See also: 1870 in music, other events of 1871, 1872 in music and the list of 'years in music'.

Events

• December 24 - Giuseppe Verdi's Opera Aida premieres

Published popular music

• "The Blue and the Gray" by James W. Long
• "Good Bye, Liza Jane" (anon)
• "The Little Church Around The Corner"     w.m. Charles A. White
• "The Little Old Log Cabin In The Lane" w.m. William S. Hays
• "Mollie Darling" w.m. William S. Hays
• "Onward, Christian Soldiers"      w. Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould m. Sir Arthur Sullivan
• "Reuben and Rachel" w. Harry Birch m. William Gooch
• "Susan Jane" w.m. William S. Hays

Classical music

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 1 in D, Op. 11

Opera

• Aida by Giuseppe Verdi

Musical theater

• Geneviève De Brabant     London production
• The Mascot     London production
• La Mascotte     Vienna production
• Le Roi Carotte     London production
• Thespis     London production

Births

• March 1 - Ben Harney, US composer and ragtime pianist
• June 17 - James Weldon Johnson, US songwriter, author, diplomat and educationalist
• June 29 - Luisa Tetrazzini, Italian soprano

Deaths

• May 12 - Daniel Auber