Events in Music
- Jan 9 "Time is Love" single released by Josh Turner (Billboard Song of the Year 2012)
Album Release
Jan 31 Leonard Cohen releases his album "Old Ideas", becomes No.1 in 10 countries
Leonard Cohen
Super Bowl
Feb 5 Flavor Flav and Elton John appear in a Pepsi Co. ad during Super Bowl XLVI
Flavor Flav
Elton John
Event of Interest
Feb 6 Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot is presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Gordon Lightfoot
- Feb 12 54th Grammy Awards: Rolling In The Deep, Bon Iver wins
Music Awards
Apr 1 47th Academy of Country Music Awards: Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, and Miranda Lambert win
Taylor Swift
- Apr 9 "The Lion King" becomes highest grossing Broadway show after overtaking "The Phantom of the Opera"
Hall of Fame
Apr 14 Beastie Boys inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Adam Yauch too ill to attend
Adam Yauch
Music Concert
Apr 15 Hologram of late rapper Tupac features on stage with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre at Coachella music festival
Snoop Dogg
Dr. Dre
- May 5 English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (89,102): Chelsea beats Liverpool, 2–1; Didier Drogba scores winner for Blues' 7th title
- May 26 57th Eurovision Song Contest: Loreen for Sweden wins singing "Euphoria" in Baku
Music Awards
Jun 6 46th CMT Music Awards: Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert & Luke Bryan wins
Carrie Underwood
Video Music Awards
Sep 6 29th MTV Video Music Awards: Rihanna f/ Calvin Harris, Nicki Minaj & Chris Brown win
- Oct 22 "Red" 4th studio album by Taylor Swift is released (Billboard Album of the Year 2012/2013)
- Nov 1 46th Country Music Association Award: Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert wins
Music Awards
Nov 18 39th American Music Awards: Katy Perry & Justin Bieber win
Justin Bieber
Katy Perry
Beyoncé Knowles
- Dec 21 Flavor Flav's Chicken & Ribs opens in Sterling Heights, Michigan
Weddings in Music
Wedding of Interest
Jan 14 Pink Floyd vocalist Roger Waters (68) weds filmmaker Laurie Durning
Roger Waters
Wedding of Interest
Mar 9 Rock 'n' roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis (76) weds his cousin's ex Judith Brown (62) in Natchez, Mississippi
Jerry Lee Lewis
- Apr 3 Paramore guitar player Josh Farro (22) weds Jenna Rice in Tennessee
- Apr 14 "Lady Antebellum" singer Dave Haywood (29) weds executive with Warner Bros. Records Kelli Cashiola (30) in Nashville, Tennessee
- Apr 21 Actress Carey Mulligan (26) weds "Mumford & Sons" lead singer Marcus Mumford (25) in Somerset, England
Wedding of Interest
Apr 21 Music legend Neil Diamond (71) weds music manager Katie McNeil (42) at the Beverly Hills Hotel
Neil Diamond
- May 12 McFly guitarist Tom Fletcher (27) weds actress Giovanna Falcone (27) at One Marylebone in London
- May 23 Grammy-winning Spanish pop star Alejandro Sanz (43) weds longtime girlfriend Raquel Perera (37) in Barcelona
- Jun 10 Country music singer Wynonna Judd (48) weds "Highway 101" drummer Cactus Moser in Leiper's Fork, Tennessee
- Jun 18 R&B singer Bobby Brown (43) weds Alicia Etheridge in Honolulu, Hawaii
Wedding of Interest
Aug 4 Actress Natalie Portman (31) weds ballet dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied (35) in Big Sur, California
Natalie Portman
- Aug 18 "Melrose Place" actor Grant Show (50) weds "The Campaign" actress and former ballet dancer Katherine LaNasa (45) at The Oak Grove at Ribbit Tree & Plant Nursery in Topanga, California
- Aug 26 "The Campaign" actress Kate Lang Johnson (28) weds musician Justin Miner at La Venta Inn in Palos Verdes, California
