2015 in music

This topic covers notable events and articles related to music in 2015.

Albums released

List of 2015 albums

Awards

2015 Billboard Music Awards

Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift – New Artist of the Year: Sam Smith – Top Hot 100 Song: All About That Bass – Top Billboard 200 Album: 1989

57th Japan Record Awards

Grand Prix: "Unfair World" by Sandaime J Soul Brothers from Exile Tribe • Best Singer: Seiko Matsuda • Best New Artist: Magnolia Factory • Best Song: several

2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards

Artist of the Year: Big Bang • Album of the Year: Exodus by Exo • Song of the Year: "Bang Bang Bang" by Big Bang • Best Music Video: Bae Bae by Big Bang

MTV Video Music Awards

Video of the Year: Bad Blood – Best Male Video: Uptown Funk – Best Female Video: Blank Space – Artist to Watch: Fetty Wap

MTV Europe Music Awards

Best Song: Bad Blood – Best Video: Downtown – Best Female: Rihanna – Best Male: Justin Bieber

The 3rd V Chart Awards

Top Male Artist : Vision Wei with By Your Side • Top Female Artist: Jane Zhang with You Are Mine • Top Group: Top Combine with Large Pear • Top New Artist: Henry Huo

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Inductees: The Paul Butterfield Blues Band • Joan Jett & The Blackhearts • Green Day • Lou Reed • Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble • Bill Withers

25th Seoul Music Awards

Grand Prize: Exo • Best Album: Time by Beast • Best Song: "Some" by Soyou & Lil Boi • Best New Artist: Red Velvet, Got7, Eddy Kim

Bands formed

Soloist debuts

Bands reformed

Bands disbanded

Deaths

January

1 – Matthew Cogley, British musician and songwriter.6 – Lance Percival, British actor and singer.13

*Ronnie Ronalde, British siffleur and yodeller.
*Trevor Ward-Davies, English bassist 19 – Ward Swingle, American jazz singer.22 – Joan Hinde, British trumpet player25 – Demis Roussos, Greek singer and musician27 – Margot Moir, Scottish-born Australian singer.29 – Danny McCulloch, British bassist.

February

12 – Steve Strange, British musician. 16 – Lesley Gore, American singer21 – Clark Terry, American jazz trumpeter.22 – Erik Amundsen, Norwegian jazz upright-bassist.23 – Ron Edgar, American rock drummer

March

21 – Jørgen Ingmann,, Danish guitarist.

April

*Dave Ball, British musician.
*Sandy Mason, American country music singer-songwriter3 – Andrew Porter, British organist, music critic, and opera director10 – Ronald Hambleton, English-born Canadian broadcaster and music critic.13 – Ronnie Carroll, Northern Irish singer14 – Percy Sledge, American soul, gospel and R&B singer17 – Brian Couzens, British music industry executive.18 – Ben E. King, American soul and R&B singer

May

*Errol Brown, British-Jamaican singer
*Dottie Dillard, American pop singer 14 – B.B. King, American blues guitarist.20 – Bob Belden, American jazz saxophonist.23 – Marcus Belgrave, American jazz trumpeter.31 – Slim Richey, American jazz guitarist.

June

11 – Ornette Coleman, American jazz saxophonist.12 – Monica Lewis, American singer and actress.21 – Gunther Schuller, American composer, conductor, and horn player.27 – Joe Bennett, American rock and roll singer, songwriter, and guitarist

July

*Val Doonican, Irish-born singer.
*Edward Greenfield, British music critic and broadcaster.13 – Eric Wrixon, British musician from Belfast, Northern Ireland.22
*Daron Norwood, American country music singer
*Eddie Hardin, British singer-songwriter and pianist.30 – Lynn Anderson, American country singer31 – Pamela Brandt, American country-rock bassist, singer and songwriter

August

1 – Cilla Black, British singer and presenter.12 – John Scott, British organist and choirmaster.14 – Jazz Summers, British music manager, 20 – Laurent Rossi, French singer, songwriter, and record producer

September

4 – Hal Willis, Canadian country music singer13 – Gary Richrath, American guitarist 29 – Phil Woods, American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader and composer

October

8 – Jim Diamond, Scottish singer 9 – Larry Rosen, American drummer, entrepreneur, and music producer.10 – Steve Mackay American Saxophonist 11 – Carey Lander, Scottish keyboardist 20 – Cory Wells, American singer 22 – Mark Murphy, American singer.28 – Diane Charlemagne, English dance singer

November

5 – Nora Brockstedt, Norwegian singer.25 – Svein Christiansen, Norwegian drummer.

December

3 – Scott Weiland, American musician, singer and songwriter 28

* Guru Josh, acid house DJ
* Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, English musician, singer and songwriter 30 – Zjef Vanuytsel, Belgian folk singer. 31 – Natalie Cole, American singer, songwriter, and actress.