This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2003.

Specific locations

2003 in British music This is a summary of 2003 in music in the United Kingdom. Events *6 January – The annual Park Lane Group Young Artists festival of contemporary music opens with two concerts in the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre, London. The first co ...

2003 in Irish music A summary of the year 2003 in the Irish music industry. Summary * On July 16, R.E.M. played to a crowd of 16,000 at Marlay Park in Dublin, arriving on stage at 9 p.m. They were supported by Orager and Starsailor. * On December 7–8, Blur ...

2003 in Norwegian music The following is a list of notable events and releases of the year 2003 in Norwegian music. Events January * 17 – The 22nd annual Djangofestival started on Cosmopolite in Oslo, Norway (January 17 – 19). * 30 – The 6th Polarjazz started ...

* 2003 in South Korean music

Specific genres

* 2003 in classical music *

2003 in country music This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2003. Events *March 10 – During a concert in London, England, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines said that the band was "ashamed the President of the United Sta ...

* 2003 in heavy metal music * 2003 in hip hop music * 2003 in Latin music *

2003 in jazz This is a timeline documenting events of Jazz in the year 2003. Events January * 30 – The 6th Polarjazz started in Longyearbyen, Svalbard (January 30 – February 2). February March April * 11 ** The 30th Vossajazz started at Vo ...

Events

January–February

January 6 Events Pre-1600 *1066 – Following the death of Edward the Confessor on the previous day, the Witan meets to confirm Harold Godwinson as the new King of England; Harold is crowned the same day, sparking a succession crisis that will eve ...

– The annual Park Lane Group Young Artists festival of contemporary music opens with two concerts in the Purcell Room at the

Southbank Centre Southbank Centre is a complex of artistic venues in London, England, on the South Bank of the River Thames (between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge). It comprises three main performance venues (the Royal Festival Hall including the Nat ...

, London. The first concert, given by the Gallimaufry Ensemble, includes the premiere of a new wind quintet by 23-year-old Benjamin Wallfisch; the second concert features solo bass clarinettist Sarah Watts, who premieres Marc Yeats ''Vox'' for solo

bass clarinet The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B (meaning it is a transposing instrument on which a written C sounds as B), but it plays notes an octave bel ...

and Michael Smetanin's ''Ladder of Escape'' for bass clarinet with prerecorded ensemble of six bass and two contrabass clarinets. *

January 7 Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – The Senate of Rome says that Caesar will be declared a public enemy unless he disbands his army. This prompts the tribunes who support him to flee to Ravenna, where Caesar is waiting. * 1325 – Alfonso IV ...

– The Philip on Film Live festival (until January 11) opens at the

Barbican Centre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhi ...

, London, featuring films with music by

Philip Glass Philip Glass (born January 31, 1937) is an American composer and pianist. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. Glass's work has been associated with minimal music, minimalism, being built up fr ...

performed live by the

Philip Glass Ensemble The Philip Glass Ensemble is an American musical group founded by composer Philip Glass in 1968 to serve as a performance outlet for his experimental minimalist music. The ensemble continues to perform and record to this day, under the musical d ...

, conducted by Michael Riesman. *

January 9 Events Pre-1600 * 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain. *1127 – Jin–Song Wars: Invading Jurchen soldiers from the J ...

– The

Vienna Philharmonic The Vienna Philharmonic (VPO; german: Wiener Philharmoniker, links=no) is an orchestra that was founded in 1842 and is considered to be one of the finest in the world. The Vienna Philharmonic is based at the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. It ...

belatedly announce that violist Ursula Plaichinger has become the first official female member of the orchestra, 158 years after their founding and six years after they have been forced to allow women to audition, under threat of having their state subsidies stopped. At the same time, it is disclosed that orchestra boss

Clemens Hellsberg Clemens Hellsberg (born 28 March 1952) is an Austrian violinist and from 1997 to 2014 was director of the Wiener Philharmoniker. Life Born in Linz, after attending the Schottengymnasium in Vienna, Hellsberg studied musicology and ancient hist ...

has formally banned Plaichinger from giving interviews to the press. *

January 10 Events Pre-1600 *49 BC – Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signalling the start of civil war. * 9 – The Western Han dynasty ends when Wang Mang claims that the divine Mandate of Heaven called for the end of the dynasty and the be ...

**Andrew Lack, former chief of NBC news, is named the new head of Sony's music division, to the surprise of the music industry, because he had no previous experience of the record industry. He replaced

Tommy Mottola Thomas Daniel Mottola (born July 14, 1948) is an American music executive, producer and author. Mottola is currently the Chairman of Mottola Media Group and was previously the Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment, parent of the Columb ...

, who resigned the previous day amidst reports of friction with higher Sony executives over huge financial losses in the music division. **Following an investigation by

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 19 ...

and London detectives, police raids in the UK and the Netherlands recover 500 original

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

studio tapes, recorded during the ''

Let It Be Let It Be most commonly refers to: * ''Let It Be'' (Beatles album), the Beatles' final studio album, released in 1970 * "Let It Be" (Beatles song), the title song from the album It may also refer to: Film and television * ''Let It Be'' (1970 ...

'' sessions. Five people are arrested. The tapes have been used for bootleg releases for years. *

January 13 Events Pre-1600 * 27 BC – Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years. * 532 – The Nika riots break out, during the racing ...

–

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

guitarist

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

is arrested by British police on suspicion of possessing and making indecent images of children and of incitement to distribute them. Townshend claims in a statement that he did not download any such images and accessed Web sites advertising child pornography because he was researching material for his autobiography, which will include passages about his abusive childhood. *

January 17 Events Pre-1600 * 38 BC – Octavian divorces his wife Scribonia and marries Livia Drusilla, ending the fragile peace between the Second Triumvirate and Sextus Pompey. * 1362 – Saint Marcellus' flood kills at least 25,000 people on ...

–

February 2 Events Pre-1600 * 506 – Alaric II, eighth king of the Visigoths, promulgates the Breviary of Alaric (''Breviarium Alaricianum'' or ''Lex Romana Visigothorum''), a collection of "Roman law". * 880 – Battle of Lüneburg Heath: King ...

– The Big Day Out festival takes place in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

, headlined by

Foo Fighters Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...

Jane's Addiction Jane's Addiction is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1985. The band consists of vocalist Perry Farrell, guitarist Dave Navarro, drummer Stephen Perkins and bassist Eric Avery. Jane's Addiction was one of the first bands from t ...

and

Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. ...

. *

January 18 Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Seven-year-old Leo II succeeds his maternal grandfather Leo I as Byzantine emperor. He dies ten months later. * 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople fail. * 1126 – Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chi ...

**The

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) is the air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its complement of personnel and aircraft assets ranks third amongst the air forces of the world. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial w ...

band, the Air Warriors, play a concert in the Homi Baba Auditorium in

Colaba Colaba (; or ISO: Kolābā) is a part of the city of Mumbai, India. It is one of the four peninsulas of Mumbai while the other three are Worli, Bandra and Malabar Hill. During Portuguese rule in the 16th century, the island was known as Kolbhat ...

(Mumbai), which included

Muthuswami Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar)(, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer and veena player, and a legendary composer of Indian classical music, who is considered one of the musical ...

's ''Vathapiganapathi'' in a version combining military band with traditional Carnatic instruments. **A two-day festival of the music of Mark-Anthony Turnage is given at the

, London, with three world premieres and chamber concerts by the

Nash Ensemble The Nash Ensemble of London is an England, English chamber ensemble. It was founded by Artistic Director Amelia Freedman and Rodney Slatford in 1964, while they were students at the Royal Academy of Music, and was named after the Regent's Park, N ...

and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. *

January 22 Events Pre-1600 * 613 – Eight-month-old Constantine is crowned as co-emperor (''Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople. * 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated by the Danelaw Vi ...

–

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Johann Nikolaus Harnoncourt or historically Johann Nikolaus Graf de la Fontaine und d'Harnoncourt-Unverzagt; () (6 December 1929 – 5 March 2016) was an Austrian conductor, particularly known for his historically informed performances of music ...

cancels a European tour after being ordered by his doctors to take a two-month rest. *

January 31 Events Pre-1600 * 314 – Pope Sylvester I is consecrated, as successor to the late Pope Miltiades. * 1208 – The Battle of Lena takes place between King Sverker II of Sweden and his rival, Prince Eric, whose victory puts him on the t ...

–

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...

releases the music video for "Hurt". *

February 3 Events Pre-1600 * 1112 – Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, and Douce I, Countess of Provence, marry, uniting the fortunes of those two states. *1451 – Sultan Mehmed II inherits the throne of the Ottoman Empire. *1488 – ...

