Editing 2003 in music (section)

==Events==

===January–February===
*[[January 6]] – The annual Park Lane Group Young Artists festival of contemporary music opens with two concerts in the [[Purcell Room]] at the [[Southbank Centre]], London. The first concert, given by the Gallimaufry Ensemble, includes the premiere of a new wind quintet by 23-year-old Benjamin Wallfisch; the second concert features solo bass clarinettist Sarah Watts, who premieres Marc Yeats ''Vox'' for solo [[bass clarinet]] and Michael Smetanin's ''Ladder of Escape'' for bass clarinet with prerecorded ensemble of six bass and two [[contrabass clarinet]]s.<ref>Richard Morrison, "PLG Young Artists", ''The Times'' (Wednesday January 8, 2003): 15.</ref>
*[[January 7]] – The Philip on Film Live festival (until January 11) opens at the [[Barbican Centre]], London, featuring films with music by [[Philip Glass]] performed live by the [[Philip Glass Ensemble]], conducted by Michael Riesman.<ref>John L Walters, "Philip on Film Live: Barbican, London", ''The Guardian'' (Thursday January 9, 2003); Geoff Brown,"Glass Shorts", ''The Times'' (January 9, 2003): 23.</ref>
*[[January 9]] – The [[Vienna Philharmonic]] belatedly announce that violist Ursula Plaichinger has become the first official female member of the orchestra, 158 years after their founding and six years after they have been forced to allow women to audition, under threat of having their state subsidies stopped. At the same time, it is disclosed that orchestra boss [[Clemens Hellsberg]] has formally banned Plaichinger from giving interviews to the press.<ref>Irene Zoech, "Orchestra Falls Quiet over First Female", ''The Times'' (January 10, 2003): 15.</ref>
*[[January 10]]
**Andrew Lack, former chief of NBC news, is named the new head of Sony's music division, to the surprise of the music industry, because he had no previous experience of the record industry.<ref>Anon., "Sony Names Music Chief", ''The Times'' (January 11, 2003): 52.</ref> He replaced [[Tommy Mottola]], who resigned the previous day amidst reports of friction with higher Sony executives over huge financial losses in the music division.<ref>Laura M. Holson and Lynette Holloway, "[https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/10/business/top-music-executive-leaving-sony-after-tumultuous-year-he-plans-start-his-own.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm Top Music Executive Is Leaving Sony: After Tumultuous Year, He Plans to Start His Own Label]", ''The New York Times'' (January 10, 2003).</ref>
**Following an investigation by [[The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry]] and London detectives, police raids in the UK and the Netherlands recover 500 original [[The Beatles|Beatles]] studio tapes, recorded during the ''[[Let It Be (album)|Let It Be]]'' sessions. Five people are arrested. The tapes have been used for bootleg releases for years.<ref name="beatlestapes">{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2646921.stm |title='Priceless' Beatles tapes discovered |date=January 10, 2003 |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=February 24, 2013}}</ref>
*[[January 13]] – [[The Who]] guitarist [[Pete Townshend]] is arrested by British police on suspicion of possessing and making indecent images of children and of incitement to distribute them. Townshend claims in a statement that he did not download any such images and accessed Web sites advertising child pornography because he was researching material for his autobiography, which will include passages about his abusive childhood.<ref name="townshendarrest">{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1459501/townshend-child-porn-arrest.jhtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927104300/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1459501/townshend-child-porn-arrest.jhtml |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 27, 2011 |title=Pete Townshend Arrested In Child Porn Investigation |last1=Wiederhorn |first1=Jon |last2=Vineyard |first2=Jennifer |date=January 13, 2003 |publisher=[[MTV]] |access-date=February 23, 2013}}</ref>
