridge, England with Peter Asher as the best man; divorce in 1966
Deaths in Music
- May 1 Leo Spies, Russian-born German composer, dies at 65
- May 1 Spike Jones [Lindley Armstrong Jones], American bandleader (Der Fueher's Face, Cocktails For Two), dies from emphysema at 53
- May 25 Sonny Boy Williamson II [Aleck Miller], American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, dies at 65
