William Stein Newman (April 6, 1912 - April 27, 2000) was an American musicologist.

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio. From 1945 he taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is best remembered for his three volume History of the Sonata Idea, a study of the term "sonata" comprising The Sonata in the Baroque Era, The Sonata in the Classical Era, and The Sonata Since Beethoven. He also wrote on performance practice.

His textbook, Understanding Music, is perhaps the most thoroughgoing text on music appreciation in the English language.

Newman died in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.