1971 in music

Specific genres

• 1971 in country music
• 1971 in heavy metal music
• 1971 in jazz
• 1971 in progressive rock

Events

• February 1 – After months of feuding in the press, Ginger Baker and Elvin Jones hold a "drum battle" at The Lyceum.
• February 3 – Davy Jones announces he is leaving the Monkees.
• February 8 – Bob Dylan's hour-long documentary film, Eat the Document, is premièred at New York's Academy of Music. The film includes footage from Dylan's 1966 UK tour.
• February 16 – Alan Passaro of the Hells Angels, who was acquitted on January 19 of the killing of Meredith Hunter at the Altamont Speedway in 1969, files a lawsuit against the Rolling Stones for invasion of privacy because the documentary film Gimme Shelter showed the stabbing.
• February 19 – Queen performs their first public concert in London.
• March 1 – The line-up for Queen is completed when bassist John Deacon joins the band.
• March 4 – The Rolling Stones open their UK tour in Newcastle upon Tyne, intended as a "farewell" to the UK prior to the band's relocation to France as "tax exiles".
• March 5 – Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland, sees the first live performance of Led Zeppelin's iconic song "Stairway to Heaven".
• March 6 – The Soul to Soul concert takes place in Accra, Ghana, headlined by Wilson Pickett.
• March 12–13 – The Allman Brothers Band records its live album, At Fillmore East.
• March 16 – The 13th Grammy Awards, honoring musical accomplishments of 1970, are presented. The ceremonies are broadcast on live television for the first time. Simon & Garfunkel win Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year for their final album Bridge over Troubled Water and its title track. The Carpenters win Best New Artist.
• April 3 – The 16th Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, is won by Monaco with the song "Un banc, un arbre, une rue" sung by Séverine.
• April 6 – The Rolling Stones hold a party in Cannes to officially announce their new contract with Atlantic and the launch of Rolling Stones Records.
• April 8 – A bomb explodes at a CBC band gig in Saigon killing 2.
• April 19 – Gil Scott Heron records the first rap song, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised in RCA Studioe in New York.
• May 1 – Bill Withers releases seminal first album Just As I Am.
• May 12 – Mick Jagger marries Bianca de Macías in Saint-Tropez, France, in a Roman Catholic ceremony. Among the wedding guests are the remaining Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and Stephen Stills.
• June – Rafael Kubelík becomes music director of the Metropolitan Opera, New York, at the invitation of Göran Gentele, the new general manager.

(May 21) Marvin Gaye releases his masterpiece album 'What's Going On' on May 21, 1971

• June 1 – Elvis Presley's birthplace, a two-room shack in Tupelo, Mississippi, is opened to the public as a tourist attraction.
• June 6 – John Lennon and Yoko Ono join Frank Zappa on stage at the Fillmore East for an encore jam. The performance would be released the following year on the Some Time in New York City album.
• June 8 – Carole King gives her first live concert, at Carnegie Hall.
• June 20-24 – The first Glastonbury Festival to take place at the summer solstice is held in South West England. Performers include David Bowie, Traffic, Fairport Convention, Quintessence and Hawkwind.
• June 21 – The Celebration of Life Festival finally gets underway- three and a half days late- at Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana. Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, Miles Davis and B. B. King are among the performers.
• June 24 – The Celebration of Life Festival is closed down by authorities after promoters Stephen Kapelow and Ken Lind fail to provide enough supplies of food, medical and sanitary facilities. Only nine of twenty-seven advertised performers showed up, and about 150 festival-goers were arrested.
• June 27 – Promoter Bill Graham closes the Fillmore East in New York City with a final concert featuring The Allman Brothers Band, The Beach Boys and Mountain. Patrons are given commemorative posters at the door and find red roses on their seats.
• July 3 – Jim Morrison is found dead in a bath tub in Paris, France, aged 27. Alain Ronay would claim, years later, that he assisted Morrison's lover, Pamela Courson, in covering up the circumstances.
• July 4 – The Fillmore West is closed in San Francisco with a final show featuring Santana, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Grateful Dead.
• July 9 – Grand Funk Railroad becomes only the second band (after the Beatles) to perform a sold-out concert at Shea Stadium breaking The Beatles record of selling out the venue.
• August 1
  • The Concert for Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden, New York, starring George Harrison, Ravi Shankar, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan and Leon Russell; also featuring Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Jesse Ed Davis and Badfinger.
  • The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour premieres on CBS.
• August 14 – The Who release their fifth studio album Who's Next, reaching Number One in both the UK and the US.
• August 31 – John Lennon leaves Britain for New York City and will never return.
• September 11 – The Jackson 5ive, a Saturday morning cartoon series based on the popular Motown group The Jackson 5, premieres on ABC.
• September 11-12 – The Avandaro rock festival takes place in Valle de Bravo (Mexico) with an estimated attendance of 300,000.
• October 5 – Black Sabbath perform the first set of their Whisky a Go Go performance in all-white tuxedos.
• October 29 – The Allman Brothers Band's guitarist Duane Allman dies in a motorcycle accident in Macon, Georgia after colliding with a truck.
• October 31 – Pink Floyd release their sixth studio album Meddle. The album is considered a turning point, moving away from their psychedelic sound to a more progressive tone. It peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart.
• November 6 – Cher earns her first solo number one hit in US (Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves) staying atop for two consecutive weeks. Eventually the song was certified gold.
• November 8 – Led Zeppelin release officially untitled fourth studio album, which would become the biggest-selling album of the year (1972), the band's biggest-selling album, and the fourth best-selling album of all time.
• December 1 – Belgian singing duo Nicole & Hugo are married at Wemmel.
• December 4 – The Montreux Casino in Montreux, Switzerland, catches fire and burns during a performance by Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention when a fan fires a flare gun into its rafters. Members of Deep Purple, who were due to begin recording at the casino the next day, watched the scene from their hotel across Lake Geneva, and later immortalized the events in their song, "Smoke on the Water".
• December 10 – Frank Zappa breaks his leg after being pushed off the stage by a deranged fan at The Rainbow in London.
• December 31 – Bob Dylan makes a surprise appearance for the encore of The Band's New Year's Eve concert at the Academy of Music, joining the group for four songs including "Like a Rolling Stone".
• Lancelot Layne's "Blown Away" is the beginning of rapso music.
• Ann Wilson joins Heart, which moves to Vancouver, British Columbia.
• Kenny Rogers and The First Edition issued their Greatest Hits album, which will sell over 4 million copies worldwide by the end of the decade. They also star in their own TV series Rollin' on the River which runs until 1974.
• Brad Whitford replaces Ray Tabano on rhythm guitar in Aerosmith
• Elton John has first international hit with "Your Song".
• Donna Summer begins her recording career under her real name of Donna Gaines.
• Rick Springfield leaves Zoot for a highly successful solo career.
• Rick Wakeman joins Yes.
• Conrad Schnitzler leaves Kluster, which dissolves.
• The Beach Boys musician Daryl Dragon and singer Toni Tennille meet and begin to perform together as Captain & Tennille.
• The American Musical Instrument Society is founded.

