Events in Music
- May 6 Stolen "Guitar Player" painting by Jan Vermeer found in London
- May 11 "Tubular Bells" by Mike Oldfield hits #7
Event of Interest
May 11 Steely Dan releases "Rikki Don't Lose that Number"
Donald Fagen
Event of Interest
May 17 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 15th String quartet
Dmitri Shostakovich
- May 18 "Streak" by Ray Stevens hits #1
Event of Interest
May 24 "The Dean Martin Show" last airs on NBC-TV
Dean Martin
Birthdays in Music
- May 2 Garðar Thór Cortes, Icelandic tenor, born in Reykjavík, Iceland
- May 13 Tim McMahon, American hardcore singer (Mouthpiece, Hands Tied, Triple Threat)
- May 15 Ahmet Rodan Zappa, son of Frank/rocker (Z, 2 Hip 4 TV)
- May 16 Laura Pausini, Italian pop singer
- May 16 Sonny Sandoval, American singer (P.O.D.)
- May 21 Havoc [Kejuan Muchita], American rapper (Mobb Deep), born in Queensbridge, Queens, New York
Jewel Kilcher
May 23 Jewel Kilcher, American singer-songwriter (Pieces of You), born in Payson, Utah
Jewel Kilcher
- May 23 Mónica Naranjo, Spanish singer, born in Figueres, Spain
- May 23 Charlie Yeung, Hong Kong actress and singer (Seven Swords), born in Hong Kong
- May 25 Frank Klepacki, American video game composer (Command & Conquer: Red Alert), born in Las Vegas, Nevada
- May 30 Cee-Lo Green [Thomas Callaway], American Grammy winning singer-songwriter (Crazy, F*** You), reality TV judge (The Voice), record producer, and actor, born in Atlanta, Georgia
- May 30 Big L [Lamont Coleman], American rapper (Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous), born in Harlem, New York (d. 1999)
Deaths in Music
Duke Ellington
May 24 Duke Ellington, American musician, dies of cancer at 75
Duke Ellington
- May 25 Pam Morrison, wife of Door's vocalist Jim, dies of drug overdose