- Oct 4 Glenn Gould, Canadian classical pianist (Bach's Goldberg Variations) and broadcaster (Solitude Trilogy), dies after suffering a stroke at 50
- Oct 12 (Christiann) "Chris"Reumer, Dutch operatic tenor, dies at 73
- Oct 16 Jakov Gotovac, Croatian conductor and composer (Ero the Joker), dies at 87
- Oct 16 Mario del Monaco, Italian opera singer (Verdi/Puccini), dies at 67
- Oct 21 Radka Toneff, Norwegian jazz singer (It Don't Come Easy), dies of a drug overdose at 30
- Oct 23 Jacques Klein, Brazilian pianist and composer, dies at 52
- Oct 30 Angelo Ephrikian, Armenian-Italian composer, dies at 69