Bands formed

• See Musical groups established in 1971

Bands reformed

• The Crystals

Bands disbanded

• Booker T. & the M.G.'s
• Derek and the Dominos
• The Haunted
• The Monkees

Albums released

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Release date unknown

• 1969 – Julie Driscoll
• 2 + 2 + 1 = Ponderosa Twins Plus One – Ponderosa Twins Plus One
• Afrique – Count Basie
• Alarm Clock – Richie Havens
• All for the Love of Sunshine – Hank Williams, Jr.
• America – John Fahey
• Another Cycle – Jimmy Cliff
• Assagai – Assagai
• Back to the Roots – Ramsey Lewis
• Bang – Bang
• Barefoot Boy – Larry Coryell
• A Better Road – Steel River
• The Bill Evans Album – Bill Evans
• Black Rhythm Revolution! – Idris Muhammad
• Black Seeds – The Main Ingredient
• Blackstone Legacy – Woody Shaw
• Black Widow – Black Widow
• Blue Memphis – Memphis Slim
• Blue Mitchell – Blue Mitchell
• Boogie Woogie – Memphis Slim
• Born with the Blues – Memphis Slim
• The Brand New Z.Z. Hill – Z.Z. Hill
• Brave Belt – Brave Belt
• Breakout – Johnny "Hammond" Smith
• Can I Have My Money Back? – Gerry Rafferty
• Captain Buckles – David "Fathead" Newman
• Chequered! – Chubby Checker
• Closer to the Ground – Joy of Cooking
• Cluster – Cluster
• Constant Throb – John Klemmer
• Davy Jones – Davy Jones
• Danny O'Keefe – Danny O'Keefe
• Detroit – Mitch Ryder
• The Dionne Warwicke Story – Dionne Warwick
• Do Me Right – The Detroit Emeralds
• Double Back – Happy and Artie Traum
• Doug Kershaw – Doug Kershaw
• Earth Song, Ocean Song – Mary Hopkin
• Edgar Winter's White Trash – Edgar Winter
• El derecho de vivir en paz – Víctor Jara
• Eruption – Kluster
• Escalator over the Hill – Carla Bley & Paul Haines
• Every Little Bit Soul – Rosetta Hightower
• Exposed – Valerie Simpson
• Fame and Price, Price and Fame: Together! – Alan Price and Georgie Fame
• The Family – Mashmakhan
• Fela's London Scene – Fela Kuti
• Fire Eater – Rusty Bryant
• First Utterance – Comus
• Fraser & DeBolt – Fraser & DeBolt
• Freeflight – Ahmad Jamal
• Funk, Inc. – Funk, Inc.
• The Fuzz – The Fuzz
• Fuzzy Duck – Fuzzy Duck
• Gemini Suite – Jon Lord
• Getting Ready – Freddie King
• Gila – Gila
• God Bless the Child – Kenny Burrell
• Goin' Down Highway 51 – John Lee Hooker
• Going East – Billy Paul
• The Good Book – Melanie
• Groove Grease – Jimmy McGriff
• The Gypsy – Mr. Fox
• Happy Just to Be Like I Am – Taj Mahal
• Have a Nice Day – Count Basie
• Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse – Gene McDaniels
• High on a Hilltop – Merle Haggard
• Hightower – Rosetta Hightower
• High Winds, White Sky – Bruce Cockburn
• The Hills of Indiana – Lonnie Mack
• Hold Your Fire – Patto
• Home is in My Head – Jackie Lomax
• Houston Express – Houston Person
• Ian & Sylvia – Ian & Sylvia
• I Am What I Am – Ruth Copeland
• Illusion – Renaissance
• In God We Trust – Don Nix
• In My Own Time – Karen Dalton
• In Search of a Song – Tom T. Hall
• Isle of View – Jimmie Spheeris
• I've Got a Right to Cry – Hank Williams Jr.
• Jade Warrior – Jade Warrior
• Joe South – Joe South
• Johnny Cash & Jerry Lee Lewis Sing Hank Williams – Johnny Cash & Jerry Lee Lewis
• Joy of Cooking – Joy of Cooking
• Landfall – Martin Carthy
• Larry Coryell at the Village Gate – Larry Coryell
• Lazarus – The Blues Project
• Lazarus – Lazarus
• Live at Topanga Corral – Canned Heat
• Live in Seattle – John Coltrane
• Lift Every Voice and Sing – Max Roach
• Living by the Days – Don Nix
• Losers Weepers – Etta James
• Mad Man Blues – John Lee Hooker
• Madura – Madura
• Mama Wailer – Lonnie Smith
• The Man, The World, His Music – Johnny Cash
• Mark-Almond – Mark-Almond
• Mogul Thrash – Mogul Thrash
• Morning, Noon & the Nite-Liters – The Nite-Liters
• Mr. Big Stuff – Jean Knight
• Mudlark – Leo Kottke
• Na Poi – Fela Kuti
• Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata – Rahsaan Roland Kirk
• New World in the Morning – Roger Whittaker
• Oblivion Express – Brian Auger
• Oh What a Feeling – Crowbar
• One Fine Morning – Lighthouse
• Open & Close – Fela Kuti
• Operation – Birth Control
• Pass the Plate – The Crusaders
• Peace and Rhythm – Idris Muhammad
• Peculiar Friends – Ten Wheel Drive
• Pepper's Pow Wow – Jim Pepper
• Peter Allen – Peter Allen
• Petula '71 – Petula Clark
• The Philosophy of the Spiritual – Richard Davis
• Piano Improvisations Vol. 1 – Chick Corea
• Pictures of Infinity – Sun Ra
• Pieces of a Man – Gil Scott-Heron
• Pins in It – The Human Instinct
• Purdie Good! – Bernard Purdie
• Put Your Hand in the Hand – Ocean
• Rainbow Race – Pete Seeger
• The Real Thing – Taj Mahal
• The Return of Doug Saldaña – Sir Douglas Quintet
• Rock Around the Country – Bill Haley & His Comets
• Rosa dos Ventos – Maria Bethânia
• St. Radigunds – Spirogyra
• Sam, Hard and Heavy – Sam Samudio
• Salt Song – Stanley Turrentine
• Second Movement – Eddie Harris and Les McCann
• Second Opinion – Marvin, Welch & Farrar
• Sergio Franchi – Sergio Franchi (Metromedia album)
• Set Us Free – Reuben Wilson
• Signals – Mal Waldron
• Sinatra & Company – Frank Sinatra
• Sing a Sad Song – Merle Haggard
• Sir Lord Baltimore – Sir Lord Baltimore
• The Song of My Life – Petula Clark
• Song of the Stallion – Robbie Basho
• Songs – Jackie DeShannon
• So the Seeds are Growing – Joe South
• Soul Revolution Part II – Bob Marley and the Wailers
• Source Point – John Hammond
• Southern Delight – Barefoot Jerry
• Spark Plug – Melvin Sparks
• Stand by Me (Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get) – Bernard Purdie
• Stand By Your Man – Candi Staton
• Stoneground – Stoneground
• Super Bad – James Brown
• Sweathog – Sweathog
• Synergy – Glass Harp
• Takin' My Time – Charlie Musselwhite
• Tears of Joy – Don Ellis
• They Call Me Muddy Waters – Muddy Waters
• Third World War – Third World War
• Thoughts of Movin' On – Lighthouse
• Through the Eyes of a Horn – Jim Horn
• Tightly Knit – Climax Blues Band
• Today – Petula Clark
• Tom Jones Sings She's a Lady – Tom Jones
• Tony Joe White – Tony Joe White
• Travelin' Lady – Rosalie Sorrels
• Une vie – Dalida
• Watcha Gonna Do – Denny Doherty
• Wa-Tu-Wa-Zui (Beautiful People) – Charles Kynard
• Western Man – Mose Allison
• What's Going On – Johnny "Hammond" Smith
• Where's the Money? – Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks (Live)
• Why Black Man Dey Suffer – Fela Kuti
• Willie Nelson and Family – Willie Nelson
• Words and Music – Benny Hill
• Woyaya – Osibisa
• You Don't Have to Be in the Army – Mungo Jerry
• You're Not Alone – Dion DiMucci
• You're So Beautiful – Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
• Your Daily Gift – The Savage Rose
• You Well-Meaning Brought Me Here – Ralph McTell
• Zwei-Osterei – Kluster

