2001 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2001.

3.2 billion units were sold with a value of US$33.7 billion. DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD first rose to prominence in 2001, with approximately 600 titles available in these formats. Portable music grew in popularity after Apple Inc. released the iTunes media library on January 9 and the first iPod music player device on October 23. Worldwide, the best-selling albums were Hybrid Theory (2000) by Linkin Park, No Angel (1999) by Dido, and Survivor (2001) by Destiny's Child. The best-selling non-English album was Cieli di Toscana (2001) by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, which topped the charts in the Netherlands and Sweden and was the 23rd best-selling album globally.

Specific locations

 * 2001 in British music
 * 2001 in Norwegian music
 * 2001 in South Korean music

Specific genres

 * 2001 in classical music
 * 2001 in country music
 * 2001 in heavy metal music
 * 2001 in hip hop music
 * 2001 in Latin music
 * 2001 in jazz

January

 * January 9 – Apple Inc. introduces the iTunes media player.
 * January 12–21 – Rock in Rio 3 is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Headlining acts consist of Sting, R.E.M., 'N Sync, Iron Maiden, Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers and a new line-up of Guns N' Roses.
 * January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band.
 * January 19–February 4 – The Big Day Out festival takes place in Australia and New Zealand, headlined by Rammstein (in all venues) and Limp Bizkit (in Auckland, the Gold Coast, and Sydney).
 * January 26 – A crowd crush occurs during a set by Limp Bizkit at the Sydney Big Day Out music festival. Jessica Michalik is killed and the band subsequently leaves the country after threats to their safety.

February

 * February 1
 * CFXJ (Flow 93.5), Canada's first urban music station, goes to air for the first time as a testing signal (its official debut is on March 1.) This is considered a breakthrough for Canadian hip hop and R&B musicians.
 * Jennifer Lopez becomes first female artist to have both a number one album (J.Lo) and a number one movie (The Wedding Planner) in the same week.
 * February 6 – Don Felder is fired from the Eagles. Felder sues the band for wrongful termination, and is countersued by Don Henley and Glenn Frey for breach of contract. The suits are settled out of court.
 * February 13 – Peter Frampton receives the Orville H. Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award.
 * February 17 – Manic Street Preachers become the first western rock band to play in Cuba. Fidel Castro is in attendance.
 * February 18 – James Taylor weds for the third time, marrying Caroline "Kim" Smedvig, director of public relations and marketing for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
 * February 21 – The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards are presented in Los Angeles, hosted by Jon Stewart. Several artists win three awards each: Steely Dan (who win Album of the Year for Two Against Nature), U2 (who win both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Beautiful Day"), Dr. Dre, Eminem and Faith Hill. Shelby Lynne wins Best New Artist.
 * February 28 – Courtney Love sues to get out of her contract with Vivendi Universal, on the grounds that music industry contracts are unfairly long compared to those in other industries.

March

 * March 1 – Collin Raye is awarded the Artist Humanitarian Award from Country Radio Broadcasters. The award was given in recognition of Raye's work on behalf of a number of different charitable organizations including Childhelp USA, USA Weekend's Make A Difference Day and the Native American organization Hecel Oyakapi.
 * March 8 – Melanie C announces she does not intend to do any more work with the Spice Girls. Although the group denies it is splitting, it would not be active again until 2007.
 * March 9
 * Janet Jackson's single "All for You" becomes the first song to be added to every station in three mainstream radio formats within its first week of release. It was also the highest debut for a single not commercially available in both the United States and France.
 * Eric Singer replaces Peter Criss as the drummer for Kiss as the band continues its farewell tour in Yokohama, Japan. Singer dons the "Catman" make-up, ending the band's tradition of creating new make-up and personas for replacement members.
 * March 13 – Janet Jackson is honored as the first ever MTV Icon. The televised tribute became the highest rated show of the night.
 * March 14 – The Court of Appeals in Rome finds Michael Jackson "not guilty" of plagiarism, reversing a decision made in 1999 by a lower court. Italian songwriter Albano Carrisi had claimed that Jackson's "Will You Be There" was a copy of his song "I Cigni Di Balaka."
 * March 16 – Sean "Puffy" Combs is acquitted on all charges stemming from a December 1999 nightclub shooting in Manhattan. However, an artist on his Bad Boy Records label, Shyne, is convicted of two counts of assault as well as reckless endangerment and gun possession.
 * March 20 – Toadies release Hell Below/Stars Above, the band's first album in nearly seven years. The band announces irts break-up five months later.
 * March 24 – John Connolly of Sevendust marries Lori Kirkley.
 * March 26
 * Gorillaz release their first studio album Gorillaz. The album reached number three in the UK, and was an unexpected hit in the US, hitting number 14 and selling over seven million copies worldwide by 2007. It earned the group an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band.
 * Aerosmith release their thirteenth studio album, Just Push Play, charting at No. 2 in the US Billboard 200.
 * March 28
 * Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 replaces Max Bruch's violin concerto at #1 in the Classic FM Hall of Fame.
 * Two big selling albums : Hikaru Utada's Distance and Ayumi Hamasaki's A Best are released on exactly the same date. Their debut week sales are 3,002,720 and 2,874,870, respectively, setting the world's #1 and #2 one-week album sales records.
 * March 31 – Couple Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown were thrown out and banned for life from Hollywood's Bel Air Hotel and arrested and jailed after destroying their room. Property that was allegedly damaged included a TV and two doors. According to hotel workers, the walls and carpets were also stained by alcohol. The hotel closed down the room for five days for repairs.

