The year 1618 in music involved some significant events.
May 23 – Beginning of the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), which will disrupt German musical establishments, and will affect the nature of the music composed by those who endured the widespread devastation, famine, and disease of this period.
The first Zildjian cymbals are made.
Robert Ballard becomes lutenist and composer at the court of King Louis XIII of France.
Michael East is choirmaster at Lichfield Cathedral.
Sebastián Aguilera de Heredia – Magnificats for four, five, six, and eight voices (Zaragoza: Petrus Cabarte)
Gregorio Allegri – Concerti, vol. 1
Giovanni Francesco Anerio – Fifth book of sacrarum cantionum (Rome: Giovanni Battista Robletti)
Francesca Caccini – First book of music for one and two voices (Florence: Zanobi Pignoni)
Johannes Vodnianus Campanus – Sacrarum odarum libri duo (Two books of sacred odes) for four voices (Prague: Johann Schönfeld), book one contains psalms while book two contains hymns
Antonio Cifra – Second book of Scherzi sacri for one, two, three, and four voices, Op. 25 (Rome: Giovanni Battista Robletti)
Christoph Demantius
Hochzeitlicher Davidischer Ehe-Segen (Wol dem, der den Herren fürchtet) for eight voices (Freiberg: Georg Hoffmann), an epithalamium for the wedding of Heinrich Schönleben and Magdalena Tannenberg on October 20
Glückseliger Ehe Schatz (Jauchzet dem Herren alle Welt) for eight voices (Freiberg: Georg Hoffmann), an epithalamium for the wedding of Johannes Reger and Susanna Reisiger on November 3
Euredikos armonikos (Gaudete filiae Jerusalem) for eight voices (Freiberg: Georg Hoffmann), an epithalamium for the wedding of Georg Schöller and Maria Caspar Dachsell
Te Deum laudamus for six voices (Freiberg: Georg Hoffmann), written for the funeral of Michael Rothen
Richard Dering – Cantica sacra ad melodiam madrigalium for six voices with basso continuo (Antwerp: Pierre Phalèse)
René Descartes – Compendium Musicae
Ignazio Donati
Concerti ecclesiastici for two, three, four, and five voices (Venice: Giacomo Vincenti)
Concerti ecclesiastici for one, two, three, four, and five voices, Op.