*[[January 17]]–[[February 2]] – The [[Big Day Out]] festival takes place in [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]], headlined by [[Foo Fighters]], [[Jane's Addiction]] and [[Underworld (band)|Underworld]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boland |first=Michaela |date=30 January 2003 |title=The Big Day Out |url=https://variety.com/2003/music/reviews/the-big-day-out-3-1200543746/ |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Variety}}</ref>
*[[January 18]]
**The [[Indian Air Force]] band, the Air Warriors, play a concert in the Homi Baba Auditorium in [[Colaba]] (Mumbai), which included [[Muthuswami Dikshitar]]'s ''Vathapiganapathi'' in a version combining military band with traditional [[Carnatic music|Carnatic]] instruments.<ref>Anon., "Air Warriors Hit High Note with Concert", ''The Times of India'' (Tuesday January 21, 2003): 2.</ref>
**A two-day festival of the music of [[Mark-Anthony Turnage]] is given at the [[Barbican Centre]], London, with three world premieres and chamber concerts by the [[Nash Ensemble]] and the [[Birmingham Contemporary Music Group]].<ref>Ivan Hewett, "Momentum: The Music of Mark-Anthony Turnage: Barbican, London EC2, Jan 18–19", ''The Times'' (January 18, 2003): 10; Richard Morrison, "Blood on the Floor", ''The Times'' (January 20, 2003): 17.</ref>
*[[January 22]] – [[Nikolaus Harnoncourt]] cancels a European tour after being ordered by his doctors to take a two-month rest.<ref>Andrew Pierce, "Conductor's Illness Robs London of the Voice of St Cecilia", ''The Times'' (January 22, 2003): 6.</ref>
*[[February 3]]
**Police respond to a 911 phone call from one of [[Phil Spector]]'s neighbors and discover the body of actress [[Lana Clarkson]], with a gunshot wound, at Spector's his home in [[Alhambra, California]]. Spector is arrested on suspicion of murder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/apr/14/phil-spector-lana-clarkson-murder|title=How Phil Spector was convicted of the murder of Lana Clarkson|first=Dan|last=Glaister|date=April 13, 2009|website=Theguardian.com}}</ref>
**The [[Martin Bashir]] television film ''[[Living with Michael Jackson]]'' premieres on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] in the UK. It airs on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in the US three days later.<ref>{{cite news |first=Alessandra |last=Stanley|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/06/arts/television-review-a-neverland-world-of-michael-jackson.html |title=TELEVISION REVIEW; A Neverland World Of Michael Jackson  |access-date=June 28, 2009 |date=February 6, 2003 |work=[[The New York Times]] }}</ref> A total of 53 million viewers in the two countries watch the special. 
*[[February 8]] – [[Avril Lavigne]] scores her third #1 single "[[I'm with You (Avril Lavigne song)|I'm with You]]", making her the second artist in history to have three consecutive #1 songs from a début album in the Billboard [[Mainstream Top 40]].
*[[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 are missing for some time, including Great White guitarist [[Ty Longley]], who is later confirmed to be dead.<ref>{{cite news|last=Grossberg |first=Josh |title=Great White Guitarist Declared Dead |date=February 24, 2003 |publisher=[[E!|E! Online]] |url=http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,11323,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314215418/http://www.eonline.com/news/Items/0%2C1%2C11323%2C00.html |archive-date=March 14, 2012  }}</ref>
*[[February 23]] – New York City is the site of [[Grammy Awards of 2003|The 45th Annual Grammy Awards]], featuring [[Nickelback]], [[No Doubt]], [[Foo Fighters]], [[Beyoncé Knowles|Beyoncé]] and other performers. [[Norah Jones]] wins a total of six awards, including all four in the General field.
*[[February 24]] – [[Robert Trujillo]] joins [[Metallica]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 February 2003 |title=It's Official: ROBERT TRUJILLO Joins METALLICA! |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/it-s-official-robert-trujillo-joins-metallica |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Blabbermouth}}</ref>

===March–April===
*[[March 3]] – [[Avril Lavigne]] kicks off her first headlining tour the "[[Avril Lavigne tours#Try to Shut Me Up Tour|Try To Shut Me Up Tour]]".
