On This Day in Music: April 18

On April 18 in music history, 60 artists were born, 25 died and 6 other milestones happened, among them Bruno Mars (2026), Arcade Fire (2026) and Stephen Sondheim (1977).

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Highlights

April 18

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Standout moments for this date.

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars released the album 'The Collaborations'

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire released the album 'Open Your Heart or Die Trying'

Stephen Sondheim

"Side by Side" by Stephen Sondheim opens at Music Box NYC for 390 perfs

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Vinton La, blues singer (Mary is Fine) was born

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Born on April 18

Al Lewis

Al Lewis, American lyricist (d. 1967) was born

Alexander "Skip" Spence

Alexander "Skip" Spence, Canada, guitarist/vocalist (Moby Grape-Omaha) was born

Alexey Zhigalkovich

Alexey Zhigalkovich, Belarusian Singer was born

Anne Boyd

Anne Boyd, composer was born

Bernhard Anselm Weber

Bernhard Anselm Weber, pianist/conductor/composer was born

Buxton Daeblite Orr

Buxton Daeblite Orr, composer was born

Catherine Malfitano

Catherine Malfitano, NYC, soprano (Metropolitan Opera) was born

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Vinton La, blues singer (Mary is Fine) was born

Diana Villegas

Diana Villegas, rocker (Triplets) was born

Elena Temnikova

Elena Temnikova, Russian singer (Serebro) was born

Fayray

Fayray, Japanese singer was born

Felix Blumenfeld

Felix Blumenfeld, composer was born

Frantz Jehin-Prume

Frantz Jehin-Prume, composer was born

Franz Xaver Schnyder von Wartensee

Franz Xaver Schnyder von Wartensee, composer was born

Franz von Suppé

Franz von Suppé, Austrian composer (d. 1895) was born

Gaetano B Vestris

Gaetano B Vestris, Italian/French ballet dancer was born

Giacomo Carissimi

Giacomo Carissimi, composer was born

Glen Hardin

Glen Hardin, rocker was born

Greg Eklund

Greg Eklund, American musician was born

Harvey Kagan

Harvey Kagan, rocker was born

Hermann KJ Zilcher

Hermann KJ Zilcher, German pianist/composer (Dr Eisenbart) was born

Ignac Ruzitska

Ignac Ruzitska, composer was born

Jacques-Christian-Michel Widerkehr

Jacques-Christian-Michel Widerkehr, composer was born

Jan Klusak

Jan Klusak, composer was born

Jayce Fincher Jr

Jayce Fincher Jr, heavy metal bassist (Southgang-Tainted Angel) was born

Jean Roger-Ducasse

Jean Roger-Ducasse, composer was born

Jean-Francois Pailliard

Jean-Francois Pailliard, Vitry-le-Francois France, conductor was born

Jim Ellison

Jim Ellison, musician was born

Jim Scholten

Jim Scholten, Midland Mich, country singer (Betty's Bein' Bad) was born

Josef Gruber

Josef Gruber, composer was born

Joseph Keilberth

Joseph Keilberth, German conductor (Bayreuther Festspiele) was born

Kelly Hansen

Kelly Hansen, heavy metal rocker (Hurricane-I'm on to You) was born

Kent Wheeler Kennan

Kent Wheeler Kennan, composer was born

Kim Stone

Kim Stone, bassist (Spyro Gyra-Morning Dance) was born

Lee Pattinson

Lee Pattinson, rock bassist (Echo & Bunnymen-Heaven Up Here) was born

Lenny Baker

Lenny Baker, rocker (Sha Na Na) was born

Leopold Stokowski

Leopold Stokowski, London England, conductor (Cincinnati Symphony) was born

Lionel Edmund "Sonny" Taylor

