Editing 2002 in music (section)

==Events==
===January–February===
* [[January 1]] – [[Eric Clapton]] marries his 25-year-old American girlfriend in a surprise wedding ceremony at a church in the English village of [[Ripley, Surrey]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/03/clapton.wedding/index.html|title=Guitarist Clapton weds in private|date=January 3, 2002|publisher=CNN|access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>
* [[January 8]] – [[The Black Crowes]] announce they are taking a hiatus.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=211 |title=The Black Crowes Take A Hiatus |author=Frank Meyer |date=January 8, 2002 |publisher=[[KNAC]] |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523062424/http://knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=211|archive-date=2013-05-23}}</ref>
* [[January 14]] – [[Adam Ant]] is committed to a psychiatric hospital two days after being arrested for carrying a firearm into a London pub that Ant claims was fake.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/adam-ant-committed-after-arrest-20020116 |title=Adam Ant Committed After Arrest |author=Jennifer Vineyard |date=January 16, 2002 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140410035217/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/adam-ant-committed-after-arrest-20020116|archive-date=2014-04-10}}</ref>
* [[January 18]] – Rapper [[C-Murder]] is arrested and charged with second-degree murder over a fatal shooting in a [[Harvey, Louisiana]] nightclub on January 12.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451879/c-murder-faces-second-degree-murder-charge.jhtml |title=C-Murder Faces Second-Degree Murder Charge In Teen's Slaying |author=Jennifer Vineyard |date=January 22, 2002 |publisher=MTV |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220163940/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451879/c-murder-faces-second-degree-murder-charge.jhtml|archive-date=2014-02-20}}</ref>
* [[January 18]]–[[February 3]] – The [[Big Day Out]] festival takes place in [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]], headlined by [[The Prodigy]].
* [[January 23]] – [[Virgin Records]] buys out its contract with [[Mariah Carey]] for $28 million, essentially paying her to not record any more music for the label.<ref name="carey">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451882/mariah-carey-virgin-part-ways.jhtml |title=Mariah Carey And Virgin Part Ways |author=Joe D'Angelo |date=January 23, 2002 |publisher=MTV |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220165651/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451882/mariah-carey-virgin-part-ways.jhtml|archive-date=2014-02-20}}</ref>
* [[February 3]] – [[U2]] perform during the halftime show for [[Super Bowl XXXVI]]. U2's performance becomes a tribute to the victims of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11 terrorist attack]].
* [[February 4]] – [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] bassist [[Gene Simmons]] has a notoriously antagonistic interview with [[Terry Gross]] on [[National Public Radio]]. Simmons continuously baits the host with sexual come-ons throughout the interview while Gross repeatedly calls Simmons "obnoxious." Simmons refuses to grant NPR permission to post the interview online, but unauthorized transcripts and audio exist.<ref>{{cite web | author=Terry Gross | url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1137499 | title=Leader and Bassist of the Band Kiss, Gene Simmons| work=Fresh Air | publisher=NPR; WHYY | date=4 February 2002 | access-date=November 21, 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221092121/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1137499| archive-date=2014-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite interview|subject=Gene Simmons |others=Terry Gross |url=http://rof.net/wp/carriep/TERRYGRO.HTM |title= Gene Simmons and Terry Gross |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051030001555/http://rof.net/wp/carriep/TERRYGRO.HTM |archive-date=2005-10-30 |type=Interview: Transcript |work=Fresh Air |publisher=NPR; WHYY |date=4 February 2002 |access-date=November 21, 2012}}</ref>
* [[February 13]] – [[Jennifer Lopez]] becomes the first singer to have a [[remix album]], ''[[J to tha L–O! The Remixes]]'', debut at number one, selling over 156,000 copies.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/76801/j-lo-kicks-jackson-out-of-no-1|title=J Lo. Kicks Jackson Out Of No. 1 |last=Martens|first=Todd|date=14 February 2002|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2010-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728091112/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/76801/j-lo-kicks-jackson-out-of-no-1|archive-date=2013-07-28}}</ref>
* [[February 15]] – US singer [[Britney Spears]] takes her first starring role in ''[[Crossroads (2002 film)|Crossroads]]'', a teen [[Drama film|drama]] [[Road movie|road film]] alongside [[Zoe Saldana]]. Although the film is largely panned, it is commercially successful, grossing $61.1 million worldwide against a $12 million budget.