*[[March 10]]
**[[Johnny Cash]] is admitted to Baptist Hospital in [[Nashville, Tennessee]] to undergo treatment for [[pneumonia]].
**[[The Dixie Chicks]] unleash a firestorm of controversy at a concert in London when lead singer [[Natalie Maines]] announces to the audience that "just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas". The group is dropped from radio playlists all over the United States and receives death threats as a result.<ref name="dixiechicks">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/arts/music/21pare.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |title=The Dixie Chicks: America Catches Up With Them |last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |date=May 21, 2006 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=February 23, 2013}}</ref>
*[[March 21]] – Ex-''[[Neighbours]]'' star [[Delta Goodrem]] releases her debut album ''[[Innocent Eyes (Delta Goodrem album)|Innocent Eyes]]'' which became Australia's monster smash hit of 2003 and included the releases of the new singles "[[Born to Try (song)|Born to Try]]" and "[[Lost Without You (Delta Goodrem song)|Lost Without You]]".
*[[March 24]] – ''[[Meteora (album)|Meteora]]'' by [[Linkin Park]] debuts at number one on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] album chart.<ref>{{Citation |last=Linkin Park |title=Meteora |date=2003-03-25 |url=https://archive.org/details/limk-3 |access-date=2025-03-21}}</ref>
*[[March 25]] – [[Celine Dion|Céline Dion]] begins [[A New Day...]], her [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]] residency show. It would run for almost five years and over 700 shows.
*[[April 1]] – Dozens of fans walk out during a [[Pearl Jam]] concert when lead singer [[Eddie Vedder]] makes comments opposing the [[2003 invasion of Iraq|Iraq war]] and derogatory remarks about U.S. President [[George W. Bush]]. Other audience members boo and shout at Vedder telling him to "shut up." Vedder attempts to calm the crowd by adding "just to clarify... we support the troops."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cromelin |first=Richard |date=2003-04-05 |title=Walkouts read riot act to Pearl Jam |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-apr-05-et-quicktakes5-story.html |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Triplett |first=Gene |title=Pearl Jam tones down remarks against war at Ford Center concert |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2003/04/04/pearl-jam-tones-down-remarks-against-war-at-ford-center-concert/62050057007/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=The Oklahoman |language=en-US}}</ref>
*[[April 4]] – [[Alex Katunich]] quits [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.herokuapp.com/news/incubus-part-ways-with-bassist/|title=INCUBUS Part Ways With Bassist|date=April 4, 2003|website=Blabbermouth.net|access-date=January 23, 2022|archive-date=January 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107040709/https://blabbermouth.herokuapp.com/news/incubus-part-ways-with-bassist/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[April 16]] – [[Luther Vandross]] suffers a severe stroke at his home in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luther Vandross suffers a stroke |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/04/18/luther-vandross-suffers-stroke/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref> He emerges from a coma seven weeks later.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luther Vandross begins to emerge from coma |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/06/06/luther-vandross-begins-emerge-coma/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref>
*[[April 21]] – [[S Club 7|S Club]] announce live on stage at London's [[London Arena|Docklands Arena]] that they've decided to split up after five years together.<ref>{{Cite web |last=NME |date=2003-04-22 |title=S CLUB TO SPLIT |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/s-club-7-13-1369217 |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref> Their final single, "[[Say Goodbye (S Club song)|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 LA Ex]]".
