# 2002 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.

## Specific locations

* 2002 in British music
* 2002 in Norwegian music
* 2002 in South Korean music

## Specific genres

* 2002 in classical music
* 2002 in country music
* 2002 in heavy metal music
* 2002 in hip hop music
* 2002 in Latin music
* 2002 in jazz
* 2002 in South Korean music

## 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.
* January 8 – The Black Crowes announce they are taking a hiatus.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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 terrorist attack.
* February 4 – 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.
* 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.
* February 15 – US singer Britney Spears takes her first starring role in Crossroads, a teen drama 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 soundtrack for the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? wins Album of the Year, while U2's "Walk On" wins Record of the Year. Alicia Keys wins Song of the Year (for "Fallin'") and 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.
* 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, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes dies in car accident in Honduras
* April 27-28 – The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival takes place in California. Headlined by Björk and Oasis, the lineup also features The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Cake, Foo Fighters, Jack Johnson, Queens of the Stone Age, The Strokes, 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 Island Def Jam Music Group.
* May 12 – We Will Rock You, a jukebox musical based on the songs of 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 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.
* May 25 – The 47th Eurovision Song Contest, held at Saku Suurhall in Tallinn, Estonia, is won by Latvian singer Marie N with the 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.
** 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.
** Korn releases fifth-studio album, Untouchables.
** David Bowie releases his twenty-second studio 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.
* June 12 – BMG Music agrees to acquire the rest of Zomba Music Group in a deal reportedly worth $3 billion.
* June 15 – The Los Angeles, California, USA, radio station KROQ-FM airs the 10th Annual Weenie Roast show with Bad Religion, Hoobastank, 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, The Violent Femmes and Rob Zombie.
* June 18 – 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, she performed for the very first time live her hit single Don't Say Goodbye on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, the album debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 56,000 copies becoming Rubio's highest-charting album in the U.S. It was eventually certified gold by RIAA, indicating sales of over 500,000 units.
* June 19 – Hikaru Utada releases the 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.
* 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 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, Stereophonics, Orbital, Roger Waters, Rod Stewart, and 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."
* 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. 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's decision to quit the group. They would reunite in 2005.
* July 20–21 – The Splendour in the Grass music festival takes place in Byron Bay, Australia, headlined by 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 Area2 Festival, featuring headline acts Moby, David Bowie, Busta Rhymes, Ash, and Blue Man Group, begins a three-week tour in Washington, DC.
* August 17 – The Snow Mountain Music Festival opens in Lijiang, China.
* 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.
* 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.
* September 20 – Courtney Love announces that her legal dispute with the surviving members of Nirvana has been resolved, paving the way for the unreleased track "You Know You're Right" to be included on an upcoming compilation.
* 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.
** Christina Aguilera releases her controversial music video for the song, "Dirrty", the lead single from her second album Stripped.
* October 13 – The fifth Terrastock festival is held in Boston, USA.
* October 29 – Christina Aguilera releases her controversial second studio album Stripped, which enters the 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 (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.
* November 10 – Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Elvis Costello, Lenny Kravitz, Tom Petty and Brian Setzer guest-star on 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".
* November 26 – Will Smith releases his first compilation album (last under Columbia Records) 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 Beatles members Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Clapton, Jeff Lynne, 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.
* 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 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!"
* 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 joins The Black Eyed Peas during their recording of the Elephunk album.
* Salt-n-Pepa disbands.

## Bands formed

* See Musical groups established in 2002

## Bands disbanded

* See Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2002

## Bands reformed

* D.I. (after 1995 hiatus)
* Fear Factory
* Little River Band original members reform as Birtles Shorrock Goble
* KMFDM
* Phish (after 2000 hiatus)
* Stabbing Westward
* Suffocation

## Albums released
### January–March

| Date | Date | Album | Artist | Notes |
| J A N U A R Y | 1 | I Am... | Ayumi Hamasaki | 4th number 1 studio album |
| J A N U A R Y | 1 | The Wreckard | Prick | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 8 | I Am Sam: Music From and Inspired By the Motion Picture | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| J A N U A R Y | 8 | Jukebox Sparrows | Shannon McNally | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 8 | Light of Day, Day of Darkness | Green Carnation | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 14 | Neon Golden | The Notwist | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 15 | Drive | Alan Jackson | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 15 | Group Therapy | Concrete Blonde | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 15 | Honour – Valour – Pride | Bolt Thrower | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 15 | Nude on the Moon: The B-52's Anthology | The B-52's | Compilation |
| J A N U A R Y | 15 | The Great Divide | Willie Nelson | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 15 | Tenth Dimension | Blaze | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 18 | World Outside | Socialburn | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 21 | Never Forget (Where You Come From) | Bro'Sis | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | 7 | U2 | EP |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | Alkaline Trio / Hot Water Music | Alkaline Trio/Hot Water Music | Split EP |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | And All That Could Have Been | Nine Inch Nails | Live DVD |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | Bloodsport | Sneaker Pimps | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | Flight of the Behemoth | Sunn O | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | The Playa Rich Project 2 | Various Artists | Compilation |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | The Process of Belief | Bad Religion | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | Rock'n Roll Gangster | Fieldy's Dreams | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 22 | Spiritual Minded | KRS-One | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 28 | Come with Us | The Chemical Brothers | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Blaque Out | Blaque | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Classic Masters | General Public | Compilation |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Denials Delusions and Decisions | Jaguar Wright | Debut |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Elva | Unwritten Law | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | The Essential Barbra Streisand | Barbra Streisand | Compilation |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Forever | Cracker | - |
| J A N U A R Y | 29 | Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence | Dream Theater | - |
| J A N U A R Y | ? | Two Rainy Nights | Joe Jackson | Live |
| F E B R U A R Y | 1 | O | Damien Rice | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 2 | The Bled | The Bled | EP |
| F E B R U A R Y | 4 | Sons of Northern Darkness | Immortal | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 5 | After Everything Now This | The Church | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 5 | Frantic | Bryan Ferry | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 5 | The Illusion of Safety | Thrice | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 5 | J to tha L–O! The Remixes | Jennifer Lopez | Remix album |
| F E B R U A R Y | 5 | Suicide by My Side | Sinergy | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 5 | Ultimate Manilow | Barry Manilow | Compilation |
| F E B R U A R Y | 6 | HTP | Hughes Turner Project | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 12 | Always Got Tonight | Chris Isaak | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 12 | Apathy and Exhaustion | The Lawrence Arms | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 12 | Barricades & Brickwalls | Kasey Chambers | US |
| F E B R U A R Y | 12 | Feedback Is Payback | 1208 | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 12 | Give 'Em the Boot III | Various Artists | Compilation |
| F E B R U A R Y | 12 | On the Road | Miss Kittin | Compilation |
| F E B R U A R Y | 14 | One Deep Breath | Bradley Joseph | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 15 | Funnel Weaver | Buckethead | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 15 | Music from the Major Motion Picture Crossroads | Britney Spears | Soundtrack |
| F E B R U A R Y | 15 | Remedy Lane | Pain of Salvation | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 18 | Geogaddi | Boards of Canada | Europe |
| F E B R U A R Y | 18 | Another Late Night: Zero 7 | Zero 7 | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | All Hail West Texas | The Mountain Goats | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | As If to Nothing | Craig Armstrong | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Beautysleep | Tanya Donelly | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Best of the Blues | Gary Moore | Compilation |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Capricornia | Midnight Oil | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Don't Worry About Me | Joey Ramone | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Goodbye Blue & White | Less Than Jake | Compilation |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Hate Breeds Suffering | Lock Up | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Is a Woman | Lambchop | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Kissin Time | Marianne Faithfull | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Mobilize | Anti-Flag | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | A Pair of Kings | Riders in the Sky | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Sea of No Cares | Great Big Sea | Canada |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | The Stability EP | Death Cab for Cutie | EP |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | We Are the Only Friends We Have | Piebald | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | The Worst You Can Do Is Harm | The Long Winters | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 19 | Knife Play | Xiu Xiu | Debut |
| F E B R U A R Y | 22 | Good to Go | Jimmy Eat World | EP |
| F E B R U A R Y | 25 | The Brotherhood | Running Wild | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 25 | Catch 22 | Hypocrisy | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 25 | Full Moon | Brandy | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 25 | Songs | Regina Spektor | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 25 | Under Rug Swept | Alanis Morissette | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 25 | Walking with Thee | Clinic | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Belly of the Sun | Cassandra Wilson | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Burn It Black | Injected | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | The Changing of Times | Underoath | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Come Away with Me | Norah Jones | Debut |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Gore Obsessed | Cannibal Corpse | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Immer | Michael Mayer | Mix Compilation |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Lapalco | Brendan Benson | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Live in a Dive | Bracket | Live |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Lucky 7 | The Reverend Horton Heat | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Memories Are My Only Witness | Yuka Honda | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film, Vol. 2 | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | No Half Steppin' | Sharissa | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Source Tags & Codes | ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Superkala | Course of Nature | - |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Watermelon, Chicken & Gritz | Nappy Roots | Debut |
| F E B R U A R Y | 26 | Earth, Wind & Fire: Live by Request | Earth, Wind & Fire | Video |
| M A R C H | 1 | Preface | Jessica Harp | - |
| M A R C H | 1 | Queen of the Damned | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| M A R C H | 3 | Hate Made Me | 8 Foot Sativa | - |
| M A R C H | 3 | Jebediah | Jebediah | - |
| M A R C H | 4 | Hi-Fi Serious | A | - |
| M A R C H | 4 | Words of Wisdom and Hope | Teenage Fanclub | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | 1919 Eternal | Black Label Society | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | Against Me! Is Reinventing Axl Rose | Against Me! | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | Attak | KMFDM | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | BYO Split Series, Vol. 3 | NOFX/Rancid | Split LP |
| M A R C H | 5 | Didn't It Rain | Songs: Ohia | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | The Eleventh Hour | Jars of Clay | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | England, Half-English | Billy Bragg and The Blokes | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | Here Comes the Zoo | Local H | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | History Lessens | Skyclad | Compilation |
| M A R C H | 5 | IIcons | Naughty By Nature | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | The Second Stage Turbine Blade | Coheed and Cambria | - |
| M A R C H | 5 | Sha Sha | Ben Kweller | - |
| M A R C H | 6 | Burning Angel | Arch Enemy | EP |
| M A R C H | 6 | Encore | Joe Hisaishi | - |
| M A R C H | 6 | This Armor | Chihiro Onitsuka | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | B2K | B2K | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | Become You | Indigo Girls | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | Chapters From a Vale Forlorn | Falconer | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | Favorite Noise | Reel Big Fish | Compilation |
| M A R C H | 12 | Home from Home | Millencolin | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | In Search Of... | N.E.R.D. | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | Modulate | Bob Mould | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | Perseverance | Hatebreed | - |
| M A R C H | 12 | Resident Evil: Music from and Inspired by the Original Motion Picture | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| M A R C H | 12 | This Is the Remix | Destiny's Child | Remix |
| M A R C H | 12 | VH1 Presents: The Corrs, Live in Dublin | The Corrs | Live |
| M A R C H | 12 | What It Is to Burn | Finch | - |
| M A R C H | 13 | Listen to My Heart | BoA | Japanese Debut |
| M A R C H | 18 | In Our Gun | Gomez | - |
| M A R C H | 18 | Spin | Darren Hayes | Solo Debut; Australia |
| M A R C H | 19 | Circle Gets the Square | Kevin Devine | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | Drunken Lullabies | Flogging Molly | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | Far Side of the World | Jimmy Buffett | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | Fused Together in Revolving Doors | The Red Chord | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | Hold Your Horse Is | Hella | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | Land (1975–2002) | Patti Smith | Compilation |
| M A R C H | 19 | Lust in Phaze | Soul Coughing | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | A Night at the Opera | Blind Guardian | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls | Simple Plan | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | Now That's What I Call Music! 9 (U.S. series) | Various Artists | Compilation |
| M A R C H | 19 | Pied Piper | Donovan | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | The Rest of Us | Gas Huffer | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | Rude Awakening | Megadeth | Live |
| M A R C H | 19 | Superstarved | Gravity Kills | - |
| M A R C H | 19 | The Trials and Tribulations of Russell Jones | Ol' Dirty Bastard | Compilation |
| M A R C H | 19 | VH1 Behind the Music: The Daryl Hall and John Oates Collection | Hall & Oates | Compilation |
| M A R C H | 19 | World Outside My Window | Glenn Lewis | - |
| M A R C H | 23 | Or | Golden Boy with Miss Kittin | - |
| M A R C H | 25 | Man and Machine | U.D.O. | - |
| M A R C H | 25 | Natural Born Chaos | Soilwork | - |
| M A R C H | 25 | A New Day Has Come | Celine Dion | - |
| M A R C H | 25 | Nocturnal Activity | Rae & Christian | - |
| M A R C H | 25 | Now That's What I Call Music! 51 (U.K. series) | Various Artists | Compilation |
| M A R C H | 25 | Original Pirate Material | The Streets | Debut |
| M A R C H | 25 | The Remote Part | Idlewild | - |
| M A R C H | 25 | Rock in Rio | Iron Maiden | 2xCD; Live |
| M A R C H | 25 | Weight of the World | Harem Scarem | Japan; released in Canada Oct. '02 |
| M A R C H | 26 | The Best of Both Worlds | R. Kelly & Jay-Z | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Behind Silence and Solitude | All That Remains | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow | Down | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone | The Walkmen | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Kona Town | Pepper | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Mindy McCready | Mindy McCready | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Special Edition | Infamous Mobb | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Tell All Your Friends | Taking Back Sunday | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | Thrive | Newsboys | - |
| M A R C H | 26 | While You Weren't Looking | Caitlin Cary | Solo Debut |
| M A R C H | 27 | Roentgen | Hyde | - |
| M A R C H | 31 | Diorama | Silverchair | - |