**Police respond to a 911 phone call from one of

Phil Spector Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...

's neighbors and discover the body of actress Lana Clarkson, with a gunshot wound, at Spector's his home in Alhambra, California. Spector is arrested on suspicion of murder. **The Martin Bashir television film ''

Living with Michael Jackson ''Living with Michael Jackson'' is a television documentary in which the British journalist Martin Bashir interviewed the American singer Michael Jackson from May 2002 to January 2003. It was broadcast in the United Kingdom on ITV (as a ''Toni ...

'' premieres on

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

in the UK. It airs on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

in the US three days later. A total of 53 million viewers in the two countries watch the special. *

February 8 Events Pre-1600 * 421 – Constantius III becomes co-Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. * 1238 – The Mongols burn the Russian city of Vladimir. *1250 – Seventh Crusade: Crusaders engage Ayyubid forces in the Battle of Al ...

–

Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. At age 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut studio album, ''Let Go (Avril Lavigne album), Let Go'' (2002), is the ...

scores her third #1 single " I'm with You", making her the second artist in history to have three consecutive #1 songs from a début album in the Billboard

Mainstream Top 40 Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...

. *

February 20 Events Pre-1600 *1339 – The Milanese army and the St. George's (San Giorgio) Mercenaries of Lodrisio Visconti clash in the Battle of Parabiago; Visconti is defeated. *1472 – Orkney and Shetland are pawned by Norway to Scotland ...

– The Station nightclub fire: Fire engulfs a

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

nightclub during a fireworks display which was part of the performance by rock band

Great White Great White is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The band peaked with several albums during the mid-to-late 1980s, including the platinum-selling records '' Once Bitten'' (1987) and '' ...Twice Shy'' (1989), and those albums ...

. The fire quickly spreads across the ceiling, filling the building with thick, black smoke, killing 100 people and injuring 160 others as audience members rush for the exits. Many people are missing for some time, including Great White guitarist

Ty Longley Ty Christopher Longley (September 4, 1971 – February 20, 2003) was an American guitarist. He was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Ohio. He joined the band Great White in 2000, played in Sa ...

, who is later confirmed to be dead. *

February 23 Events Pre-1600 * 303 – Roman emperor Diocletian orders the destruction of the Christian church in Nicomedia, beginning eight years of Diocletianic Persecution. * 532 – Byzantine emperor Justinian I lays the foundation stone of a ...

– New York City is the site of The 45th Annual Grammy Awards, featuring Nickelback,

No Doubt No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, they ...

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

and other performers. Norah Jones wins a total of six awards, including all four in the General field. *

February 24 Events Pre-1600 * 484 – King Huneric of the Vandals replaces Nicene bishops with Arian ones, and banishes some to Corsica. * 1303 – The English are defeated at the Battle of Roslin, in the First War of Scottish Independence. * 13 ...

– Robert Trujillo joins

Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...

March–April

March 3 Events Pre-1600 * 473 – Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. * 724 – Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan. * 1575 &nd ...

–

kicks off her first headlining tour the " Try To Shut Me Up Tour". * March 10 **

is admitted to Baptist Hospital in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

to undergo treatment for

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...

. ** The Dixie Chicks unleash a firestorm of controversy at a concert in London when lead singer Natalie Maines announces to the audience that "just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas". The group is dropped from radio playlists all over the United States and receives death threats as a result. *

March 21 Events Pre-1600 * 537 – Siege of Rome: King Vitiges attempts to assault the northern and eastern city walls, but is repulsed at the Praenestine Gate, known as the ''Vivarium'', by the defenders under the Byzantine generals Bessas an ...

– Ex-''

Neighbours ''Neighbours'' is an Australian television soap opera, which has aired since 18 March 1985. It was created by television executive Reg Watson. The Seven Network commissioned the show following the success of Watson's earlier soap '' Sons an ...

'' star

Delta Goodrem Delta Lea Goodrem AM (born November 9, 1984) is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. Goodrem signed to Sony Music at the age of 15. Her debut album, '' Innocent Eyes'' (2003), topped the ARIA Albums Chart for 29 non-consecutive week ...

releases her debut album '' Innocent Eyes'' which became Australia's monster smash hit of 2003 and included the releases of the new singles "

Born to Try "Born to Try" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, written by Goodrem and Audius Mtawarira and produced by Ric Wake for Goodrem's debut studio album, ''Innocent Eyes (Delta Goodrem album), Innocent Eyes'' (2003). The song was ...

" and " Lost Without You". * March 24 – '' Meteora'' by

Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...

debuts at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. *

March 25 Events Pre-1600 * 421 – Italian city Venice is founded with the dedication of the first church, that of San Giacomo di Rialto on the islet of Rialto. * 708 – Pope Constantine becomes the 88th pope. He would be the last pope to vi ...

– Céline Dion begins A New Day..., her

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

residency show. It would run for almost five years and over 700 shows. *

April 1 Events Pre-1600 * 33 – According to one historian's account, Jesus Christ's Last Supper is held. * 527 – Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne. *1081 – Alexios I Kom ...

– Dozens of fans walk out during a

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...

concert when lead singer

Eddie Vedder Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the rock band Pearl Jam. He also appeared as a guest vocalist i ...

makes comments opposing the

Iraq war {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

and insulting remarks about U.S. President

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

. Other audience members boo and shout at Vedder telling him to "shut up." Vedder attempts to calm the crowd by adding "just to clarify... we support the troops." *

4 April Events Pre-1600 *503 BC – Roman consul Agrippa Menenius Lanatus celebrates a triumph for a military victory over the Sabines. * 190 – Dong Zhuo has his troops evacuate the capital Luoyang and burn it to the ground. * 611 – ...

– Alex Katunich quits Incubus. *

April 8 Events Pre-1600 * 217 – Roman emperor Caracalla is assassinated and is succeeded by his Praetorian Guard prefect, Marcus Opellius Macrinus. * 876 – The Battle of Dayr al-'Aqul saves Baghdad from the Saffarids. *1139 – Ro ...

–

Godsmack Godsmack is an American rock band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Sully Erna, bassist Robbie Merrill, lead guitarist Tony Rombola and drummer Shannon Larkin. Since its forma ...

releases their third studio album ''

Faceless Faceless may refer to: Films * ''Faceless'' (1988 film), French slasher film * ''Faceless'' (2007 film), Austrian/British science fiction film * ''Faceless'' (2016 film), Canadian-Afghan action film Music * ''Faceless'' (Godsmack album), 2003 a ...

''. * April 16 –

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

suffers a severe stroke at his home in New York City. He emerges from a coma six weeks later. *

April 21 Events Pre-1600 *753 BC – Romulus founds Rome ( traditional date). * 43 BC – Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered ...

–

S Club S Club 7 were a British pop group from London, created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller and consisting of members Bradley McIntosh, Hannah Spearritt, Jo O'Meara, Jon Lee, Paul Cattermole, Rachel Stevens and Tina Barrett. The group ...

announce live on stage at London's Docklands Arena that they've decided to split up after five years together. Their final single, " Say Goodbye", enters the chart at #2 a month after the announcement. Rachel Stevens from the group launched her successful solo career shortly afterwards with the song "

Sweet Dreams My LA Ex "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" is the debut single of English singer-songwriter Rachel Stevens. It was released on 15 September 2003 as the lead single from her debut solo album, ''Funky Dory''. Originally written for Britney Spears, the song was produc ...

". * April 26-27 – The

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly called the Coachella Festival or simply Coachella) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. ...

takes place in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Headlined by

Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...

and Red Hot Chili Peppers, the lineup also features

Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple line- ...

Iggy and the Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...

Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals Benjamin Chase Harper (born October 28, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk music, folk, Soul music, soul, reggae, and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing ski ...

, Blur, The White Stripes,

Sonic Youth Sonic Youth was an American rock band based in New York City, formed in 1981. Founding members Thurston Moore (guitar, vocals), Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar) and Lee Ranaldo (guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of the b ...

Black Eyed Peas Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo (rapper), Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie (singer ...

Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...

, The Mars Volta,

N.E.R.D N.E.R.D. (stylized as N⋆E⋆R⋆D and N.E.R.D, a backronym of No-one Ever Really Dies) is an American hip hop and rock band, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1999. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were signed by Teddy Riley (producer), Ted ...

and

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie. The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simone Butler (bass), and Darrin Mooney (drums) ...

. * April 28 –

Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Apple is the largest technology company by revenue (totaling in 2021) and, as of June 2022, is the world's biggest company b ...

opens the

iTunes Music Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,000 ...

