Remembering the musicians who passed away in 2025 (so far)

Some of the music industry's top performers who died in the first two months of 2025 were a gold mine of tunes, acts, and achievements that set the record for the industry. From vocalists with strong voices to creative instrumentalists, the artists left an indelible mark in the hearts of the people. Their death is a saddening experience, but their songs will be a source of motivation for generations to come.

Here we are remembering artists and honoring their work, achievement, and legacy. They breathed with passion, commitment, and creativity in their professional lives, and by recalling this memory, we are paying homage to their achievement in the music industry.

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Have a look at musicians who passed away in 2025

Gwen McCrae (1943–2025)

Soulful singer Gwen McCrae, who provided us with such hits as Rockin' Chair, died at 81. The soulful, expressive singer was one of the best artists in R&B and soul music. Her songs, which were released over the decades, have been timeless classics and have remained relevant to not just fans who grew up listening to them but also to new generations.

She was equally popular for being in a close relationship with the cream of artists and for inspiring generations of soul and R&B singers.

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Barry Goldberg (1942–2025)

Beloved blues pianist and songwriter Barry Goldberg passed away at age 83 due to non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A force in both blues and rock, Goldberg made the road with legends like Bob Dylan and Mike Bloomfield, and behind him is a legacy of hits and incendiary shows.

Goldberg's skill at combining blues, rock, and soul rendered him one of the most in-demand session artists and producers, and he played and produced hundreds of iconic records throughout his life.

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Peter Yarrow (1938–2025)

Folk music has lost a pioneer with the death of Peter Yarrow at 86. A member of the group Peter, Paul and Mary, he popularized folk music and employed his songs as a tool for social change. His songs are still a metaphor for art and activism.

Yarrow's impact extended beyond his songwriting—he was active in human rights activism and employed his public platform to advance peace and fairness, earning a significant following.

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Garth Hudson (1937–2025)

The Band's and veteran keyboardist, Garth Hudson, a longtime member, died at age 87. Through his atypical style of playing keyboards and by bringing the influences of jazz, classical music, and rock, Hudson was a profoundly powerful force during his era.

His unorthodox approach infused the attitude of The Band, and his participation in recordings like Music from Big Pink illustrated his prowess. Hudson's reach extended beyond The Band as a collaborator with a wide range of artists from many different styles.

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Paquita la del Barrio (1947–2025)

Mexican singer and composer Paquita la del Barrio, whose powerful ranchera ballads and feminist lyrics addressed themes of machismo and injustice, earned her a legend status in Latin American music, died at 77.

Her compositions, which commonly spoke of issues of machismo and injustice, made her a legend in Latin American music. She fearlessly employed her music to criticize social vices, most especially those of women, and emerged a legendary musician over her musical accomplishments.

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David Lynch (1946–2025)

Much more than a visionary film director, David Lynch was also a significant figure in the music world. Lynch collaborated on eerily atmospheric soundtracks for his films, such as Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, with composer Angelo Badalamenti.

His love for music also extended to his filmic endeavors, where he used sound and score as a means to relate to the narrative. Lynch's presence didn't limit him to the screen as he also ventured into electronic and ambient music, a further indication of his creative diversity.

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Russ North (1965–2025)

Heavy metal singer Russ North of Cloven Hoof died at 59. North was known for a strong vocal presence that he commanded well on the stage, and he was the favorite among worldwide metal fans.

His work with such albums as Dominator and A Sultan's Ransom has been a showcase of his craft and continues to be celebrated even today by enthusiasts of the genre.

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Ed Askew (1940–2025)

Experimental folk singer Ed Askew, an expert in songwriting outside of the usual formats and at playing the triple, died at 84. His experimental compositions were a source of inspiration to a whole generation of new folk musicians who relished his avant-garde and poetic compositions.

Askew's skill at fusing surrealist narrative with folk melodic structures earned him a cult following among the alternative music audience. His self-recorded and self-released albums are now greatly prized by folk music fans.

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Paddy Cole (1940–2025)

Irish showband and jazz musician Paddy Cole died at age 85. A flamboyant stage entertainer with an excellent stage presence, Cole helped popularize showband and jazz music in Ireland.

A favorite among people due to his high-energy and fun performances, Cole's legacy carried on through multiple generations of musicians in Ireland. Cole's legacy in the music world was not only through his performances but also through guiding young artists and preserving jazz traditions in Ireland.

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DJ Unk (1982–2025)

Atlanta DJ and rapper Unk, whose chart-toppers Walk It Out, ruled clubs and radio during the early 2000s, died at just 43 years old. His role in the Southern hip-hop universe made a lasting impression, especially during the early 2000s when his songs ruled clubs and radio.

Unk solidified his position as a hitmaker by developing infectious songs and anthems that were trendy for an entire generation. His fame was not restricted to music because he was also instrumental in determining dance trends and pop culture in the 2000s.

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The death of these creative giants in 2025 is experienced globally. They each added something new to their respective genres, and their legacies continue to inspire and affect. In all genres, whether jazz or folk, heavy metal or hip-hop, their legacies had fashioned soundscapes and left indelibly marked the imagination of listeners and contemporaries. Though they are now absent from the great beyond, their music still evokes visions of an eternally abiding power exercised by their works.

Their music work was not simply entertainment but narrations, expressions of culture, and social voice. In honoring them, we honor the eternal legacy of what they have made so that they never fade into the past. By their compositions, performances, and art forms, they left their mark irreversibly, and their art's legacies will forever go on to stimulate generations to be creative.

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