### April–June

| Date | Date | Album | Artist | Notes |
| A P R I L | 1 | Cry | Simple Minds | - |
| A P R I L | 1 | Handcream for a Generation | Cornershop | - |
| A P R I L | 1 | Mclusky Do Dallas | Mclusky | - |
| A P R I L | 1 | Millennium Monsterwork 2000 | Fantômas and Melvins | Live |
| A P R I L | 1 | Release | Pet Shop Boys | - |
| A P R I L | 2 | All of the Above | J-Live | - |
| A P R I L | 2 | Ashanti | Ashanti | - |
| A P R I L | 2 | Every Road Leads Back to You | Juice Newton | - |
| A P R I L | 2 | Rampton | Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine | - |
| A P R I L | 2 | Southern Hummingbird | Tweet | - |
| A P R I L | 2 | Topsy-Turvy | The Apex Theory | Band later changed name to Mt. Helium |
| A P R I L | 2 | Tremulant | The Mars Volta | EP |
| A P R I L | 2 | Turn It Up!: The Very Best of | Busta Rhymes | Compilation |
| A P R I L | 4 | Bitterness the Star | 36 Crazyfists | - |
| A P R I L | 8 | Can You Do Me Good? | Del Amitri | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | 1000 Kisses | Patty Griffin | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Are You Passionate? | Neil Young & Booker T & the MGs | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Avoid One Thing | Avoid One Thing | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Cabin Fever | Rasputina | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Co-Balt | Brute | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Good Health | Pretty Girls Make Graves | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Gutterflower | Goo Goo Dolls | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Hammered | Motörhead | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | How to Ruin Everything | Face to Face | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Jinx | Quarashi | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | On | Imperial Teen | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Mirror Mirror | Twiztid | EP |
| A P R I L | 9 | Plastic Fang | The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | The Sham Mirrors | Arcturus | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Silver Lining | Bonnie Raitt | - |
| A P R I L | 9 | Then Came the Night | Tommy Shane Steiner | - |
| A P R I L | 14 | Living Well Is the Best Revenge | Midtown | - |
| A P R I L | 14 | Mali Music | Damon Albarn | - |
| A P R I L | 14 | No. 1 | BoA | - |
| A P R I L | 15 | Hostile Ambient Takeover | Melvins | - |
| A P R I L | 16 | Assembly | Theatre of Tragedy | - |
| A P R I L | 16 | C'mon, C'mon | Sheryl Crow | - |
| A P R I L | 16 | Control | Pedro the Lion | - |
| A P R I L | 16 | Heart to Yours | Michelle Williams | Solo debut |
| A P R I L | 16 | Long Walk Home: Music from the Rabbit-Proof Fence | Peter Gabriel | Soundtrack |
| A P R I L | 16 | Personal Journals | Sage Francis | - |
| A P R I L | 16 | Screwed Up Click Representa | Z-Ro | - |
| A P R I L | 16 | Slick Shoes | Slick Shoes | - |
| A P R I L | 16 | Waitin' on Joe | Steve Azar | - |
| A P R I L | 17 | WarCry | WarCry | Debut |
| A P R I L | 22 | Another Phase | Maria Mena | - |
| A P R I L | 22 | Love for the Streets | Caesars | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | About a Boy | Badly Drawn Boy | Soundtrack |
| A P R I L | 23 | Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections | Cee-Lo Green | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Homecoming | Nazareth | Live |
| A P R I L | 23 | I Am Not Homer | Dan Castellaneta | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Long Way Home | Dokken | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems | Kenny Chesney | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Only a Woman Like You | Michael Bolton | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Opaline | Dishwalla | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Osaka | The Kickovers | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Power of the Dragonflame | Rhapsody | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Purple World | Big Moe | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Stereo | Paul Westerberg | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Thug Misses | Khia | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | When I Was Cruel | Elvis Costello | Compilation |
| A P R I L | 23 | Wood/Water | The Promise Ring | - |
| A P R I L | 23 | Yankee Hotel Foxtrot | Wilco | Nonesuch retail release |
| A P R I L | 24 | Highvision | Supercar | - |
| A P R I L | 24 | Lifelines | A-ha | - |
| A P R I L | 26 | Guess Who's Back? | 50 Cent | Mixtape |
| A P R I L | 29 | The Last Broadcast | Doves | - |
| A P R I L | 29 | Shadow Zone | Axel Rudi Pell | - |
| A P R I L | 30 | Be Not Nobody | Vanessa Carlton | Debut |
| A P R I L | 30 | Between the Buried and Me | Between the Buried and Me | Debut |
| A P R I L | 30 | Blazing Arrow | Blackalicious | - |
| A P R I L | 30 | Hood Rich | Big Tymers | - |
| A P R I L | 30 | Horizon | The Rocking Horse Winner | - |
| A P R I L | 30 | Living with the Past | Jethro Tull | Live |
| A P R I L | 30 | Music from and Inspired by Spider-Man | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| A P R I L | 30 | Punk Rock Songs | Bad Religion | Compilation |
| A P R I L | 30 | Ready Ready Set Go | Simon & Milo | Compilation |
| A P R I L | 30 | Resonance Vol. 2 | Anathema | Compilation |
| A P R I L | 30 | Trey Anastasio | Trey Anastasio | - |
| M A Y | 2 | The Beginning Stages of... | The Polyphonic Spree | US |
| M A Y | 6 | 40 Years | The Dubliners | - |
| M A Y | 6 | Any Time Now | O.A.R. | Live |
| M A Y | 7 | Alice | Tom Waits | - |
| M A Y | 7 | All Night Long: An Introduction | Rainbow | Compilation |
| M A Y | 7 | Atticus: ...Dragging the Lake | Various Artists | Compilation |
| M A Y | 7 | Blood Money | Tom Waits | - |
| M A Y | 7 | Bug | Dave Davies | - |
| M A Y | 7 | Dark Days | Coal Chamber | - |
| M A Y | 7 | Juslisen | Musiq | - |
| M A Y | 7 | Live: The Loom's Desire | Laura Nyro | - |
| M A Y | 7 | Memoirs | The 3rd and the Mortal | - |
| M A Y | 7 | MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 | Lauryn Hill | Live |
| M A Y | 7 | My Ride's Here | Warren Zevon | - |
| M A Y | 7 | New Beat | The Exit | - |
| M A Y | 7 | PSI | Pitchshifter | - |
| M A Y | 9 | Story of the Year | Big Blue Monkey | - |
| M A Y | 10 | It's a Wonderful World | Mr. Children | - |
| M A Y | 14 | 18 | Moby | - |
| M A Y | 14 | The Big Come Up | The Black Keys | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Black Sun | Primal Fear | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Boo Hoo | Voltaire | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Come Home with Me | Cam'ron | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Commencement | Deadsy | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Down the Road | Van Morrison | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Fantastic Damage | El-P | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Maladroit | Weezer | - |
| M A Y | 14 | On a Wire | The Get Up Kids | - |
| M A Y | 14 | Vapor Trails | Rush | - |
| M A Y | 14 | We Invented the Remix | P. Diddy & Bad Boy Records | Remix |
| M A Y | 20 | Destination | Ronan Keating | - |
| M A Y | 20 | Redemption's Son | Joseph Arthur | - |
| M A Y | 21 | 45 or 46 Songs That Weren't Good Enough to Go on Our Other Records | NOFX | Compilation |
| M A Y | 21 | 45 RPM: The Singles of The The | The The | Compilation |
| M A Y | 21 | Alive or Just Breathing | Killswitch Engage | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Amarillo Sky | McBride & the Ride | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Bad Bad One | Meredith Brooks | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Bona Fide | Wishbone Ash | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Box Car Racer | Box Car Racer | Debut |
