Musicians Who Died in 2025

From Ace Frehley to D’Angelo, Ozzy Osbourne, Roberta Flack and beyond, Billboard remembers the artists who left us this year.

Guitarist Ace Frehley performs on stage during Alice Cooper’s 19th Annual Christmas Pudding Fundraiser at Celebrity Theatre on Dec. 4, 2021, in Phoenix.

Daniel Knighton/Getty Images

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2025 got off to a rough start in the music world, with two music greats passing away on the first day of the new year. Argentine artist and composer Leo Dan — known for his romantic tracks such as“Cómo Te Extraño Mi Amor,” “Mary Es Mi Amor” and “Pídeme La Luna” — died at age 82; Wayne Osmond, the second oldest of the Osmond Brothers, died at 73, his family announced the day after his passing.

Soul singer Brenton Wood, known for 1967’s “The Oogum Boogum Song,” died of natural causes on Jan. 3 at age 83. And before the first week of the new year ended, Peter Yarrow of popular folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary died in his New York City home at age 86 after a four-year battle against bladder cancer.

The losses continued with Sam Moore of the duo Sam & Dave passing away at age 89 on Jan. 10, followed by The Whites’ Buck White, who died three days later at age 94, then Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake guitarist John Sykes passing on at age 65 after a cancer battle. And on the final day of the third week of the new year, Garth Hudson — the last surviving member of Rock Hall-honored group The Band — died in his sleep at age 87.

Music fans were dealt another blow when the iconic Roberta Flack died at age 88 on Feb. 24, surrounded by her loved ones. Another big loss hit on July 22, when metal icon Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age 76, just weeks after the final Black Sabbath concert.

While the world has had to say goodbye to many musicians so far this year, they will live in the memories of not only their families, but their fans. Here, Billboard remembers the musical artists who passed away in 2025.

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  Jimmy Cliff

  Image Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images

  (July 30, 1944 – Nov. 24, 2025)

• Ornella Vanoni

  Image Credit: Sergione Infuso/Corbis via Getty Images

  (Sept. 22, 1934 – Nov. 21, 2025)

• Jellybean Johnson

  Image Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

  (Nov. 19, 1956 – Nov. 21, 2025)

• Gary “Mani” Mounfield

  Image Credit: Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images

  (Nov. 16, 1962 – Nov. 20, 2025)

• Todd Snider

  Image Credit: Angelina Castillo

  (Oct. 11, 1966 – Nov. 14, 2025)

• Donna Jean Godchaux-MacKay

  Image Credit: Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty Images

  (Aug. 22, 1947 – Nov. 2, 2025)

• David Ball

  Image Credit: C Brandon/Redferns

  (May 3, 1959 – Oct. 22, 2025)

• Sam Rivers

  Image Credit: Medios y Media/Getty Images

  (Sept. 2, 1977 – Oct. 18, 2025)

• Ace Frehley

  Image Credit: Gary Miller/Getty Images

  (April 27, 1951 – Oct. 16, 2025)

• D’Angelo

  Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images

  (Feb. 11, 1974 – Oct. 14, 2025)

• John Lodge

  Image Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images

  (July 20, 1943 – Oct. 10, 2025)

• Fede Dorcaz

  Image Credit: Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for Armand de Brignac

  (Oct. 9, 2025)

• JD Twitch

  Image Credit: Andy Sheppard/Redferns via Getty Images

  (Sept. 19, 2025)

• Sonny Curtis

  Image Credit: Jo Hale/Getty Images

  (May 9, 1937 – Sept. 19, 2025)

• Brett James

  Image Credit: Jay Gilbert

  (June 5, 1968 – Sept. 18, 2025)

• Hermeto Pascoal

  Image Credit: Mauricio Santana/Getty Images

  (June 22, 1936 – Sept. 13, 2025)

• Bobby Hart (second from right)

  Image Credit: Chris Walter/WireImage

  (Feb. 18, 1939 – Sept. 10, 2025)

• Rick Davies

  Image Credit: Brill/ullstein bild via Getty Images

  (July 22, 1944 – Sept. 5, 2025)

• Mark Volman

  Image Credit: Steve Eichner/Getty Images

  (April 19, 1947 – Sept. 5, 2025)

• Robby Turner (back)

  Image Credit: Rick Diamond/Getty Images

  (Sept. 4, 2025)

• Hooshmand Aghili (center left)

  Image Credit: Erin C Shimazu Photography/Courtesy Tahmasbi Family

  (1937 – Sept. 4, 2025)

• Xava Drago

  Image Credit: Grupo Coda

  (Aug. 21, 2025)

