Obituary
One Direction’s Liam Payne Dies at 31
The British singer died after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires
Ka, Beloved Rapper of the Brooklyn Underground, Dies at 52
The proudly independent musician and New York firefighter released the final album of his lifetime, The Thief Next to Jesus, in August
Jackmaster, Scottish DJ and Producer, Dies at 38
The musician rose to fame in his hometown of Glasgow and co-founded the revered label Numbers
Achim Szepanski, Founder of Influential Electronic Labels Mille Plateaux and Force Inc., Dies at 67
Szepanski released landmark ambient albums by the likes of Gas and Oval while maintaining principles drawn from his work as a philosopher
Kris Kristofferson, Outlaw Country Singer and Hollywood Star, Dies at 88
Kristofferson was known for “Me and Bobby McGee,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” his starring role in A Star Is Born, and more
José Mauro, Brazilian Singer-Songwriter Who Vanished and Attained Cult Status, Dies at 75
After his two albums received little attention in the 1970s, Mauro went missing, feared dead, before a 2016 reissue led to his reappearance
The Jackson 5’s Tito Jackson Dies at 70
The singer and guitarist was a founding member of the pop group alongside his brother Michael
Frankie Beverly, Soul Singer and Maze Frontman, Dies at 77
The soul and funk vocalist brought energy to hits like “Before I Let Go,” “Back in Stride,” and “Can’t Get Over You”
Sergio Mendes, Brazilian Bossa Nova Great, Dies at 83
The singer, composer, bandleader, and keyboardist became one of the major crossover artists of his time, scoring U.S. hits with “Mas Que Nada” and “The Look of Love”
Rich Homie Quan Dies at 34
The Atlanta rapper was known for his hits “Type of Way” and “Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)” and his Rich Gang collaborations with Young Thug
Fatman Scoop, “Be Faithful” Rapper, Dies at 56
Beyond his 1999 sleeper hit, he found fame on Missy Elliott’s “Lose Control” and Mariah Carey’s “It’s Like That”
Pinkish Black Singer Daron Beck Dies at 48
After playing in the Great Tyrant, Beck formed Pinkish Black with drummer Jon Teague in 2011
Catherine Ribeiro, Boundary-Breaking French Singer, Dies at 82
The former yé-yé singer was known for a series of influential psychedelic prog records with Patrice Moullet’s Alpes
BeatKing, Hero of Houston Club Music, Dies at 39
The rapper and producer rose to prominence in the 2010s with his fusion of hip-hop and raw club rhythms
Dean Roberts, Experimental Composer in Thela and White Winged Moth, Dies at 49
The New Zealand multi-instrumentalist played in the noise trio Thela before releasing a series of cult solo records
Charles R. Cross, Seattle Music Journalist and Author of Kurt Cobain and Jimi Hendrix Biographies, Dies at 67
The Rocket editor and founder of Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets Magazine died from natural causes
DJ Randall, Influential Drum’n’Bass DJ, Dies at 54
The drum’n’bass and jungle DJ and producer helped develop breakbeat through club residencies and his label Mac2 Recordings
Chino XL, 1990s New York Rapper, Dies at 50
Born in the Bronx, the hip-hop figure was known for hits like “No Complex” and “Kreep”
Martin Phillipps, Founder of New Zealand Jangle-Pop Band the Chills, Dies at 61
A Flying Nun mainstay, the band popularized the Dunedin sound that influenced American groups like Pavement and R.E.M.
Toumani Diabaté, Malian Kora Virtuoso, Dies at 58
A 71st-generation master of the West African instrument, Diabaté pushed beyond tradition, playing alongside Björk, Taj Mahal, Damon Albarn, Ali Farka Touré, and others