| M A Y | 21 | Castaways and Cutouts | The Decemberists | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Hollyweird | Poison | - |
| M A Y | 21 | I Luciferi | Danzig | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Killing the Dragon | Dio | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Leaving Through the Window | Something Corporate | Major label debut |
| M A Y | 21 | Legacy... Hymns and Faith | Amy Grant | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Little Big Town | Little Big Town | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Mended | Marc Anthony | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Merchants of Cool | Bad Company | Live |
| M A Y | 21 | Never a Dull Moment | Tommy Lee | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Now Presents: Off The Hook | Various Artists | Compilation |
| M A Y | 21 | Open Your Eyes | Goldfinger | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Space Metal | Star One | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Sharpen Your Teeth | Ugly Casanova | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Ten Years and Running | MxPx | Compilation |
| M A Y | 21 | Thalía | Thalía | - |
| M A Y | 21 | Use Once and Destroy | Superjoint Ritural | - |
| M A Y | 26 | Chronicle: Best of the Work | Dr. Dre | Compilation |
| M A Y | 27 | Night on My Side | Gemma Hayes | - |
| M A Y | 27 | A Ruff Guide | Tricky | Compilation |
| M A Y | 27 | Thinking It Over | Liberty X | UK |
| M A Y | 28 | The Eminem Show | Eminem | - |
| M A Y | 28 | Freedom | Andy Griggs | - |
| M A Y | 28 | Remission | Mastodon | Full-length Debut |
| M A Y | 28 | Say Something Nasty | Nashville Pussy | - |
| M A Y | 28 | Surrounded by Thieves | High on Fire | - |
| M A Y | 28 | A Young Trophy Band in the Parlance of Our Times | As Friends Rust | EP |
| J U N E | 1 | Up All Night | Gore Gore Girls | - |
| J U N E | 3 | AnotherLateNight: Groove Armada | Groove Armada | Compilation |
| J U N E | 3 | Dying in Stereo | Northern State | Debut |
| J U N E | 3 | Live 1990 | Hawkwind | Live 1990 |
| J U N E | 3 | Storytelling | Belle & Sebastian | - |
| J U N E | 3 | Thought for Food | The Books | Debut |
| J U N E | 3 | Tres Lunas | Mike Oldfield | - |
| J U N E | 4 | The Best of Buju Banton | Buju Banton | Compilation |
| J U N E | 4 | The Best of INXS | INXS | Compilation |
| J U N E | 4 | Electric | Jack Ingram | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Cookie: The Anthropological Mixtape | Meshell Ndegeocello | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Details | Frou Frou | Sole studio album release |
| J U N E | 4 | Dirty Vegas | Dirty Vegas | - |
| J U N E | 4 | The Elusive Light and Sound, Vol. 1 | Steve Vai | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Good Morning Aztlán | Los Lobos | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Interpol | Interpol | EP |
| J U N E | 4 | Let Go | Avril Lavigne | Debut |
| J U N E | 4 | Life Goes On | Donell Jones | - |
| J U N E | 4 | The Private Press | DJ Shadow | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Situationist Comedy | Dillinger Four | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Soundbombing III | Various Artists | Compilation |
| J U N E | 4 | Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses | Atreyu | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Under tha Influence | DJ Quik | - |
| J U N E | 4 | Warriors of the World | Manowar | - |
| J U N E | 6 | Live in Liverpool | Echo & the Bunnymen | Live |
| J U N E | 6 | Sing Sing Death House | The Distillers | - |
| J U N E | 10 | Just a Little More Love | David Guetta | Debut |
| J U N E | 10 | 2G+2 | The Fall | Compilation |
| J U N E | 10 | Plastic Skies | Bodyjar | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Dying for the World | W.A.S.P. | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Full Circle | Boyz II Men | - |
| J U N E | 11 | God Loves Ugly | Atmosphere | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Heathen | David Bowie | - |
| J U N E | 11 | In Violet Light | The Tragically Hip | - |
| J U N E | 11 | It's Not Too Late | Neal Morse | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Live in the Classic City | Widespread Panic | Live |
| J U N E | 11 | Maia Sharp | Maia Sharp | - |
| J U N E | 11 | No! | They Might Be Giants | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Pet Sounds Live | Brian Wilson | Live |
| J U N E | 11 | Sticks and Stones | New Found Glory | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Suicide Invoice | Hot Snakes | - |
| J U N E | 11 | This Is The Life I Lead | Daz Dillinger | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Time Bomb High School | Reigning Sound | - |
| J U N E | 11 | The True Meaning | Cormega | - |
| J U N E | 11 | Untouchables | Korn | - |
| J U N E | 18 | As I Lay Dying/American Tragedy | As I Lay Dying/American Tragedy | Split Album |
| J U N E | 18 | Masquerade | Wyclef Jean | - |
| J U N E | 18 | Border Girl | Paulina Rubio | Debut-English Crossover Album |
| J U N E | 18 | Bunkka | Paul Oakenfold | - |
| J U N E | 18 | Degradation Trip | Jerry Cantrell | - |
| J U N E | 18 | The Essentials | Bananarama | Compilation |
| J U N E | 18 | Gravity | Our Lady Peace | - |
| J U N E | 18 | Hard Rock Bottom | No Use for a Name | - |
| J U N E | 18 | Live at the Temple Bar and More | Fishbone | Live |
| J U N E | 18 | lovehatetragedy | Papa Roach | - |
| J U N E | 18 | The Madness of the Crowds | Ace Troubleshooter | - |
| J U N E | 18 | Pop 'Til You Drop | A*Teens | - |
| J U N E | 18 | Readymades | Chumbawamba | - |
| J U N E | 18 | Universal Truths and Cycles | Guided by Voices | - |
| J U N E | 18 | All Access Europe | Eminem | Video |
| J U N E | 19 | Deep River | Hikaru Utada | - |
| J U N E | 23 | Born a Lion | Danko Jones | Debut |
| J U N E | 24 | Century Child | Nightwish | - |
| J U N E | 24 | Clubland – The Ride of Your Life | Clubland | Compilation |
| J U N E | 24 | Drink Me | Queenadreena | - |
| J U N E | 24 | Hunters and Prey | Angra | EP |
| J U N E | 24 | Visions from the Spiral Generator | Vintersorg | - |
| J U N E | 25 | 3 | Soulfly | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Born to Reign | Will Smith | - |
| J U N E | 25 | God's Favorite | N.O.R.E. | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Nellyville | Nelly | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Cheer Up! | Reel Big Fish | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Coup de Grace | Orange Goblin | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Crucible | Halford | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Get Ya Mind Correct | Chamillionaire & Paul Wall | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Kings of Pop | Home Grown | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Knock on the Sky | SHeDAISY | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Live at Budokan | Ozzy Osbourne | Live |
| J U N E | 25 | Murray Street | Sonic Youth | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Play | Play | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Punk-O-Rama Vol. 7 | Various Artists | Compilation |
| J U N E | 25 | Soma Holiday | Greenwheel | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Songs About Jane | Maroon 5 | Debut |
| J U N E | 25 | Strange Beautiful Music | Joe Satriani | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Today, Tomorrow, and Forever | Elvis Presley | - |
| J U N E | 25 | Truthfully Speaking | Truth Hurts | - |
| J U N E | 25 | The Used | The Used | Debut |