April–May

 * April 3 – Mariah Carey signs a blockbuster contract with Virgin Records, worth $80 million for four albums.
 * April 4 – Original Zombies lead singer Colin Blunstone and keyboardist Rod Argent reunite for a two-part performance at London's Jazz Cafe, the first time the two had performed together in over 30 years.
 * April 14 – Janet Jackson's "All for You" reaches number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains atop the chart for seven consecutive weeks. It becomes the longest reigning hit of the year.
 * April 15 – The Dutch DJ Tiësto releases his first solo album, In My Memory, on Black Hole Recordings.
 * April 21 – The first Top Chinese Music Awards ceremony is held.
 * April 24 – Janet Jackson releases her seventh studio album, All for You. It becomes her fifth consecutive album to open at number one, with sales exceeding 600,000 copies. It receives three Grammy Award nominations, winning for Best Dance Recording.
 * April 28 – The second Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes place in California as a single-day event. Headlined by Jane's Addiction, the lineup also features Weezer, The Roots, Gang Starr, Iggy Pop, The Orb, The Dandy Warhols and Mos Def.
 * May 1
 * Huey Lewis and the News makes a comeback with their album Plan B, their first album of new material in a decade.
 * The 4th EJCF is held in Basel. The next time was in 2004.
 * May 12 – Joey Fatone of 'N Sync injures his leg in a trap door during rehearsals for the new tour.
 * The 46th Eurovision Song Contest, held at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark, is won by Tanel Padar and Dave Benton, backed by hip hop group 2XL. They represented Estonia with the song "Everybody", marking the first victory for one of the Baltic states and one of the former Soviet republics. At 50 years old, Benton also becomes the oldest contestant, as well as the first black person, to win Eurovision.
 * May 15
 * Charley Pride's A Tribute to Jim Reeves is the first compact disc to have copy protection.
 * '80s band The Go Go's release their first album in 17 years: God Bless The Go Go's
 * May 22 – Mötley Crüe publishes their collective autobiography The Dirt.

June

 * June 1 – Christina Aguilera scores her fourth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 for "Lady Marmalade" a collaboration with Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink. The video wins the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.
 * June 5
 * Radiohead releases their 5th studio album, Amnesiac.
 * Drowning Pool releases their 1st studio album, Sinner. After the 9/11 attacks, the single "Bodies" is put on the list of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel.
 * June 9 – Madonna kicks off her first concert tour in 8 years, the Drowned World Tour, in Barcelona, Spain.
 * June 12
 * Blink-182 release their fourth studio album Take Off Your Pants And Jacket which would later sell 14 million copies worldwide. This was the band's second successful album.
 * Electric Light Orchestra release Zoom, their first album in 15 years.
 * June 15 – Bad Religion drummer Bobby Schayer, who had been with the band since 1991, is forced to give up music after experiencing a "most unfortunate career-ending injury". This leads to his leaving Bad Religion for good; he is replaced by current drummer Brooks Wackerman. By this time, Bad Religion were dropped from Atlantic Records and had returned to their original label Epitaph, and founding guitarist Brett Gurewitz had just rejoined the band after a 7-year hiatus.
 * June 16 – The Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM airs the 9th Annual of the Weenie Roast show with Blink-182, Coldplay, Crazy Town, The Cult, Disturbed, Jane's Addiction, Linkin Park, The Living End, New Found Glory, Pennywise, Papa Roach, Stabbing Westward, Staind, Stone Temple Pilots, Sum 41 and 311.
 * June 24 – Jazz pianist John Hicks marries flautist Elise Wood.

July

 * July 2
 * Willy Denzey makes his first appearance at Les Francofolies de La Rochelle.
 * Napster shuts down its entire network in order to comply with a court injunction ordering it to halt the trading of copyrighted files.
 * July 7 – Janet Jackson begins her All for You Tour.
 * July 9 – Backstreet Boys put their Black & Blue summer tour on hold to allow AJ McLean to enter a rehabilitation facility to deal with alcoholism and depression.
 * July 10 – Dream Street releases their debut album, Dream Street
 * July 16 – Mariah Carey releases "Loverboy"; it eventually became the best-selling song of 2001.
 * July 17 – Aaliyah releases her third studio album Aaliyah.
 * July 17–22 – The fourth Yoyo A Go Go punk and indie rock festival opens in Olympia, Washington.
 * July 19 – Ol' Dirty Bastard is sentenced to 2 to 4 years in prison for drug possession.
 * July 21 – The first annual Splendour in the Grass music festival is held in Byron Bay, New South Wales, headlined by Powderfinger.
 * July 24 – NSYNC releases their third studio album, Celebrity.
 * July 25 – Mariah Carey checks into a hospital for what a spokesperson terms "extreme exhaustion". Carey had exhibited several incidents of bizarre behavior during the previous week, including performing a strange striptease during an unscheduled visit to MTV's Total Request Live and posting a rambling message on her website in which she wrote, "I don't know what's going on with life".
 * July 30 – The Strokes release their debut album Is This It.

August

 * August 3 – Whitney Houston signs the largest contract in music history with Arista Records, a six-album deal worth over $100 million.
 * August 6 – Death Row Records founder Suge Knight is released from prison after serving five years of a nine-year sentence for a parole violation.
 * August 7 – Aaron Carter comes back with his third studio album (second under Jive Records) Oh Aaron.
 * August 13 – Two weeks before its official release, Spider One of Powerman 5000 pulls Anyone for Doomsday? off the market because it sounds too much like their previous release Tonight the Stars Revolt!. Later he releases the album on their website. Two months later, Al 3 & Dorian 27 leave the band.
 * August 15 – Wilco signs a buy-out deal with Reprise Records after the label rejects the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album and the band refuses to make any changes. Wilco leaves with the rights to the album in their possession.
 * August 22 - Longtime guitarist Roland Grapow and drummer Uli Kusch are fired from German power metal band Helloween.
 * August 25 – A Cessna 402 carrying 9 people, including R&B singer Aaliyah, crashes in the Bahamas, killing all aboard.

