30th American Music Awards
Jan 13 30th American Music Awards: Sheryl Crow & Eminem win
Pete Townshend Arrested
Jan 13 Rock musician Pete Townshend of The Who is arrested in London on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children. He is later cleared.
"All I Have"
Feb 2 Jennifer Lopez starts a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "All I Have"
- Feb 2 Russian pop girl duo Tatu start a four-week run at #1 on the UK singles chart with "All The Things She Said"
Spector Murders Clarkson
Feb 3 Actress Lana Clarkson is shot and killed by Phil Spector at Spector's house in Alhambra, California
45th Grammy Awards
Feb 23 45th Grammy Awards: "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones wins
17th Soul Train Music Awards
Mar 1 17th Soul Train Music Awards: LL Cool J, Mariah Carey & Nelly win
- Mar 10 "My Front Porch Looking In" single released by Lonestar (Billboard Song of the Year 2003)
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Mar 10 18th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: AC/DC; The Clash; Elvis Costello and the Attractions; The Police; The Righteous Brothers; Benny Benjamin; Floyd Cramer; Steve Douglas; and Mo Ostin
Rules of Travel
Mar 25 Capitol/Nashville Records releases "Rules of Travel", the tenth studio album by singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash; produced by husband John Leventhal, it includes a duet with her father Johnny Cash
CMT Music Awards
Apr 7 2nd CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards: Toby Keith & Martina McBride win
Music History
Apr 19 Nina Simone is awarded an honorary degree by the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia
- May 21 38th Academy of Country Music Awards: Toby Keith, Martina McBride & Kenny Chesney win
- May 24 48th Eurovision Song Contest: Sertab Erener for Turkey wins singing "Everyway That I Can" in Riga
Music Concert
May 24 Paul McCartney performs in his first-ever concert in Russia, in Moscow's Red Square, to a crowd of over 100,000 people
Wicked
Jun 10 Musical "Wicked", starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, officially opens at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco
Music Concert
Jul 24 Ringo Starr's eighth All-Starr Band debuts in concert; members include: Colin Hay, Paul Carrack, John Waite, Sheila E., and Mark Rivera
Video Music Awards
Aug 28 20th MTV Video Music Awards: Missy Elliott, Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake win
Farm Aid Concert
Sep 7 Farm Aid 16 held in Columbus, Ohio; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Emmylou Harris, Hootie & the Blowfish, Sheryl Crow, Brooks & Dunn, and Daniel Lanois [1]
- Sep 13 British rock singer Mike Smith (Dave Clark Five) fractures spine falling while trying to enter his home after locking himself out, becomes permanently paralyzed from the waist down
Reality
Sep 15 ISO/Columbia Records releases David Bowie's 23rd studio album, "Reality"; he supports it with what becomes his final concert tour
Music History
Sep 17 Billy Corgan presents his poetry at the Art Institute of Chicago's Rubloff Auditorium
- Oct 30 Stephen Schwartz's musical "Wicked", a re-telling of the "Wizard of Oz" from the Wicked Witch of the West's' point of view, starring Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, opens at the Gershwin Theatre, NYC; run is ongoing, wins 2 Tony Awards, 7 Drama Desk Awards, and a Grammy
Shock'n Y'all
Nov 4 "Shock'n Y'all" 8th studio album by Toby Keith is released (Billboard Album of the Year 2004)
- Nov 5 37th Country Music Association Awards: Alan Jackson & Martina McBride win
Closer
Nov 11 Josh Groban releases his second album "Closer"; it goes to #1 on US charts and becomes his biggest seller
- Nov 16 31st American Music Awards: Kid Rock, Jennifer Lopez & Luther Vandross win
Britney Spears
Nov 17 Britney Spears, at 21 years old, becomes the youngest singer to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Mandela's AIDS Concerts
Nov 29 The first of Nelson Mandela's 46664 AIDS benefit concerts held at Green Point Stadium, Capetown
Thalia Hollywood Star
Dec 5 Mexican singer Thalia the "Queen of Latin Pop" is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers