2003 in music

January

• January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles
  The Beatles
  The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
  
   studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested. The tapes have been used for bootleg releases for years.
• January 13 – The Who
  The Who
  The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
  
   guitarist, Pete Townshend
  Pete Townshend
  Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
  
  , is arrested by Scotland Yard on suspicion of possessing and making indecent images of children and of incitement to distribute such images, after pornographic images
  Pornography
  Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
  
   are found on his home computer. [Inaccurate, needs going through by someone familiar with case]
• January 15 – 2003 CDNOW Readers' Poll for all albums and new talent of 2002
  2002 in music
  This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
  
  .

February

• February 3 – Legendary record producer Phil Spector
  Phil Spector
  Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
  
   is arrested for investigation of homicide after the body of actress Lana Clarkson
  Lana Clarkson
  Lana Jean Clarkson was an American actress and fashion model. Clarkson was a native of Los Angeles County. She played roles in science fiction and fantasy movies. She was murdered by songwriter and producer Phil Spector, who was convicted of the crime on April 13, 2009.-Early life:Born in Long...
  
   is found at his home in Alhambra, California
  Alhambra, California
  Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
  
  . Police responded to the 911 phone call from one of Spector's neighbors and discovered Clarkson's body, with a gunshot wound. Clarkson was pronounced dead at the scene.
• February 8 – Avril Lavigne
  Avril Lavigne
  Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
  
   scores her third #1 single "I'm with You", and make her the second artist in history of having three consecutive #1 songs of a debut album at the Billboard Mainstream Top 40.
• February 20 – The Station nightclub fire
  The Station nightclub fire
  The Station nightclub fire was the fourth deadliest nightclub fire in American history, killing 100 people. The fire began at 11:07 PM EST, on Thursday, February 20, 2003, at The Station, a glam metal and rock n roll themed nightclub located at 211 Cowesett Avenue in West Warwick, Rhode Island.The...
  
  : Fire engulfs a Rhode Island
  Rhode Island
  The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
  
   nightclub during a fireworks display which was part of the performance by rock band Great White
  Great White
  Great White is an American hard rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1978. The band gained popularity during the 1980s and early 1990s. The band released several albums in the late 1980s and gained airplay on MTV with music videos for songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy"...
  
  . 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 were missing for some time, including Great White guitarist Ty Longley
  Ty Longley
  Ty Longley was an American guitarist and vocalist. He was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Brookfield High School in Brookfield, Ohio....
  
  , who was later confirmed to be dead.
• February 23 – New York City is the site of The 45th Annual Grammy Awards
  Grammy Awards of 2003
  The 45th Grammy Awards were held on February 23, 2003. Musicians accomplishments from the previous year were recognized. Norah Jones was the night's big winner winning five awards including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Best Pop Vocal...
  
  , featuring Nickelback
  Nickelback
  Nickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
  
  , No Doubt
  No Doubt
  No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
  
  , Foo Fighters
  Foo Fighters
  Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
  
  , Beyoncé
  Beyoncé Knowles
  Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
  
  , and other performers.
• February 27 – Othar Turner
  Othar Turner
  Othar "Otha" Turner was one of the last well-known fife players in the vanishing American fife and drum blues tradition...
  
  , one of the last remaining and most well-known African-American fife
  Fife (musical instrument)
  A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute that is similar to the piccolo, but louder and shriller due to its narrower bore. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in military and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer...
  
  -and-drum musicians, dies at the age of 93 in Gravel Springs, Mississippi
  Mississippi
  Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
  
  . Fife-and-drum bands
  Fife and drum blues
  Fife and drum blues is a rural derivation of traditional country blues. It is performed typically with one lead fife player, often also the band leader and vocalist, and a troop of drummers. Unlike a drum corps, the drum troop is loosely structured. As such, a fife and drum band may have any...
  
   were a significant influence of early blues
  Blues
  Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
  
  .