September

 * September 4 – The second studio album from American band System of a Down, Toxicity, is released worldwide. After the 9/11 attacks, the single "Chop Suey!" is put on the list of songs deemed inappropriate by Clear Channel.
 * September 5 – A performance of John Cage's As Slow as Possible on a specially-built organ in Sankt-Burchardi-Church in Halberstadt, Germany, scheduled to last until the year 2640 begins with an 18-month pause.
 * September 6 – At the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, Britney Spears performs her new single I'm a Slave 4 U in a very revealing outfit and featuring a number of exotic animals including a white and live albino Burmese python on her shoulder, leading to a great deal of criticism from animal rights organisation PETA. Nevertheless, MTV named the performance as the most memorable moment in VMA history.
 * September 7-10 – The Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special tribute concerts are held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
 * September 10 – Blink-182 start shooting a video for "Stay Together for the Kids", featuring the band playing in a derelict house. When they try to finish the video the following day, the 9–11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City occur, and the band abandon the attempt and decide to shoot a different video for the song.
 * September 11 –
 * Bob Dylan's Love and Theft album was released on this day.
 * The September 11 attacks result in the cancellation or postponement of many musical events, due to the halting of many commercial flights and the somber mood of communities around the world:
 * MTV and VH1 suspend regular programming to carry a newsfeed from CBS, and the 2001 Latin Grammy Awards broadcast is canceled.
 * Sting, who had planned to stream a performance in Italy on the Internet, reduces the Webcast to one song, "Fragile".
 * Enya's "Only Time" becomes backdrop for CNN.
 * The MuchMusic Video Awards scheduled for September 23 are also canceled.
 * Gerard Way witnesses the attacks and is inspired to start a band, which later becomes My Chemical Romance.
 * Mariah Carey releases her infamous soundtrack Glitter accompanied by the unsuccessful movie. The soundtrack's lead single, "Loverboy", reaches no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
 * September 14 – Clear Channel Communications issues a controversial memorandum to its radio stations containing a list of 165 songs considered "lyrically questionable" in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. The list includes "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", all songs by Rage Against the Machine and John Lennon's "Imagine".
 * September 21 – America: A Tribute to Heroes airs uninterrupted on all major networks. The solemn concert, only 10 days after the September 11 attacks, included performances by Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Celine Dion, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Dave Matthews, Faith Hill, Mariah Carey, and others.
 * September 25 – XM Satellite Radio is launched.
 * September 29
 * The First International Accordion Festival begins at La Villita in San Antonio, Texas, celebrating the multicultural traditions of the accordion with artists performing German, Colombian, Irish, Argentinian tango, Cajun-zydeco, Dominican merengue and conjunto-Tejano music.
 * Jennifer Lopez weds back-up dancer Cris Judd. The marriage would end in June 2002.

October

 * October 2 – Machine Head release their fourth studio album Supercharger.
 * October 6
 * Burton C. Bell gets into a fight with his bandmate Dino Cazares about a manager they fired. The event triggers the demise of Fear Factory.
 * Pop Idol premieres on ITV.
 * October 9 – The first CD in the Kidz Bop series, consisting of Top 40 hits sung by children, is released.
 * October 10 – Heavy metal band Anthrax issues a press release in response to the 2001 anthrax attacks jokingly stating that they will be changing the name of the group to "Basket Full of Puppies". It concludes, "we don't want to change the name of the band, not because it would be a pain in the ass, but because we hope that no further negative events will happen and it won't be necessary. We hope and pray that this problem goes away quietly and we all grow old and fat together." The band has reported increased traffic to their website due to Internet users going to anthrax.com looking for information about the disease.
 * October 12 – Wes Borland leaves Limp Bizkit.
 * October 16 – Michael Jackson releases special editions of his albums Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad and Dangerous, to celebrate his thirtieth anniversary as a solo musician.
 * October 20
 * The Concert for New York City airs on VH1, with performances by Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, The Who, Billy Joel and others.
 * Volunteers For America benefit concert is held in Atlanta, MC was Drew Carey with performances by Edgar Winter Group, Mark Farner, Jack Blades, John Waite, The Knack, Eddie Money, Peter Frampton, Survivor, Kansas, Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Bad Company, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and others.
 * October 21
 * United We Stand: What More Can I Give benefit concert is held at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., with performances by Michael Jackson, Aerosmith, Mariah Carey, James Brown, Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, and others.
 * Volunteers For America benefit concert is held at Smirnoff Music Centre in Dallas, Texas, MC was Drew Carey with performances by Edgar Winter Group, Mark Farner, Jack Blades, John Waite, The Knack, Eddie Money, Peter Frampton, Survivor, Kansas, Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Bad Company, and others.
 * October 23
 * The Backstreet Boys release their first compilation album The Hits: Chapter One.
 * The first iPod is released by Apple Inc.
 * Incubus releases their third full-length major label album entitled Morning View. It debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at the #2 spot (266,000 copies were sold in its first week). This was the highest ever placement for Incubus. At the same time, "Wish You Were Here" was at #2 on the Modern Rock Charts, and "Drive" sat at #48 on the Hot 100 chart.
 * October 25 – Quarashi performs a live concert with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (the band Botnleðja also performed) in the Háskólabíó in Reykjavík, Iceland, which is notable for being the first time that a rap act performed a live concert with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. Quarashi perform seven songs from their upcoming album, Jinx.
 * October 30 – Michael Jackson releases Invincible, his first studio album since 1995 and his tenth studio album overall. While the album debuts at number one, its success is limited due to a feud between Jackson and Sony Music Entertainment over the rights to his back-catalog, culminating in Jackson accusing the company of racial discrimination. The album would end up being Jackson's last, with later musical efforts being offset by a second series of child molestation allegations in 2003, a trial over said allegations in 2005, and his death on the eve of a comeback tour in June 2009.
 * October 31 – Britney Spears releases her third studio album Britney.

November–December

 * November 1
 * The governing body of the UK Singles Chart, Chart Information Network Ltd. (CIN), changes its name to The Official UK Charts Company.
 * Britney Spears starts her Dream Within a Dream Tour, in support her self-titled third studio album. The tour was accompanied by many extravagant special effect including a water screen that pumped two tons of water into the stage during the encore. The tour was commercial success, all the venues on the 2001 leg are largely sold out and grossed $43.7 million from 68 show.
 * November 5 – In the UK, BMG becomes the first major label to release a compact disc with copy protection, Natalie Imbruglia's White Lilies Island. Within two weeks BMG announces they will re-issue the disc without the copy protection, due to complaints from consumers who were unable to play the CDs in their personal computers.
 * November 6
 * Britney Spears' third album, Britney debuts at #1, making her the first female artist to have her first three albums enter the US charts at #1.
 * Nu-Metal Band Dope release their second studio album Life.
 * The soundtrack album of the Nickelodeon movie Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius is released.
 * November 29 – Former Beatles member George Harrison dies from lung cancer at the age of 58.
 * December 1 – Mike Turner quits Our Lady Peace.
 * December 4 – Gospel music singer Yolanda Adams releases her eighth studio album Believe.
 * December 12 – Surviving Nirvana members Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl sue Courtney Love in an effort to oust her from the board controlling the management of the band's affairs, calling her "irrational, mercurial, self-centered, unmanageable, inconsistent and unpredictable." The legal battle over the band's legacy has blocked the release of a planned Nirvana box set containing the unreleased track "You Know You're Right".

Also in 2001

 * Area One music festival brings together a variety of acts including Moby, Incubus, Outkast, New Order, Nelly Furtado, The Roots, Rinocerose, Paul Oakenfold, and Carl Cox.
 * The Republic of France awards Jean-Yves Thibaudet the honour of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
 * Deporitaz releases Microwave this CD, his second album, on MP3.com.
 * Sean Beasley joins Dying Fetus.

