See also: 1971 in music, other events of 1972, 1973 in music, 1970s in music and the list of 'years in music'

Events

• January 17 - Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Blvd"
• January 31 - Over 40,000 mourners file past Mahalia Jackson's open casket to pay their respects in Chicago's Great Salem Baptist Church.
• February 8 - Frank Zappa's concert at London's Royal Albert Hall is canceled because of Zappa's obscene lyrics
• February 9 - Paul McCartney's new band, Wings, make their live debut at Nottingham University in England
• February 13 - Led Zeppelin is cancels a concert in Singapore when government officials won't let them off the airplane because of their long hair
• February 14 - "Steppenwolf Day" is declared in Los Angeles, California
• February 17 - Pink Floyd debuts "The Dark Side of the Moon" during a performance at London's Rainbow Theater . It would be a full year before the song was released.
• Mid February - John Lennon and Yoko Ono cohost an entire week on The Mike Douglas Show.
• February 19 - Paul McCartney's single "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" (which was inspired by the "Bloody Sunday" massacre in Ireland on January 30, 1972) is banned by the BBC. The controversy caused by the banning only increases the song's popularity and it ends up in the Top 20 in England.
• February 23 - Elvis and Priscilla Presley separate
• February 29 - John Lennon's U.S. immigration visa expires, beginning his three-and-a-half year fight to remain in the country.
• April 2 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono hold a press conference in New York. The Lennons discuss their appeal of the US Immigration Department's decision to deport John
• April 29 - New York City mayor John Lindsay announces that he is supporting John Lennon and Yoko Ono in their fight to remain in the United States
• May 2 - Stone the Crows lead guitarist Les Harvey is electrocuted on stage during a show in Swansea, Wales after touching a poorly connected microphone. Harvey died in a hospital a few hours later.The band's lead singer, Maggie Bell , who had been Harvey's longtime girlfriend, was also hospitalized. Bell collapsed on stage after the incident.
• May 8 - Billy Preston becomes the first rock performer to headline at New York's Radio City Music Hall
• June - Simon and Garfunkel reunite briefly to perform live at Madison Square Garden in New York City for a campaign benefit for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern.
• First Sunsbury Rock Festival held @ Sunbury, VIC, AUS
• The Sonny and Cher Show begins airing
• Sammy Davis Jr. makes a guest appearance on the television show All In The Family
• Billy Ray Hearn founds Myrrh Records.

Albums released

• Eat a Peach - The Allman Brothers Band
• America - America
• Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 - Black Sabbath
• Squawk - Budgie
• The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars - David Bowie
  • An early glam rock album. Included the American and British hit "Starman".
• Ege Bamyasi - Can
• Chicago V - Chicago
• Live in Japan - Chicago
• Into the Purple Valley - Ry Cooder
• Olympia 71 - Dalida
• Il faut du temps - Dalida
• Machine Head - Deep Purple
  • This album contains the rock and roll staple "Smoke on the Water". The album is one of the first heavy metal records, as the style would come to be known.
• Pink Moon - Nick Drake
• Will the Circle Be Unbroken - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• The Eagles - The Eagles
• Pictures at an Exhibition - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
• Trilogy - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
• First Take - Roberta Flack
• Foxtrot (album) - Genesis
• Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
• Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull
• Living in the Past - Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull
• Dr. John's Gumbo - Dr. John
• Honky Chateau - Elton John
• Music - Carol King
• The soundtrack to Superfly - Curtis Mayfield
• American Pie - Don McLean
• Catch A Fire - Bob Marley & The Wailers
• The Divine Miss M. - Bette Midler
• For the Roses - Joni Mitchell
• All the Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople
• I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
• Sail Away - Randy Newman
• Give Tomorrow's Children One More Chance - Ocean
• Roy Orbison Sings - Roy Orbison
• Obscured By Clouds - Pink Floyd
• He Touched Me - Elvis Presley
• Give It Up - Bonnie Raitt
• Transformer - Lou Reed
• Exile on Main Street - The Rolling Stones
• Something/Anything - Todd Rundgren
• No Secrets - Carly Simon
• Paul Simon - Paul Simon
• Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits - Simon and Garfunkel
• Can't Buy a Thrill - Steely Dan (debut)
• Catch the Bull at Four - Cat Stevens
• One Man Dog - James Taylor
• Free to Be... You and Me - Marlo Thomas & Friends
• Seven Separate Fools - Three Dog Night
• Live at Max's Kansas City - The Velvet Underground
• Album III - Loudon Wainwright III
• Infinite - Kazumi Watanabe
• Music of My Mind - Stevie Wonder
• Talking Book - Stevie Wonder
• Close to the Edge - Yes
• Fragile - Yes
• Harvest - Neil Young
  • The best selling album of the year in the United States. Features hits such as "Heart of Gold" and "Needle and the Damage Done". The album blends country music and rock and roll and a degree of experimentalism, all led by Young's guitar and songwriting talents.
• The Grand Wazoo - Frank Zappa

Top hits on record

• "People Need Love" - Bjorn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid
• "He Is Your Brother" - Bjorn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid
• "Jealous Guy" - John Lennon
• "Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" - Paul Simon
• "Mother and Child Reunion" - Paul Simon
• "Duncan" - Paul Simon
• "America" - Simon and Garfunkel
• "Ben"- Michael Jackson
• "Parle plus bas (Le Parrain)"- Dalida
• "Les choses de l'amour"- Dalida
• "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" - Mac Davis
• "For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" - Simon and Garfunkel
• "American Pie" - Don McLean
• "Horse With No Name" - America
• "Ventura Highway" - America
• "Rocket Man" - Elton John
• "Layla" - Derek & the Dominoes
• "Rock & Roll Part 2" - Gary Glitter
• "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" - Jim Croce
• "The Candyman" - Sammy Davis Jr.
• "Lean on Me" - Bill Withers
• "Freddie's Dead (Theme From Superfly)" - Curtis Mayfield
• "If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes
• "I Gotcha" - Joe Tex
• "Without You" - Nilsson
• "Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
• "Brand New Key" - Melanie
• "Signs" - The Drifters
• "My Ding-A-Ling" - Chuck Berry
• "Morning Has Broken" - Cat Stevens
• "I Can See Clearly Now" - Johnny Nash
• "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack
• "I'll Take You There" - The Staple Singers
• "Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" - Looking Glass
• "Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)" - Hollies
• "Heart of Gold" - Neil Young
• "Alone Again (Naturally)" - Gilbert O'Sullivan
• "Nights in White Satin" - The Moody Blues
• "Back Stabbers" - The O'Jays
• "I'm Stone in Love With You" - The Stylistics
• "I Am Woman " - Helen Reddy
• "I Gotcha" - Joe Tex
• "Song Sung Blue" - Neil Diamond
• "The Candy Man" - Sammy Davis Jr.
• "Starman" - David Bowie
• "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - Robert John
• "Rock and Roll" - Led Zeppelin
• "Metal Guru" - T.Rex
• "Two Divided By Love" - The Grass Roots
• "Burning Love" - Elvis Presley

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1972

Published popular music

• "Alone Again" w.m. Raymond O'Sullivan
• "Alone At A Drive-In Movie"     w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
• "American Pie" w.m. Don McLean
• "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" w.m. Jim Croce
• "Burning Love"    w.m. Dennis Linde
• "C is for Cookie" w.m. Joe Raposo
• "Come Dream With Me" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Freddy, My Love"     w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
• "Greased Lightin' "     w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
• "I Can See Clearly Now" w.m. Johnny Nash
• "It's Raining On Prom Night"     w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
• "Liza With A Z" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the television production Liza With A Z
• "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee"     w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
• "Magic To Do" w.m. Stephen Schwartz. Introduced by Ben Vereen in the musical Pippin
• "Maybe This Time" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the musical Cabaret
• "The Morning After" w.m. Joel Hirschhorn & Al Kasha from the film The Poseidon Adventure
• "The Old Fashioned Way" w. Charles Aznavour, Joel Hirschhorn & Al Kasha m.George Garvarentz
• "Ring Them Bells"     w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the television production Liza With A Z
• "Shakin' At The High School Hop"     w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
• "Speak Softly, Love"      w. Larry Kusik m. Nino Rota from the film The Godfather
• "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree" w.m. L. Russell Brown & Irwin Levine
• "Vincent" w.m. Don McLean
• "We Go Together"     w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
• "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" w.m. Stevie Wonder