- Sep 15 "The Black Keys" drummer Patrick Carney (32) weds Emily Ward in Nashville, Tennessee
- Sep 15 Singer Annie Lennox (57) weds Harvard-educated gynecologist Mitch Besser (57) on a private boat on the Thames River in London
- Sep 23 Actor Antonio Sabato Jr. (40) weds singer-songwriter Cheryl Moana Marie at a private Anini Beach estate on the island of Kauai
- Sep 24 "Sugar Ray" singer Mark McGrath (44) weds longtime love Carin Kingsland (39) at San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California
Wedding of Interest
Sep 29 "Fall Out Boy" lead singer Patrick Stump (28) weds longtime girlfriend Elisa Yao in Chicago
Patrick Stump
- Sep 29 "Kings of Leon" bassist Jared Followill (25) weds model Martha Patterson (21) in Charlotte, Tennessee
Wedding of Interest
Sep 29 Actress Holly Valance (29) weds property developer Nick Candy (39) in Beverly Hills, California
Holly Valance
Wedding of Interest
Oct 6 Former "Private Practice" actress Audra McDonald (42) weds Broadway star Will Swenson (38) in Croton-on-Hudson, New York
Audra McDonald
Wedding of Interest
Oct 19 Grammy Award winning singer Justin Timberlake (31) weds "Total Recall" actress Jessica Biel (30) at the Borgo Egnazia resort in Fasano, Italy
Justin Timberlake
Jessica Biel
Divorces in Music
Divorce of Interest
Apr 6 Actress and model Heidi Klum (39) divorces British soul and R&B singer-songwriter Seal (49) due to irreconcilable differences after almost seven years of marriage
Heidi Klum
Seal
Divorce of Interest
Apr 9 Salsa artist Marc Anthony (42) divorces pop star and actress Jennifer Lopez (43) due to irreconcilable differences after 7 years of marriage
Jennifer Lopez
- Jun 4 "The Wonder Years" actress Danica McKellar (37) divorces composer Mike Verta (36) due to irreconcilable differences after 3 years of marriage
- Jun 5 NBC musical drama series "Smash" actress Debra Messing (43) divorces actor and producer Daniel Zelman (44) by their mutual decision after 10 years of marriage
Divorce of Interest
Jul 16 Actor-comedian Russell Brand (36) divorces popstar Katy Perry (27) due to irreconcilable differences a year after the fairy-tale wedding in India
Russell Brand
Katy Perry
- Jul 20 "Game of Thrones" actress Lena Headey (38) divorces musician Peter Loughran due to irreconcilable differences
Divorce of Interest
Aug 3 Music legend Stevie Wonder (63) divorces fashion designer Kai Millard Morris due to irreconcilable differences after 11 years of marriage
Stevie Wonder
Deaths in Music
- Jan 1 Yafa Yarkoni, Israeli Singer, dies after years of Alzheimer's disease at 86
- Jan 1 Fred Milano, American doo-wop singer, member of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, dies from lung cancer at 72
- Jan 2 Ian Bargh, Canadian jazz pianist and composer, dies from lung cancer at 76
- Jan 2 Larry "Rhino" Reinhardt, rock guitarist (Iron Butterfly) dies at 63
- Jan 3 Bob Weston, British guitarist and songwriter (Fleetwood Mac), dies from a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at 64 (body found this date)
- Jan 5 Hikaru Hayashi, Japanese pianist, conductor and composer (Onibaba), dies at 80
- Jan 6 William McBeth, American composer, dies at 78
- Jan 9 Ruth Fernandez, Puerto Rican singer and politician, dies from septic shock and pneumonia at 92
- Jan 9 Bridie Gallagher, Irish singer, dies at 87
- Jan 16 Gustav Leonhardt, Master Dutch harpsichordist, organist and conductor, dies at 87
- Jan 16 Jimmy Castor, American pop and funk musician (Troglodyte (Cave Man), Jimmy Castor Bunch), died of heart failure at 71
- Jan 17 Johnny Otis [Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes], US R&B musician, producer, and talent scout ("godfather of rhythm and blues"), dies at 90