Bands formed

 * See Musical groups established in 2001

Bands disbanded

 * See Musical groups disestablished in 2001

Bands reformed

 * Army of Lovers
 * Devourment
 * Electric Light Orchestra (with new members except for original members, Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy)
 * Level 42
 * The Monkees
 * Maroon 5
 * Roxy Music
 * Zebra
 * Sunny Day Real Estate

Release date unknown

 * 5 Songs – The Decemberists
 * Against Me! – Against Me!
 * At Dawn – My Morning Jacket
 * Breaking Benjamin – Breaking Benjamin
 * Don't Be Frightened of Turning the Page – Bright Eyes
 * Feel No Fade – Push Kings
 * First Album – Miss Kittin & The Hacker
 * A Melody of Retreads and Broken Quills – Filthy Thieving Bastards
 * On the Edge – Iron Fire
 * Polen – Lynda Thomas
 * Songs For A Small Room – Fantastic Something
 * Twilight – The Handsome Family
 * Undone – Brian & Jenn Johnson
 * Yule Ritual – Hawkwind

Top 5 Selling Albums of Billboard Year

 * 1) Hybrid Theory – Linkin Park
 * 2) 1 – The Beatles
 * 3) Invincible – Michael Jackson
 * 4) All That You Can't Leave Behind – U2
 * 5) Aaliyah – Aaliyah

Top 10 Best Selling Albums 2001 (Soundscan)

 * 1) Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park ~ 4,810,000
 * 2) Hot Shot by Shaggy ~ 4,520,000
 * 3) Celebrity by NSYNC ~ 4,420,000
 * 4) A Day Without Rain by Enya ~ 4,410,000
 * 5) Break the Cycle by Staind ~ 4,240,000
 * 6) Songs in A Minor by Alicia Keys ~ 4,100,000
 * 7) Survivor by Destiny's Child ~ 3,720,000
 * 8) Weathered by Creed ~ 3,580,000
 * 9) O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack ~ 3,460,000
 * 10) Now That's What I Call Music! 6 ~ 3,130,000

Popular songs
• "19-2000" – Gorillaz (June 25 [UK]; July 17 [US])

• "A Little Bit" - Jessica Simpson

• "À ma place" – Axel Bauer and Zazie

• "All for You" – Janet Jackson (March 27)

• "All or Nothing" – O-Town (January 23)

• "American Psycho" – Treble Charger

• "Angel" – Shaggy feat. Rayvon

• "Another Chance" – Roger Sanchez

• "Another Day In Paradise" – Brandy feat. Ray J (March)

• "Bad Ambassador" – The Divine Comedy (April 17)

• "Because I Got High" – Afroman

• "Bodies" – Drowning Pool

• "Bootylicious" – Destiny's Child (June 26 [US], July 3 [worldwide])

• "Boys" – Britney Spears

• "Brand New Low" – Treble Charger

• "Buck Rogers" – Feeder (January 8)

• "Butterfly" – Crazy Town

• "Butterfly" – Kylie Minogue (November 12)

• "California" – Wave

• "Candy" – Ash (October 1)

• "Can't Get You Out of My Head" – Kylie Minogue (September 17)

• "Chase the Sun" – Planet Funk

• "Chop Suey!" – System of a Down (August)

• "Clint Eastwood" – Gorillaz (March 5 [UK])

• "Come Along" – Titiyo

• "Control" – Puddle of Mudd

• "Crawling" – Linkin Park (April 17)

• "Crying at the Discoteque" – Alcazar

• "Crystal" – New Order (13 August)

• "Crush" - Mandy Moore

• "Digital Love" – Daft Punk

• "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know" – Britney Spears

• "Don't Stop Movin'" – S Club 7

• "Don't Tell Me" – Madonna (November 21, 2000 (UK); January 16, 2001 (US))

• "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" – Train (February 20)

• "Drowning" – Backstreet Boys

• "Elevation" – U2

• "Eple" – Röyksopp

• "Eternity/The Road to Mandalay" – Robbie Williams (July 9)

• "Fallin'" – Alicia Keys (July 10)

• "Family Affair" – Mary J. Blige

• "Fat Lip" – Sum 41 (August 28 US; October 1 UK)

• "Fight Music" – D12

• "First Date" – Blink-182 (September 24)

• "Freedom" – Paul McCartney (Written about the September 11th attacks)

• "Follow Me" – Uncle Kracker

• "Get the Party Started" – P!nk (October 9)

• "Get Ur Freak On" – Missy Elliott (February 20)

• "Gone" – NSYNC (October)

• "Handbags and Gladrags" – Stereophonics

• "Hanging By A Moment" – Lifehouse

• "Hard to Explain" – The Strokes (June 25, 2001 (UK), April 30, 2002 (US))

• "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" – Daft Punk

• "Have a Nice Day" – Stereophonics

• "Have You Ever" – S Club 7

• "Heaven" – DJ Sammy & Yanou featuring Do

• "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" – OPM

• "Here With Me" – Dido

• "Hero" – Enrique Iglesias (November)

• "How We Roll" – Big Pun

• "How Wonderful You Are " – Gordon Haskell

• "How You Remind Me" – Nickelback (December 16)

• "I Believe" – Galleon

• "I Don't Want a Lover (remix)" – Texas

• "I Feel Loved" – Depeche Mode (July 30 UK; July 31 US)

• "I Wanna Be Bad" – Willa Ford (May 22)

• "I'm a Slave 4 U" – Britney Spears (October 23 [US]; October 8 [UK])

• "I'm Like a Bird" – Nelly Furtado

• "I'm Real" – Jennifer Lopez (October 16)

• "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" – Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule (peaked week of September 11)

• "Imitation of Life" – R.E.M. (April)

• "In My Pocket" - Mandy Moore

• "In the End" – Linkin Park (November 20)

• "In Too Deep" – Sum 41 (December 3, UK)

• "Inner Smile" – Texas

• "Irresistible" – Jessica Simpson (April 12)

• "Island in the Sun" – Weezer (August 28)

• "It Wasn't Me" – Shaggy feat. Rikrok

• "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" – Travis Tritt

• "It's Been Awhile" – Staind (June 26)

• "It's Raining Men" – Geri Halliwell (April 30 [UK])

• "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" – Jay Z (July 17)

