All the artists that left us in 2025

2025 was full of great releases, but also full of great losses, especially in the heavy metal and rock world. Here’s a list of all the extraordinary artists that left us during the year.

January

Russ North: July 22, 1965 – January 2, 2025
Former singer with Cloven Hoof and Tredegar

Ragne Wahlquist: January 23, 1955 – January 2, 2025
Frontman and guitarist with Swedish metalheads Heavy Load

Garth Hudson: August 2, 1937 – January 21, 2025
The last surviving member of The Band

Keith Satchfield: Died January 21, 2025
Guitarist with NWOBHM band Fist

Barry Goldberg: December 25, 1941 – January 22, 2025
Played with Bob Dylan at Newport in 1965

Johan Slager: June 8, 1946 – January 22, 2025
Guitarist with Dutch prog-rockers Kayak

Aaron Rossi: December 6, 1980 – January 27, 2025
Former drummer with Ministry and Prong

Bruce Howe: March 17, 1947 – January 29, 2025
Bassist with Bon Scott’s pre-AC/DC band Fraternity

February

Dave Jerden: July 25, 1949 – February 5, 2025
Producer for Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice In Chains and many more

Jamie Muir: July 4, 1945 – February 17, 2025
Former percussionist with King Crimson

Coburn Pharr: Died February 25, 2025
Former singer with Canadian heavies Annihilator

Gra Scoresby: March 22, 1956 – February 26, 2025
Former drummer with NWOBHM band Witchfynde

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March

Joey Molland: June 21, 1947 – March 1, 2025
Last original member of Badfinger

Bob Rupe: Died March 3, 2025
Former bassist with American rock band Cracker

Brian James: February 18, 1955 – March 6, 2025
Co-founding guitarist of The Damned

Les Binks: August 8, 1951 – March 15, 2025
Drummer with Judas Priest in their halcyon years

Larry Tamblyn: Died March 21, 2025
Guitarist with pre-punk garage crew The Strandells

Paul ‘Wags’ Wagstaff: Death announced on March 22, 2025
Former guitarist with Black Grape and Happy Mondays.

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April

Dave Allen: December 23, 1955 – April 5, 2025
Former bassist with the Gang Of Four

Roy Thomas Baker: November 10, 1946 – April 12, 2025
Producer for Queen, Ozzy and more

Roger McLachlan: January 15, 1954 – April 16, 2025
Former bass player with Australia’s Little River Band

David Briggs: March 16, 1943 – April 22, 2025
Part of the celebrated session players Nashville Cats, and played with many music greats

David Thomas: June 14, 1953 – April 23, 2025
Frontman with America’s experimental rock band Pere Ubu

Mike Peters: February 25, 1959 – April 29, 2025 
Frontman with The Alarm, and Welsh folk hero

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May

Tony J Liddle: June 15, 1985 – May 6, 2025
Former guitarist with NWOBHM band Blitzkrieg

James Baker: March 7, 1954 – May 6, 2025
Drummer with Aussie rock-meets-new wave band the Hoodoo Gurus

Terry Draper: September 22, 1951 – May 15, 2025
Founding member of Canadian proggers Klaatu

Chris Hager: Died May 19, 2025
Former guitarist with Rough Cutt and Ratt

James Lowe: March 5, 1943 – May 22, 2025
Guitarist and vocalist with the Electric Prunes

Daniel Williams: December 12, 1985 – May 22, 2025
Ex-drummer with US metalcore band the Devil Wears Prada

Simon House: August 29, 1948 – May 25, 2025
Keyboard player and violinist for Hawkwind and Bowie

Andrew Matheson: Died May 31, 2025
Frontman with proto-punks the Hollywood Brats

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June

Colin Jerwood: Died June 2, 2025
Frontman with anarcho-punk band Conflict

Chuck Prwithus: November 2, 1963 – June 4, 2025
Drummer with US thrashers Agent Steel

Bob Andrews: June 20, 1949 – June 5, 2025
Keyboard player with pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz

Peter Jones: Died June 6, 2025
Keyboard player with the Little River Band

Honest John Plain: April 12, 1952 – June 13, 2005
Guitarist with UK punks The Boys

David L Hamilton: Died June 20, 2025
Original pianist with Pavlov’s Dog

Patrick Walden: October 5, 1978 – June 20, 2025
Former guitarist with Babyshambles

Mick Ralphs: March 31, 1944 – June 23, 2025
Guitarist with Mott The Hoople and Bad Company

Serge Fiori: March 4, 1952 – June 24, 2025
Vocalist/guitarist with Harmonium

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July

Kevin Riddles: December 26, 1956 – July 4, 2025
Bassist with Angel Witch and Tytan

Pete Brabbs: February 7, 1957 – July 5, 2025
Former guitarist with Tank

Antti Tammilehto: November 15, 1954 – July 6, 2025
Bassist with Finnish rock’n’rollers The Boys