• Brent Hinds

  Image Credit: Barry Brecheisen/Getty Images

  (Jan. 16, 1974 – Aug. 20, 2025)

• Michael “Tunes” Antunes

  Image Credit: Bobby Bank/Getty Images

  (Aug. 10, 1940 – Aug. 19, 2025)

• Ernesto Barajas

  Image Credit: Enigma Norteño

  (Aug. 19, 2025)

• Joe Hickerson

  Image Credit: Carl Fleischhauer/Courtesy of the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

  (Oct. 20, 1935 – Aug. 17, 2025)

• Bobby Whitlock

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (March 18, 1948 – Aug. 10, 2025)

• Eddie Palmieri

  Image Credit: Tad Hershorn/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

  (Dec. 15, 1936 – Aug. 6, 2025)

• Terry Reid

  Image Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images

  (Nov. 13, 1949 – Aug. 5, 2025)

• David Roach (center)

  Image Credit: Ted Thorton

  (Aug. 1, 2025)

• Jeannie Seely

  Image Credit: Photo credit: Cyndi Hornsby

  (July 6, 1940 – Aug. 1, 2025)

• Flaco Jimenez

  Image Credit: Frans Schellekens/Redferns

  (March 11, 1939 – July 31, 2025)

• Tom Lehrer

  Image Credit: Anthony Pidgeon/Redferns

  (April 9, 1928 – July 26, 2025)

• Hulk Hogan

  Image Credit: Paul Kane/Getty Images

  (Aug. 11, 1953 – July 24, 2025)

• Cleo Laine

  Image Credit: Howard Denner/Avalon/Getty Images

  (Oct. 28, 1927 – July 24, 2025)

• Chuck Mangione

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (Nov. 29, 1940 – July 22, 2025)

• Ozzy Osbourne

  Image Credit: Ian Dickson/Redferns

  (Dec. 3, 1948 – July 22, 2025)

• Malcolm-Jamal Warner

  Image Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images

  (Aug. 18, 1970 – July 20, 2025)

• Alan Bergman

  Image Credit: Leah Puttkammer/FilmMagic

  (Sept. 11, 1925 – July 17, 2025)

• Connie Francis

  Image Credit: PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (Dec. 12, 1937 – July 16, 2025)

• David Kaff (right)

  Image Credit: ©Embassy Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

  (April 17, 1946 – July 12, 2025)

• Young Noble

  Image Credit: Robin Marchant/Getty Images

  (March 21, 1978 – July 4, 2025)

• Jimmy Swaggart

  Image Credit: Cynthia Johnson/Getty Images

  (March 15, 1935 – July 1, 2025)

• Walter Scott Jr.

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (1944 – June 26, 2025)

• Lalo Schifrin

  Image Credit: Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images

  (June 21, 1932 – June 26, 2025)

• Bobby Sherman

  Image Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

  (July 22, 1943 – June 24, 2025)

• Mick Ralphs

  Image Credit: Tom Hill/Getty Images

  (March 31, 1944 – June 23, 2025)

• Cavin Yarbrough

  Image Credit: LATF USA News/Parapluie Inc.

  (Jan. 22, 1954 – June 19, 2025)

• Patrick Walden (left)

  Image Credit: Brian Rasic/Getty Images

  (June 2025)

• Lou Christie

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (Feb. 19, 1943 – June 18, 2025)

• Brian Wilson

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (June 20, 1942 – June 11, 2025)

• Douglas McCarthy

  Image Credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images

  (Sept. 1, 1966 – June 11, 2025)

• Sly Stone

  Image Credit: Michael Putland/Getty Images

  (March 15, 1943 – June 9, 2025)

• Wayne Lewis

  Image Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images

  (April 13, 1957 – June 5, 2025)

• Renée Victor

  Image Credit: Olivia Wong/Getty Images

  (July 25, 1938 – May 30, 2025)

• Alf Clausen

  Image Credit: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

  (March 28, 1941 – May 29, 2025)

• Michael Sumler

  Image Credit: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns

  (Nov. 1, 1953 – May 25, 2025)

• Rick Derringer

  Image Credit: Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty Images

  (Aug. 5, 1947 – May 26, 2025)

• Daniel Williams

  Image Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images

  (May 22, 2025)

• Rodney Brown

  (May 17, 2025)

• Charles Strouse

  Image Credit: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

  (June 7, 1928 – May 15, 2025)

• Johnny Rodriguez

  Image Credit: Paul S. Howell/Getty Images

  (Dec. 10, 1951 – May 9, 2025)

• James Baker

  Image Credit: Courtesy Photo.