* [[February 27]] – The [[44th Annual Grammy Awards]] are presented in [[Los Angeles]], hosted by [[Jon Stewart]]. The [[O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] for the film ''[[O Brother, Where Art Thou?]]'' wins [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]], while [[U2]]'s "[[Walk On (U2 song)|Walk On]]" wins [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]]. [[Alicia Keys]] wins [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]] (for "[[Fallin' (Alicia Keys song)|Fallin'"]]) and [[Grammy Award for Best New Artist|Best New Artist]].

===March–April===
* [[March 7]] – [[Burton C. Bell]] leaves [[Fear Factory]] after falling out with [[Dino Cazares]]. Fear Factory soon disband.
* [[March 12]] – [[Silverchair]] withdraw from the [[Gone South]] festival in Australia after [[Daniel Johns]] contracts [[reactive arthritis]].
* [[March 15]] – Liverpool Airport is rechristened [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport]] in an official ceremony.
* [[March 24]] – [[Takahiro Nishikawa]] leaves [[Dreams Come True (band)|Dreams Come True]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2002/04/03/music/still-chasing-their-dream/#.XtfCdjozbIU |title=Still chasing their dream |last=McLure |first=Steve |date=3 April 2002 |newspaper=The Japan Times |access-date=2020-06-03 }}</ref>
* [[March 25]] – [[Celine Dion]] returns to the music scene after a four-year absence with the album ''[[A New Day Has Come]]''.
* [[April 17]] – [[Pop-punk]] giants [[Blink-182]] and [[Green Day]] co-headline the two-month ''[[Pop Disaster Tour]]''.
* [[April 22]] – [[Sugababes]] release their first UK Number 1 single, a cover of Adina Howard's 1995 single Freak Like Me.
* [[April 25]] – Member of R&B group [[TLC (group)|TLC]], [[Lisa Lopes|Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes]] dies in car accident in Honduras
* [[April 27]]-[[April 28|28]] – The [[Coachella|Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]] takes place in [[California]]. Headlined by [[Björk]] and [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], the lineup also features [[The Chemical Brothers]], [[The Prodigy]], [[Cake (band)|Cake]], [[Foo Fighters]], [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]], [[Queens of the Stone Age]], [[The Strokes]], [[The Vines (band)|The Vines]] and [[Belle and Sebastian]]. This year marks the festival's return to its original two-day format.

===May–June===
* [[May 8]] – [[Mariah Carey]] signs a new record contract with [[The Island Def Jam Music Group|Island Def Jam Music Group]].
* [[May 12]] – ''[[We Will Rock You (musical)|We Will Rock You]]'', a [[jukebox musical]] based on the songs of [[Queen (band)|Queen]], opens at the [[Dominion Theatre]] in London, England.
* [[May 21]] - [[Blink-182]] guitarist [[Tom DeLonge]] forms [[post-hardcore]] side-project band [[Box Car Racer]]. Their album ''[[Box Car Racer (album)|Box Car Racer]]'' is released.
* [[May 22]] – Members of [[Alien Ant Farm]] are injured in an early morning tour bus crash in Spain that claimed the life of the driver.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/alien-ant-farm-16-1377248|title=Alien Ant Farm Crash Update |date=May 23, 2002 |publisher=[[NME]] |access-date=June 3, 2020}}</ref>
* [[May 25]] – The 47th [[Eurovision Song Contest 2002|Eurovision Song Contest]], held at [[Saku Suurhall]] in [[Tallinn]], [[Estonia]], is won by [[Latvia]]n singer [[Marija Naumova|Marie N]] with the song "[[I Wanna (Marie N song)|I Wanna]]". 
*[[May 26]] - [[Eminem]] releases [[The Eminem Show]], one of the bestselling hip-hop album of 2002
* [[June 4]] 
**[[Avril Lavigne]] releases her debut album [[Let Go (Avril Lavigne album)|Let Go]].
**The [[Prom at the Palace]] is held in London to commemorate the [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II]]. Performers include the [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]], the [[BBC Symphony Chorus]], [[Kiri Te Kanawa]], [[Angela Gheorghiu]] and [[Roberto Alagna]].
* [[June 5]] – U.S. soul and R&B singer [[R. Kelly]], is charged with 21 counts of having sexual intercourse with a minor after a videotape allegedly showing him engaged in sexual acts with an underage girl is broadcast on the internet.
* [[June 11]]
** [[Paul McCartney]] marries second wife [[Heather Mills]] in a lavish ceremony at [[Castle Leslie]] in Ireland.
** ''[[American Idol]]'' premieres on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]].
** [[Korn]] releases fifth-studio album, ''[[Untouchables (album)|Untouchables]]''.
** [[David Bowie]] releases his twenty-second studio album, ''[[Heathen (David Bowie album)|Heathen]]''. The album marks a commercial comeback for Bowie in the US, becoming his highest-charting album in the country since 1984's ''[[Tonight (David Bowie album)|Tonight]]''.