Tim Cronin: Died July 8, 2025
Early member of Monster Magnet

Tom Deluca: October 26, 1954 – July 10, 2025
Much-loved US melodic rock artist

David Kaff: April 17, 1946 – July 11, 2025
A.k.a. keyboard player Viv Savage with Spinal Tap

Matt Keil: July 24, 1985 – July 12, 2025
Ex-member of Canadian melodic hardcore band Comeback Kid

Dave Cousins: January 7, 1940 – July 13, 2025
Frontman with veteran folk-meets-prog band Strawbs

George Kooymans: March 11, 1948 – July 22, 2025
Co-founding guitarist with Golden Earring

Ozzy Osbourne: December 3, 1948 – July 22, 2025
The Prince Of Darkness

Paul Mario Day: April 19, 1956 – July 29, 2025
Singer with Iron Maiden, More and Sweet

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August

Michael Fisher: Died August 2025
The ‘Magic Man’ and early manager of Heart

David Roach: Died August 1, 2025
Frontman with Californian hard rockers Junkyard

Terry Reid: November 13, 1949 – August 4, 2025
Singer and guitarist, aka Superlungs

Ian Ellis: October 7, 1944 – August 4, 2025
Bass player with Savoy Brown

Larry Gillstrom: Died August 4, 2025
Guitarist with Canadian hard rockers Kick Axe

Harry Hill: Died August 6, 2025
Drummer with NWOBHM band Fist

Brent Hinds: January 16, 1974 – August 20, 2025
Former guitarist with Mastodon

Jim Kimball: Died August 27, 2025
Ex-drummer with The Jesus Lizard

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September

Viv Prince: August 9, 1941 – September 2025
Former drummer with The Pretty Things

Bruce Loose: Died September 5, 2025
Co-lead singer and bassist with Amrican punk band Flipper

Allen Blickle: Death reported September 7, 2025
Former drummer with Baroness

Tomas Lindberg: October 16, 1972 – September 16, 2025
Frontman with death-metal veterans At The Gates

Sonny Curtis: May 9, 1937 – September 19, 2025
Member of Buddy Holly’s Crickets

Danny Thompson: April 4, 1939 – September 23, 2025
Co-founding bass player with Pentangle

Chris Dreja: November 11, 1946 – September 25, 2025
Founding guitarist and sometime bassist with The Yardbirds

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October

Ace Finchum: January 19, 1963 – October 2025
Former drummer with Tigertailz

Edward Reekers: May 24, 1957 – October 7, 2025
Frontman with Dutch prog rockers Kayak

John Lodge: July 20, 1943 – October 10, 2025
Bass player and vocalist with The Moody Blues

Thommy Price: December 9, 1956 – October 10, 2025
Vastly experienced drummer who played with Joan Jett and Billy Idol

John Waterhouse: October 6, 1950 – October 12, 2025
Former guitarist with UK hard rockers Demon

Ace Frehley: April 27, 1951 – October 16, 2025
Founder member and guitarist with Kiss

Sam Rivers: September 2, 1977 – October 18, 2025
Founding bassis and backing vocalist with Limp Bizkit

Chris Turner: Died October 23, 2025
Guitarist with pioneering Aussie rockers Buffalo and Rose Tattoo

Marcie Free: April 12, 1954 – October 24, 2025
American singer with King Kobra, Signal and Unruly Child

Danny Francis: August 16, 1950 – October 25, 2025
Protector, fixer and confidante to the likes of Kiss, Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin and Bon Jovi.

Scott Sorry: October 30, 1978 – October 30, 2025
Bassist with The Wildhearts, Amen, Brides Of Destruction and Sorry and the Sinatras.

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November

Joseph Byrd: December 19, 1937 – November 2, 2025
Multi-instrumentalist with psychedelic rockers The United States Of America

Donna Jean Godchaux: August 22, 1947 – November 2, 2025
Singer with the Grateful Dead and the Jerry Garcia Band

Robert Taylor: April 16, 1951 – November 4, 2025
Guitarist with New Zealand proggers-turned-pop-rockers Dragon

Chris Bradley: Died November 6, 2025
Vocalist and bass player with NWOBHM stalwarts Savage

Mani: November 16, 1962 – November 20, 2025
Bassist with the Stone Roses and Primal Scream

Bob “Bongo” Starkie: July 16, 1952 – November 28, 2025
Guitarist for the Australian rock band Skyhooks

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December

Steve Cropper: October 21, 1941 – December 3, 2025
Guitarist, producer, songwriter, leader of Booker T. & the M.G.’s

Tetsu Yamauchi: October 21, 1946 – December 4, 2025
Bassist with Free and the Faces

Rob Reiner: March 6, 1947 – December 14, 2025
American filmmaker and director of Spinal Tap

Mick Abrahams: April 7, 1943 – December 19, 2025
English guitarist with Jethro Tull and Blodwyn Pig

Perry Bamonte: September 3, 1960 – December 24, 2025
Two-time guitarist and keyboardist with The Cure