  (1954 – May 5, 2025)

• Jill Sobule

  Image Credit: Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images

  (Jan. 16, 1959 – May 1, 2025)

• Mike Peters

  Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images

  (Feb. 25, 1959 – April 29, 2025)

• David Thomas

  Image Credit: Gary Gershoff/Getty Images

  (June 14, 1953 – April 23 2025)

• Wink Martindale

  Image Credit: CBS via Getty Images

  (Dec. 4, 1933 – April 15, 2025)

• Max Romeo

  Image Credit: David Corio/Redferns

  (Nov. 22, 1947 – April 11, 2025)

• Rubby Perez

  Image Credit: Frank Franklin II/AP Images

  (March 8, 1956 – April 8, 2025)

• Clem Burke

  Image Credit: Maureen Donaldson/Getty Images

  (Nov. 24, 1954 – April 6, 2025)

• Larry Bastian

  Image Credit: Chieko Hara/The Porterville Recorder/AP Images

  (Sept. 1, 1934 – April 6, 2025)

• Dave Allen

  Image Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

  (Dec. 23, 1955 – April 5, 2025)

• Amadou Bagayoko

  Image Credit: Alessandro Bosio/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

  (Oct. 24, 1954 – April 4, 2025)

• Johnny Tillotson

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (April 20, 1938 – April 1, 2025)

• Young Scooter

  Image Credit: Audible Treats

  (March 28, 1986 – March 28, 2025)

• Doug Kiker

  Image Credit: Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images

  (March 2025)

• Alice Tan Ridley

  Image Credit: Trae Patton/NBCU Photo Bank

  (December 21, 1952 – March 25, 2025)

• Huey P. Williams

  Image Credit: Supplied

  (March 24, 2025)

• Larry Tamblin

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (Feb. 5, 1943 – March 21, 2025)

• Jesse Colin Young

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (Nov. 22, 1941 – March 16, 2025)

• Les Binks

  Image Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty Images

  (Aug. 8, 1951 – March 15, 2025)

• D’Wayne Wiggins

  Image Credit: Gary Gerard Hamilton/AP Images

  (March 7, 2025)

• Brian James

  Image Credit: Erica Echenberg/Redferns

  (March 6, 2025)

• Angie Stone

  Image Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

  (Dec. 18, 1961 – March 1, 2025)

• Joey Molland

  Image Credit: Bobby Bank/Getty Images

  (June 21, 1947 – March 1, 2025)

• David Johansen

  Image Credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images

  (Jan. 9, 1950 – Feb. 28, 2025)

• Robert John

  Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

  (Jan. 3, 1946 – Feb. 24, 2025)

• Chris Jasper

  Image Credit: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

  (Dec. 30, 1951 – Feb. 23, 2025)

• Roberta Flack

  Image Credit: Anthony Barboza/Getty Images

  (Feb. 10, 1937 – Feb. 24, 2025)

• Rick Buckler

  Image Credit: Fin Costello/Redferns

  (Dec. 6, 1955 – Feb. 17, 2025)

• Paquita la del Barrio

  Image Credit: John Medina/WireImage

  (April 2, 1947 – Feb. 17, 2025)

• Gene “Groove” Allen

  Image Credit: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

  (Feb. 26, 1964 – Feb. 12, 2025)

• Irv Gotti

  Image Credit: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for WEtv

  (June 26, 1970 – Feb. 5, 2025)

• Marianne Faithfull

  Image Credit: Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns

  (Dec. 29, 1946 – Jan. 30, 2025)

• Ryan Whyte Maloney

  Image Credit: Tyler Golden/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

  (Jan. 28, 2025)

• DJ Unk

  Image Credit: Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

  (Nov. 28, 1982 – Jan. 24, 2025)

• Garth Hudson

  Image Credit: Steve Eichner/Getty Images

  (Aug. 2, 1937 – Jan. 21, 2025)

• John Sykes

  Image Credit: Paul Natkin/Getty Images

  (July 29, 1959 – Jan. 20, 2025)

• Buck White

  Image Credit: Grand Ole Opry

  (Dec. 13, 1930 – Jan. 13, 2025)

• Sam Moore

  Image Credit: Jeremy Westby

  (Oct. 12, 1935 – Jan. 10, 2025)

• Peter Yarrow

  Image Credit: Brad Barket/Getty Images

  (May 31, 1938 – Jan. 7, 2025)

• Brenton Wood

  Image Credit: Scott Dudelson/Getty Images

  (July 26, 1941 – Jan. 3, 2025)

• Wayne Osmond

  Image Credit: Gems/Redferns

  (Aug. 28, 1951 – Jan. 1, 2025)

• Leo Dan

  Image Credit: Courtesy of Sony Latin

  (March 22, 1942 – Jan. 1, 2025)

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