2012 in music

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This topic covers notable events and articles related to 2012 in music. This year was the peak of music downloads sales in the United States, with sales declining year on year since then.^[1]

Specific locations

Specific genres

Albums released

Classical music

Hans Abrahamsen – String Quartet No. 4
John Adams – Absolute Jest, for string quartet and orchestra
Harrison Birtwistle – The Moth Requiem, for twelve female voices, three harps and alto flute
Elliott Carter
- Dialogues II, for piano and chamber orchestra
- Epigrams, for violin, cello, and piano
- Instances, for chamber orchestra
Unsuk Chin – cosmigimmicks. A musical pantomime for seven instrumentalists
Peter Maxwell Davies – Symphony No. 9
Clemens Gadenstätter
- Bersten/Platzen (Paramyth 4), for cello and piano
- Haüten/Paramyth 1, for string quartet
- Sad Songs, for quartet with saxophone, electric guitar, percussion, piano and integrated electronics
Magnus Lindberg – Acequia Madre, for clarinet and piano
Bruno Mantovani – Concerto pour deux pianos, for two pianos and orchestra
Tristan Murail
- The Bronze Age, for flute, clarinet, trombone, violin, cello and piano
- Le Désenchantement du Monde, piano concerto
Matthias Pintscher
- Bereshit, for large ensemble
- Uriel, for cello and piano
Alberto Posadas - Sombras, for soprano, clarinet and string quartet
Eva Reiter – Irrlicht, for ensemble and electronics
Kaija Saariaho
- Circle Map, for orchestra and electronics
- Duft, for clarinet
- Sombre, for voice, bass flute, percussion, harp, and double bass
Erkki-Sven Tüür – String Quartet No. 2 Lost Prayers
Pēteris Vasks – Cello concerto No. 2 Klātbūtne ('Presence')

Opera

George Benjamin - Written on Skin

Deaths

January

3 – Daniel Peil (69), American rock singer (The Corporation)
4 – Totti Bergh (76), Norwegian jazz saxophonist^[2]
- Ruthilde Boesch (94), Austrian soprano
- John Levy (99), American jazz upright-bassist^[3]
26 – Clare Fischer (83), American jazz keyboardist, composer, arranger and bandleader^[4]

February

11 – Whitney Houston (48), American pop/R&B singer
22 – Eivin One Pedersen (55), Norwegian jazz accordionist and pianist^[5]
25 – Red Holloway (84), American jazz tenor saxophonist^[6]
29 - Davy Jones (66), English singer (The Monkees)

March

1 – Lucio Dalla (68), Italian jazz singer, clarinetist and actor^[7]
3 – Frank Marocco (81), American jazz piano-accordionist, arranger and composer^[8]
6 – Robert B. Sherman, 86, American songwriter, brother of Richard M. Sherman (Sherman Brothers)
15 – Edvard Hagerup Bull (89), Norwegian composer.^[9]

April

19 – Greg Ham (58), Australian musician Men at Work

May

4 – Adam Yauch (47), American rapper (Beastie Boys)
10 – Bernardo Sassetti (41), Portuguese jazz pianist and composer
13 – Trond Bråthen alias "Trondr Nefas" (35), Norwegian singer and guitarist of black metal band Urgehal^[10]
14 – Belita Woods (63), American R&B singer (Brainstorm)
17
- Warda Al-Jazairia (72), French-Algerian singer, in Egypt
- Donna Summer (63). American singer
20 – Robin Gibb (62), British singer (Bee Gees)
30 – Pete Cosey (68), American jazz guitarist^[11]

June

8 – Wilf Doyle (87), Canadian accordionist
17 – Brian Hibbard (65), (The Flying Pickets)
26 – Harry W. Kvebæk (87), Norwegian classical trumpeter and academic^[12]

July

7 – Alf Pearson (102), British singer and variety performer (Bob and Alf Pearson)
27 – Darryl Cotton (62), Australian pop-rock singer-songwriter (Zoot, Cotton, Lloyd & Christian)
31 - Tony Sly (41), Singer, guitarist for punk rock band No Use For a Name

August

11 – Von Freeman (88), American jazz saxophonist^[13]
18 – Scott McKenzie (73), American singer

September

25 – Andy Williams (84), American singer
26 – Marty Fortson (67), American rock and roll singer (The Rivieras)
29 – Johnny Sanders (66), American rock guitarist (The Gants)

October

8 – John Tchicai (76), Danish jazz saxophonist and composer^[14]
26 – Louis Nunley (81), American pop singer (The Anita Kerr Quartet)

November

3
- Anne-Lise Berntsen (69), Norwegian soprano singer^[15]
- Odd Børretzen (85), Norwegian author and folk singer (pneumonia)^[16]
15 – Frode Thingnæs (72), Norwegian jazz trombonist and bandleader (complications from heart attack)^[17]

December

5 – Dave Brubeck (91), American jazz pianist and composer^[18]

Births

January 7 - Blue Ivy Carter, first born daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, dancer, singer and activist (Member of greater Knowles family including Grand parents: Mathew Knowles, Tina Knowles, First cousin once removed: Angela Beyincé and Aunt:Solange Knowles)