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1971.

Top 40 Chart hit singles

Other Chart hit singles

• "Baby I'm-a Want You" – Bread (#5 CAN)
• "Baby Jump" – Mungo Jerry (#1 UK)
• "Back Street Luv" – Curved Air
• "Bangla Desh" – George Harrison
• "Banks of the Ohio" – Olivia Newton-John
• "The Banner Man" – Blue Mink
• "Beginnings" – Chicago (#7 US) (#8 CAN)
• "Behind Blue Eyes" – The Who
• "Birds of a Feather" – The Raiders
• "Black & White" – Greyhound
• "Black Dog" – Led Zeppelin
• "Black Magic Woman" – Santana (#4 CAN)
• "Blue Money" – Van Morrison
• "Brand New Key" – Melanie (#1 CAN)
• "Brandy" – Scott English
• "Bridge over Troubled Water" – Aretha Franklin (#8 CAN)
• "Bring the Boys Home" – Freda Payne
• "Brown Sugar/Bitch/Let It Rock" – the Rolling Stones (#1 CAN)
• "Butterfly" – Danyel Gérard
• "Cherish" – David Cassidy
• "Chick-A-Boom (Don't Ya Jes' Love It)" – Daddy Dewdrop
• "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" – Middle of the Road
• "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" – Mac and Katie Kissoon (Lally Stott's original was dubbed into French)
• "Co-Co" – The Sweet
• "Colour My World" – Chicago (#7 US)
• "Come Back Again" – Daddy Cool (# 3 Australia)
• "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" – Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
• "Country Road" – James Taylor
• "Coz I Luv You" – Slade
• "Crazy Love" – Helen Reddy
• "Cried Like a Baby" – Bobby Sherman
• "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast" – Daniel Boone
• "Day After Day" – Badfinger
• "Desiderata" – Les Crane
• "Did You Ever...?" – Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood
• "Do You Know What I Mean" – Lee Michaels
• "Doesn't Somebody Want to Be Wanted" – The Partridge Family
• "Do Me Right" – The Detroit Emeralds
• "Don't Knock My Love, Part 1" – Wilson Pickett
• "Don't Let It Die" – Hurricane Smith
• "Don't Pull Your Love" – Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
• "Draggin' the Line" – Tommy James
• "The Drum" – Bobby Sherman
• "Eagle Rock"– Daddy Cool (#1 Australia)
• "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)" – Benny Hill
• "Everything's Tuesday" – Chairmen of the Board
• "Family Affair" – Sly & the Family Stone (#1 US)
• "For All We Know" – The Carpenters
• "Forget Me Not" – Martha and the Vandellas
• "Funky Nassau" – The Beginning of the End
• "Get Down and Get With It" – Slade
• "Get It On" – T. Rex
• "Girls in the City" – The Esquires
• "Go Away Little Girl" – Donny Osmond
• "Got to Be There" – Michael Jackson
• "Grandad" – Clive Dunn
• "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" – Cher (#1 US)
• "The Harder I Try (The Bluer I Get)" – The Free Movement
• "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "Have You Seen Her" – The Chi-Lites
• "He's Gonna Step On You Again" – John Kongos
• "Heaven Must Have Sent You" – The Elgins
• "Help Me Make It Through the Night" – Sammi Smith
• "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again" – The Fortunes (#15 US)
• "Here Comes the Sun" – Richie Havens
• "Hey Girl Don't Bother Me" – The Tams
• "Hot Love" – T. Rex
• "Hot Pants (She Got to Use What She Got to Get Just What She Wants)" – James Brown
• "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" – Bee Gees
• "I Am...I Said" – Neil Diamond
• "I Did What I Did for Maria" – Tony Christie
• "I Don't Blame You at All" – Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
• "I Don't Know How to Love Him" – Helen Reddy
• "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from the original studio cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar – Yvonne Elliman
• "I Don't Want to Do Wrong" – Gladys Knight & the Pips
• "I Hear You Knocking" – Dave Edmunds (#4 US)
• "I Just Can't Help Believing" – Elvis Presley
• "I Just Want to Celebrate" – Rare Earth (#7 US)
• "I Love You for All Seasons" – The Fuzz
• "I Say a Little Prayer" – Anne Murray and Glen Campbell
• "I Woke Up In Love This Morning" – The Partridge Family (#13 US)
• "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" – The New Seekers
• "I'll Be Gone" – Spectrum (#1 Australia)
• "I'll Meet You Halfway" – The Partridge Family
• "I'm Eighteen" – Alice Cooper (#21 US)
• "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" – Tami Lynn
• "(I Know) I'm Losing You" – Rod Stewart
• "I'm Still Waiting" – Diana Ross
• "I've Found Someone of My Own" – The Free Movement
• "If" – Bread
• "If I Were Your Woman" – Gladys Knight & the Pips
• "If Not For You" – Olivia Newton-John
• "If You Could Read My Mind" – Gordon Lightfoot
• "If You Really Love Me" – Stevie Wonder
• "Imagine" – John Lennon
• "In My Own Time" – Family
• "Indian Reservation" – Paul Revere & the Raiders
• "Indiana Wants Me" – R. Dean Taylor
• "Is This the Way to Amarillo" – Tony Christie
• "It Don't Come Easy" – Ringo Starr
• "It's Impossible" – Perry Como
• "It's The Same Old Song" – The Weathermen
• "It's Too Late" – Carole King
• "It Takes Time" – Anne Murray
• "Jack in the Box" – Clodagh Rodgers
• "Jeepster" – T. Rex
• "Joy to the World" – Three Dog Night (#1 US)
• "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" – The Temptations
• "K- Jee" – The Nite- Liters, see (New Birth)
• "Knock Three Times" – Tony Orlando and Dawn
• "L.A. International Airport" – Susan Raye
• "L.A. Woman" – The Doors
• "Let Your Yeah Be Yeah" – The Pioneers
• "Levon" – Elton John
• "Liar" – Three Dog Night
• "Light Sings" – The 5th Dimension
• "Like an Open Door" – The Fuzz
• "Locomotive Breath" – Jethro Tull
• "Lonely Days" – Bee Gees
• "Look Wot You Dun" – Slade
• "Love Her Madly" – The Doors
• "Love the One You're With" – Stephen Stills
• "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes" – The 5th Dimension
• "Maggie May" – Rod Stewart
• "Make It with You" – Sacha Distel (dubbed)
• "Mama's Pearl" – The Jackson 5
• "Me and Bobby McGee" – Janis Joplin
• "Me and My Arrow" – Harry Nilsson
• "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo" – Lobo
• "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" – Marvin Gaye
• "Mighty Clouds of Joy" – B. J. Thomas
• "Mr. Big Stuff" – Jean Knight
• "Mr. Bojangles" – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• "Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor K550 1st movement (Allegro molto)" – Waldo de los Ríos
• "My Brother Jake" – Free
• "My Sweet Lord" – George Harrison (#1 US)
• "Nathan Jones" – The Supremes
• "Never Can Say Goodbye" – The Jackson 5
• "Never Ending Song of Love" – The New Seekers
• "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" – Joan Baez
• "No Matter What" – Badfinger
• "An Old Fashioned Love Song" – Three Dog Night
• "One Bad Apple" – The Osmonds
• "One Less Bell to Answer" – The 5th Dimension
• "One Man Band" – Three Dog Night
• "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (Part 1)" – Honey Cone
• "One Tin Soldier" – Coven
• "One Toke Over the Line" – Brewer & Shipley
• "Only You Know and I Know" – Delaney and Bonnie
• "Oye Como Va" – Santana
• "Paint It Black" – Eric Burdon & War
• "The Pied Piper" – Bob and Marcia
• "Power to the People" – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
• "Proud Mary" – Ike & Tina Turner
• "The Pushbike Song" – The Mixtures
• "Rain Dance" – The Guess Who
• "Rainy Days and Mondays" – The Carpenters
• "Remember Me" – Diana Ross
• "The Resurrection Shuffle" – Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
• "Ride a White Swan" – T. Rex
• "Riders on the Storm" – The Doors
• "Right on the Tip of My Tongue" – Brenda & the Tabulations
• "River Deep – Mountain High" – The Supremes and Four Tops
• "Rock and Roll" – Led Zeppelin
• "Rock Steady" – Aretha Franklin
• "Rose Garden" – Lynn Anderson
• "Run, Baby Run (Back Into My Arms)" – The Newbeats
• "She's a Lady" – Tom Jones
• "She's Not Just Another Woman" – 8th Day
• "Signs" – Five Man Electrical Band
• "Sing High, Sing Low" – Anne Murray
• "Smiling Faces Sometimes" – Undisputed Truth
• "So Far Away" – Carole King
• "Softly Whispering I Love You" – The Congregation
• "Soldier Blue" – Buffy Sainte-Marie
• "Soley, Soley" – Middle of the Road
• "Something Old, Something New" – The Fantastics
• "Something Tells Me (Something's Gonna Happen Tonight)" – Cilla Black
• "Sooner or Later" – The Grass Roots
• "Spanish Harlem" – Aretha Franklin
• "Stay Awhile" – The Bells (#1 Canada)
• "Stay With Me" – The Faces
• "Stairway to Heaven" – Led Zeppelin
• "Stick Up" – Honey Cone
• "Stoned Love" – The Supremes
• "Stoney End" – Barbra Streisand
• "Stop, Look, Listen" – The Stylistics
• "A Stranger in My Place" – Anne Murray
• "Strange Kind of Woman" – Deep Purple
• "Sugar, Sugar" – Sakkarin
• "Theme from Summer of '42 (The Summer Knows)" – Peter Nero
• "Sunny Honey Girl" – Cliff Richard
• "Superstar" – The Carpenters
• ""Superstar" (from Jesus Christ Superstar) – Murray Head
• "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" – The Temptations
• "Surrender" – Diana Ross
• "Sweet and Innocent" – Donny Osmond
• "Sweet City Woman" – The Stampeders
• "Sweet Hitch-Hiker" – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• "Sweet Mary" – Wadsworth Mansion
• "Take Me Home Country Roads" – John Denver and Fat City
• "Talk It Over in the Morning" – Anne Murray
• "Tap Turns on the Water" – C.C.S.
• "Temptation Eyes" – The Grass Roots
• "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" – Carly Simon
• "Theme from Shaft" – Isaac Hayes
• "They Can't Take Away Our Music" – Eric Burdon & War
• "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" – The Persuaders
• "Timothy" – The Buoys
• "Till" – Tom Jones
• "Tiny Dancer" – Elton John
• "Tired of Being Alone" – Al Green
• "Toast and Marmalade for Tea" – Tin Tin
• "Tokoloshe Man" – John Kongos
• "Treat Her Like a Lady" – Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
• "Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum" – Middle of the Road
• "Two Divided by Love" – The Grass Roots
• "Un banc, un arbre, une rue" – Séverine
• "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" – Paul and Linda McCartney
• "Walkin'" – C.C.S.
• "Want Ads" – Honey Cone
• "Watching Scotty Grow" – Bobby Goldsboro
• "We Can Work It Out" – Stevie Wonder
• "Wear This Ring (with Love)" – The Detroit Emeralds
• "What Am I Living For" – Ray Charles
• "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" – The Dramatics
• "What's Going On" – Marvin Gaye
• "What Is Life" – George Harrison
• "When You're Hot, You're Hot" – Jerry Reed
• "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story" – Andy Williams; also Henry Mancini
• "Wild Horses" – the Rolling Stones
• "Wild Night" – Van Morrison
• "Wild World" – Cat Stevens
• "The Witch Queen of New Orleans" – Redbone
• "Won't Get Fooled Again" – The Who
• "Yo-Yo" – The Osmonds
• "You Are Everything" – The Stylistics
• "Your Move" – Yes
• "Your Love (Means Everything to Me)" – Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
• "Your Song" – Elton John
• "You're All I Need to Get By" – Aretha Franklin
• "You've Got a Friend" – James Taylor
• "You've Got to Crawl (Before You Walk)" – 8th Day