* [[June 12]] – [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG Music]] agrees to acquire the rest of [[Zomba Music Group]] in a deal reportedly worth $3 billion.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/12/business/bmg-to-buy-rest-of-zomba-the-home-of-pop-stars.html |title=BMG to Buy Rest of Zomba, The Home Of Pop Stars |author=Laura M. Holson |date=June 12, 2002 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306165807/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/12/business/bmg-to-buy-rest-of-zomba-the-home-of-pop-stars.html|archive-date=2014-03-06}}</ref>
* [[June 15]] – The [[Los Angeles, California]], USA, radio station [[KROQ-FM]] airs the 10th Annual [[KROQ Weenie Roast|Weenie Roast]] show with [[Bad Religion]], [[Hoobastank]], [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]], [[Jimmy Eat World]], [[Moby]], [[New Found Glory]], [[P.O.D.]], [[Papa Roach]], [[Puddle of Mudd]], [[The Strokes]], [[System of a Down]], [[Unwritten Law]], [[The Vines (band)|The Vines]], [[The Violent Femmes]] and [[Rob Zombie]].
* [[June 18]] – [[Mexicans|Mexican]] Pop-Singer [[Paulina Rubio]], releases her sixth studio album and debut-English [[crossover album]] in the U.S., titled ''[[Border Girl]]'' through [[Universal Records (defunct record label)|Universal Records]], she performed for the very first time live her hit single [[Don't Say Goodbye (Paulina Rubio song)|Don't Say Goodbye]] on [[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Zn_-gNvKgs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/8Zn_-gNvKgs| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=Paulina Rubio Live on Jay Leno |website=[[YouTube]] |date=June 18, 2002 |access-date=February 25, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> the album debuted at #11 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] with sales of 56,000 copies becoming Rubio's highest-charting album in the U.S. It was eventually [[certified gold]] by [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]], indicating sales of over 500,000 units.
* [[June 19]] – [[Hikaru Utada]] releases the album ''[[Deep River (Hikaru Utada album)|Deep River]]'', which sold 2,350,170 copies in a week, debuting at number 1 on the weekly, monthly, and annual [[Oricon]] album chart. This would be her third time at number 1 on the year-end rankings of that particular chart, a record for any Japanese musical act or worldwide.
* [[June 20]] – Pop star [[Britney Spears]], at only 20 years of age, is ranked by [[Forbes]] as the world's most powerful celebrity.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.hollywood.com/news/Britney_Tops_Forbes_Celebrity_100_List/1110177 |title=Britney Tops Forbes' Celebrity 100 List |date=June 21, 2002 |work=[[Hollywood.com]] |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105173754/http://www.hollywood.com/news/Britney_Tops_Forbes_Celebrity_100_List/1110177|archive-date=2012-11-05}}</ref>
* [[June 21]]-23 – The first [[Bonnaroo Music Festival]] is held in Tennessee. Performers include [[Widespread Panic]], [[Gov't Mule]] and [[Norah Jones]].
* [[June 25]] – The [[Prague Philharmonic Orchestra]] releases an arrangement of the [[Romeo and Juliet 1968 film soundtrack|''Romeo and Juliet'' 1968 film soundtrack]] on the Silva America label. [[Will Smith]] also comes back with the release of his third solo studio album [[Born to Reign]].
* [[June 27]] – [[The Who]] bassist [[John Entwistle]] is found dead in a Las Vegas hotel room on the eve of the band's new tour, aged 57.
* [[June 30]] – The [[Glastonbury Festival]] features headline acts [[Coldplay]], [[Garbage (band)|Garbage]], [[Stereophonics]], [[Orbital (band)|Orbital]], [[Roger Waters]], [[Rod Stewart]], and [[Air (French band)|Air]].

===July–August===
* [[July 6]] – [[Michael Jackson]] stages a public protest against [[Sony Music]] chairman [[Tommy Mottola]], accusing him of taking part in a racist conspiracy within the music industry to exploit black recording artists. Sony responds with a statement calling Jackson's remarks "ludicrous, spiteful and hurtful."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1455976/michael-jackson-calls-tommy-mottola-racist.jhtml |title=Michael Jackson Shocks Al Sharpton By Calling Tommy Mottola A Racist |author=Jennifer Vineyard  |date=July 8, 2002 |publisher=MTV |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329130319/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1455976/michael-jackson-calls-tommy-mottola-racist.jhtml|archive-date=2014-03-29}}</ref>
* [[July 9]] – [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]]'s 8th studio album [[By The Way]] is released. It sold 286,000 copies in the United States during the first week, peaking at #2 on [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. It went on to sell over 2 million copies in the US, being certified double platinum by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].
* [[July 12]] – [[Buckcherry]] breaks up on the heels of lead singer [[Josh Todd (musician)|Josh Todd]]'s decision to quit the group.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.antimusic.com/news/2002/july/item17.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020802053522/http://www.antimusic.com/news/2002/july/item17.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 2, 2002 |title=musicNEWS: Buckcherry Breaks Up |date=July 12, 2002 |publisher=antiMUSIC |access-date=November 21, 2012}}</ref> They would reunite in 2005.
* [[July 20]]–21 – The [[Splendour in the Grass]] music festival takes place in [[Byron Bay, New South Wales|Byron Bay]], [[Australia]], headlined by [[Gomez (band)|Gomez]] and [[Supergrass]].
* [[July 23]] – My Chemical Romance's first album, "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love" is released to the public.
* [[July 28]] – The [[Area Festival#Area2|Area2 Festival]], featuring headline acts Moby, [[David Bowie]], [[Busta Rhymes]], [[Ash (band)|Ash]], and [[Blue Man Group]], begins a three-week tour in Washington, DC.
* [[August 17]] – The Snow Mountain Music Festival opens in Lijiang, China.<ref>[http://www.cuijian.com/english/pages/news/snowmt/media/press/press.htm Snow Mountain Music Festival – Press Release]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414220129/http://www.cuijian.com/english/pages/news/snowmt/media/press/press.htm |date=April 14, 2012 }}</ref>
* [[August 19]] – [[Nickelback]] leaves the stage during the second song of their performance at the Ilha do Ermal festival in Portugal after being relentlessly pelted with rocks and bottles by the crowd.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=5561 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221063158/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=5561 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 21, 2013 |title=NICKELBACK Walk Off Stage At Portuguese Festival After Being Pelted With Rocks, Bottles |date=August 20, 2002 |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |access-date=November 21, 2012 }}</ref>
* [[August 27]] – [[Queens of the Stone Age]] release their critically acclaimed album [[Songs for the Deaf]], featuring [[Dave Grohl]] on drums. The album earned the band their first Gold certification in the United States on January 27, 2003, selling over 500,000 copies.

===September–October===
* [[September 3]] – [[Napster]] is shut down for good after a judge denies a bid from [[Bertelsmann]] to purchase its assets. 
* [[September 4]] – [[Kelly Clarkson]] becomes the first winner of the television talent contest, ''[[American Idol]]''.
* [[September 11]] – [[Marie Fredriksson]] of [[Roxette]] collapses at home, leading to the discovery of a [[brain tumor]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/marie-fredriksson-death-roxette-illness-cause-songs-must-have-been-love-a9240441.html|title=Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson dies, aged 61|date=10 December 2019|website=[[The Independent]]|access-date=10 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213011002/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/marie-fredriksson-death-roxette-illness-cause-songs-must-have-been-love-a9240441.html |archive-date=13 February 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[September 20]] – [[Courtney Love]] announces that her legal dispute with the surviving members of [[Nirvana (band)|Nirvana]] has been resolved, paving the way for the unreleased track "[[You Know You're Right]]" to be included on an upcoming compilation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=6256 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221115754/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=6256 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 21, 2013 |title=NIRVANA/COURTNEY LOVE Lawsuit Settled, "Greatest Hits" CD To Surface By Christmas  |date=September 20, 2002 |work=[[Blabbermouth.net]] |access-date=November 21, 2012}}</ref>
* [[September 28]] – A stretch of [[Tennessee State Route 19]] is officially named for [[Tina Turner]], who was born and raised in nearby [[Nutbush, Tennessee]].
* [[October 2]]
** [[Robbie Williams]] signs a new six-album deal with [[EMI]] for £80 million, the most lucrative contract ever signed by a UK musician.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/oct/03/arts.artsnews |title=Robbie Williams signs £80m deal |author=Fiachra Gibbons |date=October 3, 2002 |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=November 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130322233403/http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/oct/03/arts.artsnews|archive-date=2013-03-22}}</ref>
** [[Christina Aguilera]] releases her controversial [[music video]] for the song, "[[Dirrty]]", the lead single from her second album ''[[Stripped (Christina Aguilera album)|Stripped]]''.
* [[October 13]] – The fifth [[Terrastock]] festival is held in [[Boston]], USA.
* [[October 29]] – [[Christina Aguilera]] releases her controversial second studio album ''[[Stripped (Christina Aguilera album)|Stripped]]'', which enters the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] at number 2, selling 330,000 copies in its first week. ''Stripped'' is the first studio album in three years since ''[[Christina Aguilera (album)|Christina Aguilera]]'' (1999).
