In Memoriam 2024: The Musicians We Lost It takes a village to make the music we love. We remember the singers, songwriters, composers, instrumentalists, producers and journalists that we lost in 2024.
It takes a village to make the music we love. There are the voices and instruments out front, of course, and a band clicking everything into place. But there are also the songwriters who pen memorable melodies and words, producers and sound engineers to make everything sound just right, and journalists, photographers and illustrators to tell their stories. The music that has soundtracked your greatest triumphs and soothed your deepest wounds come from a thousand different places and people -- that's worth remembering.
What follows is a memorial to those music makers we lost in 2024, listed below in chronological order by the date they left us.
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German guitarist and composer who co-founded the krautrock band Amon Düül
The Philly-born saxophonist became a mentor to the Baltimore jazz scene, where he composed "The Inner Harbor Suite"
The energetic rockabilly guitarist was a member of The Collins Kids with his sister Lorrie
The English musician and sound engineer was a key collaborator with Kate Bush
The Greek-born American composer was a pioneer of new age music
The avant-garde composer and filmmaker tapped into the void with drones and microtones
The Cajun singer and accordionist found chart success in country music
With more than 100 works to his name -- performed by the likes of the New York Philharmonic and Joan Baez -- the composer was best known as musical parodist P.D.Q. Bach
The Italian-born, Berlin-based musician studied dhrupad for 15 years to become a master of the North Indian classical vocal style
Operating under the Silent Servant moniker, the Guatemalan-born DJ and electronic music producer helped to shape the L.A. techno scene
Sole member of The Soft Moon, a vehicle for the L.A. songwriter to battle his demons and heal through moody post-punk
The sultry nightclub singer's popular take on "California Soul" was sampled by Gang Starr and Quasimoto
German producer behind Boney M. and Milli Vanilli, whose success showed a penchant for flash disregard for decorum
Woodstock festival performer who penned the chart-topping innuendo-filled roller skate song "Brand New Key"
After a colleague critiqued his singing, the Japanese engineer invented the karaoke machine
British photographer whose portraits of Kate Bush and Iggy Pop -- not to mention album covers for Depeche Mode and Echo and the Bunnymen -- defined the 1980s
Guitarist whose revolutionary riffs in MC5 paved the way for punk and later inspired him to co-found Jail Guitar Doors USA, which provides instruments to inmates serving time
Bassist and bandleader of Bob Marley and the Wailers
To paraphrase the man himself, a Toby Keith song is the the best receptacle for barbecues, tailgates, fairs and festivals
An over-the-top psychobilly rocker who took silly shots at celebrity, but also offered pointed critiques of the establishment
When Can needed a new singer in 1970, the Japanese experimentalist's ecstatic vocalizations expanded the already-adventurous German band's universe
The rockabilly and roots rock musician influenced generations of power duos, including The White Stripes, with his band Flat Duo Jets
The Bronx-born boogaloo pianist and bandleader's "I Like It Like That" has lived several lives, most recently as a sample on Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin's hit "I Like It"
The husband-and-wife vocal duo Steve & Eydie kept the Tiny Pan Alley tradition alive well into rock and roll's awakening
Noise-maker for the grindcore band Pig Destroyer and effusive hypeman for all things loud, heavy and fast
Welsh singer-songwriter who helped to define 1980s college radio in World Party and The Waterboys
A brash and brilliant pioneer of the alternative Christian rock scene who challenged the faithful to examine their faults and hypocrisies
German composer of emotionally devastating operas
Scottish-born, L.A.-based singer for the '90s band Wild Colonials
Singular American concert pianist who specialized in Chopin
Gospel music singer and twin sister to Andraé Crouch
Born with spina bifida, Matthew Urango used his disco-influenced indie-pop music to advocate for people with disabilities
Towering, intellectually rigorous, classical pianist
Leading Hungarian modernist composer and conductor
Member of the 1960s experimental music collective Theatre of Eternal Music and lighting designer for the immersive "Dream House" installation co-created with her husband, the composer La Monte Young
The poet's radical politics dovetailed with those of the Detroit rock band MC5, which he managed from 1966-1969
An expressive drummer who brought finesse and forward pull to a sweeping expanse of modern jazz over more than seven decades
Guitarist for the English shoegaze band Pale Saints
The in-house drummer for early hip-hop labels Sugar Hill and Tommy Boy also appeared on Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine
New Orleans R&B singer and pianist whose signature croak can be heard on his song "Ain't Got No Home"
German-born Canadian drummer for the punk bands D.O.A., SNFU and Subhumans
Ethiopian singer whose songs from the 1970s and '80s were filled with love and longing for better times
This seminal figure in Atlanta hip-hop, who provided the Dungeon that produced OutKast, Goodie Mob and many other local players, helped lead a regional rap movement as a member of Organized Noize