, offering 200,000 songs for download at a cost of 99 cents each. More than 1 million songs are sold in the store's first week.

May–June

* May 7 –

is cleared of the charges stemming from his arrest in January on suspicion of possessing child pornography, but is formally cautioned and placed on the sex offenders register for five years. * May 19 – The former TV channel MuchMusic USA relaunches as

Fuse Fuse or FUSE may refer to: Devices * Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current ** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles * Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...

. * May 21 – Ruben Studdard wins the second season of ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

'', edging Clay Aiken. *

May 24 Events Pre-1600 * 919 – The nobles of Franconia and Saxony elect Henry the Fowler at the Imperial Diet in Fritzlar as king of the East Frankish Kingdom. * 1218 – The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. * 1276 – Magnus La ...

**Turkish singer Sertab Erener wins the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

, held in

Riga Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

, with the song " Everyway That I Can". It is the last time that the contest is a one-night event. **After a 40-year wait, Russian fans of

The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

finally get to see former Beatle Paul McCartney perform on their soil, on the Red Square in Moscow. * May 31-June 1 – The inaugural

Download Festival Download Festival is a British-created rock festival created by Terrance Gough, held annually at the Donington Park motorsport circuit in Leicestershire, England (since 2003); in Paris, France (since 2016); at Parramatta Park, Sydney (since 201 ...

takes place at

Donington Park Donington Park is a motorsport circuit located near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England. The circuit business is now owned by Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision organisation, and the surrounding Donington Park Estate, still owned b ...

Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...

, England.

Iron Maiden Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. While fluid in the early years of the band, the lineup for most of the band's history has consisted of Harri ...

and Audioslave headline the main stage, the latter acting as replacements for original headliners

Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American rap rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers. The band's music is marked by D ...

. The Scuzz Stage is headlined by A and

NOFX NOFX () is an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Vocalist/bassist Fat Mike, guitarist Eric Melvin and drummer Erik Sandin are original founding and longest-serving members of the band, who have appeared on every ...

. * June 14 **

Alexander Kuoppala Alexander Kuoppala (born 11 April 1974) is a Finnish musician. He was the rhythm guitarist for the Finnish heavy metal band Children of Bodom from 1995 to 2003. He played on their albums '' Something Wild'', '' Hatebreeder'', ''Follow the Reape ...

quit

Children of Bodom Children of Bodom was a Finnish melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed, the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Sep ...

. **

David Del Tredici David Walter Del Tredici (born March 16, 1937) is an American composer. He has won a Pulitzer Prize for Music and is a former Guggenheim and Woodrow Wilson fellow. Del Tredici is considered a pioneer of the Neo-Romantic movement. He has also bee ...

's ''Wondrous the Merge'' for

string quartet The term string quartet can refer to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists ...

and narrator, based on a homoerotic poem by

James Broughton James Broughton (November 10, 1913 – May 17, 1999) was an American poet and poetic filmmaker. He was part of the San Francisco Renaissance, a precursor to the Beat poets. He was an early bard of the Radical Faeries, as well as a member of ...

, makes its controversial debut at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival. **Henry Ranta quits

Soilwork Soilwork is a Swedish melodic death metal band from Helsingborg. They are signed to Nuclear Blast. Formed in late 1995 by Björn Strid and Peter Wichers, originally under the name ''Inferior Breed'', the band changed their name in late 1996 to S ...

. **

Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...

and Christina Aguilera kicked off their summer

Justified & Stripped Tour The Justified & Stripped Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American recording artists Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera. It was launched in support of Timberlake's debut studio album, '' Justified'' (2002), and Aguilera's fourth stu ...

. **

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

radio station

KROQ-FM KROQ-FM (106.7 MHz) is a commercial radio station licensed to Pasadena, California, serving Greater Los Angeles. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts an alternative rock format known as "The World Famous KROQ" (pronounced "kay-rock"). The stat ...

airs the 11th Annual of the Weenie Roast show with AFI, The Ataris, Blur, Chevelle, Deftones, Finch,

Good Charlotte Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 2005, the band's lineup has consisted of twin brothers Joel Madden (lead vocals) and Benji Madden (guitar and vocals), Paul Thomas (bass), Billy Martin (g ...

Hot Hot Heat Hot Hot Heat is a Canadian indie rock band from Victoria, British Columbia, formed in 1999. The band was signed by Seattle label Sub Pop in 2001 and released its first EP, ''Knock Knock Knock'', and first full-length album, '' Make Up the Break ...

Less Than Jake Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxoph ...

, Liam Lynch,

Staind Staind ( ) is an American rock band from Springfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist and backing vocalist Johnny April, and dr ...

Sum 41 Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. Originally called Kaspir, the band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of Deryck Whibley (lead vocals, guitars, keyboards), Dave Baksh (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jason "Cone" McCas ...

Thrice Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and lead guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school. Early in their career, the band was known ...

The Transplants The Transplants are an American punk rock/ rap rock supergroup. They formed in 1999 when Tim Armstrong (of the bands Rancid and Operation Ivy) played his friend and roadie Rob Aston some beats he had made using Pro Tools and asked Aston if ...

The Used The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah, that formed in 2001. The group consists of vocalist Bert McCracken, bassist Jeph Howard, drummer Dan Whitesides, and guitarist Joey Bradford. Former members include Quinn Allman, Branden Stei ...

, The White Stripes and Pete Yorn. **

Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...

begins production of his 26th album. It is a departure from the heavy metal sound of previous albums and is more influenced by his albums of the 1970s. * June 22 **Beyoncé releases her No.1 debut solo album ''

Dangerously in Love ''Dangerously in Love'' is the debut solo studio album by American singer Beyoncé. It was released on June 20, 2003, by Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment. During the recording of Destiny's Child's third studio album '' Survivor'' ( ...

'', which would earn her 5 Grammys in a single night. It also spawned two No.1 singles in the US and has sold 11 million copies to date. ** Nick Oshiro replaces

Ken Jay Kenneth "Ken Jay" Lacey (born June 10, 1966) is an American musician, best known as the original drummer for industrial metal band Static-X. Biography Jay was born in Vermilion County, Illinois. Jay began playing drums early on and had played ...

Static-X Static-X is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1994. The line-up has fluctuated over the years, but was long-held constant with band founder, frontman, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Wayne Static until his ...

. * June 27–29 – In the

Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...

, U.K., headline acts include David Gray,

R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternative ...

, Morcheeba,

The Flaming Lips The Flaming Lips are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1983 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The band currently consists of Wayne Coyne (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Steven Drozd (guitars, keyboards, bass, drums, vocals), Derek Brown (keyb ...

Radiohead Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards); brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass) ...

, Super Furry Animals, Lamb, Macy Gray, Feeder,

Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...

Moby Richard Melville Hall (born September 11, 1965), known professionally as Moby, is an American musician, songwriter, singer, producer, and animal rights activist. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. AllMusic considers him to be "among the ...

and Doves. The weather is mostly dry and the festival deemed a success from both a security and entertainment viewpoint by Michael Eavis.

July–August

* July 2 **

A-Teens A-Teens (stylized as A★TEENS or A*Teens) were a Swedish pop music group from Stockholm, Sweden, formed by Niklas Berg in 1998 originally as an ABBA tribute band called ABBA-Teens and was later renamed A-Teens. The band members were Marie Serne ...

and many others perform at the Stockholm Pride festival. **

is diagnosed with

Hodgkin's Disease Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a type of lymphoma, in which cancer originates from a specific type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, where multinucleated Reed–Sternberg cells (RS cells) are present in the patient's lymph nodes. The condition wa ...

. * July 5 –

Lollapalooza Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Musi ...

returns after a six-year absence from the music festival circuit.

, Audioslave, Incubus and

are among the featured acts. *

July 11 Events Pre-1600 * 472 – After being besieged in Rome by his own generals, Western Roman Emperor Anthemius is captured in St. Peter's Basilica and put to death. * 813 – Byzantine emperor Michael I, under threat by conspiracies, abd ...

–

Judas Priest Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band formed in Birmingham in 1969. They have sold over 50 million albums and are frequently ranked as one of the greatest metal bands of all time. Despite an innovative and pioneering body of work in th ...

announces that

Rob Halford Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. He has b ...

has rejoined the band, with a reunion tour to follow in 2004. *

July 14 Events Pre-1600 * 982 – King Otto II and his Frankish army are defeated by the Muslim army of al-Qasim at Cape Colonna, Southern Italy. * 1223 – Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father, Philip II. * 1420 ...