*[[April 26]]-27 – The [[Coachella|Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]] takes place in [[California]]. Headlined by [[Beastie Boys]] and [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]], the lineup also features [[Queens of the Stone Age]], [[The Stooges|Iggy and the Stooges]], [[Ben Harper|Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals]], [[Blur (band)|Blur]], [[The White Stripes]], [[Sonic Youth]], [[Black Eyed Peas]], [[Interpol (band)|Interpol]], [[the Mars Volta]], [[N.E.R.D.]] and [[Primal Scream]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Russo |first=Charles |date=12 April 2023 |title=Remembering the year Coachella ran out of beer |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sf-culture/article/coachella-2003-look-back-17891554.php |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=SFGate}}</ref>
*[[April 28]] – [[Apple Inc.]] opens the [[iTunes Store|iTunes Music Store]], offering 200,000 songs for download at a cost of 99 cents each. More than 1 million songs are sold in the store's first week.<ref name="itunes">{{cite web |url=https://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2010/04/0428itunes-music-store-opens/ |title=This Day In Tech |last1=Chen |first1=Brian X. |date=April 28, 2010 |publisher=[[Wired (website)|Wired]] |access-date=February 23, 2013}}</ref>

===May–June===
*[[May 7]] – [[Pete Townshend]] is cleared of the charges stemming from his arrest in January on suspicion of possessing child pornography, but is formally cautioned and placed on the sex offenders register for five years.<ref name="townshendcleared">{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/may/08/arts.ukcrime |title=Pete Townshend put on sex offenders register |last1=Wilson |first1=Jamie |date=May 8, 2003 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=February 23, 2013}}</ref>
*[[May 19]] – The former TV channel MuchMusic USA relaunches as [[Fuse (TV channel)|Fuse]].
*[[May 21]] – [[Ruben Studdard]] wins the second season of ''[[American Idol]]'', edging [[Clay Aiken]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Complete List of 'American Idol' Winners |url=https://www.etonline.com/gallery/the-complete-list-of-american-idol-winners-21116/season-2-ruben-studdard-49188?deployment=overlay&device=mobile&segments= |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=Entertainment Tonight |language=en-US}}</ref>
*[[May 24]]
**Turkish singer [[Sertab Erener]] wins the [[Eurovision Song Contest 2003|Eurovision Song Contest]], held in [[Riga]], [[Latvia]], with the song "[[Everyway That I Can]]". It is the last time that the contest is a one-night event.
**After a 40-year wait, [[Russians|Russian]] fans of [[the Beatles]] finally get to see former Beatle [[Back in the World tour|Paul McCartney perform on their soil]], on the [[Red Square]] in Moscow.
*[[May 31]]-June 1 – The inaugural [[Download Festival]] takes place at [[Donington Park]] in [[Leicestershire]], England. [[Iron Maiden]] and [[Audioslave]] headline the main stage, the latter acting as replacements for original headliners [[Limp Bizkit]]. The Scuzz Stage is headlined by [[A (band)|A]] and [[NOFX]].
*[[June 14]] 
**[[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.
**Henry Ranta quits [[Soilwork]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=12516 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714014216/http://legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=12516 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |title=Blabbermouth.Net – Drummer Henry Ranta Quits Soilwork! |publisher=Legacy.roadrunnerrecords.com |access-date=November 8, 2012 }}</ref>
**[[Justin Timberlake]] and [[Christina Aguilera]] kicked off their summer [[Justified & Stripped Tour]].
**[[Los Angeles, California]] radio station [[KROQ-FM]] airs the 11th Annual of the [[KROQ Weenie Roast|Weenie Roast]] show with [[AFI (band)|AFI]], [[the Ataris]], [[Blur (band)|Blur]], [[Chevelle (band)|Chevelle]], [[Deftones]], [[Finch (US band)|Finch]], [[Foo Fighters]], [[Godsmack]], [[Good Charlotte]], [[Hot Hot Heat]], [[Interpol (band)|Interpol]], [[Jane's Addiction]], [[Less Than Jake]], [[Liam Lynch (musician)|Liam Lynch]], [[Staind]], [[Sum 41]], [[Thrice]], [[the Transplants]], [[the Used]], [[the White Stripes]] and [[Pete Yorn]].
*[[June 20]]
**Beyoncé releases her No.1 debut solo album ''[[Dangerously in Love]]'', which would earn 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.
**[[Nick Oshiro]] replaces [[Ken Jay]] in [[Static-X]].
*[[June 24]] – [[Taylor Swift]] signs to [[RCA Records]].