Notable singles

Published popular music

• "The Age of Not Believing" – w.m. Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, from the film Bedknobs and Broomsticks
• "Always on My Mind" – w.m. Johnny Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson Thompson
• "American Pie" – w.m. Don McLean
• "And I Love You So" – w.m. Don McLean
• "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda – w.m. Eric Bogle (written)
• "Baby I'm-a Want You" – w.m. David Gates
• "Been on a Train" – w.m. Laura Nyro
• "Ben" – w. Don Black m. Walter Scharf
• "The Candy Man" – w.m. Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley, from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
• "Day By Day" – w. John Michael Tebelak m. Stephen Schwartz
• "Eagle Rock" – w.m. Ross Wilson
• "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" w.m. Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb
• "I Am Woman" – w. Helen Reddy m. Ray Burton
• "I Don't Know How to Love Him" w. Tim Rice m. Andrew Lloyd Webber. Introduced by Yvonne Elliman in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar
• "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" – w.m. B. Backer, B. Davis, R. Cook & R. Greenaway
• "I'm Still Here" – w.m. Stephen Sondheim
• "Imagine w.m. John Lennon
• "Kiss an Angel Good Morning" – w.m. Ben Peters
• "Knock Three Times" – w.m. Irwin Levine
• "The Last Farewell" – w.m. Roger Whittaker & Ron A. Webster
• "Losing My Mind" – w.m. Stephen Sondheim
• "Maggie May" w.m. Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton
• "Pure Imagination" – w.m. Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley, from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
• "Riders on the Storm" – w.m. The Doors
• "Stairway to Heaven" – w. Robert Plant m. Jimmy Page
• "Substitutiary Locomotion" – w.m. Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, from the film Bedknobs and Broomsticks
• "The Summer Knows" – w. Alan Bergman & Marilyn Bergman m. Michel Legrand from the film Summer of '42
• "Those Were the Days" w. Lee Adams, m. Charles Strouse, from the TV series All in the Family
• "Too Many Mornings" – w.m. Stephen Sondheim
• "Avec le Temps" – Dalida
• "Mamy Blue" – Dalida
• "Queen of the Hours" w.m. Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood

Classical music

Premieres

Compositions

• Malcolm Arnold – Viola Concerto with small orchestra
• Gavin Bryars – Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet
• Elliott Carter – String Quartet No. 3
• George Crumb
  • Lux Aeterna for soprano, bass flute/soprano recorder, sitar, and percussion (two players)
  • Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale) for electric flute, electric cello, and amplified piano
• Mario Davidovsky – Chacona for violin, cello, and piano
• Morton Feldman – Rothko Chapel
• Lorenzo Ferrero – Primavera che non vi rincresca
• Jørgen Jersild – Three Danish Romances
• Mauricio Kagel – Staatstheater
• Ladislav Kupkovič – Klanginvasion auf Bonn
• Helmut Lachenmann – Gran Torso for string quartets
• Jean Langlais – Concerto for Organ no 3 "Reaction"
• Luigi Nono – Ein Gespenst geht um in der Welt
• Arvo Pärt – Symphony No. 3
• Steve Reich – Drumming
• Aulis Sallinen – Symphony No.1
• Dmitri Shostakovich – Symphony No. 15 in A major, Op. 141
• Karlheinz Stockhausen
  • Sternklang
  • Trans
• Iannis Xenakis
  • Antikhthon, ballet for orchestra
  • Aroura, for string ensemble of 12 players
  • Charisma, for clarinet and cello
  • Mikka, for violin
  • Persépolis, 8-track tape music

Opera

• Alberto Ginastera – Beatrix Cenci, Opera Society of Washington in Washington, D.C., September 10
• Hans Werner Henze – Der langwierige Weg in die Wohnung der Natascha Ungeheuer, Deutsche Oper Berlin, September
• Lee Hoiby – Summer and Smoke
• Heitor Villa-Lobos – Yerma, Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe, New Mexico, August 12