### July–September

| Date | Date | Album | Artist | Notes |
| J U L Y | 1 | Hullabaloo: Live at Le Zenith, Paris | Muse | Live video |
| J U L Y | 1 | 2002 Warped Tour Compilation | Various Artists | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 1 | Heathen Chemistry | Oasis | - |
| J U L Y | 1 | Hullabaloo Soundtrack | Muse | Live / Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | 21 Singles | The Jesus and Mary Chain | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | Charango | Morcheeba | - |
| J U L Y | 2 | Classics Selected by Brian Wilson | The Beach Boys | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | From Illmatic to Stillmatic: The Remixes | Nas | Remix EP |
| J U L Y | 2 | Irv Gotti Presents: The Inc. | Murder Inc. Records | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits | Aerosmith | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | Shenanigans | Green Day | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | Stash | Cypress Hill | EP |
| J U L Y | 2 | Steady as She Goes | Voodoo Glow Skulls | - |
| J U L Y | 2 | This Is the Remix | Jessica Simpson | Remix |
| J U L Y | 2 | The Ultimate Kansas | Kansas | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning | Chicago | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 2 | Worship and Tribute | Glassjaw | - |
| J U L Y | 3 | Babylon | Skindred | Debut |
| J U L Y | 3 | Green | B'z | - |
| J U L Y | 3 | Jade-1 | Jade Kwan | - |
| J U L Y | 8 | Greatest Hits | Space | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 9 | At the River's Edge: Live in St. Louis | Styx | Live |
| J U L Y | 9 | Bacdafucup Part II | Onyx | - |
| J U L Y | 9 | Bag of Hits | Fun Lovin' Criminals | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 9 | By the Way | Red Hot Chili Peppers | - |
| J U L Y | 9 | A Gangster and a Gentleman | Styles P | - |
| J U L Y | 9 | Hard Candy | Counting Crows | - |
| J U L Y | 9 | A Jackknife to a Swan | The Mighty Mighty Bosstones | - |
| J U L Y | 9 | The Underdog EP | Yellowcard | EP |
| J U L Y | 10 | Parade of Chaos | Zao | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | Busted Stuff | Dave Matthews Band | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | Control | Pedro the Lion | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | Daybreaker | Beth Orton | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | Dreamland | Robert Plant | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | Headspace | Pulse Ultra | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | Highly Evolved | The Vines | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | I Miss My Friend | Darryl Worley | - |
| J U L Y | 16 | Live from New York City, 1967 | Simon & Garfunkel | Live 1967 |
| J U L Y | 16 | Want It | Buju Banton | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 16 | Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots | The Flaming Lips | - |
| J U L Y | 17 | Welcome to Blue Island | Enuff Z'nuff | Japan |
| J U L Y | 22 | Now That's What I Call Music! 52 (U.K. series) | Various Artists | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 23 | 500 Degreez | Lil Wayne | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | Bermuda Triangle | Buckethead | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | Community Service | The Crystal Method | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | Completely | Diamond Rio | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | Deadringer | RJD2 | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love | My Chemical Romance | Debut |
| J U L Y | 23 | Mack 10 Presents da Hood | Da Hood | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | Man with a Memory | Joe Nichols | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | Now That's What I Call Music! 10 (U.S. series) | Various Artists | Compilation |
| J U L Y | 23 | Revolverlution | Public Enemy | - |
| J U L Y | 23 | Sink or Swim | The Waifs | US |
| J U L Y | 26 | The Coral | The Coral | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | All I Have | Amerie | Debut |
| J U L Y | 30 | Alive! | Snot | Live |
| J U L Y | 30 | The Amalgamut | Filter | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Back to Then | Darius Rucker | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Brontosaurus | Da Vinci's Notebook | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Concrete | Fear Factory | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Faces & Names | Dave Pirner | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Fashionably Late | Linda Thompson | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Happenstance | Fozzy | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | In a Word: Yes (1969 – ) | Yes | Box Set |
| J U L Y | 30 | Learning from Falling | Lamya | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Reanimation | Linkin Park | Remix |
| J U L Y | 30 | The Rising | Bruce Springsteen | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | Songs for Survivors | Graham Nash | - |
| J U L Y | 30 | To Serve Man | Cattle Decapitation | - |
| A U G U S T | 2 | The Inhuman Condition | Sam Roberts | EP |
| A U G U S T | 2 | Inside Wants Out | John Mayer | EP' Re-release |
| A U G U S T | 3 | Fue Por Ti | Ericson Alexander Molano | - |
| A U G U S T | 5 | Evil Heat | Primal Scream | - |
| A U G U S T | 5 | Surf | Roddy Frame | UK |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Attack of the Attacking Things | Jean Grae | Debut |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Drunk Enough to Dance | Bowling for Soup | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | The Fix | Scarface | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Heaven | DJ Sammy | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo & His New All-Starr Band | Ringo Starr | Live |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Miss Fortune | Allison Moorer | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | No Secrets | No Secrets | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Nothing | Meshuggah | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Thug Holiday | Trick Daddy | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Turbo | The Pietasters | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Unleashed | Toby Keith | - |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Whip It On | The Raveonettes | Debut EP |
| A U G U S T | 6 | Wishfire | The Crüxshadows | - |
| A U G U S T | 8 | The Charles C. Leary | Devendra Banhart | - |
| A U G U S T | 10 | Consider This | Aaron Pritchett | - |
| A U G U S T | 11 | Melody A.M. | Röyksopp | - |
| A U G U S T | 12 | Cool Summer Reggae | Aswad | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | All the Time in the World | Jump5 | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | American Cheese | Nerf Herder | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | At Sixes and Sevens | Sirenia | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Cherry Marmalade | Kay Hanley | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Gusto! | Guttermouth | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground | Bright Eyes | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Living Targets | Beatsteaks | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | The Magnificent | DJ Jazzy Jeff | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | The Mantle | Agalloch | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Minority of One | Dag Nasty | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | October Road | James Taylor | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Rebirth | Keith Sweat | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | This Side | Nickel Creek | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Trinity (Past, Present and Future) | Slum Village | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Vanity | Eighteen Visions | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Welcome to Discovery Park | Brad | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | Wiretap Scars | Sparta | - |
| A U G U S T | 13 | X | Def Leppard | - |
| A U G U S T | 15 | We Will Be Dead Tomorrow | Raging Speedhorn | - |
| A U G U S T | 16 | Foretold in the Language of Dreams | Natacha Atlas & Marc Eagleton Project | - |
| A U G U S T | 16 | FZ:OZ | Frank Zappa | Live 1976 |
| A U G U S T | 19 | Hometime | Alison Moyet | UK |
| A U G U S T | 19 | Turn on the Bright Lights | Interpol | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Animal House | Angie Martinez | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Black Letter Days | Frank Black and the Catholics | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Blacklisted | Neko Case | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Damage Done | Dark Tranquillity | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Detox | Treble Charger | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Devil's Workshop | Frank Black and the Catholics | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Disclaimer | Seether | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Easy | Kelly Willis | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Eternal Youth | Future Bible Heroes | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Hijas del Tomate | Las Ketchup | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | If It Was You | Tegan and Sara | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | In Their Darkened Shrines | Nile | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Kill the Moonlight | Spoon | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Kidz Bop 2 | Kidz Bop Kids | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Live | The Black Crowes | 2xCD; Live |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Lord Willin' | Clipse | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | My Fever Broke | Rasputina | EP |
| A U G U S T | 20 | One Beat | Sleater-Kinney | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Past Lives | Black Sabbath | Live Compilation |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Silence | Blindside | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Since We've Become Translucent | Mudhoney | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Something Worth Leaving Behind | Lee Ann Womack | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Tropical Storm | Beenie Man | - |
| A U G U S T | 20 | Waking the Dead | L.A. Guns | - |
| A U G U S T | 21 | II | Hardline | Japanese release date |
| A U G U S T | 26 | Angels with Dirty Faces | Sugababes | - |
| A U G U S T | 26 | Expanding Senses | Darkane | Europe |
| A U G U S T | 26 | A Rush of Blood to the Head | Coldplay | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | 30 Seconds to Mars | Thirty Seconds to Mars | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Again, for the First Time | Bleach | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Corporate America | Boston | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Daylight | Duncan Sheik | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Diamond Princess | Trina | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Eve-Olution | Eve | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Gotta Get Thru This | Daniel Bedingfield | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Home | The Chicks | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Into Your Head | BBMak | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Irony Is a Dead Scene | The Dillinger Escape Plan with Mike Patton | EP |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Johnny Cash at Madison Square Garden | Johnny Cash | Live |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Just Tryin' Ta Live | Devin the Dude | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Lost in Space | Aimee Mann | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Mind Elevation | Nightmares on Wax | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | The Mix Tape | KRS-One | Compilation |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Monsters, Inc. Scream Factory Favorites | Riders in the Sky | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | My Town | Montgomery Gentry | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | No Stranger to Shame | Uncle Kracker | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 2 | N.W.A | Compilation |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Outrospective / Reperspective | Faithless | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Saturate | Breaking Benjamin | Debut |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Snow | Spock's Beard | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Songs for the Deaf | Queens of the Stone Age | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Stone Sour | Stone Sour | - |
| A U G U S T | 27 | Undaground Legend | Lil' Flip | Debut |
| A U G U S T | 30 | Meant to Be | Selwyn | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 2 | Beginner's Luck | Cowboy Troy | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 2 | Critical Mass | Threshold | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 2 | Mastered by Guy at The Exchange | Max Tundra | |
| S E P T E M B E R | 2 | The Music | The Music | UK |
| S E P T E M B E R | 3 | Another Earthquake | Aaron Carter | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 3 | BYO Split Series, Vol. 4 | Anti-Flag/The Bouncing Souls | Split Album |
| S E P T E M B E R | 3 | Reroute to Remain | In Flames | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 3 | Sadness Will Prevail | Today Is the Day | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 3 | Sharks | UFO | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 3 | UltraSex | Mount Sims | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 4 | Biosphere | Loudness | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 5 | The Heat of Balkan Gypsy Soul | Ferus Mustafov | |
| S E P T E M B E R | 9 | Feels So Good | Atomic Kitten | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 9 | Intergalactic Sonic 7″s | Ash | Compilation |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | 4NYC | Jordan Rudess | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Golden Grain | Disturbing tha Peace | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Greatest Hits | Run-D.M.C. | Compilation |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Cross Canadian Ragweed | Cross Canadian Ragweed | Debut |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Illumination | Paul Weller | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Live for Today | Boysetsfire | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Live on St. Patrick's Day From Boston, MA | Dropkick Murphys | Live |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Paradise | Kenny G | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Roger Miret and the Disasters | Roger Miret and the Disasters | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Scars | Gary Moore | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Sleepless | Peter Wolf | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter | Ani DiFranco | Live |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Still, Alive... and Well? | Megadeth | Compilation |
| S E P T E M B E R | 10 | Warts and All: Volume 2 | Moe | Live |
| S E P T E M B E R | 13 | Jade-1 Special Edition | Jade Kwan | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | The Art of Balance | Shadows Fall | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Believe | Disturbed | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Dial-A-Song: 20 Years of They Might Be Giants | They Might Be Giants | Compilation |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Heavy Traffic | Status Quo | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Internet Dating Superstuds | The Vandals | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Kutless | Kutless | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Light & Magic | Ladytron | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Oceanic | Isis | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | OK Go | OK Go | Debut |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Quizas | Enrique Iglesias | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Rainy Day Assembly | Tess Wiley | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | The Richest Man in Babylon | Thievery Corporation | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Stanley Climbfall | Lifehouse | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Theory of a Deadman | Theory of a Deadman | Debut |
| S E P T E M B E R | 17 | Whole Numbers Play the Basics | Casino Versus Japan | |
| S E P T E M B E R | 18 | By the Grace of God | The Hellacopters | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 19 | Unity Roots and Family, Away | Glay | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 23 | 20 Years of Dischord | Various Artists | Dischord Records Box Set |
| S E P T E M B E R | 23 | Another Late Night: Tommy Guerrero | Tommy Guerrero | Compilation |
| S E P T E M B E R | 23 | When the Roses Bloom Again | Laura Cantrell | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Almost an Island | Wolfstone | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Craveman | Ted Nugent | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | The Creek Drank the Cradle | Iron & Wine | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Demolition | Ryan Adams | Demos |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Head on Straight | Tonic | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | The Headphone Masterpiece | Cody Chesnutt | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | A Hundred Days Off | Underworld | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | In Absentia | Porcupine Tree | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Infiltrate•Destroy•Rebuild | CKY | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | The Instigator | Rhett Miller | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Jerusalem | Steve Earle | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | The Lion and the Witch | Weezer | Live EP |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | The Lost Tapes | Nas | Compilation |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | The Naked Ride Home | Jackson Browne | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Newsboys Remixed | Newsboys | Remix |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Purple Onion | Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Redemption | Benzino | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Sea Change | Beck | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Side Hustles | UGK | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Strong Enough | Travis Tritt | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Under a Pale Grey Sky | Sepultura | Live |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Up | Peter Gabriel | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 24 | Voyage to India | India.Arie | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Busted | Busted | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Forty Licks | The Rolling Stones | Compilation |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Life on Other Planets | Supergrass | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | Live in Midgård | Therion | Live |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | A New Morning | Suede | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | The Outer Marker | Just Jack | - |
| S E P T E M B E R | 30 | The Ragpicker's Dream | Mark Knopfler | - |

