| Name | Life | Comments | Reference |
|---|
| Peter Allen | (1944–1992) | Australian born songwriter and singer; wrote an expatriate anthem "I Still Call Australia Home". | [6] |
| Keith Barrow | (1954–1983) | American disco/soul singer and songwriter | [6] |
| Andy Bell | (born 1964) | British musician; singer of the synthpop duo Erasure. | [148] |
| Nadja Benaissa | (born 1982) | German musician; member of the girl group No Angels. | [149] |
| Andy Bey | (born 1939) | American jazz musician | [150] |
| Black Randy | (1952–1988) | American leader of west coast art-punk soul band Black Randy and the Metrosquad. | [151] |
| Jorge Bolet | (1914–1990) | Cuban pianist and conductor, well remembered for his performances and recordings of large-scale Romantic music. | [152] |
| Mykki Blanco | (born 1986) | American rapper performing artist and poet known for worldwide tours, and outspoken defense of LGBT rights | [153] |
| Cazuza | (1958–1990) | Brazilian singer and composer | [154] |
| Stuart Challender | (1947–1991) | Australian conductor; second Australian-born Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony (1987–91). | [155] |
| David Cole | (1963–1995) | American dance music producer, part of C+C Music Factory | [156] |
| Patrick Cowley | (1950–1982) | American electronic music artist | [157] |
| Robbin Crosby | (1959–2002) | American guitarist nicknamed "The King", member of the glam metal band Ratt. | [158] |
| Tony De Vit | (1957–1998) | British club disc jockey | [159] |
| Bobby DeBarge | (1956–1995) | Singer, member of the American musical band DeBarge and Funk Band Switch (band). | [160] |
| Paul Delph | (1957–1996) | Singer and musician based in Los Angeles | [161] |
| Kiki Djan | (1957–2004) | Ghanaian singer, member of the musical band Osibisa | [162] |
| Eazy-E | (1963–1995) | American rapper, member of gangsta rap group N.W.A. | [163] |
| Youri Egorov | (1954–1988) | Soviet classical pianist, defected to the Netherlands. | [21][164] |
| Patrick Esposito Di Napoli | (1964–1994) | French Canadian singer | [165] |
| Tom Fogerty | (1941–1990) | American musician who played rhythm guitar in Creedence Clearwater Revival, elder brother of John Fogerty, the lead singer and guitar player in that band. | [166] |
| Andy Fraser | (1952–2015) | British musician who played bass guitar in the influential 1970s group Free. Wrote the hit "All Right Now". | [167] |
| Michael Friedman | (1975–2017) | American composer and lyricist. Obie Award winner in 2007. Wrote the Broadway musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. | [168] |
| Ray Gillen | (1959–1993) | American singer, best known for his work with the bands Black Sabbath and Badlands. | [169] |
| Paul Giovanni | (1933–1990) | American playwright, actor, director, singer and musician, best known for writing the music for the film The Wicker Man | [170] |
| John Grant | (born 1968) | American alternative rock singer and songwriter | [171] |
| Kenny Greene | (1969–2001) | American R&B singer from the group Intro | [172] |
| Howard Greenfield | (1936–1986) | American songwriter; was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991. | [173] |
| Steven Grossman | (1951–1991) | American singer-songwriter from the 1970s | [174] |
| Calvin Hampton | (1938–1984) | American organist and sacred music composer | [175] |
| Dan Hartman | (1950–1994) | American singer, songwriter and record producer | [6] |
| Ofra Haza | (1957–2000) | Israeli singer; gained international recognition with the single "Im Nin'alu". | [176] |
| Jerry Herman | (1931–2019) | American composer/lyricist; composed the scores for the hit Broadway musicals Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles. | [177] |
| Fred Hersch | (born 1955) | American contemporary jazz pianist | [178] |
| Paul Jabara | (1948–1992) | American actor and songwriter: wrote Donna Summer's Oscar-winning hit "Last Dance" | [179] |