• "Jaded" – Aerosmith (March 13)

• "Just Push Play" – Aerosmith

• "Juxtapozed with U" – Super Furry Animals

• "Knives Out" – Radiohead August 14 (Pt.1, Pt.2); August 28 (US CD); September 25, 2001 (Pt. 3)

• "La Musique (Angelica)" – Star Academy France (December)

• "La Negra Tiene Tumbao" – Celia Cruz (October 2, 2001)

• "Lady Marmalade" – Christina Aguilera, Pink, Lil' Kim & Mýa (May 8)

• "Last Nite" – The Strokes

• "Left Behind" – Slipknot

• "Life" – E-Type featuring Nana Hedin

• "Liquid Dreams" – O-Town

• "Let Me Blow Ya Mind" – Eve featuring Gwen Stefani (May 15)

• "Lo Mejor de Mi" – Lynda Thomas

• "Love Don't Cost A Thing" – Jennifer Lopez (January 30)

• "Love What You Do" – The Divine Comedy

• "Loverboy" – Mariah Carey (July 16)

• "Me Gustas Tu" – Manu Chao

• "The Middle" – Jimmy Eat World

• "More Than a Woman" – Aaliyah (November 13, 2001 [US]; February 19, 2002 [UK]; March 5, 2002 [AUS])

• "Mr. Writer" – Stereophonics

• "My Sacrifice" – Creed (December 11)

• "My Way" – Limp Bizkit (May)

• "Never Had a Dream Come True" – S Club 7

• "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" – Ricky Martin & Christina Aguilera

• "Ocean Spray" – Manic Street Preachers (June 4)

• "One Minute Man" – Missy Elliott (featuring Ludacris and Trina)

• "One More Time" – Daft Punk

• "One Wild Night" - Bon Jovi

• "Only Time" – Enya

• "Out of Reach" – Gabrielle

• "Outside" – Staind (May)

• "Overprotected" – Britney Spears (December)

• "Pagan Poetry" – Björk

• "Play" – Jennifer Lopez

• "Played-A-Live (The Bongo Song)" – Safri Duo

• "Plug in Baby" – Muse

• "Pop" – NSYNC (July 17)

• "Purple Hills" – D12 featuring Eminem

• "Pyramid Song" – Radiohead (May 29, 2001; June 19, 2001 (Pt.1, Pt.2); December 11, 2001 (Japan CD)

• "Queen of My Heart" – Westlife (UK)

• "Ramp! (The Logical Song)" – Scooter

• "Ride Wit Me" – Nelly Featuring City Spud (July 24)

• "The Rock Show" – Blink-182 (July 1)

• "Rock The Boat" – Aaliyah (August 2001 (North America); March 5, 2002 (Australia); May 6, 2002 (UK))

• "Sail Away" – David Gray

• "Salsoul Nugget (If U Wanna)" – M&S Pres. The Girl Next Door

• "Schism" – Tool

• "Seul" – Garou

• "Sexual Guarantee" – Alcazar (November 26)

• "Shining Light" – Ash (January 29)

• "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" – Cake

• "Sick Cycle Carousel" – Lifehouse

• "Side" – Travis (September 17)

• "Since I Left You" – The Avalanches

• "Sing" – Travis (May 28)

• "Smooth Criminal" – Alien Ant Farm

• "Someone To Call My Lover" – Janet Jackson

• "Something" – Lasgo

• "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" (medley) – Cliff Richard

• "Stan" – Eminem featuring Dido

• "Standing Still" – Jewel

• "Starlight" – The Supermen Lovers

• "Step On My Old Size Nines" – Stereophonics

• "Stronger" – Britney Spears

• "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" – U2

• "Superman (It's Not Easy)" – Five For Fighting

• "Superstylin'" – Groove Armada

• "Survivor" – Destiny's Child

• "Thank You" – Dido (21 May)

• "There Must Be an Angel" – No Angels

• "This Year's Love" – David Gray

• "Toutes les femmes de ta vie" – L5

• "Turn off the Light" – Nelly Furtado (August 14)

• "Turn the Tide" – Sylver

• "U Got It Bad" – Usher

• "U Remind Me" – Usher

• "Ugly" – Bubba Sparxxx

• "Up On The Downside" – Ocean Colour Scene

• "Upside Down" – A*Teens

• "Uptown Girl" – Westlife (UK)

• "Us Against The World" – Play (September 11)

• "Walk On" – U2 (November 19) (UK/Eur); November 26(Aus)

• "Want You Bad" – The Offspring

• "The Way You Like It" – Adema

• "We Come 1" – Faithless

• "We Need a Resolution" – Aaliyah (April 24)

• "Weapon of Choice" – Fatboy Slim

• "What It Feels Like for a Girl" – Madonna

• "Whenever, Wherever" – Shakira

• "Wherever You Will Go" – The Calling (December 16)

• "Who Do You Love Now?" – Riva featuring Dannii Minogue (November 19)