### October–December

| Date | Date | Album | Artist | Notes |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Before the Backstreet Boys 1989–1993 | Nick Carter | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | The Complete Singles Collection 1994-2000 | The Unseen | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Cruel Smile | Elvis Costello and the Imposters | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Everybody Makes Mistakes | Shearwater | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Downthesun | Downthesun | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | The Execution of All Things | Rilo Kiley | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Floetic | Floetry | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Live in Paris | Diana Krall | Live |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Man Vs. Machine | Xzibit | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | To Live and Die in CA | Daz Dillinger | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | To Understand: The Early Recordings of Matthew Sweet | Matthew Sweet | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Tuxicity | Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | Twisted Angel | LeAnn Rimes | - |
| O C T O B E R | 1 | The Young and the Hopeless | Good Charlotte | - |
| O C T O B E R | 2 | Consumed by Your Poison | Despised Icon | - |
| O C T O B E R | 7 | Entering the Spectra | Karmakanic | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Alienating Our Audience | Mindless Self Indulgence | Live |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | The Bad, the Worse, and the Out of Print | The Bouncing Souls | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | BareNaked | Jennifer Love Hewitt | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Ben Folds Live | Ben Folds | Live |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Bounce | Bon Jovi | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Caution | Hot Water Music | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Clone | Leo Kottke & Mike Gordon | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Comalies | Lacuna Coil | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Cruelty Without Beauty | Soft Cell | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Device, Voice, Drum | Kansas | Live |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Early Years | Tiger Army | EP |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | El Cielo | dredg | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Electric Tears | Buckethead | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | 1st Class | Large Professor | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Fuck the System | The Exploited | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Golden Road | Keith Urban | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With | King Crimson | EP |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | It Won't Be Christmas Without You | Brooks & Dunn | Christmas |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Jingle All the Way | Crash Test Dummies | Christmas |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Kings of Crunk | Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | The Last DJ | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Lost Horizons | Lemon Jelly | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Make Up the Breakdown | Hot Hot Heat | Debut |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Mis Boleros Favoritos | Luis Miguel | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Not 4 Sale | Sammy Hagar and The Waboritas | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Pictures | John Michael Montgomery | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Power in Numbers | Jurassic 5 | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Rise Above: 24 Black Flag Songs to Benefit the West Memphis Three | Rollins Band | Covers album |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Rollin' Stoned | Kottonmouth Kings | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Sean-Nós Nua | Sinéad O'Connor | Traditional Irish songs |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Statues | Moloko | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | This Is Who I Am | Heather Headley | Debut |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Wonder What's Next | Chevelle | - |
| O C T O B E R | 8 | Velocity of Sound | The Apples in Stereo | - |
| O C T O B E R | 9 | Overload | Anthem | - |
| O C T O B E R | 11 | Being Out Rocks | Various Artists | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 11 | I to Sky | JJ72 | - |
| O C T O B E R | 14 | Footprints | Holly Valance | - |
| O C T O B E R | 14 | Hate | The Delgados | - |
| O C T O B E R | 14 | Out from Out Where | Amon Tobin | - |
| O C T O B E R | 14 | Up the Bracket | The Libertines | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | 10 | LL Cool J | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | The All-American Rejects | The All-American Rejects | Doghouse release |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Attack!! | Yngwie J. Malmsteen | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Cry | Faith Hill | Hill's third consecutive album to reach no. 1 |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Heavy Metal Thunder | Saxon | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Let It Rain | Tracy Chapman | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Paullelujah! | MC Paul Barman | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Perfecting Loneliness | Jets to Brazil | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Santa Claus Lane | Hilary Duff | Christmas; Debut |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Red Hot + Riot: The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti | Various Artists | Red Hot Benefit Series |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Waiting for My Rocket to Come | Jason Mraz | Debut |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | Welcome | Taproot | - |
| O C T O B E R | 15 | You Forgot It in People | Broken Social Scene | - |
| O C T O B E R | 20 | Slanted and Enchanted: Luxe & Reduxe | Pavement | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | All Eyez on Me | Monica | - |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | Comfort In Sound | Feeder | - |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | Human Conditions | Richard Ashcroft | - |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | The Kiss of Morning | Graham Coxon | - |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | Our House: the Original Songs | Madness | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 21 | Unity | Rage | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Best of Bowie | David Bowie | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Christmas Is Almost Here | Carly Simon | Christmas |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Dancing Down the Stony Road | Chris Rea | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | The Essential Leonard Cohen | Leonard Cohen | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Garfield | Adam Green | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | A Girl Can Mack | 3LW | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Is This Thing Loaded? | Northstar | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook | Rod Stewart | Covers |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Kidz Bop Christmas | Kidz Bop Kids | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Live From Camp X-Ray | Rocket from the Crypt | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Neva Surrenda | Outlawz | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | New Earth Mud | Chris Robinson | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | One by One | Foo Fighters | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Order of the Leech | Napalm Death | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Save Rock 'n' Roll | The Flaming Sideburns | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Shaman | Santana | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Some Things | Lasgo | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Spend the Night | The Donnas | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978 | Black Sabbath | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Transplants | Transplants | - |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Wishes: A Holiday Album | Kenny G | Holiday |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Worship Again | Michael W. Smith | Live |
| O C T O B E R | 22 | Zos Kia Cultus (Here and Beyond) | Behemoth | - |
| O C T O B E R | 26 | Present | Killing Heidi | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | ( ) | Sigur Rós | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Crimson Thunder | HammerFall | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Enjoy the Moment | Randy Napoleon | |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Forever Delayed | Manic Street Preachers | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Heart and Soul - 13 Rock Classics | Bonnie Tyler | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | A New Day at Midnight | David Gray | |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Now or Never | Nick Carter | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Oh Me Oh My | Devendra Banhart | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Scarlet's Walk | Tori Amos | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Simply Deep | Kelly Rowland | - |
| O C T O B E R | 28 | Unholy Cult | Immolation | |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Guns, God and Government | Marilyn Manson | Video |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Da Capo | Ace of Base | - |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Divine Discontent | Sixpence None the Richer | - |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Liza's Back | Liza Minnelli | Live |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Lucky Day | Shaggy | - |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Melt | Rascal Flatts | - |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | The Metal Opera Part II | Avantasia | - |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | 8 Mile: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture | Various artists | Soundtrack |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Nirvana | Nirvana | Compilation |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Pistols at Dawn | Consumed | - |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Santa Hooked Me Up | B2K | Christmas |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Stripped | Christina Aguilera | - |
| O C T O B E R | 29 | Thug World Order | Bone Thugs-N-Harmony | - |
| O C T O B E R | 30 | Shawn Desman | Shawn Desman | Debut |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Alexisonfire | Alexisonfire | Canada |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Something Good Is Going to Happen to You | Baboon | - |
| O C T O B E R | 31 | Season's Greetings from Moe | Moe | Christmas |
| N O V E M B E R | 2 | Live at Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado | Dave Matthews Band | Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | The Ballad Hits | Roxette | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | Eddie's Archive | Iron Maiden | Box Set |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | Family Tree | Björk | Box Set |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | Greatest Hits | Björk | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | The Guest | Phantom Planet | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | À la vie, à la mort ! | Johnny Hallyday | Double album |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | One Love | Blue | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | Submers | Loscil | |
