2003 in music

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Events

• 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 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 guitarist, Pete Townshend, 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 are found on his home computer.
• 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 is 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 20 - The Station nightclub fire: Fire engulfs a Rhode Island nightclub during a fireworks display which was part of the performance by rock band Great White. 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, who was later confirmed to be dead.
• February 23 - New York City is the site of The 45th Annual Grammy Awards, featuring Nickelback, No Doubt, Foo Fighters, Britney Spears, and other performers.
• March 10 - Johnny Cash is admitted to Baptist Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee to undergo treatment for pneumonia.
• 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 21 - S Club 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 L.A. Ex
• June - David Del Tredici's Wondrous the Merge for string quartet and narrator, based on a homoerotic poem by James Broughton, makes its controversial debut at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.
• June 14 - The Los Angeles, California radio station KROQ airs the 11th Annual of the Weenie Roast show with AFI, The Ataris, Blur, Chevelle, Deftones, Finch, Foo Fighters, Godsmack, Good Charlotte, Hot Hot Heat, Interpol, Jane's Addiction, Less Than Jake, Liam Lynch, Staind, Sum 41, Thrice, The Transplants, The Used, The White Stripes, and Pete Yorn.
• June 27 - June 29 - Glastonbury Festival, UK, headline acts included David Gray, R.E.M., Primal Scream, Morcheeba, The Flaming Lips, Radiohead, Super Furry Animals, Lamb, Macy Gray, Feeder, Manic Street Preachers, Moby, and Doves. The weather is mostly dry and the festival deemed a success from both a security and entertainment viewpoint by Michael Eavis.
• July - A-Teens and many others perform at the Stockholm Pride
• July 30 - The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, The Guess Who, and others headline a benefit concert in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to prove that the city is safe from SARS. With 450 000 spectators, it is the largest concert in Canadian history.
• October 16 - Simon and Garfunkel begin their "Old Friends" U.S. reunion tour, twenty years after their 1983 world tour.
• November - Michael Jacksonis booked and released on bail, and his home searched, on charges of having had sex with a teenage boy
• December 6 - P-Funk founder George Clinton is arrested and charged with drug possession in Tallahassee, Florida.
• December 13/14 - The Los Angeles, California radio station KROQ airs the 14th Annual of the Acoustic Christmas show with AFI, Blink-182, Brand New, Chevelle, The Distillers, Jane's Addiction, Jet, Ko?n, Linkin Park, The Offspring, P.O.D., Pennywise, Puddle of Mudd, Rancid, Staind, 311, Thrice and Trapt.
• December 30/31 - The New Year's Eve Falls Festival in Australia, traditionally held in Lorne, Victoria, holds events in both Lorne and Marion Bay, Tasmania at the same time. The same artists perform at both events, alternating between the two venues each night.