- Jan 17 Francisco Pulgar Vidal, Peruvian musicologist and composer, dies at 82
- Jan 20 Etta James [Jamesetta Hawkins], American singer, dies from leukaemia at 73
- Jan 24 Patricia Neway, American opera and musical theatre singer, dies at 83
- Jan 25 Paavo Berglund, Finnish conductor dies aged 82
- Jan 26 Clare Fischer, American musician, composer and arranger, dies at 83
- Jan 29 Camilla Williams, American operatic soprano, dies at 92
- Feb 1 Ton de Kruyf, Dutch composer, dies at 74
- Feb 8 Luis Alberto Spinetta, Argentinian rock musician, dies from lung cancer at 62
Whitney Houston
Feb 11 Whitney Houston, American singer and actress, dies from an accidental drowning at age 48
Whitney Houston
- Feb 14 Dory Previn, American singer-songwriter, dies at 86
- Feb 15 Charles Anthony [Caruso], American tenor, dies from kidney failure at 82
- Feb 22 Billy Strange, American singer-songwriter, dies at 81
- Feb 24 Istvan Anhalt, Hungarian-Canadian composer, dies at 92
- Feb 25 Louisiana Red, American blues musician, dies from stroke at 79
- Feb 25 Red Holloway [James], American jazz tenor saxophonist, dies from stroke and kidney failure at 84
Davy Jones
Feb 29 Davy Jones, English musician (The Monkees), dies from heart attack at 66
Davy Jones
- Mar 3 Ronnie Montrose, American rock guitarist (Montrose, Gamma), dies from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at 64
- Mar 6 Robert Sherman, American songwriter, dies at 86
- Mar 7 Jimmy Ellis, American soul singer, dies from complications from Alzheimer's disease at 74
- Mar 10 Heinz Wunderlich, German organist and composer, dies at 92
- Mar 11 Hans G. Helms, German writer and composer, dies at 79
- Mar 12 Michael Hossack, American drummer (The Doobie Brothers), dies of cancer at 65
- Mar 28 Alexander Arutiunian, Armenian composer, dies at 91
- Mar 28 Earl Scruggs, American bluegrass musician, dies from natural causes at 88
- Apr 12 Andrew Love, American saxophonist (The Memphis Horns), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 70
- Apr 17 Dimitris Mitropanos, Greek singer, dies from a heart attack at 64
- Apr 19 Levon Helm, American rock musician, dies from throat cancer at 71
- Apr 19 Greg Ham, Australian rock saxophonist and flutist (Men At Work), dies under mysterious circumstances at 58
- Apr 20 Bert Weedon, English guitar player, dies at 91
- Apr 23 John Christopher "Chris" Ethridge, American country rock bass guitarist (International Submarine Band, The Flying Burrito Brothers), dies from pancreatic cancer at 65
- Apr 28 Jackie Kelso [John Joseph Kelson Jr], American jazz saxophonist and session musician, dies at 90
- May 1 Charles "skip" Pitts, American soul and blues guitarist, dies from lung cancer at 65
Adam Yauch
May 4 MCA [Adam Yauch], Beastie Boys vocalist, dies from cancer at 47
Adam Yauch
- May 13 Donald "Duck" Dunn, American bassist, dies at 70
Donna Summer
May 17 Donna Summer, American singer (Love to Love You Baby), dies from lung cancer at 63
Donna Summer
- May 18 Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, German baritone, dies at 86
Robin Gibb
May 20 Robin Gibb, British singer song-writer, dies from colon and liver cancer at 62
Robin Gibb
- May 20 Robert Nix, American musician (founding member of the Atlanta Rhythm Section), dies at 67
- May 29 Doc Watson, American bluegrass musician, dies from complications following surgery at 89
- Jun 4 Herb [Herbert] Reed, American musician (The Platters), dies at 83
- Jun 4 George Marino, American Grammy Award-winning mastering engineer who worked with Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, dies of lung cancer at 65
- Jun 7 Bob Welch, American musician, commits suicide by gunshot at 66