• "Whole Again" – Atomic Kitten

• "Wish You Were Here" – Incubus

• "With Arms Wide Open" – Creed

• "Wrong Impression" – Natalie Imbruglia

• "You Rock My World" – Michael Jackson

Classical music

 * John Adams –
 * American Berserk, for piano
 * Nancy's Fancy, for ensemble
 * Louis Andriessen –
 * Passeggiata in tram in America e ritorno, for female Italian voice, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, electric guitar, electric violin, double bass, piano, and percussion
 * De vleugels van de herinnering, for voice and piano
 * Fanfare om te beginnen, for sx groups of horns
 * Georges Aperghis –
 * Le petit chaperon rouge, for chamber ensemble
 * Rasch, for violin and viola
 * Milton Babbitt – A Lifetime or So, for tenor and piano
 * Leonardo Balada – Cello Concerto No. 2 New Orleans
 * Osvaldas Balakauskas – Symphony No. 5
 * Gerald Barry –
 * Dead March, for large ensemble
 * God Save the Queen, for solo boy's voice, choir, and large ensemble
 * Snow is White, for piano quartet
 * String Quartet No. 3 (Six Marches)
 * George Benjamin – Shadowlines, for piano
 * Luciano Berio – Sonata, for piano
 * Christophe Bertrand –
 * Dikha, for clarinet/bass clarinet and electronics
 * Ektra, for solo flute
 * Full, for four vibraphones, piano, and eight amplified voices
 * Frank Michael Beyer – Klangtore, for orchestra
 * Harrison Birtwistle –
 * Fanfare, for brass and percussion
 * Saraband, for piano
 * The Shadow of Night, for orchestra
 * Tenebrae David, for brass ensemble
 * Pierre Boulez – Incises, for piano (revised version)
 * Elliott Carter
 * Concerto for Cello and Orchestra
 * Figment II, for cello
 * Hiyoku, for two clarinets
 * Quartet, for oboe, violin, viola, and cello
 * Steep Steps, for bass clarinet
 * Anna Clyne –
 * Arclight, for tape
 * Manipura, for chamber ensemble
 * One, for tape
 * Wish, for voice or voices
 * John Corigliano – Symphony No. 2 for String Orchestra
 * George Crumb – Unto the Hills for soprano, percussion quartet and piano
 * Peter Maxwell Davies – Symphony No. 8 (Antarctic Symphony)
 * Alexandra du Bois –
 * Júdica Me, for a cappella chorus
 * Preludes to Solitude, for guitar
 * String Quintet: A Requiem for the Living for two violins, viola and two double basses
 * Songs (4), for mezzo-soprano and orchestra
 * Joël-François Durand – Athanor for orchestra
 * Péter Eötvös – Snatches of a Conversation, for ensemble
 * Brian Ferneyhough –
 * In nomine à 3, for piccolo, oboe, and clarinet
 * Stelae for Failed Time, for 12 voices and live electronics
 * Lorenzo Ferrero
 * Two Cathedrals in the South concertino for trumpet and orchestra
 * Moonlight Sonata for five percussion instruments
 * Michael Finnissy – The History of Photography in Sound
 * Alexandra Fol –
 * Concerto for violin and orchestra
 * Requiem No. 1, for chorus and orchestra, Op. 19
 * Joep Franssens – Harmony of the spheres, for mixed choir and string orchestra
 * Frans Geysen –
 * City of Smiles, twenty solos for one recorder player, playing soprano to bass
 * Ehrung an M.C.E. (E=mc2), for alto recorder
 * Met vel, rand en tand, for three percussionists
 * Met zijn twaalven, for twelve recorders
 * Möbiusband 15, for string quartet
 * Op de fles, for four players on 16 bottles
 * Philip Glass – Concerto, for cello and orchestra
 * Friedrich Goldmann –
 * Concerto a 8 (Octet), for two oboes, two clarinets, two horns, and two bassoons
 * Drei Strophen, for clarinet and violin
 * Study, for two pianos
 * Tombeau (in memoriam Iannis Xenakis), for bass clarinet, bassoon, trombone, piano, viola, and cello
 * Howard Goodall – In Memoriam Anne Frank
 * Georg Friedrich Haas
 * Blumenstück
 * De terrae fine, for violin solo
 * Flow and Friction, for sixteenth-tone piano four-hands
 * Sodass ich's hernach mit einem Blick gleichsam wie ein schönes Bild... im Geist
 * Übersehe
 * Jeff Hamburg – Aychah, for choir and orchestra
 * Jonathan Harvey – The Summer Cloud's Awakening, for choir, flute, cello, and electronics
 * York Höller
 * Ex tempore, for flute, oboe, clarinet (doubling bass clarinet), percussion, violin, viola, cello, harp, and piano
 * Trias, for alto saxophone, percussion, and piano
 * Der ewige Tag, for chorus, orchestra, and electronics
 * Mauricio Kagel – Piano Trio No. 2
 * Wojciech Kilar – Fanfare for the Society of Polish Surgeons
 * Helmut Lachenmann – Grido (string quartet)
 * György Ligeti –Études, Book 3, for piano
 * James MacMillan –
 * The Birds of Rhiannon, for orchestra with optional chorus
 * O Bone Jesu, for SSAATTBB choir with soli
 * Robin Maconie – Songs for The Caucasian Chalk Circle (15), after Brecht
 * Frederik Magle – The Hope for brass band, choir, organ and percussion.
 * Mesías Maiguashca – La noche cíclica, for violin, cello, piano, marimba, and 4 envelope followers
 * Tomás Marco – Laberinto marino, for cello and orchestra
 * Anna Mikhailova –
 * Sonata for piano
 * Songs (4), for baritone and piano
 * Stuart Mitchell – Seven Wonders Suite, for choir and orchestra
 * Onutė Narbutaitė – Symphony No. 2
 * Olga Neuwirth –
 * Ecstaloop, for soprano, speaker, sampler, and ensemble
 * Incidental music for Abenteuer in Sachen Haut, after Dylan Thomas, by Peter Carp
 * Locus...doublure...solus, for piano and orchestra (or chamber ensemble)
 * Michael Obst –
 * Piano Trio No. 1
 * Transit, for orchestra
 * Henri Pousseur –
 * Berceuses (4), for unaccompanied voice or unison choir
 * Eclipticare, ou les périples constellés, for one, two, or three instruments, surrounded or not, each a "consort"
 * Sursauts, for violin (doubling viola), trombone, and piano
 * Jaime Reis – Estátua de Pessanha, piano, bass flute, and real-time video
 * Wolfgang Rihm –
 * Jagden und Formen, for chamber orchestra
 * Sechs Gedichte von Friedrich Nietzsche, for voice and piano
 * Peter Ruzicka – Trans – Requiem für Giuseppe Sinopoli
 * Vahram Sargsyan – Luys Zvart [Joyful Light], for female chorus
 * Bright Sheng –
 * Distant Birthday Bells, for piano
 * Tibetan Dance, for violin, clarinet, and piano
 * Stuart Saunders Smith –
 * And Cold for xylophone/narrator
 * Breath for mezzo-soprano and orchestra bells (glockenspiel)
 * Family Portraits: Ligeia (Daughter) for soprano voice and piano
 * Light Dew for solo double bass
 * Madness for xylophone/narrator
 * Minor for solo violin
 * Pond for xylophone/narrator
 * Sometime Then for xylophone/narrator
 * Juan María Solare –
 * Les atavismes du crépuscule [Atavisms of twilight], for clarinet, alto saxophone, and trombone
 * Blind Date, for two bass clarinets (with theatral elements)
 * Blues en mí [Blues in E / Blues in Me], for piano
 * Fastango for piano
 * Icarus, for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
 * Pasaje Seaver, tango for piano
 * RED: A Deconstructed Blues (Music for Marcel Worms) for piano
 * Winchmore Hill for piano
 * Karlheinz Stockhausen – Stop und Start, for six instrumental groups, Nr. 18$2/3$
 * Dennis Tobenski –
 * The Passionate Shepherd to His Love, for mixed choir
 * Three Poems of Thomas Hardy, for voice and piano
 * Stephen Truelove –
 * Broken Song, for solo horn
 * Preludium and Chakratour, for string quartet
 * Three Songs to Poems by Frank Anderton, for soprano and piano
 * Michel van der Aa – Here [to Be Found], for soprano, chamber orchestra, and soundtrack
 * Kevin Volans –
 * Concerto for Double Orchestra
 * Zeno at 4 am, theatre piece for shadow puppets, actors, bass, string quartet, and chorus
 * Dafina Zeqiri –
 * Dialog for violin and piano
 * My Mother for mixed chorus
 * Walter Zimmermann –
 * Clinamen I–IV, for six orchestral groups
 * La fleur Inverse, for organ
 * Schatten der Ideen 6, 'Blaupause', for piano
 * Die Sorge geht über den Fluss, for solo violin
 * Umbræ Idearum (Schatten der Ideen 4), for piano and string quartet
 * Ellen Taaffe Zwillich – Openings