| N O V E M B E R | 4 | Yanqui U.X.O. | Godspeed You! Black Emperor | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | A Wonderful World | Tony Bennett and k.d. lang | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | American IV: The Man Comes Around | Johnny Cash | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Anthology | Carly Simon | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | The Best of 1990–2000 | U2 | Compilation +2 new tracks |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Corridos de Muerte | Asesino | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Edward the Great | Iron Maiden | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Grandes Éxitos | Shakira | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Have You Fed the Fish? | Badly Drawn Boy | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Justified | Justin Timberlake | Debut |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Live | Alison Krauss | Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Live at the Rams Head | Little Feat | Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Machine | Yeah Yeah Yeahs | EP |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | The Morning After | Deborah Cox | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | The Odyssey | Symphony X | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | One More Car, One More Rider | Eric Clapton | Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Punishment in Capitals | Napalm Death | Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Red Letter Days | The Wallflowers | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Stars: The Best of 1992–2002 | The Cranberries | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Still Ghetto | Jaheim | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Tallahassee | The Mountain Goats | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | Trapt | Trapt | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | We Are Science | Dot Allison | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | The Will to Kill | Malevolent Creation | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 5 | The Wraith: Shangri-La | Insane Clown Posse | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 11 | Back in the U.S. | Paul McCartney | 2xCD + DVD; Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 11 | Felt: A Tribute to Christina Ricci | Felt | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 11 | Unbreakable – The Greatest Hits Vol. 1 | Westlife | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | 3D | TLC | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Away from the Sun | 3 Doors Down | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Back Into Your System | Saliva | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | The Best of Siouxsie & the Banshees | Siouxsie and the Banshees | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | The Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse | Jay-Z | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | A Christmas Gift of Love | Barry Manilow | Christmas album |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Darkhorse | Crazy Town | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Deliverance | Opeth | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Dutty Rock | Sean Paul | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Greatest Hits 1970-2002 | Elton John | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Loose Screw | The Pretenders | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Loyalty | Fat Joe | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Miaskovsky: Symphony No. 6 | Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Monsters in the Closet | Swollen Members | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Resurrection Through Carnage | Bloodbath | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Riot Act | Pearl Jam | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | So Happily Unsatisfied | Nine Days | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Symbol of Life | Paradise Lost | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Testify | Phil Collins | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Tribute to the Gods | Iced Earth | Covers album |
| N O V E M B E R | 12 | Under Construction | Missy Elliott | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 14 | Folk the World Tour | Flight of the Conchords | Live, debut |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | KylieFever2002: Live in Manchester | Kylie Minogue | Video |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Another You Another Me | H & Claire | Debut |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Brainwashed | George Harrison | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Escapology | Robbie Williams | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Fatal | Hussein Fatal | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Greatest Hits | Lighthouse Family | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Live | Running Wild | Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | More Than a Woman | Toni Braxton | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Nordland I | Bathory | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Now That's What I Call Music! 53 (U.K. series) | Various Artists | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Organik Remixes | Robert Miles | Remix |
| N O V E M B E R | 18 | Up! | Shania Twain | Sold in Country, Pop and World versions; 11× Platinum |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Live | Korn | Video |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Audioslave | Audioslave | Debut |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Chicago: Music from the Miramax Motion Picture | Various Artists | Soundtrack |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | The End of All Things to Come | Mudvayne | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Gone Wanderin' | Jackie Greene | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Greatest Hits | Geto Boys | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Last Temptation | Ja Rule | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Mic Club: The Curriculum | Canibus | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | More Than You Think You Are | Matchbox Twenty | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Now That's What I Call Music! 11 (U.S. series) | Various Artists | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Quality | Talib Kweli | Debut |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Runaway Train | Oleander | EP |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Safe | Kittie | EP |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Slicker Than Your Average | Craig David | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Travelogue | Joni Mitchell | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Uncontrollable Fatulence | Various Artists | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 19 | Wait for Me | Susan Tedeschi | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 23 | Naughty or Nice | 3LW | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 25 | The Last Dance | Steps | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 25 | Seeing Double | S Club | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Better Dayz | 2Pac | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Birdman | Birdman | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue | Bob Dylan | Live 1975 |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Burned Alive By Time | Evergreen Terrace | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Chapter 2: The Voice | Syleena Johnson | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2 | Jerry Cantrell | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Does This Look Infected? | Sum 41 | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Dru World Order | Dru Hill | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Duets | Barbra Streisand | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Emotional | K-Ci and JoJo | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Encore | Lionel Richie | Live |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Good Timin': Live at Knebworth England 1980 | The Beach Boys | Live 1980 |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Greatest Hits | Will Smith | Compilation |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | I & I Survived | Bad Brains | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | It Ain't Safe No More | Busta Rhymes | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Lil' Beethoven | Sparks | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss | Snoop Dogg | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Phrenology | The Roots | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Red 13 | Journey | EP |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Shut Up | Kelly Osbourne | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Steal This Album! | System of a Down | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | This Is Me... Then | Jennifer Lopez | US |
| N O V E M B E R | 26 | Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors | Tim McGraw | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 27 | Population 1 | Population 1 | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 27 | Step into My Heart | immi | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 29 | Skylarkin' | Mic Christopher | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 29 | Synchronized | Sheavy | - |
| N O V E M B E R | 29 | Twelve Shots on the Rocks | Hanoi Rocks | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 1 | El Sello De Los Tiempos | WarCry | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 2 | Dive In | Darius | Debut |
| D E C E M B E R | 2 | Goodnight Sun | Mike Farris | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 3 | Charmbracelet | Mariah Carey | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 6 | Breaking Up Gray Skies | Zayra Alvarez | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 6 | Lost as One | Whispering Gallery | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 6 | Taking the Lead | Elias Viljanen | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 9 | Cold Black Piece of Flesh | Sacrificium | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 9 | Makowiecki Band | Tomasz Makowiecki | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane | t.A.T.u. | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | Electric Circus | Common | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | Feast on Scraps | Alanis Morissette | Live DVD |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | I Care 4 U | Aaliyah | Compilation |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | Just Whitney | Whitney Houston | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | Legend of the Liquid Sword | GZA | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | Naughty or Nice | 3LW | Christmas |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | Pandemonium! | B2K | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 10 | Round Room | Phish | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 11 | The Ballads: Love & B'z | B'z | Compilation |
| D E C E M B E R | 11 | CARPE DIEM | Yellow Generation | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 11 | Radio Caroline Vol.1 | Miss Kittin | Compilation |
| D E C E M B E R | 11 | Sugar High | Chihiro Onitsuka | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 13 | God's Son | Nas | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 13 | Glam-rök | Fireflight | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 13 | Teraz wiem | Szymon Wydra | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 16 | Chloë | Chloë Agnew | Debut |
| D E C E M B E R | 16 | Pop*Porn | Libido | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 17 | Camden Underworld, London – 16 November 2001 | As Friends Rust / Strike Anywhere | Live video |
| D E C E M B E R | 17 | Don't Stop Movin' | S Club | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 17 | Game Time | Lil' Romeo | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 17 | I Wanna Go There | Tyrese | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 17 | MTV Unplugged 2.0 | Dashboard Confessional | Live |
| D E C E M B E R | 17 | The Next Episode | Next | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 18 | Rainbow | Ayumi Hamasaki | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 20 | Gecko Stroll | Will Pan | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 20 | Jade-2 | Jade Kwan | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 24 | The Genesis | Yngwie Malmsteen | - |
| D E C E M B E R | 24 | What If It All Means Something | Chantal Kreviazuk | Canada |
| D E C E M B E R | 26 | Solo Star | Solange | Japan |
| D E C E M B E R | 27 | I Am the Movie | Motion City Soundtrack | Self-released release |
| D E C E M B E R | 31 | Revenge Is My Name | Iron Mask | - |