March

• March 3 – Avril Lavigne
  Avril Lavigne
  Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
  
   kick off her first headlining tour the "Try To Shut Me Up Tour".
• March 10 – Johnny Cash
  Johnny Cash
  John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
  
   is admitted to Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee
  Nashville, Tennessee
  Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
  
   to undergo treatment for pneumonia
  Pneumonia
  Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
  
  .
• March 24
  • Meteora
    Meteora
    The Metéora is one of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece, second only to Mount Athos. The six monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars, at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains, in...
    
    by Linkin Park
    Linkin Park
    Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
    
     debuts at number one on the Billboard 200
    Billboard 200
    The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
    
     album chart.
  • Ex-Neighbours
    Neighbours
    Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
    
    star, Delta Goodrem
    Delta Goodrem
    Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...
    
     releases debut album Innocent Eyes which became a monster smash hit of 2003 and included the releases of the new singles Born to Try
    Born to Try (song)
    "Born to Try" is a piano-based pop ballad written by Delta Goodrem and Audius Mtawarira, produced by Ric Wake for Goodrem's debut album Innocent Eyes .-History:...
    
     & Lost Without You
    Lost Without You
    Official Mixes#"Lost Without You" #"Lost Without You" #"Lost Without You" #"Lost Without You" #"Lost Without You" #"Lost Without You"...
    
    .

April

• April 1 – Dozens of fans walk out during a Pearl Jam
  Pearl Jam
  Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
  
   concert when lead singer Eddie Vedder
  Eddie Vedder
  Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
  
   made anti-war comments and insulting remarks about U.S. President George W. Bush
  George W. Bush
  George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
  
  . Other audience members booed and shouted at Vedder telling him to "shut up." Vedder attempted to calm the crowd by adding "just to clarify... we support the troops."
• April 8 – Godsmack
  Godsmack
  Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
  
   releases their third studio album Faceless
  Faceless
  UK bonus tracks-Personnel:* Sully Erna - rhythm guitar, vocals, producer* Tony Rombola - lead guitar, back-up vocals* Robbie Merrill - bass, back-up vocals* Shannon Larkin - drums, percussion* Tommy Stewart - Drums on "I Stand Alone"...
  
  .
• April 21 – S Club announce live on stage at London's Docklands Arena
  London Arena
  The London Arena was an indoor arena and exhibition centre, on the Isle of Dogs, in East London, England...
  
   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
  Rachel Stevens
  Rachel Lauren Stevens is an English singer-songwriter, actress, presenter, dancer, television personality and model. She is a former member of the successful pop group S Club, and launched a solo recording career in 2003, releasing seven singles and two albums in the UK between 2003 and 2005...
  
   from the group launched her successful solo career shortly afterwards with the song Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
  Sweet Dreams My LA Ex
  "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex" is the debut single by English singer-songwriter Rachel Stevens. It was released on 15 September 2003 as lead single from her debut solo album Funky Dory. Originally written for Britney Spears, the song was produced by Swedish Bloodshy & Avant, and received a mixed reception...
  
  .

May

• May 12 – Keane releases their third single, Everybody's Changing
  Everybody's Changing
  "Everybody's Changing" is a song performed and composed by English rock band Keane, from their debut album Hopes and Fears, on which it appears as the fourth track. After a single release on Fierce Panda in May 2003, which peaked at #122 in the UK Singles Chart, it was re-released on Island on 3...
  
  by the label Fierce Panda
• May 24
  • Turkish singer Sertab Erener
    Sertab Erener
    Sertab Erener is a Turkish pop music singer and also a cross-over soprano with a vocal range that extends to high F. She is one of the most successful female Turkish pop singers in her homeland, and is considered one of the divas of Turkish pop music...
    
     wins the Eurovision Song Contest
    Eurovision Song Contest 2003
    The Eurovision Song Contest 2003 was the forty-eighth Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Skonto Hall in Riga, Latvia on 24 May 2003. The hosts were Marie N and Renārs Kaupers. Sertab Erener, the Turkish entrant, won the contest with "Everyway That I Can", scoring 167 points. The winning...
    
    , held in Riga
    Riga
    Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
    
    , Latvia
    Latvia
    Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
    
    , with the song "Everyway That I Can
    Everyway That I Can
    "Everyway That I Can" is the winning song of the 2003 Eurovision Song Contest sung in English by Sertab Erener.-Everyway That I Can:"Everyway That I Can" was written by Demir Demirkan in early 2003 and produced and arranged by Ozan Çolakoğlu, famous for his works with pop idol Tarkan...
    
    ". It is the last time that the contest is a one-night event.
  • After a 40-year wait, Russian
    Russians
    The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
    
     fans of The Beatles
    The Beatles
    The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
    
     finally get to see former Beatle Paul McCartney perform on their soil
    Back in the World tour
    The Back In The World was a European concert tour by Paul McCartney in 2003. After the first 6 dates , Paul caught a flu and had to cancel the second Sheffield date, promising to reschedule the date for later on the tour; the flu affected the set list directly, as Coming Up, Driving Rain & Maybe...
    
    , on the Red Square
    Red Square
    Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod...
    
     in Moscow.

June

• June – Alexander Kuoppala
  Alexander Kuoppala
  Alexander Kuoppala is a Finnish musician. He was the rhythm guitarist from the Finnish heavy metal band Children of Bodom from 1995 to 2003. He played on their albums Something Wild, Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper, and Hate Crew Deathroll...
  
   quit Children of Bodom
  Children of Bodom
  Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
  
  .
  • David Del Tredici's Wondrous the Merge for string quartet
    String quartet
    A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
    
     and narrator, based on a homoerotic poem by James Broughton
    James Broughton
    James Broughton was an American poet, and poetic filmmaker. He was part of the San Francisco Renaissance...
    
    , makes its controversial debut at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.
• June 4 – Justin Timberlake
  Justin Timberlake
  Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
  
   and Christina Aguilera
  Christina Aguilera
  Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
  
   kicked off their summer Justified & Stripped tour.
• June 14 – The Los Angeles, California
  Los Angeles, California
  Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
  
   radio station KROQ-FM
  KROQ-FM
  KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
  
   airs the 11th Annual of the Weenie Roast
  KROQ Weenie Roast
  KROQ Weenie Roast is a multi-artist alternative rock concert, presented annually in June by the Los Angeles, California, USA radio station KROQ-FM. Since its beginning in 1993, the event has been traditionally held on a Saturday in June, except from 2005 to 2009 when it occurred in May.Every year...
  
   show with AFI
  AFI (band)
  AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
  
  , The Ataris
  The Ataris
  The Ataris are a rock band from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent E.P. was released on November 25, 2010 on the Gainesville, Florida based label, Paper + Plastick. It contained the brand new tracks "All Souls' Day" and "The Graveyard of The Atlantic"...
  
  , Blur
  Blur (band)
  Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
  
  , Chevelle
  Chevelle
  Chevelle is an American alternative metal trio that formed in 1995 in Grayslake, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The band was originally composed of two brothers and a local friend: Pete Loeffler , Sam Loeffler , and Matt Scott . Matt was later replaced by brother Joe Loeffler...
  
  , Deftones
  Deftones
  Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
  
  , Finch, Foo Fighters
  Foo Fighters
  Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
  
  , Godsmack
  Godsmack
  Godsmack is an American heavy metal band from Lawrence, Massachusetts, formed in 1995. The band is composed of founder, frontman and songwriter Sully Erna, guitarist Tony Rombola, bassist Robbie Merrill, and drummer Shannon Larkin...
  
  , Good Charlotte
  Good Charlotte
  Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
  
  , Hot Hot Heat
  Hot Hot Heat
  Hot Hot Heat is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1999 from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.-Career:Dustin Hawthorne and Steve Bays had been in many different bands together since 1995 and met Hawley in 1998. In 1999, Hawley bought a Juno 6 keyboard and asked Bays to try playing it, as no one...
  
  , Interpol
  Interpol (band)
  Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
  
  , Jane's Addiction
  Jane's Addiction
  Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
  
  , Less Than Jake
  Less Than Jake
  Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
  
  , Liam Lynch
  Liam Lynch (musician)
  Liam Lynch is a musician, puppeteer, writer and director. He co-created, co-wrote, played the music for, directed, and produced MTV's Sifl and Olly Show....
  
  , Staind
  Staind
  Staind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
  
  , Sum 41
  Sum 41
  Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records...
  
  , Thrice
  Thrice
  Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
  
  , The Transplants, The Used
  The Used
  The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
  
  , The White Stripes
  The White Stripes
  The White Stripes was an American rock band, formed in 1997 in Detroit, Michigan. The group consisted of the songwriter Jack White and drummer Meg White . Jack and Meg White were previously married to each other, but are now divorced...
  
  , and Pete Yorn
  Pete Yorn
  Peter Joseph Yorn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical acclaim in 2001.-Early history:Yorn's father is a dentist and his mother is a former concert pianist who worked as a...
  
  .
• Alice Cooper
  Alice Cooper
  Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
  
   begins production of his 26th album. It is a departure from the heavy metal
  Heavy metal music
  Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
  
   sound of previous albums and is more influenced by his albums of the '70s.
• June 22 – Nick Oshiro
  Nick Oshiro
  Nick Oshiro is an American musician, best known as the current drummer of the industrial metal band Static-X. He has previously played with the South African post grunge band/alternative metal Seether. He started out with a drumkit made by his father as he stated in an interview with Tama. It was...
  
   replaces Ken Jay
  Ken Jay
  Kenneth "Ken Jay" Lacey is an American musician, best known as the original drummer for Static-X.Jay was born in Jamaica, Illinois. He started Static-X with Wayne Static in 1994...
  
   after 30 Auditions in Static-X
  Static-X
  Static-X is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1994. They are signed to Warner Bros. Records and have released six albums, their most recent being Cult of Static, which was released on March 17, 2009....
  
  .
• June 27 – June 29 – Glastonbury Festival
  Glastonbury Festival
  The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
  
  , U.K., headline acts included David Gray
  David Gray (musician)
  David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later...
  
  , R.E.M.
  R.E.M.
  R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
  
  , Primal Scream
  Primal Scream
  Primal Scream are a Scottish alternative rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie and Jim Beattie and now based in London. The current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes , Martin Duffy , and Darrin Mooney...
  
  , Morcheeba
  Morcheeba
  Morcheeba are a British band, mixing influences from trip hop, rock, R&B, and pop.They have produced 7 albums since 1995, two of which reached the UK top ten.-Biography:...
  
  , The Flaming Lips
  The Flaming Lips
  The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
  
  , Radiohead
  Radiohead
  Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
  
  , Super Furry Animals
  Super Furry Animals
  Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
  
  , Lamb
  Lamb (band)
  Lamb is an electronic music duo from Manchester, England, whose music is influenced by trip hop and drum and bass. The duo consists of producer Andy Barlow, who also produces under the pseudonym Hipoptimist, and singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes...
  
  , Macy Gray
  Macy Gray
  Macy Gray is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress, famed for her distinctive raspy voice, and a singing style heavily influenced by Billie Holiday and Betty Davis.Gray has released five studio albums, with her fifth studio album, The Sellout,...
  
  , Feeder
  Feeder
  -Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...
  
  , Manic Street Preachers
  Manic Street Preachers
  Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
  
  , Moby
  Moby
  Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
  
  , and Doves. The weather is mostly dry and the festival deemed a success from both a security and entertainment viewpoint by Michael Eavis
  Michael Eavis
  Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis, CBE , is an English dairy farmer and the founder of the Glastonbury Festival, which takes place on his farm.-Personal life:...
  
  .

July

• July – A-Teens and many others perform at the Stockholm Pride
  Stockholm Pride
  Stockholm Pride is an annual gay pride festival held in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. Since the start in 1998, Stockholm Pride has grown....
  
  
• July 2 – Delta Goodrem
  Delta Goodrem
  Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...
  
   is diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease.
• July 30 – The Rolling Stones
  The Rolling Stones
  The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
  
  , AC/DC
  AC/DC
  AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
  
  , The Guess Who
  The Guess Who
  The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, they also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with numerous hit singles, including "American Woman", "These Eyes" and "Share the Land"...
  
  , and others headline a benefit concert
  Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto
  Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto was a benefit rock concert that was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 2003. It was also known as "Toronto Rocks", "Stars 4 SARS", "SARSStock", "SARSfest", "SARS-a-palooza", the "SARS concert", or, more descriptively, "The Rolling Stones SARS Benefit...
  
   in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to prove that the city is safe from SARS
  Severe acute respiratory syndrome
  Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
  
  . With 450 000 spectators, it is the largest concert in Canadian history.
• June 25 – Beyoncé releases her No.1 debut solo album "Dangerously In Love", which earned 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.

August

• August 19 – Jessica Simpson
  Jessica Simpson
  Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
  
   releases her third studio album In This Skin
  In This Skin
  In This Skin is the third studio album by American pop singer Jessica Simpson. The album was released on August 19, 2003 in the United States by Columbia Records...
  
  . The album would later go triple platinum in the U.S. and would produce the hit single "With You
  With You (Jessica Simpson song)
  "With You" is a song by American recording artist Jessica Simpson released as the second single from her third studio album In This Skin. Released in 2003, through Columbia Records. Billy Mann and Andy Marvel produced the song and co-wrote it with Simpson....
  
  ".
• August 28 – Madonna
  Madonna (entertainer)
  Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
  
   sparks media controversy by kissing popstars Britney Spears
  Britney Spears
  Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
  
   and Christina Aguilera
  Christina Aguilera
  Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
  
   at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards
  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 situation even ignited a quick war of words between Britney Spears
  Britney Spears
  Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
  
   and Christina Aguilera
  Christina Aguilera
  Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
  
   over the kiss.

September

• September – Cryptopsy
  Cryptopsy
  Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 1988. The band has sold over 300,000 records.-Necrosis :...
  
  , Fires Martin Lacroix.
• September 22 – Max Cavalera
  Max Cavalera
  Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the heavy metal band Sepultura, before forming Soulfly in the late 1990s...
  
   & Gloria Cavalera fire Marcello D. Rapp causing Roy Mayorga
  Roy Mayorga
  Roy Maurice Mayorga is the drummer for the hard rock band Stone Sour. He is of Ecuadorian and Cuban descent.-Musical history:...
  
   & Mike Doling
  Mike Doling
  Mike Doling is a guitarist. He is the current guitarist for Channel Zero, and a former member of Soulfly and Snot.-References:...
  
   to protest against this and leave the band Soulfly
  Soulfly
  Soulfly is a heavy metal band formed in 1997 based in Phoenix, Arizona. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max...
  
  . This causes a whole new Lineup Change.
• September 23 – Limp Bizkit
  Limp Bizkit
  Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
  
   release Results May Vary
  Results May Vary
  Results May Vary is the fourth studio album by Limp Bizkit, released on September 23, 2003 through Interscope Records. The album debuted at #3 in the US with over 320,000 copies sold on the first week, breaking the group's #1 spree on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified Platinum on June...
  
  their first album in 3 years and their 4th album overall.

October

• October 4 – Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's The Rising Tour
  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...
  
   concludes after 120 shows over 14 months, with record-setting sales in U.S. stadiums during the summer and early autumn.
• October 5 – Marco Aro, Quits, The Haunted
  The Haunted
  The Haunted is a Swedish metal band from Gothenburg, formed in 1996.The original members were Anders & Jonas Björler, Peter Dolving, Adrian Erlandsson and Patrik Jensen...
  
  
• October 16 – Simon & Garfunkel begin their "Old Friends" U.S. reunion tour, twenty years after their 1983 world tour.
• October 20 – Britney Spears
  Britney Spears
  Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
  
   releases the first single, Me Against The Music Ft. Madonna, off the upcoming album In the Zone
  In the Zone
  In the Zone is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears, released on November 16, 2003, by Jive Records. Following the end of the Dream Within a Dream Tour in July 2002 and her break-up with Justin Timberlake, Spears announced she would take a six-month break from her...
  
  , marketed as a comeback single in the US which went on to be an international success reaching top three in several countries.
• October 21 –
  • Delta Goodrem
    Delta Goodrem
    Delta Lea Goodrem is an Australian singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress. Signed to Sony at the age of 15, Goodrem rose to prominence in 2002, starring in the Australian soap opera Neighbours as Nina Tucker. Goodrem has achieved eight number-one singles and three number-one albums in her home...
    
     wins 7 ARIA Awards and defeats Amiel
    Amiel Daemion
    Amiel Muki Daemion born on in New York, is an Australian pop singer, songwriter and actress. She moved to Australia with her family at the age of two and starred in films in the 1990s, including The Silver Brumby which also starred Russell Crowe and Caroline Goodall. Her music career shot to fame...
    
    's "Lovesong
    Lovesong (Amiel song)
    "Lovesong" is a pop song written by Amiel Daemion and produced by Josh Abrahams for Amiel's first album Audio Out . It was released as the album's first single in Australia as a CD single on 10 March 2003...
    
    " for and a Gold ARIA for Single of the Year, Born to Try. ARIAs host Rove McManus
    Rove McManus
    John Henry Michael "Rove" McManus is an Australian comedian, television presenter, producer and media personality. He was the host of the self-titled variety show Rove, and is the owner of the production company Roving Enterprises...
    
     announced that John Farnham
    John Farnham
    John Peter Farnham, AO, formerly billed as Johnny Farnham , is an English-born Australian pop singer. He was a teen pop idol from 1964 to 1979, and has since forged a career as an adult contemporary singer. His career has mostly been as a solo artist although he briefly replaced Glenn Shorrock as...
    
     will raise the very loud speakers to 1985/1986's "You're the Voice
    You're the Voice
    As a lead promotion for their first live album Rock the House Live! in 1991, US rock band Heart released their live version of "You're the Voice" as a single. It was captured during the US leg of their Brigade world tour in November 1990...
    
    " after being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame
    ARIA Hall of Fame
    Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association has inducted artists into its ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone "ARIA Icons: Hall of Fame" event as only one or two acts could be inducted...
    
    .
  • Singer/Songwriter Elliott Smith
    Elliott Smith
    Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
    
     commits suicide
    Suicide
    Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
    
     at the age of 34
• October 30 – Steve O'Rourke
  Steve O'Rourke
  Steve O'Rourke was born in Willesden, London, England. He was well known for being manager of the highly influential rock band Pink Floyd after the departure of Syd Barrett in 1968 until his death. He also had to weather the band's falling-out with member Roger Waters.He first managed Pink Floyd...
  
  , the manager for Pink Floyd
  Pink Floyd
  Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
  
   passes away from a Stroke at age 63. In tribute, the legal incarnation of the band reunited to perform at his funeral.

November

• November – Cryptopsy
  Cryptopsy
  Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, formed in 1988. The band has sold over 300,000 records.-Necrosis :...
  
   rehires Lord Worm.
• November 3 – Avril Lavigne
  Avril Lavigne
  Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
  
   releases My World (DVD).
• November 5 – Evanescence
  Evanescence
  Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer/pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording private albums, the band released their first full-length album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen sold more than 17 million copies worldwide...
  
  's lead guitarist and founding member Ben Moody
  Ben Moody
  Benjamin Robert Moody is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and actor. He is best known as co-founder, lead guitarist, and songwriter of Grammy Award-winning rock band Evanescence from 1995 to October 2003...
  
   leaves the band on their first world tour.
• November 7 – Steve Kmak
  Steve Kmak
  Steve "Fuzz" Kmak is an American bass guitar player, best known for his work with the heavy metal band Disturbed. Kmak founded the band Brawl in 1994 with guitarist Dan Donegan and drummer Mike Wengren. They played small clubs in Chicago before singer David Draiman answered their ad, after which...
  
  , aka "Fuzz," is fired from Disturbed because Kmak was having personality clashes with others in the band.
• November 11 – Dream Theater
  Dream Theater
  Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
  
   releases their seventh studio album titled Train of Thought
  Train of Thought (Dream Theater album)
  -Chart performance:* Billboard 200: Train of Thought - #53* Billboard Top Internet Albums: Train of Thought - #53* UK Album Charts: Train of Thought - #146* Norwegian Album Charts: Train of Thought - #9-Personnel:* James LaBrie – lead vocals...
  