Jazz

Musical theater

• Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death – Off-Broadway production
• Follies (Stephen Sondheim) – Broadway production ran for 522 performances
• Godspell (Stephen Schwartz) – Broadway, London, and Off-Broadway productions; 572 performances on Broadway, 2,600 total NYC performances
• Jalta, Jalta (Alfi Kabiljo and Milan Grgić) – premièred in Zagreb
• Jesus Christ Superstar (Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice) – Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre and ran for 711 performances
• Lolita, My Love (John Barry and Alan Jay Lerner) – closed in pre-Broadway tryout
• Prettybelle – starring Angela Lansbury, closed in pre-Broadway tryout
• No, No, Nanette (Irving Caesar, Otto Harbach, Vincent Youmans) – Broadway revival
• On the Town – Broadway revival
• Show Boat (Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II) – London revival
• To Live Another Summer, To Pass Another Winter – Broadway production of Jewish revue; opened at the Helen Hayes Theatre on October 21 and transferred to the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on January 10, 1972, for a total run of 173 performances.
• Two Gentlemen of Verona – Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre and ran for 614 performances

Musical films

• 200 Motels (American-British surrealist musical film)
• Aquellos años locos (Argentine musical film)
• Arriba Juventud (Argentine musical film)
• Bedknobs and Broomsticks Directed by Robert Stevenson and starring Angela Lansbury and David Tomlinson
• Bumbarash (Soviet musical film)
• Chervona Ruta (Soviet Ukrainian musical film)
• Fiddler on the Roof
• Haathi Mere Saathi (Hindi musical film)
• Journey Back to Oz (animated feature)
• Ma che musica maestro (Italian musical film)
• Out of the Darkness (Thai science fiction musical film)
• Raga, documentary about the life and work of Ravi Shankar
• Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Births