### Release date unknown

* Be Still – Donna Lewis
* Guitar Player – Hank Marvin
* Hollinndagain – Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Geologist
* Lovesick, Broke and Driftin' – Hank Williams III
* Memory – La – Constantin Veis
* The Moan – The Black Keys
* N.I.N.A. – Lisa Lopes
* Peace On Earth – Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge
* Purely Evil – The Rogers Sisters
* Steam Powered Aereo-Takes - John Hartford
* ’’Azusa Praise 2 - We Cry Out!’’ - Carlton Pearson

## Popular songs

* "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" – Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé
* "Addictive" – Truth Hurts feat. R.A.K.I.M.
* "Aerials" – System of a Down
* "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" – Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule and Caddillac Tah
* "All I Have" – Jennifer Lopez featuring LL Cool J
* "All My Life" – Foo Fighters
* "All the Things She Said" – t.A.T.u.
* "All You Wanted" – Michelle Branch
* "Always On Time" – Ja Rule featuring Ashanti
* "Are You In?" – Incubus
* "Amber" – 311
* "Aserejé" – Monkey Circus
* "Beautiful" – Christina Aguilera
* "Blurry" – Puddle of Mudd
* "Born to Try" – Delta Goodrem
* "Boom" – P.O.D.
* "Bop Bop Baby" – Westlife (UK)
* "Boys" – Britney Spears
* "Break Ya Neck" – Busta Rhymes
* "Buried Myself Alive" – The Used
* "By the Way" – Red Hot Chili Peppers
* "Can't Get You Out of My Head" – Kylie Minogue
* "Can't Stop" – Red Hot Chili Peppers
* "Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!)" – Garbage
* "Cleanin' Out My Closet" – Eminem
* "Clocks" – Coldplay
* "Come into My World" – Kylie Minogue
* "Complicated" – Avril Lavigne
* "Crawling in the Dark" – Hoobastank
* "Days Go By" – Dirty Vegas
* "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" – The White Stripes
* "Defy You" – The Offspring
* "Désenchantée" – Kate Ryan
* "Die Another Day" – Madonna
* "Dilemma" – Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland
* "Dirrty" – Christina Aguilera featuring Redman
* "Disease" – Matchbox Twenty
* "Do You Realize??" – The Flaming Lips
* "Don't Let Me Get Me" – Pink
* "Don't Stop" – The Rolling Stones
* "Don't You Want Me" – Alcazar
* "Downfall" – Trust Company
* "Electrical Storm" – U2
* "Emily" – Bowling for Soup
* "Epiphany" – Staind
* "Escape" – Enrique Iglesias
* "Everyday" – Bon Jovi
* "Everything" – M2M
* "Feel" – Robbie Williams
* "Fell in Love with a Girl" – The White Stripes
* "Flowers in the Window" – Travis
* "Foolish" – Ashanti
* "For You" – Staind
* "Full Moon" – Brandy
* "The Game of Love" – Santana ft. Michelle Branch
* "Gangsta Lovin'" – Eve
* "Get Over You" – Sophie Ellis-Bextor
* "Get the Party Started" – Pink
* "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" – Star Academy France
* "Girl All the Bad Guys Want" – Bowling for Soup
* "Girl Talk" – TLC
* "Girlfriend" – 'N Sync featuring Nelly
* "Goodbye to You" – Michelle Branch
* "Good Times" – Styles P
* "Grace" – Supergrass
* "Handle This" – Sum 41
* "Hands Clean" – Alanis Morissette
* "Head On Collision" – New Found Glory
* "Headstrong" – Trapt
* "Hearts on Fire" – HammerFall
* "Hella Good" – No Doubt
* "Help Me" – Nick Carter
* "Here I Am" – Bryan Adams
* "Here Is Gone" – Goo Goo Dolls
* "Here to Stay" – KoЯn
* "Hero" – Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott
* "Hero" – Enrique Iglesias
* "Hey Baby" – No Doubt
* "Hikari" – Hikaru Utada
* "The Hindu Times" – Oasis
* "Hot in Herre" – Nelly
* "Hundred Million" – Treble Charger
* "I Care 4 U" – Aaliyah
* "I Feel So" – Box Car Racer
* "I Need a Girl (Part Two)" – P. Diddy, Ginuwine, Loon and Mario Winans
* "I Think I Love You" – Kaci Battaglia
* "I'd Do Anything" – Simple Plan
* "If I Could Go" – Angie Martinez featuring Sacario & Lil Mo
* "I'm a Slave 4 U" – Britney Spears
* "I'm Alive" – Céline Dion
* "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!" – Shania Twain
* "I'm Just a Kid" – Simple Plan
* "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" – Britney Spears
* "In My Place" – Coldplay
* "In the End" – Linkin Park
* "In Your Eyes" – Kylie Minogue
* "independent" – Ayumi Hamasaki
* "It's Goin' Down" – The X-Ecutioners featuring Mike Shinoda and Mr. Hahn
* "Jenny from the Block" – Jennifer Lopez featuring Jadakiss and Styles P
* "Just like a Pill" – Pink
* "Keep Fishin'" – Weezer
* "The Ketchup Song (Asereje)" – Las Ketchup
* "Les Mots" – Mylène Farmer and Seal
* "Letters to You" – Finch
* "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" – Good Charlotte
* "Like I Love You" – Justin Timberlake
* "Little By Little" – Oasis
* "A Little Less Conversation" – Elvis Presley vs. JXL
* "Loneliness" - Tomcraft
* "Lose Yourself" – Eminem
* "Love at First Sight" – Kylie Minogue
* "Love Don't Let Me Go" – David Guetta
* "Marie" – Johnny Hallyday
* "Miss You" – Aaliyah
* "A Moment Like This" – Kelly Clarkson
* "Motivation" – Sum 41
* "Move Bitch" – Ludacris featuring Mystikal and I-20
* "Move It Like This" - Baha Men
* "Murder on the Dancefloor" – Sophie Ellis Bextor
* "My Friends Over You" – New Found Glory
* "My Sacrifice" – Creed
* "My Neck, My Back" – Khia
* "Never Again" – Nickelback
* "A New Day Has Come" – Celine Dion
* "No More Drama" – Mary J. Blige
* "No One Knows" – Queens of the Stone Age
* "Not Gonna Get Us" – t.A.T.u.
* "One Last Breath" – Creed
* "Overprotected" – Britney Spears
* "Papa Don't Preach" – Kelly Osbourne
* "Prayer" – Disturbed
* "Precious Illusions" – Alanis Morissette
* "Put the Needle on It" – Dannii Minogue
* "Rapture" – iiO
* "The Red" – Chevelle
* "The Rising" – Bruce Springsteen
* "Running Away" – Hoobastank
* "Satisfaction" – Benny Benassi
* "The Scientist" – Coldplay
* "Seein' Red" – Unwritten Law
* "She Hates Me" – Puddle of Mudd
* "She Loves Me Not" – Papa Roach
* "Sk8er Boi" – Avril Lavigne
* "Slow Burn" – David Bowie
* "Soak Up the Sun" – Sheryl Crow
* "Something to Talk About" – Badly Drawn Boy
* "Sound of the Underground" – Girls Aloud
* "Southern Sun/Ready Steady Go" – Paul Oakenfold
* "Spin" – Lifehouse
* "Stach Stach" – Bratisla Boys
* "Stay Together for the Kids" – Blink-182
* "Steve McQueen" – Sheryl Crow
* "Still Waiting" – Sum 41
* "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" – Oasis
* "Swing Swing" – All American Rejects
* "Take Me Away" – 4 Strings
* "The Taste of Ink" – The Used
* "There Is" – Box Car Racer
* "A Thousand Miles" – Vanessa Carlton
* "Through the Rain" – Mariah Carey
* "The Tide Is High" – Atomic Kitten
* "Too Bad" - Nickelback
* "Toxicity" – System of a Down
* "Tous ensemble" – Johnny Hallyday
* "Trackin'" – Billy Crawford
* "Tu trouveras" – Natasha St-Pier
* "Un Enfant de toi" – Phil Barney and Marlène Duval
* "Unbreakable" – Westlife
* "Underneath Your Clothes" – Shakira
* "Voyage" – Ayumi Hamasaki
* "We Are All Made of Stars" – Moby
* "What About Us?" – Brandy
* "What I Go To School For" – Busted
* "Where's Your Head At?" – Basement Jaxx
* "Wherever You Will Go" – The Calling
* "Without Me" – Eminem
* "Without You" – Silverchair
* "Work It" – Missy Elliott
* "World of Our Own" – Westlife (UK)
* "You Know You're Right" – Nirvana
* "Your Body Is A Wonderland" – John Mayer
* "Youth of the Nation" – P.O.D.
* "The Zephyr Song" – Red Hot Chili Peppers

## Top 10 selling albums of the year in the US

* The Eminem Show – Eminem
* Nellyville – Nelly
* Let Go – Avril Lavigne
* Britney – Britney Spears
* Laundry Service – Shakira
* Silver Side Up – Nickelback
* A New Day Has Come – Celine Dion
* 8701 – Usher
* Home – Dixie Chicks
* Missundaztood – Pink

## Classical music

The following composers' works were composed, premiered, or published this year, as noted in the citation.