Opera

 * Jason Kao Hwang – The Floating Box: A Story in Chinatown
 * Theo Loevendie – Johnny & Jones
 * Sven-David Sandström – Jeppe: The Cruel Comedy
 * David Sawer – From Morning to Midnight
 * Michel van der Aa – Vuur

Musical theater

 * Atgof o'r Sêr – first performed by Bryn Terfel and Cor Rhuthun in north Wales. Commissioned for the National Eisteddfod of Wales at Denbigh.
 * A Class Act – Broadway production opened at the Ambassador Theatre on March 11 and ran for 105 performances
 * 42nd Street – Broadway revival opened at the Ford Center on May 2
 * Mamma Mia! – Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on October 18 and ran for 5773 performances. It was the eighth longest run in Broadway musical history.
 * The Producers – Broadway production opened at St. James Theatre on April 19 and ran for 2502 performances. The show won a record twelve Tony Awards.
 * Urinetown – Broadway production opened at the Hudson Theatre on September 20 and ran for 965 performances

Musical films

 * Beijing Rocks
 * Carmen: A Hip Hopera
 * Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, starring Sunny Deol, Amisha Patel and Amrish Puri
 * Glitter released September 21, starring Mariah Carey and Max Beesley
 * Hedwig and the Angry Inch, directed by and starring John Cameron Mitchell
 * Love You Hamesha, starring Akshaye Khanna and Sonali Bendre
 * Moulin Rouge! released May 18, starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor
 * On the Road to Emmaus, starring Peter Franzén
 * One Night the Moon, starring Paul Kelly and Kaarin Fairfax
 * Rebelové, starring Zuzana Norisová and Tomáš Hanák
 * Rock Star
 * Scratch

Musical television

 * Band Geeks episode of SpongeBob SquarePants

Births

 * January 1 – Winter, South Korean singer and dancer (aespa)
 * January 5 – Victony, Nigerian singer, songwriter and rapper
 * January 8
 * Kaash Paige, American singer-songwriter
 * Melitha Sidabutar, Indonesian singer (d. 2024)
 * January 18 – Thomas Raggi, Italian guitarist (Måneskin)
 * January 21 – Griff, British singer
 * January 25 – Michela Pace, Maltese singer
 * February 8 – Jxdn, American singer-songwriter
 * March 3 - Jvke, American singer-songwriter, producer, and social media personality.
 * March 8 – Zhavia Ward, American singer, songwriter, musician
 * March 9 – Jeon Somi, Canadian singer
 * March 18 – Jada Facer, American actress and singer
 * March 19 - Eunseok, South Korean singer (Riize)
 * March 21 – Addison Grace, American singer-songwriter and online personality
 * March 27 – Natanael Cano, Mexican rapper
 * March 31
 * Noah Urrea, American singer (Now United)
 * Sofia Tarasova, Ukrainian singer and actress
 * April 10
 * Noa Kirel, Israeli singer
 * Angelina Mango, Italian singer
 * April 17 – Ryujin, South Korean singer and dancer (ITZY)
 * April 18 – PinkPantheress, English singer-songwriter and record producer
 * April 30 – Lil Tjay, American rapper
 * May 9 – Bandokay, British rapper
 * May 15 – Kevin Kaarl, Mexican singer and producer
 * May 17 – AJ Mitchell, American singer
 * May 18 – Breskvica, Serbian singer
 * May 27 – Zach Herron, American singer (Why Don't We)
 * June 1 – ppcocaine, American rapper
 * June 3 - Reyanna Maria, Filipino-Australian singer, rapper, and songwriter
 * June 5 – Chaeryeong, South Korean singer and dancer (ITZY)
 * June 16 – Shannon K, American-Indian singer and actress
 * June 18 - Mike Dimes, American rapper
 * June 23 - Bárbara Bandeira, Portuguese singer
 * July 30 – Destroy Lonely, American rapper
 * 3 August – Tiago PZK, Argentine rapper
 * 7 August – Ryusei Ohnishi, Japanese singer and actor (Naniwa Danshi)
 * 12 August – Dixie D'Amelio, American singer
 * 18 August – Almaxanım, Azerbaijani singer
 * 27 August – May-a, Australian singer-songwriter
 * 30 August - Emily Bear, American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and pianoist
 * September 6 – Laprete, American singer, producer and musician
 * September 8 – Remo Forrer, Swiss singer
 * September 13 - Sungchan, South Korean singer (Riize)
 * September 15 – Voyage, Serbian singer
 * September 16 – Cris MJ, Chilean singer and songwriter
 * September 18 – Darkoo, English-Nigerian rapper
 * September 23
 * J.I., American rapper and songwriter
 * Tiara Andini, Indonesian singer
 * October 3 – SoFaygo, American rapper
 * October 8 – Huh Yun-jin, South Korean singer, (Le Sserafim)
 * October 22 – Jo Yuri, South Korean singer
 * October 30 – Bella Paige, Australian singer
 * November 22 – Chenle, Chinese singer and songwriter (NCT Dream)
 * November 28 – Stella Quaresma, English singer, member of Flo
 * December 1 – Elias Abbas, Swedish singer
 * December 6 – Zack Tabudlo, Filipino singer, songwriter, and musician
 * December 15 – Diljá, Icelandic singer
 * December 17 – Brakence, American singer
 * December 18 – Billie Eilish, American singer, dancer, musician, activist and songwriter
 * Unknown – Libianca, Cameroonian and American singer