*[[June 27]]–29 – In the [[Glastonbury Festival]], U.K., headline acts include [[David Gray (British musician)|David Gray]], [[R.E.M.]], [[Primal Scream]], [[Morcheeba]], [[The Flaming Lips]], [[Radiohead]], [[Super Furry Animals]], [[Lamb (electronic band)|Lamb]], [[Macy Gray]], [[Feeder (band)|Feeder]], [[Manic Street Preachers]], [[Moby]] and [[Doves (band)|Doves]]. The weather is mostly dry and the festival deemed a success from both a security and entertainment viewpoint by [[Michael Eavis]].

===July–August===
*[[July 2]] 
**[[A-Teens]] and many others perform at the [[Stockholm Pride]] festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Samuelsson |first=Mats |date=23 June 2003 |title=Pridehysterin är här - igen |url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/qn11rw/pridehysterin-ar-har-igen |access-date=18 November 2024 |website=Aftonbladet |language=Swedish}}</ref>
**[[Delta Goodrem]] is diagnosed with [[Hodgkin's Disease]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Delta Goodrem Hospitalized With Cancer|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/69996/delta-goodrem-hospitalized-with-cancer|access-date=May 24, 2018|newspaper=Billboard|date=July 14, 2003}}</ref> 
*[[July 5]] – [[Lollapalooza]] returns after a six-year absence from the music festival circuit. [[Jane's Addiction]], [[Audioslave]], [[Incubus (band)|Incubus]] and [[Queens of the Stone Age]] are among the featured acts.
*[[July 11]] – [[Judas Priest]] announces that [[Rob Halford]] has rejoined the band, with a reunion tour to follow in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CNN.com - Halford reunites with Judas Priest - Jul. 13, 2003 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/11/judas.priest.reunite/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=www.cnn.com}}</ref>
*[[July 14]] – The [[Eurodance]] and [[alternative rock]] musician [[Lynda Thomas]] makes her last public appearance before suddenly leaving the music industry and public life.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.oem.com.mx/eloccidental/notas/n2319250.htm|title=Figuras desaparecidas de escenario|date=2011-11-23|accessdate=2016-03-21|work=Organizaciòn Editorial Mexicana|language=es|archive-date=3 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103071046/https://www.oem.com.mx/oem/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[July 19]]–20 – The [[Splendour in the Grass]] music festival takes place in [[Byron Bay, New South Wales|Byron Bay]], [[Australia]], headlined by [[Powderfinger]] and [[Coldplay]].
*[[July 20]] – An auto accident in [[Oregon]], United States, kills three of the four members of [[The Exploding Hearts]], ending the band after just one album.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Three members of band Exploding Hearts killed in van crash after show {{!}} The Seattle Times |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20030722&slug=hearts22 |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=archive.seattletimes.com}}</ref>
*[[July 30]] – [[The Rolling Stones]], [[AC/DC]], [[Rush (band)|Rush]], [[The Guess Who]] and others headline a [[Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto|benefit concert]] in [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada, to prove that the city is safe from [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome|SARS]]. With 450 thousand spectators, it is the largest concert in Canadian history.
*[[August 19]] – [[Jessica Simpson]] releases her third studio album ''[[In This Skin]]''. The album would later go triple platinum in the U.S. and would produce the hit single "[[With You (Jessica Simpson song)|With You]]".
*[[August 28]] – [[Madonna]] sparks media controversy by kissing popstars [[Britney Spears]] and [[Christina Aguilera]] at the [[2003 MTV Video Music Awards]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Jacobs |first=Matthew |date=22 August 2023 |title=How Madonna Kept a Three-Way Kiss a Secret and Made VMA History |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/2003-vmas-britney-madonna-christina-kiss-1234809755/ |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> The situation even ignited a quick war of words between [[Britney Spears]] and [[Christina Aguilera]] over the kiss.

