Gone But Not Forgotten: Musicians We Lost in 2026

January 2026 started off with a cold, hard fact: Death is inevitable.

The first major musician death to make the news this year was that of Jim McBride, the Nashville Songwriter Hall of Fame artist known for penning country hits alongside Alan Jackson; he died days into the new year on Jan. 6 at age 78. Among his most known songs that he collabed with the country star on were “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,”  “Someday,” “That’s All I Need to Know,” “(Who Says) You Can’t Have It All” and “Chattahoochee,” with the last song peaking at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993.