– The

eurodance Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...

and

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

musician

Lynda Thomas Lynda Aguirre Thomas (born 21 December 1981), known professionally as Lynda, is a Mexican musician, singer, songwriter and activist. She achieved recognition in her native Mexico during the 1990s and early 2000s. She was signed to EMI Capitol ...

made her last public appearance; she suddenly left the music industry and public life altogether. *

July 19 Events Pre-1600 *AD 64 – The Great Fire of Rome causes widespread devastation and rages on for six days, destroying half of the city. * 484 – Leontius, Roman usurper, is crowned Eastern emperor at Tarsus (modern Turkey). He is re ...

–20 – The Splendour in the Grass music festival takes place in Byron Bay,

, headlined by

Powderfinger Powderfinger were an Australian rock band formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their break-up in 2010, the line-up consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bass guitarist John Collins and drummer ...

and Coldplay. * July 20 – An auto accident in Oregon kills three of the four members of

The Exploding Hearts The Exploding Hearts were an American punk rock and power pop band formed in Portland, Oregon, United States, in 2001. The band was composed of vocalist/guitarist Adam Cox, bassist Matt Fitzgerald, guitarist Terry Six, and drummer Jeremy Gage. ...

, ending the band after just one album. *

July 30 Events Pre-1600 * 762 – Baghdad is founded. *1419 – First Defenestration of Prague: A crowd of radical Hussites kill seven members of the Prague city council. *1502 – Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands ...

–

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

AC/DC AC/DC (stylised as ACϟDC) are an Australian Rock music, rock band formed in Sydney in 1973 by Scottish-born brothers Malcolm Young, Malcolm and Angus Young. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock, and Heavy metal ...

Rush Rush(es) may refer to: Places United States * Rush, Colorado * Rush, Kentucky * Rush, New York * Rush City, Minnesota * Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois * Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream * Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...

, The Guess Who and others headline a benefit concert in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Canada, to prove that the city is safe from SARS. With 450 thousand spectators, it is the largest concert in Canadian history. *

August 19 Events Pre-1600 *295 BC – The first temple to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility, is dedicated by Quintus Fabius Maximus Gurges during the Third Samnite War. *43 BC – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, later know ...

–

Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Simpson (born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, entrepreneur and philanthropist. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' Swe ...

releases her third studio album ''

In This Skin ''In This Skin'' is the third studio album by American recording artist Jessica Simpson. The album was released on August 19, 2003, by Columbia Records. It was reissued on March 2, 2004, with three new songs. Simpson began taking more creative co ...

''. The album would later go triple platinum in the U.S. and would produce the hit single "

With You With You may refer to: Music * With You., an American house music group Albums * With You (826aska album), ''With You'' (826aska album) or the title song, 2023 * With You (Stacy Lattisaw album), ''With You'' (Stacy Lattisaw album) or the title s ...

". *

August 28 Events Pre-1600 * 475 – The Roman general Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his capital city, Ravenna. * 489 – Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, defeats Odoacer at the Battle of Isonzo, forcing his way ...

–

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

sparks media controversy by kissing popstars

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

and Christina Aguilera at the

2003 MTV Video Music Awards The 2003 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on August 28, 2003, honoring the best music videos from June 1, 2002, to June 9, 2003. The show was hosted by Chris Rock at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The ceremony is best remembered for ...

. The situation even ignited a quick war of words between

and Christina Aguilera over the kiss.

September–October

September 15 Events Pre-1600 * 994 – Major Fatimid victory over the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of the Orontes. *1440 – Gilles de Rais, one of the earliest known serial killers, is taken into custody upon an accusation brought against him by ...

–

Billy Corgan William Patrick Corgan Jr. (born March 17, 1967) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and professional wrestling promoter. He is best known as the lead singer, primary songwriter, guitarist, and only permanent member of the rock band the ...

announces that Zwan has broken up. *

September 16 Events Pre-1600 * 681 – Pope Honorius I is posthumously excommunicated by the Sixth Ecumenical Council. *1400 – Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers. 1601–1900 * 1620 – A determined band of 35 relig ...

** Ryan Malcolm wins the first season of ''

Canadian Idol ''Canadian Idol'' is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show ''Pop Idol''. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore ...

''. **

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

releases his twenty-third studio album ''

Reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...

''. The album would be Bowie's last for roughly a decade, with Bowie silently and gradually withdrawing into seclusion following an onstage heart attack the following year. *

September 22 Events Pre-1600 * 904 – The warlord Zhu Quanzhong kills Emperor Zhaozong, the penultimate emperor of the Tang dynasty, after seizing control of the imperial government. * 1236 – The Samogitians defeat the Livonian Brothers of th ...

–

Max Cavalera Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera (; born August 4, 1969) is a Brazilian musician. He co-founded the heavy metal band Sepultura in 1984 with his brother Igor Cavalera, and was the band's lead singer and rhythm guitarist until his departure i ...

& Gloria Cavalera fire Marcello D. Rapp causing Roy Mayorga & Mike Doling to leave the band Soulfly in protest. *

September 23 Events Pre-1600 * 38 – Drusilla, Caligula's sister who died in June, with whom the emperor is said to have an incestuous relationship, is deified. * 1122 – Pope Callixtus II and Holy Roman Emperor Henry V agree to the Concordat ...

–

release ''

Results May Vary ''Results May Vary'' is the fourth studio album by American rap rock band Limp Bizkit, released on September 23, 2003, through Flip and Interscope Records. It is the band's only release under the sole-leadership of vocalist Fred Durst after the ...

'' their first album in 3 years and their 4th album overall. *October – Indie/Rock band Conway wins the National "Battle of the Bands" Competition at the Fountain Pub in Tottenham, London, UK. The Norfolk, UK, band consists of Chris Burgoyne (vocals), Andrew Norman (lead guitar / vocals), Tristan McKelvey (guitar), Leon Chapman (bass) and Peter Rednall (drums). * October 4 –

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing caree ...

The Rising Tour The Rising Tour was a lengthy, worldwide, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place in arenas and stadiums over 2002 and 2003. It followed the release of their 2002 album '' The Rising''. Itin ...

concludes after 120 shows over 14 months, with record-setting sales in U.S. stadiums during the summer and early autumn. *

October 15 Events Pre-1600 *1066 – Following the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, Edgar the Ætheling is proclaimed King of England by the Witan; he is never crowned, and concedes power to William the Conqueror two months later. * 1211 ...

– A two-week-long international conference, "Fuori tempo, dire, fare, sentire la musica oggi", opens in

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...

, Italy, bringing together performers, composers, scholars and administrators from classical, folk and popular music, with a keynote address by Charles Rosen. Featured participants include Nuria Schoenberg (daughter of

Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (, ; ; 13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was as ...

and widow of Luigi Nono); musicologist James Harrison; opera conductor

Roberto Abbado Roberto Abbado (born 30 December 1954, Milan) is an Italian opera and symphonic music conducting, conductor. Currently he is Artistic Partner of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. In 2015 he has been appointed music director of Palau de les Arts R ...

; violinist

Ivry Gitlis Ivry Gitlis ( he, עברי גיטליס;‎ 25 August 1922 – 24 December 2020) was an Israeli virtuoso violinist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. He performed with the world's top orchestras, including the London Philharmonic, New York Philha ...

; composers

Salvatore Sciarrino Salvatore Sciarrino (born 4 April 1947) is an Italian composer of contemporary classical music. Described as "the best-known and most performed Italian composer" of the present day, his works include ''Quaderno di strada'' (2003) and ''La porta d ...

Lorenzo Ferrero Lorenzo Ferrero (; born 1951) is an Italian composer, librettist, author, and book editor. He started composing at an early age and has written over a hundred compositions thus far, including twelve operas, three ballets, and numerous orchestral ...

and

Andrea Liberovici Andrea Liberovici (born 1962) is an Italian composer of contemporary classical music and a theatre director. Biography Andrea Liberovici was born in Turin, the son of Sergio Liberovici (musician, Turin, 1930–1991) and Margot Galante Garrone. ...

; poet Edoardo Sanguineti; popular singer-songwriters Teresa De Sio, Gianna Nannini and Gino Paoli; rock and jazz artists Peppe Servalo and Peppe D'Argenzio of the Piccola Orchestra Avion Travel; and administrators Anna Cammarano (director of classical music at RAI Trade), Gennaro di Benedetto (superintendent of the

Teatro Carlo Felice The Teatro Carlo Felice is the principal opera house of Genoa, Italy, used for performances of opera, ballet, orchestral music, and recitals. It is located on the side of Piazza De Ferrari. The hall is named for King Carlo Felice, and dates fr ...

in Genoa) and Joseph Hussek (director of the artistic programme at the

Salzburg Festival The Salzburg Festival (german: Salzburger Festspiele) is a prominent festival of music and drama established in 1920. It is held each summer (for five weeks starting in late July) in the Austrian town of Salzburg, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amad ...