As a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, his blues, rock and country-influenced guitar style helped define Southern rock in the 1960s and '70s
Bassist for the psychedelic rock band Dead Meadow
Record producer for the Arista, Freedom and Muse labels, who also curated archival box sets around the works of Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Nat "King" Cole
As the guitarist for Shellac and Big Black, he was abrasive and absurd; as an engineer on thousands of records, he left an indelible mark on how we hear music
Drummer for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Jefferson Airplane and The Turtles, including on the latter's 1967 hit "Happy Together"
The drummer's thunderous swing drove the proto-punk chaos of MC5
An alto saxophonist whose tone was as bright and steadfast as a lighthouse beacon during a career that spanned nearly 60 years
Founding member of Iron Butterfly who sang and played organ on the band's hit song "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida"
Bassist in metal bands Sumerlands and Eternal Champion
A member of the rap group 2 Live Crew, which pioneered the Miami bass sound in the late '80s
The "voice of house music" gave the fervent sermon heard on Rhythm Controll's 1987 track "My House"
France's It Girl of the 1960s was a striking presence on the "yé-yé" scene, yet her musical career outlasted many of her peers, spanning more than 30 studio albums
Caribbean-born singer for the London-based ska band The Selecter
The Mexican-born, South Texas-based TV host introduced many artists, including a teenage Selena Quintanilla, to a wider audience
New York R&B singer whose three-and-half octave range fueled "This Time I'll Be Sweeter" and "I Try"
The music journalist championed the outskirts of country and Americana via SiriusXM
The saxophonist's provocative performances and outlandish punk-funk music in the Contortions pioneered New York's no wave scene
One-time record label executive who co-founded Cornerstone Agency and The Fader, linking music media and marketing
The offbeat country singer and mystery novelist -- and candidate for Texas governor in 2006 -- who blurred the line between his persona and true identity
Record producer with a diverse set of credits, ranging from Rush and Queensrÿche to Jewel and Indigo Girls
The vocalist disappeared after making two hauntingly spare albums for ESP-Disk' in the 1960s, and was celebrated by the avant-garde community upon her return decades later
Austin-based music journalist who wrote scholarly books about the fringes of Texas music
The singer and guitarist's time in the Minneapolis indie rock scene inspired her beloved memoir, Petal Pusher: A Rock and Roll Cinderella Story
Co-founder of Stealers Wheel and co-writer of the Scottish band's "Stuck in the Middle With You"
Tenor in the country and gospel vocal quartet The Oak Ridge Boys
The Nashville songwriter penned songs for Kenny Rogers and the Oak Ridge Boys, and had his own hit in "Please Come to Boston"
WRTI host and founder of the Philadelphia Jazz Project who, above all, believed in telling stories
A civil rights activist who co-founded The Freedom Singers and later started the African American vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock
Long-running Geffen Records president who oversaw the label's Guns N' Roses and Nirvana years
The Greenwich Village folk singer and guitarist worked with Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Pete Seeger and Peter Tosh
Co-vocalist (along with cousin Juan Brujo, who died just two months later) in L.A.-based Latin metal band Brujeria
When the Malian musician plucked the kora's 21 strings, the world fell in love
Lead guitarist for the late-'60s psychedelic three-guitar attack of Moby Grape
Through his band the Bluesbreakers, several guitarists flourished under the "godfather of the British blues," including Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor and Peter Green
Professor of musicology, preeminent scholar of American music and author of The American Musical Landscape
Strikingly original, and prolific, German composer
The fire-starting Bronx-born rapper and actor who began his career in the duo Art of Origin in the early '90s once feuded with Tupac Shakur
In the New Zealand band The Chills, the songwriter crafted the ramshackle indie-rock sound that influenced the likes of R.E.M. and Pavement
The Snarky Puppy singer and keyboardist was also the music director for gospel music titan Kirk Franklin
Beloved Brazilian cellist and member of the Beaux Arts Trio
Williams' song "Stay," first recorded by his doo-wop group The Zodiacs in 1960, became a hit for The Four Seasons and The Hollies
J. Mascis called on this bassist for his stoner rock band Witch and vice versa for the power-pop band Sweet Apple
The Rocket editor and writer documented Seattle's rising grunge scene and wrote pivotal books on Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain
The New Zealand singer-songwriter made ghostly music as White Winged Moth and in the band Autistic Daughters
The singer-songwriter's 1983 power-pop hit "Jeopardy" reached No. 2 on the pop chart, behind Michael Jackson's "Beat It"
The Houston rapper, a self-proclaimed Club Godzilla, produced several viral striptease anthems, including "Then Leave" and the platinum-selling "Thick" with DJ Chose
Founding member of the psychedelic soul band The Chambers Brothers
Keyboardist for the experimental electronic band Ulver
Bluegrass and country music fiddler who played with Bill Monroe and Porter Wagoner