| Paul Jacobs | (1930–1983) | American pianist | [11] |
| Jobriath | (1946–1983) | American Glam Rock musician | [180] |
| Holly Johnson | (born 1960) | British singer, former lead singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood. | [181] |
| Bernard Kabanda | (1959–1999) | Ugandan guitarist | [21][182] |
| René Klijn | (1962–1993) | Dutch boyband singer and model. In 1992 starred in a controversial and iconic episode of Paul de Leeuw's TV show De Schreeuw van de Leeuw, where Klijn's illness was the main subject while De Leeuw took the liberty of cracking jokes about it. The episode was praised for discussing a taboo subject in frank but refreshing terms and won a Bronze Rose d'Or at Montreux. Their duet, Mr. Blue, became a number one-hit in the Netherlands while the money was donated to the AIDS foundation. | [183] |
| Fela Kuti | (1938–1997) | Nigerian musician and political activist | [184] |
| Héctor Lavoe | (1946–1993) | Puerto Ricansalsa singer and composer | [185] |
| Paul Lekakis | (born 1966) | American singer and actor | [186] |
| Liberace | (1919–1987) | American pianist and entertainer | [187] |
| Andreas Lundstedt | (born 1972) | Swedish musician best known as a member of the pop-disco group Alcazar. | [188] |
| Philly Lutaaya | (1951–1989) | Ugandan composer and musician, AIDS prevention activist in Africa | [189] |
| Billy Lyall | (1953–1989) | British keyboard player; member of Pilot and the Bay City Rollers. | [190] |
| Craig Mack | (1970–2018) | American rapper and record producer. | [191] |
| Jimmy McShane | (1957–1995) | Frontman of the Italian musical band Baltimora | [192][193] |
| Freddie Mercury | (1946–1991) | British musician and lead singer of the band Queen. | [194] |
| Haoui Montaug | (1952–1991) | American nightclub doorman, club promoter, and writer. | [195] |
| Jacques Morali | (1947–1991) | French disco composer, and co-creator of the Village People. | [6] |
| Alan Murphy | (1953–1989) | English guitarist. Worked with Kate Bush and Level 42, among others. | [196] |
| Billy Newton-Davis | (born 1951) | American-born Canadian R&B, gospel and jazz singer. | [197] |
| Klaus Nomi | (1944–1983) | German countertenor singer | [198] |
| Rodel Naval | (1953–1995) | Filipino singer, songwriter and actor | [199] |
| Stephen Oliver | (1950–1992) | English composer; known for his operas. | [200] |
| Chuck Panozzo | (born 1948) | American bass player; founding member of the rock band Styx. | [201] |
| Lonnie Pitchford | (1955–1998) | American blues musician and instrument maker | [202] |
| Sharon Redd | (1945–1992) | American disco singer | [203] |
| Scott Ross | (1951–1989) | American harpsichordist | [204] |
| Frankie Ruiz | (1958–1998) | Puerto Rican salsa singer and composer | [205] |
| Arthur Russell | (1951–1992) | American disco artist and cellist | [206] |
| Renato Russo | (1960–1996) | Brazilian founder and leader of the rock band Legião Urbana. | [207] |
| Gil Scott-Heron | (1949–2011) | American poet, musician, author and spoken word performer known as "The Godfather of Rap" | [208] |
| Mano Solo | (1963–2010) | French singer | [209] |
| Jermaine Stewart | (1957–1997) | American pop singer | [6] |
| Sylvester | (1947–1988) | American disco artist and drag performer | [210] |
| Umanji | (c. 1968–2008) | South African musician and songwriter | [211] |
| António Variações | (1944–1984) | Portuguese musician and songwriter. First known case in Portugal among famous people. | [212] |
| Ricky Wilson | (1953–1985) | American guitarist; original member of The B-52's. | [213] |
| Conchita Wurst | (born 1988) | Austrian drag performer, singer and winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest | [214] |
| Miki Zone | (1955–1986) | American musician; member of Man 2 Man | [215] |
| Zombo | (1979–2008) | South African singer, songwriter and music producer, best known as a member of kwaito group Abashante. | [216] |