This topic covers notable events and articles related to 2010 in music.

Specific locations

• 2010 in American music
• 2010 in Asian music
• 2010 in Australian music
• 2010 in British music
• 2010 in Canadian music
• 2010 in European music (Continental Europe)
• 2010 in Irish music
• 2010 in Japanese music
• 2010 in New Zealand music
• 2010 in Norwegian music
• 2010 in Philippine music
• 2010 in Swedish music
• 2010 in South Korean music

Specific genres

• 2010 in alternative rock
• 2010 in classical music
• 2010 in country music
• 2010 in heavy metal music
• 2010 in hip hop music
• 2010 in Latin music
• 2010 in jazz
• 2010 in opera
• 2010 in South Korean music
• 2010 in Japanese music

Albums released

• List of 2010 albums

Deaths

January

• 8 – Otmar Suitner (87), Austrian conductor
• 10 – Dick Johnson (84), American big band clarinetist^[1]
• 13
  • Teddy Pendergrass (59), American R&B singer
  • Jay Reatard (29), American indie rock singer
• 18 – Kate McGarrigle (63), Canadian folk singer (Kate & Anna McGarrigle)
• 26 – Dag Frøland (64), Norwegian comedian, singer and variety artist^[2]

February

• 6 – John Dankworth (82), English jazz saxophonist, clarinetist and composer^[3]
• 13 – Dale Hawkins (73), American rockabilly singer
• 14 – Doug Fieger (54), American power pop singer and guitarist (The Knack)
• 23 – Chilly B (47), American electro rapper (Newcleus)
• 27 – Larry Cassidy (56), British post-punk singer and guitarist (Section 25)

March

• 4 – Amalie Christie (96), Norwegian pianist^[4]
• 6 – Mark Linkous (47), American alternative rock singer (Sparklehorse)
• 7 – Tony Campise (67), American jazz saxophonist^[5]
• 17 – Alex Chilton (59), American power pop singer (The Box Tops, Big Star)
• 23 – Marva Wright (62), American blues and jazz singer^[6]
• 28 – Herb Ellis (88), American jazz guitarist^[7]

April

• 8 – Malcolm McLaren (64), British new wave musician and rock manager
• 13 – Steve Reid (66), American jazz drummer
• 14 – Peter Steele (48), American heavy metal singer (Type O Negative)
• 18 – Devon Clifford (30), Canadian indie rock drummer (You Say Party)
• 19 – Guru (43), American rapper (Gang Starr)
• 21 – Gustav Lorentzen (62), Norwegian folk singer and entertainer in Knutsen & Ludvigsen (Cardiac arrest)^[8]
• 29 – Johannes Fritsch (68), German composer and violist^[9]

May

• 5 – Alfons Kontarsky (77), German pianist^[10]
• 9 – Lena Horne (92), American jazz singer^[11]
• 16
  • Ronnie James Dio (67), American heavy metal singer (Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Dio, Heaven & Hell)
  • Hank Jones (91), American jazz pianist, bandleader, arranger, and composer^[12]
• 23 – Billy Francis (68), American rock keyboardist (Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show)
• 24 – Paul Gray (38), bassist for Slipknot^[13]
• 30 – Kristian Bergheim (83), Norwegian jazz saxophonist^[14]

June

• 5 – Arne Nordheim (78), Norwegian composer^[15]
• 6 – Marvin Isley (56), American R&B bassist (The Isley Brothers)
• 7 – Stuart Cable (40), British alternative rock drummer (Stereophonics)
• 16 – Garry Shider (56), American funk guitarist (Parliament-Funkadelic)
• 21
  • Larry Jon Wilson (69), American country singer
  • Chris Sievey (54), British singer and comedian
• 23 – Pete Quaife (68), British rock bassist (The Kinks)
• 24 – Fred Anderson (81), American jazz tenor saxophonist^[16]

July

• 10 – Sugar Minott (54), Jamaican reggae singer
• 12 – Tuli Kupferberg (80), American psychedelic musician and poet (The Fugs)
• 15 – Knut Stensholm (56), Norwegian drummer (Sambandet)^[17]
• 19 – Andy Hummel (59), American power pop bassist (Big Star)
• 23 – Willy Bakken (59), Norwegian guitarist and popular culture writer^[18]
• 26 – Al Goodman (67), American R&B singer (Ray, Goodman & Brown)

August

• 6
  • Catfish Collins (66), American funk guitarist (The J.B.'s, Parliament-Funkadelic)
  • Chris Dedrick (63), American sunshine pop singer, guitarist and arranger (The Free Design)
• 14 – Abbey Lincoln (80), American jazz singer^[19]
• 19 – Michael Been (60), American alternative rock singer and bassist (The Call)

September

• 3 – Mike Edwards (62), American rock cellist (Electric Light Orchestra)
• 13 – Jarosław Kukulski (66), Polish composer

October

• 5 – Jack Berntsen (69), Norwegian philologist, songwriter and folk singer^[20]
• 10 – Solomon Burke (70), American R&B singer
• 16 – Eyedea (28), American rapper (Eyedea & Abilities)
• 20 – Ari Up (48), British post-punk singer (The Slits)
• 25 – Gregory Isaacs (59), Jamaican reggae singer

November

• 25 – Peter Christopherson (55), British industrial musician (Throbbing Gristle, Psychic TV, Coil)

December

• 9 – James Moody (85), American jazz saxophonist^[3]
• 17 – Captain Beefheart (69), American blues singer^[21]
• 26 – Teena Marie (54), American R&B singer and bassist.
• 28 – Billy Taylor (89), American jazz pianist^[22]

Songs released in 2010

Musical films

• Nodame Cantabile: The Movie II