* [[October 30]]
** [[Jam Master Jay]] is shot dead at a studio in Queens. [[Run-D.M.C.]] disbands.
** [[Warren Zevon]], who has recently been diagnosed with cancer, is the sole guest for the entire hour of ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]''. It would be his final public performance.

===November–December===
* [[November 7]] – [[Guns N' Roses]] fans in Vancouver riot after a concert, which was to kick off the band's first tour in nine years, is canceled due to [[Axl Rose]]'s flight getting delayed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458577/guns-n-roses-tour-kickoff-canceled.jhtml |title=Fans Riot After Guns N' Roses Tour Kickoff Canceled |author=[[Kurt Loder]] |date=November 8, 2002 |publisher=MTV |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023135227/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458577/guns-n-roses-tour-kickoff-canceled.jhtml|archive-date=2013-10-23}}</ref>
* [[November 10]] – [[Mick Jagger]], [[Keith Richards]], [[Elvis Costello]], [[Lenny Kravitz]], [[Tom Petty]] and [[Brian Setzer]] guest-star on [[How I Spent My Strummer Vacation|an episode]] of ''[[The Simpsons]]'' set at a [[Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp]].
* [[November 12]] – rap rock band [[Crazy Town]] release their second studio album [[Darkhorse]].
* [[November 19]] – [[Michael Jackson]] dangles his nine-month-old son, "Blanket", over the balcony of his Berlin hotel room in an apparent attempt to connect with the fans below. He releases a statement later that day calling the incident a "terrible mistake".<ref>{{cite web 
|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458799/michael-jackson-apologizes-baby-incident.jhtml |title=Michael Jackson Calls Baby-Dangling Incident A 'Terrible Mistake' |author=Jennifer Vineyard |date=November 20, 2002 |publisher=MTV |access-date=November 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403152646/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458799/michael-jackson-apologizes-baby-incident.jhtml|archive-date=2014-04-03}}</ref>
*[[November 26]] – [[Will Smith]] releases his first compilation album (last under Columbia Records) ''[[Greatest Hits (Will Smith album)|Greatest Hits]]''.
* [[November 29]] – [[Concert For George]] is held at the [[Royal Albert Hall]] in London, as a memorial to [[George Harrison]] on the first anniversary of his death, under the musical direction of friend [[Eric Clapton]]. Performers included surviving [[The Beatles|Beatles]] members [[Paul McCartney]], [[Ringo Starr]], Clapton, [[Jeff Lynne]], [[Ravi Shankar (musician)|Ravi Shankar]], and [[Billy Preston]]. The event benefitted the Material World Charitable Foundation.
* [[November 30]] – British girl group [[Girls Aloud]] is formed on the reality television show ''[[Popstars: The Rivals]]''.
* [[December 2]] – [[Peter Garrett]] leaves [[Midnight Oil]].
* [[December 3]] – [[Mariah Carey]] releases her ninth studio album ''[[Charmbracelet]]''.
* [[December 6]] – Another riot over a canceled Guns N' Roses concert breaks out, this time in Philadelphia, after Axl Rose is a no-show. The band cancels the remaining dates of the tour without explanation.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2002/12/09/guns-n-roses-cancel-tour-after-fans-riot/ |title=Welcome to the Jungle |author=Gary Susman |date=December 9, 2002 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=November 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110323021338/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C397555%2C00.html |archive-date=March 23, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[December 22]] – [[Joe Strummer]] lead singer, guitarist and founder of Punk Rock band [[The Clash]] dies of a congenital heart defect at the age of 50.
* [[December 29]] – A [[Creed (band)|Creed]] concert in Chicago angers fans in attendance when lead singer [[Scott Stapp]] forgets many lyrics, takes a lengthy leave of absence in the middle of the show and lies down on the stage for part of the performance. The band's manager issues a written apology that includes the statement "we hope that you can take some solace in the fact that you definitely experienced the most unique of all Creed shows and may have become part of the unusual world of rock 'n' roll history!"<ref name="creed">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jan-20-et-knowpop20-story.html |title=Creed faulted for lying down on the job |author=Geoff Boucher |date=January 20, 2003 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=November 21, 2012}}</ref>
* [[December 31]] – [[Phish]] end their two-year hiatus with a New Year's Eve concert at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York City.

===Also in 2002===
* [[Fergie (singer)|Fergie]] joins [[The Black Eyed Peas]] during their recording of the ''[[Elephunk]]'' album.
* [[Salt-n-Pepa]] disbands.