  , widely regarded as their heaviest album to date.
• November 14 – Although Byron Stroud
  Byron Stroud
  Byron Stroud is the bassist for metal bands Fear Factory, City of Fire and Zimmers Hole and the defunct band Strapping Young Lad.-Biography:...
  
   had been with Fear Factory
  Fear Factory
  Fear Factory is an American industrial metal band. Formed in 1989, they have released seven full-length albums and a number of singles and remixes. Over the course of their career they have evolved from a succession of styles, as well as steadily pioneered a combination of the styles death metal,...
  
   for a month beforehand, it wasn't until this date that he became an official member.
• November 18 – Britney Spears
  Britney Spears
  Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
  
   releases In the Zone
  In the Zone
  In the Zone is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Britney Spears, released on November 16, 2003, by Jive Records. Following the end of the Dream Within a Dream Tour in July 2002 and her break-up with Justin Timberlake, Spears announced she would take a six-month break from her...
  
  . She breaks her own record from being the first female artist to have 3 albums in #1 to being the first female artist to have 4 albums in #1 consecutively.
• November 18 – Blink-182
  Blink-182
  Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
  
   releases their seventh, which is self-titled.
• November 18 – Michael Jackson
  Michael Jackson
  Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
  
   releases the compilation album Number Ones.
• November 19 – Guy Sebastian
  Guy Sebastian
  Guy Theodore Sebastian is an Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter who was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003. He is currently a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Sebastian has released six top ten platinum/multi platinum albums, including a number-one and...
  
   becomes the winner on Australian Idol
  Australian Idol
  Australian Idol is a Logie Award-winning Australian singing competition, which began its first season on July 2003 and ended its run in November 2009. As part of the Idol franchise, Australian Idol originated from the reality program Pop Idol, which was created by British entertainment executive...
  
  . He received a contract with BMG Australia and began recording a studio album, Just As I Am
  Just as I Am (Guy Sebastian album)
  Just as I Am is the debut album by the first Australian Idol winner Guy Sebastian.Given the relative popularity of Australian Idol in late 2003, BMG Australia subsequently contracted Sebastian for a record before Christmas 2003. He wanted to record a mixture of pop and R&B material...
  
  .
• November 21 – Korn
  Korn
  Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
  
   releases their sixth studio album, Take a Look in the Mirror
  Take a Look in the Mirror
  Take a Look in the Mirror is the sixth studio album by Korn, and is the last studio album to feature their full original lineup, with Brian "Head" Welch departing from the band soon afterwards...
  
  . It is the last album that features the original lineup of Korn
  Korn
  Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
  
  .
• November 22 – The band Five Iron Frenzy
  Five Iron Frenzy
  Five Iron Frenzy is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995 and disbanded in 2003. The band announced they were recording new material on November 22, 2011....
  
   plays its last show at the Fillmore Auditorium
  Fillmore Auditorium (Denver, Colorado)
  The Fillmore Auditorium is a concert venue located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Denver, Colorado. Since opening in 1907, the venue has hosted numerous functions both private and public...
  
   in Denver.
• November 30 – Michael Jackson
  Michael Jackson
  Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
  
   is arrested on charges of child molestation.

December

• December 6 – P-Funk
  P-Funk
  P-Funk is a shorthand term for the repertoire and performers associated with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic collective and the distinctive style of funk music they performed...
  
   founder George Clinton
  George Clinton (musician)
  George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
  
   is arrested and charged with drug possession in Tallahassee, Florida
  Tallahassee, Florida
  Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
  
  .
• December 13/14 – The Los Angeles, California
  California
  California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
  
   radio station KROQ-FM
  KROQ-FM
  KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
  
   airs the 14th Annual of the Acoustic Christmas
  KROQ Acoustic Christmas
  Acoustic Christmas is an annual concert run by the Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM.The first show was held in December 1989 though it was simply called the KROQ Xmas Bash. In 1990 the show became bigger and attracted increasingly popular alternative rock bands and singers...
  
   show with AFI
  AFI (band)
  AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
  
  , Blink-182
  Blink-182
  Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
  
  , Brand New
  Brand New
  Brand New is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. Formed in 2000, the band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist/lyricist Jesse Lacey, guitarist/vocalist/lyricist Vincent Accardi, bassist Garrett Tierney, drummer Brian Lane, and guitarist/keyboardist Derrick Sherman.In the late...
  