). * October 16 –

Simon & Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s, and their biggest hits—including the electric remix of " ...

begin their "Old Friends" U.S. reunion tour, twenty years after their 1983 world tour. * October 20 –

releases the first single, "

Me Against The Music "Me Against the Music" is a song by American singers Britney Spears and Madonna for Spears' fourth studio album, ''In the Zone'' (2003). It was written by Spears, Madonna, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Thabiso "Tab" Nikhereanye, Penelope Magnet, ...

", featuring American singer-songwriter

, from her upcoming album '' In the Zone'', marketed as a comeback single in the US; it goes on to be an international success, reaching the top three in several countries. * October 21 –

wins 7 ARIA Awards and defeats Amiel's " Lovesong" for and a Gold ARIA for Single of the Year,

. ''ARIAs'' host

Rove McManus John Henry Michael McManus (born 21 January 1974), better known by the stage name Rove McManus, is an Australian triple Gold Logie award-winning comedian, television and radio presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the e ...

announced that

John Farnham John Peter Farnham Officer of the Order of Australia, AO (born 1 July 1949) is a British born Australian singer. Farnham was a Teen idol, teen pop idol from 1967 until 1979, billed then as Johnny Farnham, but has since forged a career as an Adu ...

will raise the very loud speakers to 1985/1986's " You're the Voice" after being inducted into the

ARIA Hall of Fame In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...

. * October 29 – A legal version of the

Napster Napster was a peer-to-peer file sharing application. It originally launched on June 1, 1999, with an emphasis on digital audio file distribution. Audio songs shared on the service were typically encoded in the MP3 format. It was founded by Shawn ...

file sharing network relaunches as a pay service, offering song downloads for 99 cents apiece or $9.99 for unlimited listening.

November–December

November 4 Events Pre-1600 *1429 – Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War: Joan of Arc liberates Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier. * 1493 – Christopher Columbus reaches Leeward Island and Puerto Rico. * 1501 – Catherine of Aragon (later Henry VIII's ...

– Aaron Carter releases his first compilation album (fifth overall album under Jive Records) Most Requested Hits *

November 5 Events Pre-1600 * 1138 – Lý Anh Tông is enthroned as emperor of Vietnam at the age of two, beginning a 37-year reign. * 1499 – The '' Catholicon'', written in 1464 by Jehan Lagadeuc in Tréguier, is published; this is the first Br ...

Cryptopsy Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, formed in 1988. History Necrosis (1988–1992) Necrosis was formed in April 1988 by drummer Mike Atkin, guitarist Steve Thibault and vocalist Dan "Lord Worm" Greening, initially ...

rehires Lord Worm. ** Evanescence's lead guitarist and founding member Ben Moody leaves the band on their first world tour. * November 6 – Marco Aro quits his vocalist position in

The Haunted Haunted or The Haunted may refer to: Books * ''Haunted'' (Armstrong novel), by Kelley Armstrong, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Cabot novel), by Meg Cabot, 2004 * ''Haunted'' (Palahniuk novel), by Chuck Palahniuk, 2005 * ''Haunted'' (Angel novel), a 200 ...

. The band rehires their first vocalist,

Peter Dolving Peter Dolving (born 24 October 1969) is a Swedish vocalist now living in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. He is most commonly known as the former frontman of the metal band The Haunted. Career Dolving began as a singer-songwriter playing in cafes in S ...

. * November 7 – Bassist Steve "Fuzz" Kmak is fired from

Disturbed Disturbed may refer to: Books * ''Disturbed'', a 2011 novel by Kevin O'Brien (author) Film and TV * ''Disturbed'' (film), a 1990 film starring Malcolm McDowell * "Disturbed" (''Numb3rs''), a 2009 episode of ''Numb3rs'' * "The Disturbed", a 20 ...

as a result of personality clashes with others in the band. *

November 14 Events Pre-1600 1601–1900 *1680 – German astronomer Gottfried Kirch discovers the Great Comet of 1680, the first comet to be discovered by telescope. * 1770 – James Bruce discovers what he believes to be the source of the Nile. * ...

**Band

Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philo ...

reunites to perform at the funeral of their manager

Steve O'Rourke Steve O'Rourke ( – ) was an English music manager and racing driver. He is known for being the manager of Pink Floyd, a position he held from 1968 until his death. Among his accomplishments is negotiating Pink Floyd's split with bass player and ...

. ** Byron Stroud is confirmed as an official member of

Fear Factory Fear Factory is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1989. Throughout the band's career, they have released ten full-length albums and have evolved through a succession of sounds, all in their main style of industrial metal. ...

. * November 18 ** Blink-182 release their fifth studio album '' blink-182''. This album was regarded as a change of musical style for Blink-182 as the music has darkened and matured since their previous albums. **

releases '' In the Zone''. She breaks her own record as the first female artist to have 3 albums in #1 to become the first female artist to have 4 albums in #1 consecutively. **

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

releases the compilation album ''Number Ones.'' *

November 19 Events Pre-1600 * 461 – Libius Severus is declared emperor of the Western Roman Empire. The real power is in the hands of the ''magister militum'' Ricimer. * 636 – The Rashidun Caliphate defeats the Sasanian Empire at the Battle o ...

–

Guy Sebastian Guy Theodore Sebastian (born 26 October 1981) is an Australian singer and songwriter who was the winner of the first '' Australian Idol'' in 2003, judge on Australia's ''The X Factor'' from 2010 to 2012 and again from 2015 to 2016, and coach ...

becomes the first winner of ''

Australian Idol ''Australian Idol'' is an Australian singing competition, which began its first season in July 2003 and ended its initial run in November 2009. As part of the ''Idol'' franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program ''Pop Idol' ...

'', receiving a contract with

BMG Australia Sony Music Entertainment Australia is the predominant record label operated by American parent company Sony Music Entertainment in Australia. SMEA also formerly published and distributed video games in Australia & New Zealand on behalf of Sony ...

. He subsequently records the studio album, '' Just As I Am''. Shannon Noll was named the runner-up. *

November 20 Events Pre-1600 * 284 – Diocletian is chosen as Roman emperor. * 762 – During the An Shi Rebellion, the Tang dynasty, with the help of Huihe tribe, recaptures Luoyang from the rebels. *1194 – Palermo is conquered by Henry ...

–

is arrested on charges of child molestation. The singer faced similar charges in 1993 that were dropped after an out-of-court financial settlement was reached with the family of a boy. In light of the new accusations, the television network CBS chooses to pull the scheduled November 26 airing of a one-hour television special intended to promote Jackson's new greatest hits album, ''

Number Ones A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The original examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...

''. *

November 21 Events Pre-1600 * 164 BCE – Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family, rededicates the Temple in Jerusalem, an event is commemorated each year by the festival of Hanukkah. (25 Kislev 3597 in the Hebrew calendar.) * 235 ...

–

Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...

release their sixth studio album, ''

Take a Look in the Mirror ''Take a Look in the Mirror'' is the sixth studio album by American nu metal band Korn. Released on November 21, 2003 through Epic Records, it is the last Korn studio album to feature their full original lineup, as their original guitarist Brian ...

.'' It is the last album that features the original lineup of

. *

November 22 Events Pre-1600 * 498 – After the death of Anastasius II, Symmachus is elected Pope in the Lateran Palace, while Laurentius is elected Pope in Santa Maria Maggiore. * 845 – The first duke of Brittany, Nominoe, defeats the Fra ...

– The band

Five Iron Frenzy Five Iron Frenzy is an American band formed in Denver, Colorado, in 1995. Best known for playing ska punk music characterized by an offbeat sense of humor and prominent Christian themes, Five Iron was one of the pioneering figures of the Christi ...

plays its last show at the Fillmore Auditorium in

Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

. * December 6 **

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...

and Diana Krall are married in a private ceremony at

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

's estate in England. **

P-Funk Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...

founder George Clinton is arrested and charged with drug possession in

Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...

. * December 8 –

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...

is rushed into emergency surgery after having a serious accident riding an

all-terrain vehicle An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike, or simply a quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, with a seat that is stra ...

on the grounds of his English estate. Osbourne broke his collarbone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck.Osbourne 'stable' after accident
BBC News, December 9, 2003. *

December 12 Events Pre-1600 * 627 – Battle of Nineveh: A Byzantine army under Emperor Heraclius defeats Emperor Khosrau II's Persian forces, commanded by General Rhahzadh. *1388 – Maria of Enghien sells the lordship of Argos and Nauplia to ...