• January 1 – Chris Potter, American saxophonist and composer
• January 2 – Taye Diggs, American actor and singer
• January 6
  • Irwin Thomas, American-Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist
  • Andrzej Piaseczny, Polish singer-songwriter, actor and television personality
• January 7 – Jeremy Renner, American actor and singer
• January 8 – Karen Poole English singer-songwriter (Alisha's Attic, Kylie Minogue, Sugababes)
• January 9
  • Angie Martinez, American rapper and radio talk host
  • MF Doom, British-American rapper and record producer (died 2020)
• January 11
  • Mary J. Blige, American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actress
  • Tom Rowlands (The Chemical Brothers)
  • Stuart Davis, lyricist
• January 13 – Lee Agnew (Nazareth)
• January 17 –
  • Kid Rock, American singer
  • Lil Jon, American rapper, producer and actor
• January 18 – Jonathan Davis (KoЯn)
• January 19 – John Wozniak, American singer and songwriter (Marcy Playground)
• January 20
  • Gary Barlow, British singer-songwriter (Take That)
  • Questlove, American musician, composer, producer, photographer and author
• January 21 – Tweet, American singer
• January 22 – Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, indigenous Australian ethnic singer and musician (died 2017)
• January 25 – China Kantner (Daughter of Grace Slick and Paul Kantner)
• January 28 – Anthony Hamilton, American singer
• February 1 – Ron Welty (The Offspring)
• February 2
  • Michelle Gayle, British singer
  • Ben Mize (Counting Crows)
• February 3 – Christian Liljegren, Swedish singer-songwriter (Narnia, Audiovision and Divinefire)
• February 3 – Hyun Jin-young, South Korean singer, rapper and dancer
• February 5 – Sara Evans, American singer
• February 11 – Park So-hyun, South Korean actress
• February 13 – Sonia, English pop singer
• February 14 – Jeru the Damaja, American rapper and record producer
• February 15 – Daniel Powter, Canadian musician, singer and songwriter
• February 16
  • Amanda Holden, British actress and singer
  • Steven Houghton, British actor and singer
• February 17 – Jackie McKeown, Scottish guitarist and lead singer (The Yummy Fur)
• February 18 – Merritt Gant, American guitarist (Overkill)
• February 19 – Gil Shaham, violinist
• February 22
  • Lea Salonga, Filipina singer and Broadway Actress
  • Mark Bell, English disc jockey (LFO) (d. 2014)
• February 26
  • Erykah Badu, American singer-songwriter, record producer, disc jockey, activist and actress
  • Max Martin, Pop music writer and producer (NSYNC, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry)
• February 27 – Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, American singer (TLC)
• March 1
  • Alex Konrad, German DJ and producer (Baracuda)
  • Thomas Adès, English classical composer, pianist and conductor
• March 2 – Method Man, American rapper
• March 4 – Fergal Lawler Irish drummer (The Cranberries)
• March 6 – Betty Boo, English singer-songwriter and artist
• March 9 – C-Murder, American rapper
• March 11 – Erin O'Donnell, American Christian musician
• March 18 – Jeong Jun-ha, South Korean comedian and entertainer
• March 18 – Morgan Nicholls, English musician
• March 21 – John Hendy, British singer (East 17)
• March 23
  • Kim Min-jong, South Korean actor and singer
  • Abe Laboriel Jr., American drummer (Letters to Cleo)
• March 26
  • Francis Lawrence, American music video director, photographer, director and producer
  • Jay Sean, English singer, songwriter and record producer
  • Erick Morillo, American disc jockey (Reel 2 Real) (died 2020)
• March 29 – Attila Csihar, Hungarian vocalist (Mayhem)
• March 31 – Ewan McGregor, Scottish actor and singer
• April 2
  • Zeebra, Japanese rapper
  • Traci Braxton, American R&B singer and media personality (The Braxtons) (died 2022)
• April 3 – Wes Berggren, American musician
• April 4 – Josh Todd, American rock singer (Buckcherry)
• April 10 – Yoo Young-jin, South Korean singer-songwriter and producer
• April 11 – Oliver Riedel, German musician (Rammstein)
• April 15 – Kim Tae-woo, South Korean actor
• April 16 – Selena (Quintanilla), American Tejano singer (killed 1995)
• April 18 – Spliff Star, American rapper and record producer
• April 20
  • Mikey Welsh, American alternative rock bassist and painter (Weezer) (died 2011)
  • Tina Cousins, English singer and songwriter
• April 24
  • Mauro Pawlowski, Belgian guitar player and singer (Evil Superstars, Deus)
  • Alejandro Fernández, Mexican singer
• April 29
  • Siniša Vuco, Croatian musician
  • Tamara Johnson-George, American singer (SWV)
• May 3 – Damon Dash, record label executive
• May 6 – Chris Shiflett, American rock musician (Foo Fighters)
• May 9 – Paul McGuigan British bassist (Oasis)
• May 13 – O.C., American rapper
• May 16 – Rachel Goswell, English singer-songwriter and musician (Slowdive)
• May 16
  • Simon Katz, English musician (Jamiroquai)
  • Rick Trevino, American country singer and songwriter
• May 17 – Vernie Bennett, British singer (Eternal)
• May 18 – Annika Kjærgaard, Swedish singer (Alcazar)
• May 22
  • MC Eith, American rapper
  • Raimund Marasigan, drummer (Eraserheads)
• May 27 – Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, American rapper and songwriter TLC (died 2002)
• May 30
  • Patrick Dahlheimer, Live
  • Idina Menzel, American actress and singer
  • Duncan Jones, English director, producer and screenwriter (son of David Bowie and Angie Bowie daughter of Lexi Jones)
• May 31
  • Adam Walton, British DJ
  • Uncle Sam, American R&B and pop singer
• June 1
  • Mario Cimarro, Cuban actor and singer
  • Monica Anghel, Romanian singer and television personality
• June 3 – Marie-Anett Mey, French model, entertainer, singer and musician (Fun Factory)
• June 4 – Tony McCarroll, English drummer (Oasis)
• June 5 – Mark Wahlberg, American rapper and actor
• June 7 – Toni Cottura, Italian-German producer and rapper (Fun Factory)
• June 9 – Erika Miklósa, Hungarian coloratura soprano
• June 10 – Joel Hailey, American R&B singer (K-Ci & JoJo)
• June 14 – Pritam, Indian singer, composer, instrumentalist
• June 14 – Billie Myers, British rock singer and songwriter
• June 15 – Bif Naked, singer
• June 16 – Tupac Shakur, American rapper, poet and actor (died 1996)
• June 17 – Paulina Rubio, Mexican singer
• June 18 – Nathan Morris American singer (Boyz II Men)
• June 20 – Jeordie White, American singer-songwriter and bass player (Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, Goon Moon and The Desert Sessions)
• June 21 – Anette Olzon, Swedish singer-songwriter (Nightwish, Alyson Avenue)
• June 27 – Serginho, Brazilian footballer
• June 28 – Ray Slijngaard, Dutch singer and rapper (2 Unlimited)
• June 29
  • Matthew Good, Canadian musician
  • Wang Feng, Chinese singer
  • Nawal El Zoghbi, Lebanese singer and actress
• July 1
  • Jarobi White, American hip hop artist (A Tribe Called Quest)
  • Missy Elliott, American singer
  • Marlayne, Dutch singer
• July 4 – Andy Creeggan, Canadian guitarist and pianist (Barenaked Ladies and The Brothers Creeggan)
• July 11 – Leisha Hailey, American musician and actress
• July 12 – MC Breed, American rapper (died 2008)
• July 13
  • Jason Reece, American guitarist and drummer (...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and A Roman Scandal)
• July 14 – Nick McCabe, English musician
• July 15 – Mark Curry, American rapper
• July 16 – Ed Kowalczyk, Live
• July 17 – DJ Minutemix, P.M. Dawn
• July 20
  • Sandra Oh, Canadian actress
  • Jason Loewenstein, American guitarist (Sebadoh, The Fiery Furnaces)
  • DJ Screw, American rapper (died 2000)
• July 21 – Charlotte Gainsbourg, French actress and singer-songwriter
• July 23
  • Alison Krauss, American bluegrass-folk singer and musician
  • Scott Krippayne, American Christian musician
  • Dalvin DeGrate, American rapper (Jodeci)
• July 30 – Calogero, singer
• July 31 – John Lowery, American guitarist
• August 3 – Forbes Johnston, Scottish footballer (d. 2007)
• August 4 – Yo-Yo, rapper
• August 7 – Rachel York, American actress and singer
• August 12 – Phil Western, Canadian musician
• August 14 – Rhonda Ross Kendrick, American actress and singer (daughter of Diana Ross)
• August 17
  • Anthony Kearns, Irish tenor
  • Ed Motta, Brazilian soul and jazz musician
• August 18 – Aphex Twin, Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ
• August 20 – David Walliams, English actor
• August 21 – Liam Howlett, British musician (The Prodigy)
• August 23 – Bone Crusher, American rapper
• August 25 – Joby Talbot, English-born composer
• August 26 – Thalía, Mexican actress and singer
• August 27 – Julian Cheung, Hong Kong actor and singer
• August 28 – Neil Ekberg, drummer (Black Market Baby, Tesco Vee's Hate Police)
• August 30 – Lars Frederiksen (Rancid)
• September 1 – DJ Cocoa Chanelle, djer
• September 5 – Will Hunt, American drummer (Evanescence)
• September 6
  • Dolores O'Riordan, Irish rock vocalist (The Cranberries) (died 2018)
  • Leila K, Swedish singer and rapper
• September 8 – Vico C, American rapper and record producer
• September 11 – Richard Ashcroft, British singer and songwriter
• September 13 – Stella McCartney, English fashion designer daughter of Paul McCartney
• September 18 – Anna Netrebko, operatic soprano
• September 19 – D-Flame, hip-hop and reggae performer
• September 20 – Sin With Sebastian, German singer and songwriter
• September 21 – Alfonso Ribeiro, American actor, singer and dancer
• September 21 – Jimmy Constable, English pop singer (911)
• September 22 – Chesney Hawkes, English pop singer
• September 24 – Peter Salisbury, English drummer (The Verve)
• September 24 – Marty Cintron American singer (No Mercy)
• September 25 – Brian Dunkleman, American comedian, actor, and television personality
• September 27 – Cass Browne, English musician and writer (Senseless Things)
• September 28 – A. J. Croce, singer-songwriter and son of Jim Croce
• September 29 – Marcos Llunas, Spanish singer-songwriter
• October 2
  • Tiffany, American singer, songwriter, actress and teen icon
  • Jim Root, guitarist for Slipknot
  • LeShaun, American rapper
• October 3
  • Kevin Richardson American singer (Backstreet Boys)
  • Black Thought, American rapper, MC and record producer (The Roots)
• October 4
  • Brian Transeau, American disc jockey
  • Case Woodard, American R&B singer, songwriter and record producer
  • Friderika Bayer, Hungarian singer
• October 9 – Sian Evans, Welsh singer
• October 10 – Evgeny Kissin, Russian pianist
• October 11 – MC Lyte, American rapper
• October 16 – Rick Adams, English television presenter
• October 17
  • Chris Kirkpatrick, American singer NSYNC
  • Derrick Plourde (The Ataris) (died 2005)
• October 18 – Eva Santamaría, Spanish singer
• October 20
  • Dannii Minogue, Australian singer
  • Snoop Dogg, American rapper
• October 21
  • Jade Jagger, English jewellery designer and model daughter of Mick Jagger
  • Mathematics, American producer and DJ (Wu-Tang Clan)
• October 23 – Jinu, American rapper, singer, songwriter and entrepreneur (Jinusean)
• October 25
  • Athena Chu, Hong Kong actress and singer
  • Midori Gotō, Japanese violinist
• October 26 – Anthony Rapp, American singer and actor
• October 27
  • Oh Yeon-soo, South Korean actress
  • Elissa, Lebanese singer, actress, television personality and businesswoman
• October 30 – John Alford, British singer and actor
• November 5
  • Jonny Greenwood, British musician, songwriter and composer
  • Edmond Leung, Hong Kong singer-songwriter and producer
• November 6 – Joey Beltram, DJ and record producer
• November 8 – Tech N9ne, American rapper
• November 10 – Big Pun, American rapper and songwriter
• November 12 – Tom Shear, American musician and producer
• November 13 – Buddy Zabala, bassist (Eraserheads)
• November 16
  • Annely Peebo, operatic mezzo-soprano
  • Kim Se-hwang, South Korean guitarist (NEXT)
  • Justine Clarke, Australian actress, singer, author and television host.
• November 18
  • Özlem Tekin, Turkish singer
  • Crazy Toones, American record producer and disc jockey (d. 2017)
• November 19 – Tony Rich, American R&B singer-songwriter
• December 9 – Geoff Barrow, English music producer, composer and DJ (Portishead)
• December 15 – Clint Lowery, American musician, songwriter and producer (Dark New Day)
• December 16
  • Michael McCary, American singer (Boyz II Men)
  • Paul van Dyk, German DJ, record producer and musician
• December 20 – Roger J. Beaujard, American musician
• December 24 – Ricky Martin, Puerto Rican singer
• December 25
  • Dido, English singer
  • Noel Hogan Irish guitarist (The Cranberries)
  • Simone Angel, Dutch television host
• December 26 – Jared Leto, American musician and actor (Thirty Seconds To Mars)
• December 28 – Anita Doth, Dutch singer and songwriter (2 Unlimited)
• December 31 – Marcus Adoro, lead guitarist (Eraserheads)
• Date unknown – Simon O'Neill, New Zealand opera singer

