Events in Music
- Dec 1 "Moscow Circus Cirk Valentin" closes at Gershwin NYC after 32 performances
Musical Finale
Dec 1 Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens' musical "Once on This Island", based on Rosa Guy's novel "My Love, My Love" (a Caribbean-set retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid"), closes at Booth Theater, NYC, after 469 performances
- Dec 4 Country music mother and daughter act The Judds "farewell" concert at Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee; later re-unions and "farewells" in 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2021
- Dec 5 "Catskills on Broadway" opens at Lunt-Fontanne NYC for 452 performances
- Dec 6 "Les Miserables" opens at Circustheater, Scheveningen
- Dec 8 "Homecoming" closes at Criterion Theater NYC after 49 performances
- Dec 8 Charles Strouse and Richard Maltby, Jr's musical "Nick & Nora" opens at Marquis Theater, NYC; runs for 9 performances
Billboard Music Awards
Dec 9 2nd Billboard Music Awards: Michael Jackson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Boyz II Men & U2 win
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Dec 10 Architect I.M. Pei receives $5 million for design of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum to be built in Cleveland, Ohio
Music History
Dec 10 Revival of Arthur Miller's stage drama "The Crucible" opens at Belasco Theater, NYC, runs for 32 performances
Theatrical Finale
Dec 29 "A Christmas Carol", starring Patrick Stewart, in a one-man show, closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater, NYC, after a limited run of 14 performances
Birthdays in Music
Charlie Puth (31 years old)
Dec 2 American singer-songwriter (Voicenotes; "Marvin Gaye"; "See You Again"), born in Rumson, New Jersey
- Dec 13 Jay Greenberg, American composer, born in New Haven, Connecticut
- Dec 14 Offset [Kiari Cephus], American rapper (Migos), born in Lawrenceville, Georgia
- Dec 15 Alana Haim, American singer (Haim) and actress (Licorice Pizza), born in Los Angeles, California
- Dec 19 Declan Galbraith, British pop singer ("Tell Me Why"), born in Hoo St. Werburgh Kent, England
DaBaby (31 years old)
Dec 22 American rapper and singer-songwriter (Rockstar), born in Cleveland, Ohio
Louis Tomlinson (31 years old)
Dec 24 English pop singer (One Direction), born in Doncaster, England
Deaths in Music
- Dec 6 Jack Hunter {John Averona], American big band vocalist (Elliot Lawrence Orchestra - "Apple Blossom Time"), dies at 72
- Dec 8 (Wilbur) "Buck" Clayton, American jazz trumpet player (Count Basie; Billie Holiday; Lester Young), and bandleader, dies at 80
- Dec 10 Headman Tshabalala, South African singer (Ladysmith Black Mambazo), shot and killed at 44
- Dec 12 (Albert Ronald) "Ronnie" Ross, Scottish jazz and session baritone saxophonist, dies of cancer at 58
- Dec 12 Lex Karsemeijer, Dutch tenor and choral director (Sweet 16, Pro Musica), dies
- Dec 16 Fred Scott, American vocalist and actor (Melody of the Plains, Vincent Lopez), dies at 89
- Dec 22 Ernst Krenek, Austrian-American concert, opera, and electronic music composer (Johnny Spielt Auf: Orpheus and Eurydike; Fibonacci-Mobile), dies at 91
- Dec 27 Edward M Love, American Broadaway dancer and choreographer, dies of AIDS at 43
- Dec 31 Felicja Blumental, Polish-Brazilian concert pianist (Villa-Lobos' Piano Concerto No. 5; Penderecki's Partita for Harpsichord), dies at 83
Composers
Drummers
Guitarists
Pianists
Singers
Songwriters