Lionel Edmund "Sonny" Taylor, musician was born

Ludwig Schuberth

Ludwig Schuberth, composer was born

Marie-Élaine Thibert

Marie-Élaine Thibert, Canadian singer was born

Mark Berry

Mark Berry, aka Bez, Dancer in Happy Mondays was born

Mark Tremonti

Mark Tremonti, American musician was born

Mick Sweda

Mick Sweda, heavy metal (Bulletboys, King Kobra-Ready to Strike) was born

Mike Vickers

Mike Vickers, rock guitarist (Manfred Mann-Mighty Quinn) was born

Miklos Rozsa

Miklos Rozsa, Budapest Hungary, movie composer (Atomic Cafe, Fedora) was born

Millie Corretjer

Millie Corretjer, Puerto Rican singer was born

Milos Sokola

Milos Sokola, composer was born

Nuria Fergó

Nuria Fergó, Spanish singer was born

Ocl Sweda

Ocl Sweda, rocker (Bulletboys) was born

Robert Caldwell Crawford

Robert Caldwell Crawford, composer was born

Rudy Shackelford

Rudy Shackelford, composer was born

Sandra Lyng Haugen

Sandra Lyng Haugen, Norwegian singer was born

Shirlie Hollman

Shirlie Hollman, rocker (Pepsi & Shirley-All Right Now) was born

Sylvia Fisher

Sylvia Fisher, soprano (Albert Herring Opera) was born

Sylvia Villegas

Sylvia Villegas, rocker (Triplets) was born

Tony Mottola

Tony Mottola, Kearney NJ, guitarist/host (Melody Street) was born

Vicky Villegas

Vicky Villegas, rocker (Triplets) was born

Virginia O'Brien

Virginia O'Brien, American singer and actress (d. 2001) was born

Wilhelm Gericke

Wilhelm Gericke, composer was born

Yury Sergeyevich Milyutin

Yury Sergeyevich Milyutin, composer was born

Died on April 18

Agnes Tyrrell

Agnes Tyrrell, composer, dies at 36

Albe Vidakovic

Albe Vidakovic, composer, dies at 49

Clodagh Rodgers

Clodagh Rodgers died

Cécile Chamindale

Cécile Chamindale, composer, dies

Dickey Betts

Dickey Betts died

Edward Jones

Edward Jones, composer, dies at 72

Estelle Asmodelle

Estelle Asmodelle died

Florrie Forde

Florrie Forde, music hall artist, dies

Harrison Birtwistle

Harrison Birtwistle died

Heinrich August Neithardt

Heinrich August Neithardt, composer, dies at 67

Henryk Melcer-Szczawinski

Henryk Melcer-Szczawinski, composer, dies at 58

Hermann Nitsch

Hermann Nitsch died

Jack Green

Jack Green died

John Evangelist Schreiber

John Evangelist Schreiber, composer, dies at 84

Jose Mauricio Nunes Garcia

Jose Mauricio Nunes Garcia, composer, dies at 62

Joseph Antoni Frantiszek Elsner

Joseph Antoni Frantiszek Elsner, composer, dies at 84

Mandisa

Mandisa died

Masao Oki

Masao Oki, composer, dies at 69

Naïma Ababsa

Naïma Ababsa died

Nicholas Angelich

Nicholas Angelich died

Ottorino Respighi

Ottorino Respighi, Italian composer (Belkis), dies at 56

Pierre de La Barre

Pierre de La Barre, composer, dies at 75

Richard Runciman Terry

Richard Runciman Terry, musicologist, dies

Seaborn M Denson

Seaborn M Denson, composer, dies at 82

Stanton Davis

Stanton Davis died

Releases & milestones on April 18

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire released the album 'Open Your Heart or Die Trying'

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars released the album 'The Collaborations'

Harold Rome

Rome/Auerbach/Horwitt's musical "Call Me Mister," premieres in NYC

Puscifer

Puscifer released the album 'Q140068771'

Roy Hargrove

Roy Hargrove released the album 'Bern'

Stephen Sondheim

"Side by Side" by Stephen Sondheim opens at Music Box NYC for 390 perfs

More standout moments in April →