Deaths

• January 19 – Harry Shields, American musician (born 1899)
• January 24 – Therese Wiet, Austrian operetta singer (born 1885)
• February 1 – Harry Roy, British bandleader (born 1900)
• February 7 – Dock Boggs, banjo player (born 1898)
• March 6 – Thurston Dart, English harpsichordist and conductor (born 1921)
• March 17 – Piero Coppola, Italian conductor, pianist and composer, 82
• March 21 – Nan Wynn, US singer (born 1915)
• March 26 – Harold McNair, saxophonist and flute player (born 1931) (lung cancer)
• March 30 – Harold Craxton, pianist and composer, 85
• March 31 – Karl King, composer and bandleader (born 1891)
• April 6 – Igor Stravinsky, composer (born 1882)
• April 17 – Carmen Lombardo, US singer, composer and saxophonist, 67
• May 2 – Edith Day, US actress, singer and dancer (born 1896)
• May 30 – Marcel Dupré, organist and composer (born 1886)
• June 11 – Ambrose, English bandleader and violinist (born 1896)
• June 18 – Libby Holman, US singer and actress (born 1906)
• June 26 – Inia Te Wiata, New Zealand Māori bass-baritone opera singer, 56 (cancer)
• July 3 – Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors, 27 (heart failure, disputed)
• July 6 – Louis Armstrong, US jazz pioneer, 69 (heart attack)
• July 24 – Alan Rawsthorne, British composer, 66
• July 25 – Leroy Robertson, American composer, 74
• August 9 – Leslie Kong, Jamaican record producer (born 1933)
• August 13 – King Curtis, jazz and blues musician (born 1934) (murdered)
• August 15 – Edythe Baker, boogie-woogie pianist, 71
• August 17 – Tab Smith, saxophonist, 62
• August 25 – Ted Lewis, singer and bandleader, 81
• August 27 – Lil Hardin Armstrong, wife and musical collaborator of Louis Armstrong, 73
• September 13 – George Lambert, operatic baritone and voice teacher, 70
• October 2 – Bola de Nieve, Cuban singer, pianist, and songwriter, 60
• October 3 – Seán Ó Riada, composer and bandleader, 40 (cirrhosis of liver)
• October 12 – Gene Vincent, singer, 36 (stomach ulcer)
• October 13 – Benito Canónico, Venezuelan composer, 77
• October 24 – Carl Ruggles, composer, 95
• October 29 – Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band, 24 (motorcycle accident)
• November 4 – Ann Pennington, American actress & dancer, 77
• November 18 – Junior Parker, blues musician, 39 (brain tumour)
• November 22 – Zez Confrey, popular composer and pianist, 76
• December 8 – Marie Collier, operatic soprano, 44 (death from a fall)
• December 21 – Charlie Fuqua, vocalist (The Ink Spots)
• December 28 – Max Steiner, composer, 83
• date unknown – Marie-Anne Asselin, operatic mezzo-soprano and voice teacher

Awards

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1971

Country Music Association Awards

• Entertainer of the Year: Charley Pride
• Top Male Vocalist: Charley Pride
• Top Female Vocalist: Lynn Anderson
• Top Vocal Group: Osborne Brothers
• Top Instrumental Group: Danny Davis & the Nashville Brass
• Top Vocal Duo: Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
• Single of the Year: "Help Me Make It Through The Night" – Sammi Smith
• Song of the Year: "Easy Loving" – Freddie Hart
• Album of the Year: I Won't Mention It Again – Ray Price
• Musician of the Year: Jerry Reed

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1971
  • Séverine (of Monaco) for "Un banc, un arbre, une rue"