Once again, many big names have left us. From Christine McVie to Angelo Badalamenti. As a fan of electronic music coming out of Germany since the 1970s, the deaths of both Klaus Schulze and Manuel Göttsching hit particularly hard. Also the deaths of Indian musicians Shivkumar Sharma and Lata Mangaeshkar.

The following list is just a small representation of some of the people that we have lost over the past year.

Jerry Allison (drummer for The Crickets)
Bruce Anderson (American guitarist for MX-80)
Jon Appleton (American composer and educator)
Angelo Badalamenti (American film and television composer for Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet)
Chris Bailey (Kenyan-born Australian musician and songwriter for The Saints)
John Beckwith (Canadian composer, writer and pianist)
Thom Bell (Jamaican-born American songwriter, arranger and record producer)
Sir Harrison Birtwistle (English composert)
Jet Black (English drummer for The Stranglers)
Gary Brooker (English singer-songwriter and pianist for Procol Harum)
Boris Brott (Canadian conductor)
Mira Calix (South African-born British visual artist and musician)
Irene Cara (American singer and actress)
Aaron Carter (American singer)
Steve Broughton (British rock musician for Edgar Broughton Band)
Manny Charlton (Scottish rock guitarist for Nazareth)
Coolio (American rapper)
Julee Cruise (American singer, musician and actress)
George Crumb (American composer)
Betty Davis (American funk and soul singer)
Jerry Doucette (Canadian musician)
Norman Dolph (American songwriter and record producer)
Lamont Dozier (American Hall of Fame songwriter, record producer and singer)
Martin Duffy (English keyboardist for Primal Scream)
Judith Durham (Australian singer for The Seekers)
Shirley Eikhard (Canadian singer-songwriter)
Ralph Emery (American disc jockey and television host)
Anton Fier (American composer, producer, and drummer for The Feelies, The Golden Palominos)
Andy Fletcher (English Hall of Fame keyboardist for Depeche Mode)
Ricky Gardiner (Scottish composer and guitarist Beggars Opera)
Mickey Gilley (American country singer)
Robert Gordon (American rockabilly singer)
Manuel Göttsching (German musician for Ash Ra Tempel)
Guitar Shorty (American blues musician)
Terry Hall (English singer for The Specials)
Ronnie Hawkins (American-Canadian rock and roll singer-songwriter)
Taylor Hawkins (American musician for Foo Fighters)
Paavo Heininen (Finnish composer and pianist)
Judy Henske (American folk singer)
Jeff Howell (American rock bassist for Foghat)
Toshi Ichiyanagi (Japanese composer and pianist)
Susan Jacks (Canadian singer-songwriter for The Poppy Family)
Philip Jeck (English composer)
James Johnson (American blues guitarist for Slim Harpo)
Jimmy Johnson (American blues guitarist and singer)
Wilko Johnson (English guitarist for Dr. Feelgood)
Syl Johnson (American blues singer)
Naomi Judd (American country singer for The Judds)
Danny Kalb (American blues guitarist for The Blues Project)
William Kraft (American composer and conductor)
Mark Lanegan (American singer-songwriter and musician for Screaming Trees)
Michael Lang (American concert producer, co-creator of Woodstock)
Keith Levene (English guitarist for Public Image Ltd., The Clash)
Gord Lewis (Canadian guitarist for Teenage Head)
Jerry Lee Lewis (American Hall of Fame singer and pianist)
Ramsey Lewis (American jazz pianist, composer)
Radu Lupu (Romanian pianist)
Loretta Lynn (country singer-songwriter)
Lata Mangeshkar (Indian playback singer and composer)
Ingram Marshall (American composer)
Dan McCafferty (Scottish songwriter and singer for Nazareth)
C. W. McCall (American country singer)
Ian McDonald (English musician for King Crimson)
Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac, Chicken Shack)
Meat Loaf (American singer)
Charnett Moffett (American jazz bassist)
Grachan Moncur III (American jazz trombonist)
Massimo Morante (Italian guitarist for Goblin)
James Mtume (American percussionist for Mtume)
Rachel Nagy (American singer for The Detroit Cobras)
Sandy Nelson (American drummer)
Olivia Newton-John (British-Australian singer)
Nichelle Nichols (American actress on Star Trek and singer)
Mo Ostin (American record executive for Warner Bros. Records)
Mimi Parker (American singer and drummer for Low)
Ric Parnell (English drummer for Spinal Tap)
Kelly Joe Phelps (American blues musician)
Paul Plimley (Canadian free jazz pianist and vibraphonist)
Ned Rorem (American composer)
Badal Roy (American tabla player, percussionist and recording artist)
Bobby Rydell (American singer and actor)
Paul Ryder (English bassist for Happy Mondays)
Pharoah Sanders (American jazz saxophonist)
Klaus Schulze (German electronic musician and composer for Tangerine Dream, Ash Ra Tempel)
Jim Schwall (American blues musician for Siegel–Schwall Band)
Alexander Scriabin (Russian musicologist and composer)
Jim Seals (American songwriter and musician for Seals and Crofts)
Burke Shelley (Welsh bassist and vocalist for Budgie)
Paul Siebel (American singer-songwriter)
Shivkumar Sharma (Indian composer and santoor player for Shiv–Hari)
Mark Shreeve (British electronic songwriter and composer)
Kim Simmonds (British rock guitarist for Savoy Brown)
Lucy Simon (American composer and folk singer for The Simon Sisters)
Ronnie Spector (American Hall of Fame singer for The Ronette
Fredy Studer (Swiss drummer)
Creed Taylor (American jazz trumpeter and record producer, founder of Impulse! Records and CTI Records)
R. Dean Taylor (Canadian singer-songwriter)
Nicky Tesco (British singer for The Members)
Barbara Thompson (English jazz saxophonist for Colosseum)
Nik Turner (English musician for Hawkwind)
Ian Tyson (Canadian singer for Ian & Sylvia)
Vangelis (Greek film composer and musician for Aphrodite’s Child)
Fred Van Hove (Belgian jazz musician)
Natty Wailer (Jamaican musician)
Norma Waterson (English musician for The Watersons)
Alan White (drummer for Yes)
Roland White (American bluegrass music artist)
Don Wilson (American guitarist for The Ventures)
Drummie Zeb (English reggae record producer and musician for Aswad)