Classical music

• Arthur Bliss - Metamorphic Variations
• Friedrich Cerha - Spiegel
• Mario Davidovsky - Transientes for orchestra
• Paul Le Flem - Symphony No. 4
• Charles Ives - Piano Sonata No. 2, Concord, Mass., 1840-60 (Concord Sonata, revised version)
• Dmitri Kabalevsky - A Letter to the 30th Century (oratorio)
• György Ligeti - Double Concerto for Flute, Oboe and Orchestra
• Theo Loevendie - Horn Concerto, "Orbits"
• George Rochberg - Recordanza (Soliloquy for Cello and Piano)

Opera

Musical theater

• Beggar's Opera     Broadway production
• Berlin To Broadway With Kurt Weill      Broadway revue opened at the Theatre de Lys on October 1 and ran for 152 performances
• Company(Stephen Sondheim) - London production
• Cowardy Custard      London production
• Curly McDimple      Broadway revival
• Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope      Broadway revue opened at the Playhouse Theatre on April 19 and ran for 914 performances
• Don't Play Us Cheap      Broadway production
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Stephen Sondheim) - Broadway revival
• Jesus Christ Superstar (Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice) - London production opened at the Palace Theatre on August 9 and ran for 3358 performances
• Grease     Broadway production
• Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Lloyd Webber & Rice) - London production opened at The Roundhouse on November 8 and ran for 43 performances
• Man of La Mancha     Broadway revival
• Pippin     Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on October 23 and ran for 1944 performances
• Rebbitzen from Israel      Broadway production
• Sugar     Broadway production
• The Sunshine Train      Broadway production

Musical films

• Cabaret
• Man of La Mancha

Musical television productions

• Liza With A Z

Births

• February 14 - Rob Thomas, Matchbox 20
• February 17 - Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day
• March 10 - Douglas Ardito , Puddle Of Mudd
• March 15 - Mark Hoppus, Blink-182
• March 17 - Melissa Auf der Maur, Hole
• May 4 - Mike Dint , Green Day
• May 19 - Jenny Berggren, Ace Of Base
• May 21 - The Notorious BIG
• August 6 - Geri Halliwell
• August 8 - Lüpüs Thünder , The Bloodhound Gang
• September 26 - Shawn Stockman , Boyz II Men
• October 17 - Clef Jean , The Fugees
• October 17 - Eminem
• October 19 - Pras Michel, The Fugees
• October 20 - Snoop Doggy Dogg
• December 1 - Greg Upchurch , Puddle Of Mudd
• December 9 - Tre Cool, Green Day
• December 10 - Scot Alexander , Dishwalla
• December 16 - Michael McCary , Boyz II Men
• December 27 - Matt Slocum, Sixpence None The Richer
• December 31 - Joe McIntyre , New Kids On The Block

Deaths

• January 1 - Maurice Chevalier, French singer and actor
• January 16 - David Seville, voice of the Chipmunks
• January 19 - Michael Rabin (violinist
• January 27 - Mahalia Jackson, gospel singer
• February 21 – Marie Dubas, French music-hall singer
• March 27 - Sharkey Bonano
• April 4 - Stefan Wolpe, composer
• May 2 - Les Harvey , Stone the Crows , electrocuted, 25 years old
• August 2 - Brian Cole , bass player The Association
• August 14 - Oscar Levant
• August 29 - Lale Andersen, Danish singer
• September 12 - Maurice Chevalier (b.1888)
• November 3 - Harry Richman, US singer, actor and composer
• November 6 - Billy Murcia , drummer New York Dolls
• November 11 - Berry Oakley , bass player Allman Brothers Band
• November 18 - Danny Whitten, guitarist Crazy Horse
• November 28 - Havergal Brian, composer

Awards

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1972
  • Grammy Album of the Year : The Concert for Bangla Desh
  • Grammy Best New Artist : America
  • Grammy Best Pop Duo or Group : "Where Is the Love" - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
  • Grammy Best Pop Female Vocal : "I Am Woman" - Helen Reddy
  • Grammy Best Pop Male Vocal : "Without You" - Nilsson
  • Grammy Record of the Year : "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack
  • Grammy Song of the Year : "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack

Country Music Association Awards

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1972