–

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

is knighted for services to music by The Prince of Wales at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

.Stones frontman becomes Sir Mick
BBC News, December 12, 2003. * December 13-14 – The Los Angeles,

radio station

airs the 14th Annual of the Acoustic Christmas show with AFI, Blink-182, Brand New, Chevelle, The Distillers,

Jet Jet, Jets, or The Jet(s) may refer to: Aerospace * Jet aircraft, an aircraft propelled by jet engines ** Jet airliner ** Jet engine ** Jet fuel * Jet Airways, an Indian airline * Wind Jet (ICAO: JET), an Italian airline * Journey to Enceladus a ...

KoЯn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 by ...

, The Offspring,

P.O.D. P.O.D., an initialism for Payable on Death, is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992 and based in San Diego, California. The band's line-up consists of drummer and rhythm guitarist Wuv Bernardo, vocalist Sonny Sandoval, bassist Traa ...

, Pennywise, Puddle of Mudd, Rancid,

311 311 may refer to: * 311 (number), a natural number * AD 311, a year of the Julian calendar, in the fourth century AD * 311 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar * 311 (band), an American band ** ''311'' (album), band 311's self-titled album ...

and

Trapt Trapt is an American rock band formed in Los Gatos, California. Eight studio albums have been recorded to date: ''Amalgamation'' (1999), ''Trapt'' (2002), '' Someone in Control'' (2005), '' Only Through the Pain'' (2008), '' No Apologies'' (20 ...

. *

December 30 Events Pre-1600 *534 – The second and final edition of the Code of Justinian comes into effect in the Byzantine Empire. *999 – Battle of Glenmama: The combined forces of Munster and Meath under king Brian Boru inflict a crushi ...

-31 – The

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

Falls Festival in Australia, traditionally held in

Lorne, Victoria Lorne is a seaside town on Louttit Bay in Victoria, Australia. It is situated about the Erskine River and is a popular destination on the Great Ocean Road tourist route. Lorne is in the Surf Coast Shire and at the had a population of 1,114 but ...

, holds events in both Lorne and

Marion Bay, Tasmania Marion Bay is a rural / residential locality in the local government area (LGA) of Sorell in the South-east LGA region of Tasmania. The locality is about east of the town of Sorell. The 2016 census recorded a population of 72 for the state ...

, at the same time. The same artists perform at both events, alternating between the two venues each night.

Bands formed

''See

Musical groups established in 2003 Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

Bands reformed

The Stooges The Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, also known as Iggy and the Stooges, was an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave ...

* Edge of Sanity

Bands disbanded

*''See :Musical groups disestablished in 2003''

Albums released

January–March

April–June

July–September

October–December

Release date unknown

* ''

25 Miles to Kissimmee ''25 Miles to Kissimmee'' is the sixth studio album by German pop band Fool's Garden, released in 2003. It is also the last album featuring all of the original members of the band. Overview The title track is about a girl who attempts to seduce h ...

'' –

Fools Garden Fools Garden (until 2003 known as Fool's Garden) is a German band formed in 1991 in the city of Pforzheim. The founders of the group and the only permanent members are vocalist Peter Freudenthaler and guitarist Volker Hinkel. In 1993, bassist T ...

* '' All Got Our Runnins'' EP –

The Streets The Streets are an English music project led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mike Skinner. The project has released six studio albums: ''Original Pirate Material'' (2002), ''A Grand Don't Come for Free'' (2004), ''The Hardest Way to M ...

* ''

Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member S ...

'' –

* ''

Bootlegged, Distorted, Remixed and Uploaded ''Bootlegged, Distorted, Remixed & Uploaded'' is a compilation album by England, English Heavy metal music, metal band Pitchshifter. It was released in 2003, on their own label, PSI Records. It comprises two discs. The first disc is a live alb ...

'' – Pitchshifter * ''

First Demo Tape ''First Demo Tape'' is an archival release of recordings by the American hardcore punk band Minor Threat. It was released on CD and 7-inch vinyl in 2003 through Dischord Records. The album comprises previously unreleased demo versions of material ...

'' –

Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitaris ...

, , EP * ''

Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You ''Kill Sound Before Sound Kills You'' is a 2003 studio album by American electronic musician Miguel Depedro under his alias of Kid 606. The album was released by Ipecac Records on compact disc and on vinyl by Tigerbeat6. The album was recorded betw ...

'' –

Kid 606 Miguel Trost De Pedro (born July 27, 1979), better known by his stage name Kid606, is an electronic musician who was raised in San Diego and later moved to San Francisco. He is most closely associated with the glitch, IDM, hardcore techno and b ...

* ''

Live from the Gaiety ''Live from the Gaiety'' is a live album by The Dubliners. It was recorded during the Irish leg of their tour celebrating forty years on the road. The double album was recorded at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin in June 2002. All surviving members ...

'' –

The Dubliners The Dubliners were an Folk music of Ireland, Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in personn ...

(live) * ''Natural Wonder'' - Phoebe Snow * '' The Sauce'' – Eddie Spaghetti * '' Still Electric'' –

Primitive Radio Gods Primitive Radio Gods is an American alternative rock band from Southern California. Current members consist of frontman Chris O'Connor, who performs vocals and bass; percussionist Tim Lauterio; and Luke McAuliffe, who contributes various addit ...

* ''

Strawberry Bubblegum "Strawberry Bubblegum" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his third studio album, ''The 20/20 Experience'' (2013). It was written and produced by Timberlake, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Jerome "J-Roc" H ...

'' –

10cc 10cc are an English rock band formed in Stockport in 1972. The group initially consisted of four musicians – Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme – who had written and recorded together since 1968. The group featured t ...

– Compilation * ''

To Madagascar and Back Flickerstick is an American alternative rock band from Fort Worth, Texas. Band history Band formation and early years Flickerstick was formed in Fort Worth, Texas, by high school friends Brandin Lea (lead singer, guitarist) and Cory Kreig (gu ...

'' EP/DVD –

Flickerstick Flickerstick is an American alternative rock band from Fort Worth, Texas. Band history Band formation and early years Flickerstick was formed in Fort Worth, Texas, by high school friends Brandin Lea (lead singer, guitarist) and Cory Kreig (gu ...

* '' Try Honesty / Living in the Shadows'' EP –

Billy Talent Billy Talent is a Canadian Rock music, rock band from Mississauga, Ontario. They formed in 1993 with lead vocalist Benjamin Kowalewicz, guitarist Ian D'Sa, bassist Jonathan Gallant, and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk. There have been no lineup change ...

* ''

Velvet Lined Shell ''Velvet Lined Shell'' is a mini-album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 2003 by her independent label Vertical Species. Background This release consists of six tracks, recorded in Toyah's hometown of Birmingham. Three of the musi ...

'' EP – Toyah * '' Watching the Snow'' – Michael Franks (Japanese release)

Top 5 albums of Billboard year

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...

– ''

Get Rich or Die Tryin' ''Get Rich or Die Tryin'' is the debut studio album by American rapper 50 Cent. It was released on February 6, 2003, by Interscope Records, Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, Eminem's Shady Records, and 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. After signing wi ...

'' # Norah Jones – ''

Come Away With Me ''Come Away with Me'' is the debut studio album by American recording artist Norah Jones, released on February 26, 2002, by Blue Note Records. Recording sessions took place at Sorcerer Sound Studio in New York City and Allaire Studios in Shokan, ...

'' #

– ''

'' #

– ''

'' #

Dixie Chicks The Chicks (previously known as Dixie Chicks) are an American country music band from Dallas, Texas. Since 1995, the band has consisted of Natalie Maines (lead vocals, guitar) and sisters Martie Maguire (vocals, fiddle, mandolin, guitar) and E ...

– ''

Home A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...

Top 10 Selling Albums of the Year US

# ''

'' –

# ''

Come Away with Me ''Come Away with Me'' is the debut studio album by American recording artist Norah Jones, released on February 26, 2002, by Blue Note Records. Recording sessions took place at Sorcerer Sound Studio in New York City and Allaire Studios in Shokan, ...

'' – Norah Jones # '' Stripped'' – Christina Aguilera # ''

'' –

# '' Meteora'' –

# ''

'' –

# '' A Rush of Blood to the Head'' – Coldplay # '' Fallen'' – Evanescence # '' In the Zone'' –

# '' Let Go'' –

Popular songs

Classical music

Leonardo Balada Leonardo Balada Ibáñez (born September 22, 1933) is a Catalan American classical composer, who is noted for his operas and orchestral works. Life Balada was born in Barcelona, Spain. After studying piano at the Conservatori Superior de Mús ...