===September–October===
*[[September 15]] – [[Billy Corgan]] announces that [[Zwan]] has broken up.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Dansby |first=Andrew |date=2003-09-15 |title=Zwan Call It Quits |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/zwan-call-it-quits-246860/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>
*[[September 16]]
** [[Ryan Malcolm]] wins the first season of ''[[Canadian Idol]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tillson |first=Tamsen |date=21 September 2003 |title=Record auds 'Idol' the night away |url=https://variety.com/2003/tv/news/record-auds-idol-the-night-away-1117892700/ |access-date=3 November 2024 |website=Variety}}</ref>
** [[David Bowie]] releases his twenty-third studio album ''[[Reality (David Bowie album)|Reality]]''. The album would be Bowie's last for roughly a decade, with Bowie silently and gradually withdrawing into seclusion following an onstage heart attack the following year.
*[[September 22]] – [[Max Cavalera]] & Gloria Cavalera fire [[Marcello D. Rapp]] causing [[Roy Mayorga]] & Mike Doling to leave the band [[Soulfly]] in protest.
*October – Indie/Rock band Conway wins the National "Battle of the Bands" Competition at the Fountain Pub in Tottenham, London, UK{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}. The Norfolk, UK, band consists of Chris Burgoyne (vocals), Andrew Norman (lead guitar / vocals), Tristan McKelvey (guitar), Leon Chapman (bass) and Peter Rednall (drums). 
*[[October 4]] – [[Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band]]'s [[The Rising Tour]] concludes after 120 shows over 14 months, with record-setting sales in U.S. stadiums during the summer and early autumn.
*[[October 15]] – A two-week-long international conference, "Fuori tempo, dire, fare, sentire la musica oggi", opens in [[Genoa]], Italy, bringing together performers, composers, scholars and administrators from classical, folk and popular music, with a keynote address by [[Charles Rosen]]. Featured participants include Nuria Schoenberg (daughter of [[Arnold Schoenberg]] and widow of [[Luigi Nono (composer)|Luigi Nono]]); musicologist James Harrison; opera conductor [[Roberto Abbado]]; violinist [[Ivry Gitlis]]; composers [[Salvatore Sciarrino]], [[Lorenzo Ferrero]] and [[Andrea Liberovici]]; poet [[Edoardo Sanguineti]]; popular singer-songwriters [[Teresa De Sio]], [[Gianna Nannini]] and [[Gino Paoli]]; rock and jazz artists Peppe Servalo and Peppe D'Argenzio of the Piccola Orchestra Avion Travel; and administrators Anna Cammarano (director of classical music at RAI Trade), Gennaro di Benedetto (superintendent of the [[Teatro Carlo Felice]] in Genoa) and Joseph Hussek (director of the artistic programme at the [[Salzburg Festival]]).<ref>Alessandra Pieracci, "Da Abbado alla Nannini a musica va in analisi", ''La Stampa'', no. 277 (October 9, 2003): 33.</ref>
*[[October 16]] – [[Simon & Garfunkel]] begin their "Old Friends" U.S. reunion tour, twenty years after their 1983 world tour.
*[[October 20]] – [[Britney Spears]] releases the first single, "[[Me Against the Music]]", featuring American singer-songwriter [[Madonna]], from her upcoming album ''[[In the Zone]]'', marketed as a comeback single in the US; it goes on to be an international success, reaching the top three in several countries.
*[[October 21]] – [[Delta Goodrem]] wins 7 ARIA Awards and defeats [[Amiel Daemion|Amiel]]'s "[[Lovesong (Amiel song)|Lovesong]]" for and a Gold ARIA for Single of the Year, [[Born to Try]]. ''ARIAs'' host [[Rove McManus]] announced that [[John Farnham]] will raise the very loud speakers to 1985/1986's "[[You're the Voice]]" after being inducted into the [[ARIA Hall of Fame]].