Deaths

 * January 4 – Les Brown, bandleader (89)
 * January 5 – Milan Hlavsa, Czech musician (Plastic People of the Universe) (49)
 * January 7 – James Carr, soul singer (58)
 * January 10 – Bryan Gregory, guitarist (The Cramps) (49)
 * January 24 – Leif Thybo, Danish composer and organist (78)
 * February 4
 * J.J. Johnson, jazz bebop trombonist (77)
 * Iannis Xenakis, Greek composer (78)
 * February 7 – Dale Evans, American singer-songwriter and actress (88)
 * February 10 – Buddy Tate, jazz musician (87)
 * February 13 – George T. Simon, music critic and original Glenn Miller Orchestra drummer (pneumonia)
 * February 19 – Charles Trenet French singer and songwriter (87)
 * February 21
 * Ronnie Hilton, English singer (75)
 * Malcolm Yelvington, rockabilly musician (82)
 * February 22 – John Fahey, guitarist, indie label owner (61)
 * March 4 – Glenn Hughes, The Village People (50)
 * March 9 – Richard Stone, American composer (47)
 * March 12 – Sir Lancelot, calypso singer (98)
 * March 18 – John Phillips, singer-songwriter, co-founder of The Mamas & the Papas (65)
 * March 20 – Francis Grasso, disc jockey (51)
 * March 28 – Moe Koffman, Canadian jazz singer (73)
 * March 29 – John Lewis, jazz pianist (80)
 * April 6 – Charles Pettigrew, of Charles & Eddie (37) (cancer)
 * April 9 – Graziella Sciutti, operatic soprano (73)
 * April 11
 * Sandy Bull, folk musician (60)
 * Graciela Naranjo, bolero singer and actress (84)
 * Sir Harry Secombe, entertainer (79)
 * April 15 – Joey Ramone, lead singer of The Ramones (49) (lymphoma)
 * April 20 – Giuseppe Sinopoli, composer and conductor (54)(heart attack)
 * May 3 – Billy Higgins, jazz drummer (64)
 * May 5 – Boozoo Chavis, zydeco musician (70)
 * May 10 – James E. Myers, songwriter ("Rock Around the Clock") (81)
 * May 12 – Perry Como, American crooner (88)
 * May 16 – Prince Ital Joe, reggae singer (38) (car accident)
 * May 20 – Renato Carosone, Italian musician and singer (81)
 * June 4 – John Hartford, bluegrass musician (64)
 * June 7 – Carole Fredericks, singer
 * June 13 – Marcelo Fromer, guitarist for Brazilian band Titãs (39) (rammed by a motorcycle)
 * June 18 – Davorin Popović, lead singer for Bosnian band Indexi (55)
 * June 21 – John Lee Hooker, blues musician (88)
 * June 30
 * Chet Atkins, country musician (77)
 * Joe Henderson, jazz saxophonist (64)
 * July 3
 * Delia Derbyshire, English electronic composer (64)
 * Johnny Russell, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (61)
 * July 5 – Ernie K-Doe, R & B singer (65)
 * July 7 – Fred Neil, folk singer-songwriter (65)
 * July 15 – Anthony Ian Berkeley, rapper (Brothers Grym, Gravediggaz) (36) (colon cancer)
 * July 18 – Mimi Fariña, singer-songwriter (56) (neuroendocrine cancer)
 * July 23 – Richie Lee, singer and bassist (Acetone)(34)(suicide)
 * July 27
 * Harold Land, hard bop saxophonist (73)
 * Leon Wilkeson, bassist for Lynyrd Skynyrd (49)
 * August 2 – Ronald Townson, American singer and actor (The 5th Dimension) (68)
 * August 6 – Larry Adler, harmonica virtuoso (86)
 * August 18 – Roland Cardon, Belgian composer and multi-instrumentalist (72)
 * August 25 – Aaliyah, American singer, model, dancer and actress (22)(plane crash)
 * August 27 – Karl Ulrich Schnabel, pianist (92)
 * August 29 – Graeme "Shirley" Strachan, lead singer of Skyhooks (49)
 * September 1 – Ted Mulry, lead singer with Ted Mulry Gang (54)
 * September 6 – Carl Crack, techno musician (Atari Teenage Riot)(30)
 * September 22 – Isaac Stern, violinist (81)
 * October 3 – Tatiana Menotti, operatic soprano (92)
 * October 5 – Ivan Hrušovský, Slovak composer (74)
 * October 10 – Barry McCauley, operatic tenor (51)(lung cancer)
 * October 17 – Jay Livingston, songwriter (86)
 * November 17 – Michael Karoli, guitarist, violinist and composer (53)(cancer)
 * November 21 – Ralph Burns, American songwriter, bandleader, composer, conductor, arranger and bebop pianist (79)
 * November 24 – Melanie Thornton, singer (La Bouche) (34)(air crash)
 * November 28 – Kal Mann, American lyricist ("Teddy Bear", "Butterfly")(84)
 * November 29 – George Harrison, musician and former member of The Beatles (58)(lung cancer)
 * December 13 – Chuck Schuldiner, vocalist and guitarist with Death (34)(cancer)
 * December 15 – Rufus Thomas, singer (84)
 * December 16 – Stuart Adamson, guitarist with Big Country (43)(suicide)
 * December 17 – Débria Brown, operatic soprano (65)
 * December 18 – Gilbert Bécaud, singer-songwriter (74)
 * December 22 – Norman Granz, American producer (83)
 * December 29 – Cássia Eller, Brazilian singer (39)

Awards

 * The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Aerosmith, Solomon Burke, The Flamingos, Michael Jackson, Queen, Paul Simon, Steely Dan and Ritchie Valens
 * Inductees of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame include Larry Norman, and Elvis Presley

ARIA Music Awards

 * ARIA Music Awards of 2001

Country Music Association Awards

 * 2001 Country Music Association Awards

Grammy Awards

 * Grammy Awards of 2001

Juno Awards

 * Juno Awards of 2001
 * March 4 – Bruce Cockburn is inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame

Eurovision Song Contest

 * Eurovision Song Contest 2001

Mercury Music Prize

 * Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea – PJ Harvey wins.

MTV Video Music Awards

 * 2001 MTV Video Music Awards