- Jun 13 Graeme Bell, Australian pianist and composer, dies at 97
- Jul 1 Evelyn Lear, American operatic soprano, dies at 86
- Jul 3 Andy Griffith, American actor, comedian, television producer, Southern gospel singer, and writer (Andy Griffith Show, Matlock), dies from a heart attack at 86
- Jul 16 Jon Lord, English musician, dies from a pulmonary embolism at 71
- Jul 16 Kitty Wells, American country singer, dies from complications after a stroke at 92
- Jul 16 Bob Babbitt [Robert Kreinar], Hungarian-American bassist (The Funk Brothers), dies of brain cancer at 74
- Jul 22 Nan Merriman, American-Dutch singer (Arturo Toscanini NBC Orchestra), dies at 92
- Jul 23 Robert Cage, American blues guitarist (From Lake Mary), dies at 75 (b. 1937)
- Jul 27 Tony Martin, American singer, dies from natural causes at 98
- Aug 2 Marguerite Piazza, American operatic soprano (Young Broadway), dies at 86
- Aug 2 Jimmy Jones, American singer-songwriter (Handy Man), dies at 75
- Aug 6 Marvin Hamlisch, American composer and conductor, diest at 68
- Aug 6 Ruggiero Ricci, American composer and violinist (Paganini), dies from heart failure at 94
- Aug 15 Bob Birch, American musician (Elton John), commits suicide at 56
- Aug 18 Scott McKenzie, American singer, dies at 73
- Aug 30 Chris Lighty, music executive and manager (Violator), dies of a gunshot wound at 44
- Sep 1 Hal David, American lyricist (Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head), dies at 91
- Sep 2 Mark Abrahamian, guitarist (Starship), dies of a heart attack at 46
- Sep 4 Ian Parrott, British-Welsh composer (The Black Ram), dies at 96
- Sep 5 Joe South, American singer-songwriter and guitarist, dies from heart failure at 72
- Sep 10 Steven Springer, American guitarist, dies from lung cancer at 60
- Sep 25 Andy Williams, American singer, dies from bladder cancer at 84
- Sep 27 R. B. Greaves, American singer, dies from prostate cancer at 68
- Sep 27 Eddie Bert, American bebop jazz trombonist, dies at 90
- Oct 7 John Tchicai, Danish jazz saxophonist and composer, dies at 76
- Oct 9 Theo Olof, German-Dutch violinist and concert master, dies at 88
- Oct 18 David Spencer Ware, American free jazz saxophonist, dies at 62
- Nov 4 Ted Curson, American jazz trumpeter, dies from a heart attack at 77
- Nov 5 Elliott Carter, American composer, dies from natural causes at 103
- Nov 7 Cleve Duncan, American rocker (The Penguins-Earth Angel), dies at 78
- Nov 9 Major Harris, American R&B singer (Love Won't Let Me Wait), dies from congestive heart and lung failure at 65
- Nov 24 Christopher "Chris" Stamp, British music producer, psychodrama therapist and manager (The Who, Jimi Hendrix), dies of cancer at 70
- Nov 27 Mickey Baker, American guitar player ("Love is strange"), dies at 87
- Nov 28 Franco Ventriglia, American opera singer, dies at 90
- Dec 1 Galina Vishnevskaya, Russian soprano opera singer, dies at 85
- Dec 4 Jonathan Harvey, English composer (Bhakti, Music of Stockhausen), dies at 73
- Dec 5 Dave Brubeck, American jazz pianist, dies from heart failure at 91
Jenni Rivera
Dec 9 Jenni Rivera, Mexican-American singer-songwriter, dies in a plane crash at 43
Jenni Rivera
- Dec 9 Charles Rosen, American pianist and musicologist (Sonata Forms), dies at 85
Ravi Shankar
Dec 11 Ravi Shankar, Indian musician (The Pandit), dies at 92
Ravi Shankar
- Dec 13 Otto Ketting, Dutch trumpeter and composer (Passacaglia), dies at 77
- Dec 20 Jimmy McCracklin, American pianist, dies from diabetes and hypertension at 91
- Dec 24 Richard Rodney Bennett, English composer, dies at 76
- Dec 24 Hugh Atkin, American composer, dies at 88
- Dec 26 Fontella Bass, American R&B and soul singer and songwriter (Rescue Me), dies from a heart attack at 72