1963 in music
See also: 1962 in music, other events of 1963, 1964 in music and the list of 'years in music'.
Events
- January 1 - The Beatles start a 5 day tour in Scotland to support the release of their new single, "Love Me Do".
- January 7 - Gary U.S. Bonds files a $100,000 lawsuit against Chubby Checker, claiming that Checker stole "Quarter to Three" and turned it into "Dancin' Party." The lawsuit is later settled out of court.
- January 11 - The Whiskey-a-Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened.
- January 12 - Bob Dylan portrays a folk singer in The Madhouse of Castle Street, a radio play for the BBC in London.
- February 16 - The Beatles receive their first #1 hit single, when "Please Please Me" tops the charts in the UK
- February 16 - Paul Anka marries Marie-Ann DeZogheb
- February 22 - The Beatles form Northern Songs Publishing Company.
- March 5 - Patsy Cline is killed in small plane crash near Camden, Tennessee, while on her way to Nashville, Tennessee from St. Louis, Missouri.
- The Beatles record their first album, Please Please Me
- The Righteous Brothers begin performing together;
- Lonnie Mack begins his musical career;
- The Kinks form
- Herman's Hermits form
- Philips introduce the Musicassette at the Berlin Funkaustellung
- Coxsone Dodd opens the first black-owned recording studio in Jamaica
Albums Released
Top Hits
- "Please Please Me" - The Beatles
- "She Loves You" - The Beatles
- "Love Me Do" - The Beatles
- "I Want To Hold Your Hand" - The Beatles
- "From Me To You" - The Beatles
- "In Dreams" - Roy Orbison
- "He's So Fine" - The Chiffons
- "Surf City" - Jan & Dean
- "It's My Party" - Leslie Gore
- "Be My Baby" - The Ronettes
- "Wipe Out" - The Surfaris
- "If I Had A Hammer" - Trini Lopez
- "Da Doo Ron Ron" - The Crystals
- "Pipeline" - The Chantays
- "Walk Like A Man" - The Four Seasons
- "Heat Wave" - Martha & the Vandellas
- "Up On The Roof" - The Drifters
- "I Can't Stay Mad At You" - Skeeter Davis
- "Only In America" - Jay & the Americans
- "Wonderful Summer" - Robin Ward
Births
- January 4 - Robin Guthrie, Cocteau Twins
- January 26 - Jazzie B, Soul II Soul
- January 26 - Andrew Ridgeley, Wham!
- January 28 - Dan Spitz, Anthrax
- February 2 - Eva Cassidy
- February 19 - Seal
- March 1 - Dan Michaels, The Choir, The Swirling Eddies, owner of Galaxy21 Music
- March 4 - Jason Newsted, Metallica
- March 10 - Jeff Ament, Pearl Jam
- March 15 - Bret Michaels, Poison
- April 8 - Julian Lennon, son of John Lennon
- June 25 - George Michael
- June 30 - Yngwie J. Malmsteen, guitar preformer
- July 22 - Emily Saliers, Indigo Girls
- August 3 - James Hetfield, Metallica
- August 22 - Tori Amos
- August 22 - James DeBarge, DeBarge
- October 26 - Natalie Merchant
- October 30 - Jerry DeBorg, Jesus Jones
- November 1 - Rick Allen, Def Leppard
- November 2 - Bobby Dall, Poison
- December 26 - Lars Ulrich, Metallica
- December 31 - Scott Ian, Anthrax
Deaths
- March 5 - Patsy Cline, plane crash
- October 11 - Edith Piaf, French singing superstar