  , Chevelle
  Chevelle
  Chevelle is an American alternative metal trio that formed in 1995 in Grayslake, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The band was originally composed of two brothers and a local friend: Pete Loeffler , Sam Loeffler , and Matt Scott . Matt was later replaced by brother Joe Loeffler...
  
  , The Distillers
  The Distillers
  The Distillers were an American punk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1998. They released their first two albums on Hellcat Records/Epitaph Records before moving to Sire, part of the Warner Music Group. The Distillers were originally formed by Australian-born Brody Armstrong , a woman with a...
  
  , Jane's Addiction
  Jane's Addiction
  Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
  
  , Jet
  Jet (band)
  Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
  
  , KoЯn, Linkin Park
  Linkin Park
  Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album, Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries...
  
  , The Offspring
  The Offspring
  The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
  
  , P.O.D.
  P.O.D.
  Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
  
  , Pennywise
  Pennywise (band)
  Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
  
  , Puddle of Mudd
  Puddle of Mudd
  Puddle Of Mudd is an American rock band from Kansas City, Missouri, USA. To date the band has sold over 7 million albums, and have had a string of #1 mainstream rock singles in the United States. Their major-label debut Come Clean has sold over 5 million copies...
  
  , Rancid
  Rancid (band)
  Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
  
  , Staind
  Staind
  Staind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
  
  , 311
  311 (band)
  311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
  
  , Thrice
  Thrice
  Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
  
   and Trapt
  Trapt
  Trapt is an American rock band that formed in Los Gatos, California in August 1997. The group is composed of lead singer Chris Taylor Brown, lead guitarist Robb Torres, bass guitarist Peter Charell, and drummer Aaron "Monty" Montgomery...
  
  .
• December 30/31 – The New Year's Eve
  New Year's Eve
  New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
  
   Falls Festival
  Falls Festival
  The Falls Festival is a New Year's Eve music festival, held annually in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania Australia since 1993.It lasts four days, from 29 December to 1 January each year. The headline acts play mostly over two evenings, 30 December and 31 December...
  
   in Australia, traditionally held in Lorne, Victoria
  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...
  
  , holds events in both Lorne and Marion Bay, Tasmania
  Marion Bay, Tasmania
  Marion Bay is a large bay and a bounded locality located on the southeast coast of Tasmania, Australia. It is near Dunalley in the Municipality of Sorell...
  
   at the same time. The same artists perform at both events, alternating between the two venues each night.

• Skinny Puppy
  Skinny Puppy
  Skinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial musical group, formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The group is widely considered to be the founders of the electro-industrial genre....
  
   reunites.
• Lemon Demon
  Neil Cicierega
  Neil Stephen Cicierega , is an American comedian, filmmaker and musician. He is the creator of a genre of Flash animation known as "Animutation". He has also released several albums as a musician under the stage name "Lemon Demon"....
  
   releases Clown Circus, his first album, and Live from the Haunted Candle Shop, his second album, on MP3.com.
• Ken Jay
  Ken Jay
  Kenneth "Ken Jay" Lacey is an American musician, best known as the original drummer for Static-X.Jay was born in Jamaica, Illinois. He started Static-X with Wayne Static in 1994...
  
   leaves Static-X
  Static-X
  Static-X is an American industrial metal band from Los Angeles, California. They were formed in 1994. They are signed to Warner Bros. Records and have released six albums, their most recent being Cult of Static, which was released on March 17, 2009....
  
   because of musical/political differences.
• Green Day
  Green Day
  Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
  
  's Cigarettes and Valentines
  Cigarettes and Valentines
  Cigarettes and Valentines was an unreleased studio album from punk rock band Green Day that would have been the proper follow-up to 2000's Warning. In the summer of 2003, the album was nearly finished when the master recordings of 20 tracks were stolen from the studio...
  
   was stolen from Reprise Records
  Reprise Records
  Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
  
  .

Bands formed