– ''Ebony Fantasies'' (cantata for choir and orchestra) *

George Crumb George Henry Crumb Jr. (24 October 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an American composer of avant-garde contemporary classical music. Early in his life he rejected the widespread modernist usage of serialism, developing a highly personal musical ...

**''A Journey Beyond Time'' for soprano, percussion quartet and piano. **''Otherworldly Resonances'' for two pianos **''River of Life'' for soprano, percussion quartet and piano *

Mario Davidovsky Mario Davidovsky (March 4, 1934 – August 23, 2019) was an Argentine-American composer. Born in Argentina, he emigrated in 1960 to the United States, where he lived for the remainder of his life. He is best known for his series of compositions ca ...

– ''Duo Capriccioso'' for piano and violin * Peter Maxwell Davies ** Naxos Quartet No. 2 ** Naxos Quartet No. 3 *

Péter Eötvös Péter Eötvös ( hu, Eötvös Péter, ; born 2 January 1944) is a Hungarian composer, conductor and teacher. Eötvös was born in Székelyudvarhely, Transylvania, then part of Hungary, now Romania. He studied composition in Budapest and Colog ...

**''Erdenklavier-Himmelklavier'', for piano **''Jet Stream'', concerto for trumpet and orchestra *

Elisenda Fábregas Elisenda Fábregas (born 1955 in Terrassa, Province of Barcelona, Spain) is a Spanish/American Composer. Biography Fábregas studied piano at the Conservatory of Barcelona until 1978. She came to the USA and studied for her bachelor's and maste ...

– ''Voces de mi tierra'' for flute, cello and piano * Rolf Gehlhaar – ''Cybersong'' for tenor and wearable electronics *

**''Dreaming Awake'' for piano **''Taoist Sacred Dance'' for piano and flute **''Music from The Sound of a Voice'' for

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

pipa The pipa, pípá, or p'i-p'a () is a traditional Chinese musical instrument, belonging to the plucked category of instruments. Sometimes called the "Chinese lute", the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets rang ...

, violin, cello and percussion * Andrew Glover – ''The Death of Angels: A Concerto for Violin and Orchestra'' * Friedrich Goldmann **''Herzstück'', mini-drama for soprano, flute and guitar **''Klangszenen III'' for orchestra * Haflidi Hallgrímsson – Cello Concerto *

Mauricio Kagel Mauricio Raúl Kagel (; 24 December 1931 – 18 September 2008) was an Argentine-German composer. Biography Kagel was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, into an Ashkenazi Jewish family that had fled from Russia in the 1920s . He studied music, his ...

**''Andere Gesänge'', intermezzi for soprano and orchestra **''Auftakte, achthändig'' for two pianos and two percussionists *

Wojciech Kilar Wojciech Kilar (; 17 July 1932 – 29 December 2013) was a Polish classical and film music composer. One of his greatest successes came with his score to Francis Ford Coppola's '' Bram Stoker's Dracula'' in 1992, which received the ASCAP Award ...

– **''Lament'' for mixed choir a cappella **Symphony No. 3 ''September Symphony'' *

György Ligeti György Sándor Ligeti (; ; 28 May 1923 – 12 June 2006) was a Hungarian-Austrian composer of contemporary classical music. He has been described as "one of the most important avant-garde composers in the latter half of the twentieth century" ...

– ''Hamburg Concerto'' for solo horn and chamber orchestra with four obbligato natural horns (1998–99, 2003) *Frederik Magle – ''Phoenix'' for mixed choir and organ or piano four-hands *Mesías Maiguashca – ''K.O. Tagebücher'', for two cellos, two percussionists and electronics *Henri Pousseur **''Arioso monodie'' for female voice **''Javanitas'' for violin and trombone **''Litanie du miel des nuits hivernales'' for viola and piano **''Rossignolade'' for female voice and clarinet **''Voix et vues planétaires'', multimedia *Alexander Raskatov – ''The Last Freedom'' *Karlheinz Stockhausen **''Amour (Stockhausen), Amour'', for saxophone **''Klavierstücke (Stockhausen)#Klavierstück XIX, Klavierstück XIX'' **''Mixtur, Mixtur 2003'', for five instrumental groups, four sinewave-generator players, four sound mixers with four ring modulators and sound director **''Licht#Auxiliary works, Vibra-Elufa'', for vibraphone, *Steven Stucky **''Jeu de timbres'' **Second Concerto for Orchestra

Opera

*Deborah Drattell – ''Nicholas and Alexandra'' *

– ''The Sound of a Voice (opera), The Sound of a Voice'' *Osvaldo Golijov – ''Ainadamar'' *Michael Nyman – ''Man and Boy: Dada'' *Krzysztof Penderecki – ''Ubu Rex'' *Rachel Portman – ''The Little Prince'' *Karlheinz Stockhausen – ''Sonntag aus Licht'' (composition completed and, with it, the entire ''Licht'' cycle of seven operas) *Jörg Widmann – ''Das Gesicht im Spiegel''

Jazz

Musical theater

*''Avenue Q'' – Broadway production ran for 2534 performances (ranked 23rd on the list of all-time Broadway shows) *''Belles belles belles'', based on songs by Claude François, with music by Claude François, Jean-Pierre Bourtayre and Carolin Petit and lyrics by Claude François and Daniel Moyne; premiered at Olympia in Paris on November 21 *''Bounce (musical), Bounce'' – Chicago and Washington D. C. productions *''The Boy from Oz'' – Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 365 performances *''Caroline or Change'', book and lyrics by Tony Kushner and score by Jeanine Tesori, off-Broadway production *''Fame on 42nd Street'' – Broadway production opened at the Little Shubert Theatre on November 11 and ran for 264 performances *''The Full Monty'' – Melbourne production *''Jerry Springer – The Opera'' – London production *''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' – London revival *''Never Gonna Dance'' – Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on December 4 and ran for 84 performances *''Showtune (musical), Showtune'', a Jerry Herman musical revue – off-Broadway production *''Taboo (musical), Taboo'' – Broadway production opened November 13 and ran for 103 performances *''Thoroughly Modern Millie (musical), Thoroughly Modern Millie'' – London production opened October 21, starring Amanda Holden, and ran for 8 months *''Tonight's The Night (2003 musical), Tonight's The Night'' – London production *''Wicked (musical), Wicked'' – Broadway production opened at the George Gershwin Theatre on October 30, starring Joel Grey, and is still running as of 2019. It is the fifth-longest-running show in the history of Broadway.

Musical film

* ''7:35 in the Morning'' (Academy Award-nominated short) * ''The Adventure of Iron Pussy'' * ''Brother Bear'' (animated feature) * ''Camp (2003 film), Camp'' * ''The Cheetah Girls (film), The Cheetah Girls'' (Disney Channel Original Movie – the first musical film by Disney Channel, bringing in over 84 million viewers) * ''End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones'' * ''From Justin to Kelly'' * ''Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem'' * ''The Jungle Book 2'' (animated feature) * ''Love Under the Sun'' * ''A Mighty Wind'' * ''Not on the Lips, Pas sur la bouche'' * ''Pop Carn (2003 film), Pop Carn'', starring Mohanlal and Simran Bagga * ''School of Rock'' * ''The Singing Detective'' * ''Tupac: Resurrection'' * ''Vivir Intentando'', starring the group Bandana (pop group), Bandana

Births

– MattyBRaps, American rapper *January 23 – Bishara (singer), Bishara, Syrian-Swedish singer *January 24 – Johnny Orlando, Canadian singer-songwriter *February 10 – Blanco (singer), Blanco, Italian singer and rapper *

**Olivia Rodrigo, American singer-songwriter and actress **William Gao, English actor and musician (Wasia Project) *March 1 - Keshav (musician), Keshav, tabla prodigy *

– George Alice, Australian singer-songwriter *March 26 – Danielle Bregoli, Bhad Bhabie, American rapper and songwriter *March 28 – Pháo, Vietnamese rapper and producer *April 11 – Aksel Rykkvin, Norwegian singer *April 18 – Sophia Grace & Rosie, Sophia Grace Brownlee, British singer (Sophia Grace & Rosie) *April 30 – Mikhail Smirnov (singer), Mikhail Smirnov, Russian singer-songwriter and actor * May 19 – JoJo Siwa, American singer dancer, actress, and YouTube personality *June 1 - Jayda (singer), Jayda, Filipina singer *June 8 - 347aidan, Canadian rapper *July 1 – Tate McRae, Canadian singer, songwriter, musician and dancer *July 4 – Polina Bogusevich, Russian singer *July 28 – Payton Moormeier, American rapper *August 9 – Le Sserafim, Kazuha, Japanese singer (Le Sserafim) *August 17 – The Kid Laroi, Australian singer *September 1 – An Yu-jin, Yujin, South Korean singer (IVE (group), IVE) *September 28 - Lauren Spencer-Smith, British-born Canadian singer and songwriter *October 28 – Beatrice Millie McCartney, daughter of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills. The McCartneys fooled the press into publishing misleading details about the birth. *December 9 – Itzy, Yuna, South Korean singer and dancer (ITZY)

Deaths

*January 1 – Giorgio Gaber (63), actor, singer-songwriter *January 5 **Doreen Carwithen (80), composer **Daphne Oram (77), composer and electronic musician *

– Hirini Melbourne (53), New Zealand singer-songwriter and poet *January 8 – Ron Goodwin (77), composer and conductor *January 11 – Mickey Finn (musician), Mickey Finn (55), Bongo drum, bongo player and T.Rex (band), T.Rex sideman (liver failure) *January 12 – Maurice Gibb (53), Bee Gees singer and bassist (intestinal complications) *January 15 – Doris Fisher (songwriter), Doris Fisher (87), singer-songwriter *January 23 – Nell Carter (54), singer and actress (heart disease) *February 1 – Mongo Santamaría (80), Latin jazz percussionist *

**Vincent "Randy" Chin (65), Jamaican record producer **Lou Harrison (85), composer *February 4 – Charlie Biddle, American-Canadian bassist, 76 *February 11 – Moses Hogan (55), American pianist and composer *February 16 – Rusty Magee (47), American actor and composer *February 19 – Johnny Paycheck (64), country singer *

–

(31), guitarist of Great White (band), Great White (fire accident) *

– Howie Epstein (47), bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers *February 26 – Othar Turner (95), fife player *

**Hank Ballard (75), R&B singer (throat cancer) **Malcolm Williamson (71), composer *March 4 – Celly Campello (60), Brazilian singer-songwriter and actress (breast cancer) *March 8 – Adam Faith (62), singer, actor (heart attack) *

– Leslie Cheung (46), actor, musician (suicide) *April 2 – Edwin Starr (61), soul singer (heart attack) *April 6 – Babatunde Olatunji (75), drummer (diabetes) * April 10 – Little Eva (59), singer (cervical cancer) *April 13 – Alex Baroni (35), singer (motorbike accident) *April 17 – Earl King (69), blues musician *April 19 – Conrad Leonard (104), composer and pianist *April 20 – Teddy Edwards (78), jazz saxophonist *

– Nina Simone (70), singer and pianist *April 22 – Felice Bryant (77), Hall of Fame songwriter *May 4 – Arthur Oldham (76), composer and choirmaster *May 11 – Noel Redding (57), bassist of The Jimi Hendrix Experience (cirrhosis) *May 15 – June Carter Cash (73), musician and singer * May 19 – Ivo Žídek (76), operatic tenor *May 25 – Jeremy Ward (musician), Jeremy Ward (27), sound technician and guitarist *May 27 – Luciano Berio (77), composer *May 30 – Mickie Most (64), record producer (mesothelioma) *June 6 – Dave Rowberry (63), keyboardist (The Animals) (ulcer haemorrhage) *June 17 – Marcella Pobbé (81), operatic soprano *July 1 – Herbie Mann (73), jazz flautist (prostate cancer) *July 3 – Skip Scarborough (58), songwriter *July 4 **André Claveau (87), singer **Barry White (58), singer and record producer (renal failure) * July 5 – Bebu Silvetti (59), pianist, composer, arranger and record producer (respiratory failure) *July 6 **Skip Battin (69), singer-songwriter and bassist **Buddy Ebsen (95), actor and singer *July 7 – Izhak Graziani (79), conductor *July 12 – Benny Carter (95), jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger and bandleader (bronchitis) *July 13 – Compay Segundo (95), Cuban guitarist, singer and composer *July 16 – Celia Cruz (77), salsa singer (brain tumor) *July 17 – Rosalyn Tureck (89), pianist *July 25 – Erik Braunn (52), guitarist Iron Butterfly (heart attack) *July 26 – Richard Wayne Dirksen (81), organist and choirmaster *July 27 – Bob Hope (100), actor, comedian and singer *

– Sam Philips (80), producer and founder of Sun Records *August 2 – Don Estelle (70), actor and singer *August 5 – Tite Curet Alonso (77), songwriter (heart attack) *August 6 – Julius Baker (87), flautist *August 9 – Gregory Hines (58), actor, singer and dancer *August 10 – Carmita Jiménez, singer *August 13 – Ed Townsend (74), singer-songwriter *August 15 – Robert Moulson (70), operatic tenor *August 18 – Tony Jackson (singer), Tony Jackson (55), singer and bass player (The Searchers (band), The Searchers) *August 21 – Wesley Willis (40), novelty musician *August 23 – Imperio Argentina (96), singer and actress *September 4 **Lola Bobesco (82), violinist **Susan Chilcott (40), operatic soprano (breast cancer) **Tibor Varga (violinist), Tibor Varga (82), violinist and conductor *September 5 – Gisele MacKenzie (76), singer *September 7 – Warren Zevon (56), rock and roll singer; mesothelioma *September 12 –

(71), country and rock 'n roll singer *September 14 – John Serry, Sr. (88) concert accordionist, organist, composer, arranger *September 19 – Slim Dusty (76), country singer *September 25 – Matthew Jay (24), English singer-songwriter *September 26 – Robert Palmer (singer), Robert Palmer (54), singer (heart attack) *September 27 – Donald O'Connor (78), actor, singer and dancer (congestive heart failure) *September 30 – Ronnie Dawson (musician), Ronnie Dawson (64), rockabilly singer and guitarist *October 5 – Denis Quilley (75), actor and singer (liver cancer) *October 10 – Eugene Istomin (77), pianist (liver cancer) * October 21 – Elliott Smith (34), singer-songwriter *October 22 – Gabriella Gatti (95), operatic soprano *October 23 – Tony Capstick (59), comedian, actor and musician *October 24 – Rosie Nix Adams, singer-songwriter *October 25 – Robert Strassburg (88), composer, educator, musicologist * October 29 – Franco Corelli (82), operatic tenor *October 30 – Franco Bonisolli (65), operatic tenor *

– Bobby Hatfield (63), singer (The Righteous Brothers) *November 9 – Buddy Arnold (77), jazz saxophonist *November 12 – Tony Thompson (drummer), Tony Thompson (48), drummer of Chic (band), Chic (kidney cancer) *

– Gene Anthony Ray (41), actor and dancer (complications of a stroke) *November 15 **Dorothy Loudon (70), actress and singer **Speedy West (79), American guitarist and producer (b. 1924) *November 17 **Arthur Conley (57), soul singer (intestinal cancer) **Don Gibson (75), country musician * November 18 – Michael Kamen (55), composer, conductor and musician (heart attack) *

– Greg Ridley (56), English bassist (Humble Pie (band), Humble Pie) *November 26 – Soulja Slim (26), rapper (homicide) *November 28 – Thekra, Tunisian singer (murdered by her husband) * December 8 – Rubén González (pianist), Rubén González (84), pianist *December 16 – Gary Stewart (singer), Gary Stewart (59), country singer (suicide) *December 22 – Dave Dudley (75), country singer (heart attack) *December 27 – Vestal Goodman (74), gospel singer (influenza complications) *

– Anita Mui (40), Hong Kong pop singer *December 31 – Sieglinde Wagner (82), operatic contralto

Awards

The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: AC/DC (band), AC/DC, The Clash, Elvis Costello & the Attractions, The Police (band), The Police, The Righteous Brothers

Miscellaneous

*Leonard Cohen is made a Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada's highest honour.

ARIA Music Awards

*ARIA Music Awards of 2003

Country Music Association Awards

*2003 Country Music Association Awards

Eurovision Song Contest

*Eurovision Song Contest 2003 *Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2003

Grammy Awards

*Grammy Awards of 2003

Mercury Music Prize

*''Boy in Da Corner'' – Dizzee Rascal wins.

Charts

Triple J Hottest 100

*Triple J Hottest 100, 2003

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2003 in Music 2003 in music, 2003-related lists Music-related lists Music by year