*[[October 29]] – A legal version of the [[Napster (pay service)|Napster]] file sharing network relaunches as a pay service, offering song downloads for 99 cents apiece or $9.99 for unlimited listening.<ref name="napster">{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/Legal-Napster-up-and-running/2100-1027_3-5099002.html |title=Legal Napster up and running |last1=Borland |first1=John |date=October 29, 2003 |publisher=[[CNET]] |access-date=February 24, 2013}}</ref>

===November–December===
*[[November 6]] – Marco Aro vacates his vocalist position in [[The Haunted (Swedish band)|The Haunted]]. The band rehires their first vocalist, [[Peter Dolving]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://the-haunted.com/site/?p=archive&a=news |title=No false pride, no fashion, no fake set of values |publisher=The Haunted |access-date=November 8, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211103733/http://the-haunted.com/site/?p=archive |archive-date=February 11, 2014 }}</ref>
*[[November 14]]
**Band [[Pink Floyd]] reunites to perform at the funeral of their manager [[Steve O'Rourke]].
**[[Byron Stroud]] is confirmed as an official member of [[Fear Factory]].
*[[November 18]]
**[[Blink-182]] release their fifth studio album ''[[Blink-182 (album)|blink-182]]''. This album was regarded as a change of musical style for [[Blink-182]] as the music has darkened and matured since their previous albums.
**[[Britney Spears]] releases ''[[In the Zone]]''. She breaks her own record as the first female artist to have 3 albums in #1 to become the first female artist to have 4 albums in #1 consecutively. 
*[[November 19]] – [[Guy Sebastian]] becomes the first winner of ''[[Australian Idol]]'', receiving a contract with [[BMG Australia]]. He subsequently records the studio album, ''[[Just as I Am (Guy Sebastian album)|Just As I Am]]''. [[Shannon Noll]] was named the runner-up.
*[[November 20]] – [[Michael Jackson]] is arrested on charges of child molestation. The singer faced [[1993 Michael Jackson sexual abuse allegations|similar charges in 1993]] that were dropped after an out-of-court financial settlement was reached with the family of a boy. In light of the new accusations, the television network [[CBS]] chooses to pull the scheduled November 26 airing of a one-hour television special intended to promote Jackson's new greatest hits album, ''[[Number Ones (Michael Jackson album)|Number Ones]]''.<ref name="jacksonspecialpulled">{{cite web |url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/195917/CBS-pulls-Michael-Jackson-special-issue-warrant/ |title=CBS pulls Michael Jackson special after issue of warrant |date=November 20, 2003 |publisher=[[Brand Republic#Haymarket Online]] |access-date=February 24, 2013}}</ref>
*[[November 22]] – The band [[Five Iron Frenzy]] plays its last show at the [[Fillmore Auditorium (Denver)|Fillmore Auditorium]] in [[Denver]].
*[[December 6]]
**[[Elvis Costello]] and [[Diana Krall]] are married in a private ceremony at [[Elton John]]'s estate in England.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Elvis Costello marries Diana Krall |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/12/10/elvis-costello-marries-diana-krall/ |access-date=2023-12-24 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref>
**[[P-Funk]] founder [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]] is arrested and charged with drug possession in [[Tallahassee, Florida]].
*[[December 8]] – [[Ozzy Osbourne]] is rushed into emergency surgery after having a serious accident riding an [[all-terrain vehicle]] on the grounds of his English estate. Osbourne broke his collarbone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck.<ref name=Osbourne-accident>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3302405.stm Osbourne 'stable' after accident], BBC News, December 9, 2003.</ref>
*[[December 12]] – [[Mick Jagger]] is knighted for services to music by the Prince of Wales (now [[Charles III]]) at [[Buckingham Palace]].<ref name=SirMick>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3312639.stm Stones frontman becomes Sir Mick], BBC News, December 12, 2003.</ref>
*[[December 13]]-14 – The Los Angeles, [[California]] radio station [[KROQ-FM]] airs the 14th Annual of the [[KROQ Acoustic Christmas|Acoustic Christmas]] show with [[AFI (band)|AFI]], [[Blink-182]], [[Brand New (band)|Brand New]], [[Chevelle (band)|Chevelle]], [[The Distillers]], [[Jane's Addiction]], [[Jet (band)|Jet]], [[Korn]], [[Linkin Park]], [[The Offspring]], [[P.O.D.]], [[Pennywise (band)|Pennywise]], [[Puddle of Mudd]], [[Rancid (band)|Rancid]], [[Staind]], [[311 (band)|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.