Guitarist for Turing Machine and Pitchblende who later opened the Michelin-starred Brooklyn restaurant The Four Horseman with LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy
The adventurous French singer made a pivot from the popular "yé-yé" scene to psychedelic prog-rock in the band Alpes
A versatile and soulful guitarist who epitomized straight-ahead jazz guitar for his generation
The journalist is best known for his work in Wired and his writing about neurodiversity, but got his start covering 1970s counterculture, including the artists Grateful Dead and David Crosby
A musician who emerged with Brazil's bossa nova movement in the 1960s and became an ambassador for that country's music around the world
The Atlanta rapper scored several hits in the mid-2010s, including "Lifestyle" as part of Rich Gang, but he will be remembered more for his influence on the texture of modern rap
The English bassist was a member of T. Rex and a prolific session musician, whose many credits include the iconic bass line heard on Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side"
Even if you don't know his name, you may well know all of the words he wrote for "My Heart Will Go On" and "Tears in Heaven"
Stalwart soprano who sang 748 performances with the Metropolitan Opera
Reissues of his two 1970s LPs renewed interest in the Brazilian pop singer's music -- and laid to rest rumors of his disappearance
Swans member and Foetus collaborator who carried on his penchant for extremity by producing records for The The and The Young Gods
The singer-songwriter shaped the Southern California sound, penning songs performed by the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt
Vocalist and co-founder of the outsized metal band Brujeria
A master saxophonist revered as much for the durable standards he contributed to the jazz repertoire as for his eloquent tenor sound
Guitarist for the '80s New York anarcho-punk band Reagan Youth
A movie star and musical rebel who wrote songs about lovers, loners, boozers and a footloose pair of hitchhikers
Drummer who inaugurated James Blood Ulmer's "avant-gutbucket" jazz trio Odyssey, and who also worked with Nina Simone and Larry Willis
The teenaged Canadian musician had collaborated with the Flaming Lips, and was preparing to release her debut solo album in 2025
Generation-spanning gospel singer who performed with Elvis, Aretha and Van Morrison; mother to Whitney Houston
Eclectic Finnish conductor and composer of 371 symphonies
Scottish DJ and producer who performed as Jackmaster
This Brooklyn rapper's hard-work ethic set the standard for DIY artists everywhere. His lyrical precision shone a light back on his community.
A singer who rose to fame as a member of the chart-topping boy band One Direction
Early vocalist for Iron Maiden who sang on the heavy metal band's self-titled debut and Killers
Guitar mangler for the improvised noise trio Borbetomagus
The Brooklyn-born producer worked with Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G. and Mariah Carey, but will be remembered just as fondly for his mark on rap's sneaker culture
The bassist and founding member of The Grateful Dead sang on some of the band's most memorable songs, including "Box of Rain"
Former drummer of My Chemical Romance, who performed on its landmark album The Black Parade
An alto saxophonist who played a crucial role in both the development of hard bop and its evolution into soul jazz
The first lady of children's music, whose "You'll Sing A Song and I'll Sing A Song" will forever be passed down, believed in learning from the world
American producer who shaped the Brit Beat sound with The Who and The Kinks
The garage-rock singer had a voice that could puncture heaven and soothe hell
The British poet co-founded King Crimson with Robert Fripp and penned lyrics for the likes of Cher, Celine Dion and Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Indian classical musician who collaborated with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, and produced the sumptuously cool Disco Jazz for the pop singer Rupa
The songwriter worked with French artists Jaques Brel and Juliette Gréco and penned Édith Piaf's iconic "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien"
Once a dancer in Digital Underground, the Oakland rapper grew to become a singular presence on the Bay Area scene
Producer, songwriter and rocker whose broad catalog -- Madonna, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Brian Wilson, Jonathan Richman, SpongeBob SquarePants -- was playful and unique
The Elephant 6 collective co-founder meticulously collaged psychedelic-pop symphonies in The Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System
Miami-based producer, songwriter and record label owner who discovered Sam & Dave, released records by KC and the Sunshine Band
Founder of Soultown, As-Shams and The Sun, the only Black-owned labels that operated under Apartheid
Jazz trumpeter who worked with avant-garde luminaries such as Tim Berne, Satoko Fujii and Anthony Davis
A distinguished French pianist whose dextrous and imaginative command of the jazz language made him a trailblazer in Europe
Indian tabla player who united musicians from diverse cultures and by doing so, shaped modern world music
Alison Krauss, Pete Seeger and many others have recorded his songs, especially the folk standard "Garden Song," which John Denver performed with The Muppets
The beloved rock guitarist joined The Replacements from 1987-1991, and released a pair of stellar solo albums in the '90s