2003 in music

Events

January - following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recovered nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people were arrested. The tapes have been used for bootleg releases for years.
January 15 - 2003 CDNOW Readers' Poll for all albums and new talent of 2002.
February 3 - Legendary record producer Phil Spector is arrested for investigation of homicide after the body of actress Lana Clarkson was found at his home in Alhambra, California. Police responded to the 911 phone call from one of Spector's neighbors and discovered Clarkson's body who was suffering from a gun shot wound. Clarkson pronounced dead at the scene.
February 4 - Singer and actress Courtney Love is detained by police as she arrived at Heathrow airport on a trans-Atlantic flight. Love was reportedly "verbally abusive" to members of the cabin crew during the flight from Los Angeles, California.
February 16 - 21 people are killed and more than 50 injured during a stampede in a Chicago, Illinois nightclub that began when a security guard used pepper spray to break up a fight.
February 20 - The Station nightclub fire: Fire engulfed a Rhode Island nightclub during a fireworks display which was part of the performance by rock band Great White. The fire quickly spread across the ceiling, filling the building with thick, black smoke. At least 97 people were killed, and 160 others were injured as audience members rushed to the exits. Many people were missing for some time, including Great White guitarist Ty Longley, who was later confirmed to be dead.
February 23 - New York City was the site of The 45th Annual Grammy Awards with Nickelback, No Doubt, Foo Fighters, Britney Spears and some other bands and performers.
February 25 - Snowy roads and white-out conditions led to a 15-vehicle pileup on Interstate 70, just outside of Vail, Colorado. A tour bus containing singer and songwriter Michael Card and his road crew are involved in the accident. Card and his bus driver suffer minor injuries.
March - At the time of writing (March 2003) The Crass Collective continue to perform on a regular basis at the Vortex Jazz Club in Stoke Newington, North London.
March 10 - While performing in London, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, Natalie Maines told the audience, "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." Maine's remarks caused a backlash in the United States, prompting radio stations to ban the group and country music fans to boycott the group's CDs. Maines responded to the uproar by saying, "I feel the President is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world. My comments were made in frustration and one of the privileges of being an American is you are free to voice your own point of view."
March 11 - Vanity Fair magazine includes a report that Michael Jackson has put voodoo curses on Hollywood enemies. Jackson reportedly attended a voodoo ritual in Switzerland in 2000, where a witch doctor promised that director Steven Spielberg, music executive David Geffen, and 23 other people on the Jackson’s list of enemies would die. Jackson supposedly ordered his business adviser Myung-Ho Lee to wire $150,000 to a bank in Mali for a voodoo chief named Baba. The ceremony itself included a "blood bath" for Jackson and 42 sacrificed cows.
March 10 - Johnny Cash is admitted to Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee to undergo treatment for pneumonia.
March 12 - Elvis Costello becomes one of a small group of celebrities chosen to host the Late Show with David Letterman, in Letterman's absense. Costello & The Imposters also performed "(Whats So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?".
March 25 - Spacehog lead singer Royston Langdon marries actress Liv Tyler.
April 1 - Dozens of fans walk out during a Pearl Jam concert when lead singer Eddie Vedder made anti-war comments and insulting remarks about U.S. President George W. Bush. 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 - Johnny Cash is released from Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee after receiving treatment for pneumonia.

Albums Released

Sing The Sorrow - AFI - (March 11) - LP
The Art Of Losing - American Hi-Fi - (February 25) - LP
We've Come For You All - Anthrax - (May 6) - LP
So Long, Astoria - The Ataris - (March 4) - LP
Redemption - Benzino - (January 14) - LP
Blessed Hellride - Black Label Society - (April 22) - LP
Think Tank - Blur - (May 6)
From Here and On - Bombshell Rocks - (January 21) - LP
Sexy, Funny, Bastard! - Mystro Clark - (January 14) - LP
Pain to Kill - Terri Clark - (January 14) - LP
Year of the Spider - Cold - (May 13) - LP
355 - Culper Ring - (April 22) - LP
In the Valley of the Death - Death By Stereo - (April 22) - LP
Dysfunktional Family - Soundtrack - (April 22) - Soundtrack
Slowmotion Daydream - Everclear - (March 11) - LP
Inertia - Exies - (January 7) - LP
Wake Up Screaming - F-Minus - (March 25) - LP
This Is It: The Best of Faith No More - Faith No More - (January 28) - Greatest Hits
Rose Falcon - Rose Falcon - (March 4) - LP
Get Rich or Die Tryin' - 50 Cent - (February 4) - LP
Say You Will - Fleetwood Mac - (April 15) - LP
Faceless - Godsmack - (April 8) - LP
The Trouble Being Myself - Macy Gray - (March 25) - LP
Bigger Cages, Longer Chains - The International Noise Conspiracy - (January 21) - LP
Living Out Loud - Aaron Lines - (January 7) - LP
Meteora - Linkin Park - (March 25) - LP
American Life - Madonna - (April 22) - LP
100th Window - Massive Attack - (February 10) - LP
26 Songs - Melvins - (March 11) - LP
The Show Must Go Off - Mest - (January 28) - DVD
War on Errorism - NOFX - (May 6) - LP
Rise Above - Oysterband - (April 22) - LP
Essential Ozzy Osbourne - Ozzy Osbourne - (February 11) - Greatest Hits
Loser - Cory P - (March 11) - LP
Realist - Kizzy Rock - (January 21) - LP
The Myth Of Reality - T-Rock - (February 18) - LP
Live at Warfield - Slayer - (February 11) - DVD
Cyclorama - Styx - (February 18) - LP
Red Soul Communitte - Tokyo Sex Destruction - (April 22) - LP
Music in High Places - Unwritten Law - (January 21) - LP
Go - Vertical Horizon - (March 18) - LP
Send - first album of a new material since 1990 - Wire - (May 6) - LP
Birdland - first album of a new material since 1968 - The Yardbirds - (April 22) - LP
Fever to Tell - Yeah Yeah Yeahs - (April 29) - LP
Untamed - The Youngbloods - (April 22) - LP
Mescalero - ZZ Top - (April 15) - LP

Please do not add any albums here until they have actually been released. Add any you have a probable release date and LP, Live, Greatest Hits, Re-Issue, Live Bootlegs, or DVD for to the Albums Expected section below.