### A

* Kalevi Aho – Flute Concerto

### B

* Leonardo Balada – Passacaglia for Orchestra
* Derek Bourgeois – Symphony No. 9

### C

* George Crumb – Eine Kleine Mitternachtmusik (A Little Midnight Music) for piano

### D

* Peter Maxwell Davies – Naxos Quartet No. 1

### F

* Beat Furrer – Phasma, for piano

### G

* Philip Glass – Concerto for Harpsichord and Chamber Orchestra

### H

* Patrick Hawes – Blue in Blue
* Toshio Hosokawa –Slow Motion

### K

* Tolga Kashif – Queen Symphony

### L

* Theo Loevendie – Clarinet Concerto

### S

* Somei Satoh – Violin Concerto
* Salvatore Sciarrino – Altre schegge di canto, symphonic work
* John Serry Sr. –
** American Rhapsody (piano transcription)
** Concerto for Free Bass Accordion (piano transcription)
* Johannes Maria Staud
** Esquisse retouchée (Incipit 2), for trombone (with bass drum)
** Configurations / Reflet, for 8 players
** Polygon, for piano and orchestra
* Karlheinz Stockhausen –
** Europa-Gruss (revised version, for minimum ensemble)
** Strahlen ("Rays"), for a percussionist and ten-channel sound recording

### Y

* Ye Xiaogang – Great Wall Symphony

### Z
## Opera

* Friedrich Cerha – Der Riese vom Steinfeld
* Steve Reich – Three Tales
* Salvatore Sciarrino – Macbeth
* Michel van der Aa – One
* Rodney Waschka II – Saint Ambrose (recording only)

## Musical theater

* Bombay Dreams – London production
* Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – London production
* Hairspray – Broadway production opened at the Neil Simon Theatre on August 15 and ran for over 2500 performances
* Movin' Out – Broadway production opened at the Richard Rodgers Theatre and ran for 1303 performances
* Sweet Smell of Success: The Musical – Broadway production opened on March 14 at the Martin Beck Theatre and ran for 109 performances
* Taboo – London production opened January 29
* Thoroughly Modern Millie (musical) – Broadway production opened at the Marquis Theatre and ran for 903 performances
* We Will Rock You – London production

## Musical films

* 8 Mile a drama starring Eminem as a rapper. Features many rap battles.
* 8 Women
* 24 Hour Party People
* Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage
* April Maadhathil, starring Srikanth and Sneha
* Bala, starring Shaam and Meera Jasmine
* Biggie & Tupac
* Chicago, starring Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere
* Filles perdues, cheveux gras
* Green Lights
* I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco
* Return to Never Land (animated feature)
* Standing in the Shadows of Motown
* Unconditional Love

## Births

* January 2 – Jorja Douglas, English born Germany singer, member of Flo
* January 11 - Dro Kenji, American rapper
* January 16 - Eddie Benjamin, Australian singer-songwriter and music producer based in Los Angeles, California
* January 25 – Lil Mosey, American rapper and Internet personality
* January 30 – Tyla, South African singer, songwriter and dancer
* February 5 – Taehyun, Korean singer and dancer, member of TXT
* February 21
** Duwap Kaine, American rapper
** Marcus & Martinus, Norwegian brothers duo
* February 23 - Emilia Jones, English actress, singer, and songwriter
* February 26 - Nikita Kering, Kenyan musician, actress and media personality
* February 28 - Ylona Garcia, Filipino-Australian singer, songwriter and actress
* March 2 – Wonbin, Korean singer, member of Riize
* March 17 - Budjerah, Australian singer, from a Coodjinburra man from the Bundjalung nation.
* April 9 - Loren Gray, American singer
* April 5 – Golden Cañedo, Filipina singer and entertainer, winner of The Clash season 1
* April 18 – Noah Thompson, American singer
* April 24 – Skylar Stecker, American singer-songwriter and actress
* May 13 – Zoe Wees, German singer
* May 15
** Lil Huddy, American social media personality, singer, and actor
** Hala Al Turk, Jordanian-Syrian Bahraini singer
* June 4 – Day, Hong Kong singer, member of COLLAR
* June 11 – Marf Yau, Hong Kong singer and actress, member of COLLAR
* June 14 – Ayra Starr, Beninese-born Nigerian singer
* June 25 – Benson Boone, American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
* June 29 – Marlhy Murphy, American musician, actress, television personality, and internet personality
* July 4 - Yailin La Más Viral, Dominican rapper and singer
* July 7 – Caity Baser, British singer
* July 13 – Mad Tsai, American singer-songwriter
* July 14 – Kian, Australian singer-songwriter and musician
* July 23 – Lil' P-Nut, American rapper and actor
* July 25 – Shunsuke Michieda, Japanese singer and actor, member of Naniwa Danshi
* July 31
** Abi Carter, American singer
** João Gomes, Brazilian singer and songwriter
* August 6
** Nessa Barrett, American singer and songwriter
** Bailey May, Filipino-British singer, model, actor, dancer, and television personality
* August 14 – Hueningkai, American-Korean singer, member of TXT
* August 15 – Kento Nagao, Japanese singer, member of Naniwa Danshi
* August 23 – Indiana Massara, Australian actress and singer
* August 25 – BoyWithUke, Korean-American alt-pop singer, musician
* August 26 – Lil Tecca, American rapper
* August 30 – Bktherula, American rapper
* September 3 – Kyline Alcantara, Filipina singer and TV personality
* September 5
** Alika Milova, Estonian singer
** Alessandra Mele, Italian-Norwegian singer
* September 7 – Ericdoa, American singer, songwriter, and record producer
* September 17 – ArrDee, English rapper
* September 20 – Gabriel LaBelle, Canadian singer
* September 23 – Maddie Ziegler, American dancer and actress
* September 25 – Renée Downer, English singer, member of Flo
* September 29 – Chloe Moriondo, American singer-songwriter and YouTuber
* October 2 – Jacob Sartorius, American singer
* October 9
** Any Gabrielly, Brazilian singer and dancer
** Elka Cheng, Hong Kong singer, member of Lolly Talk
* October 15 – Malu Trevejo, Cuban singer and media personality
* October 23 – Ningning, Chinese singer, member of aespa
* October 24
** Ado, Japanese singer
** Lyn Lapid, American singer and instrumentist
* October 29 – Ruel, English born Australian soul R&B singer-songwriter
* November 1 – NLE Choppa, American rapper
* November 5 - Jawsh 685, New Zealand beat maker and music producer
* November 26 - Baylee Littrell, American country singer (son of Leighanne Wallace and Brian Littrell (Member of Backstreet Boys))
* December 13 - AC Bonifacio, Canadian dancer, singer, vlogger and actress
* December 16
** Zera, Serbian-Austrian rapper and songwriter
** Double Lz, British rapper and songwriter
* December 30 - Lina Kuduzović, Slovenian singer

## Deaths

* January 2 – Zac Foley (33), bassist of EMF (drug overdose)
* January 3 – Juan García Esquivel (83) Mexican band leader, pianist and composer
* January 7 – Jon Lee (33), Feeder drummer (suicide)
* January 20 – Ivan Karabyts (57), Ukrainian conductor and composer
* January 21 – Peggy Lee (81), jazz singer and songwriter
* January 22
** Peter Bardens, (56), keyboardist of Camel
** Sheldon Allman, (77)
* February 1 – Hildegard Knef (76), actress, singer, writer
* February 10 – Dave Van Ronk (65)
* February 13 – Waylon Jennings (64), country musician
* February 14 – Günter Wand (90), conductor
* February 24 – Leo Ornstein (106), composer
* March 1 – Doreen Waddell (36), singer who had worked with Soul II Soul and The KLF
* March 13 – Marc Moreland (44), guitarist (Wall of Voodoo, The Skulls) (liver failure)
* March 19 – John Patton (66), jazz and soul organist
* March 23 – Eileen Farrell (82), operatic soprano
* March 24 – Dorothy DeLay (84), Juilliard School violin teacher of Itzhak Perlman and Midori
* March 26 – Randy Castillo (51), drummer for Ozzy Osbourne & Mötley Crüe
* March 27 – Dudley Moore (66), English composer, pianist and actor
* March 31 – Lucio San Pedro (89), Filipino composer and teacher
* April 2 – Levi Celerio (91), Filipino composer and lyricist
* April 5 – Layne Staley (34), lead vocalist of Alice in Chains and Mad Season
* April 13 – Alex Baroni (35), singer
* April 15 – Ram Singh Thakur (87), Indian freedom fighter, musician and composer
* April 17 – Tak Shindo (79), musician, composer and arranger
* April 25 – Lisa Lopes (30), singer (car accident)
* April 27 – Hillous Butrum (74), country musician
* May 3 – Evgeny Svetlanov (73), composer and conductor
* May 6
** Otis Blackwell (71), songwriter and pianist
** Bjørn Johansen (61), Norwegian saxophonist
* May 7 – Xavier Montsalvatge (90), composer
* May 9 – Leon Stein (91), composer, conductor and musicologist (born September 18, 1910)
* June 5 – Dee Dee Ramone (50), of The Ramones (heroin overdose)
* June 6 – Robbin Crosby (42), guitarist (Ratt)
* June 13 – Ralph Shapey (81), American composer and conductor
* June 15 – Big Mello (33), rapper (car accident)
* June 27 – John Entwistle (57), bassist of The Who (heart attack)
* June 29 – Rosemary Clooney (74), US singer and actress
* July 2
** Ray Brown (75), jazz bassist
** Earle Brown (75), composer
* July 4 – Gerald Bales (83), Canadian organist and composer
* July 11 – Rosco Gordon (74), blues singer and songwriter
* July 19
** Dave Carter (49), American singer-songwriter and guitarist
** Alan Lomax (87), American folklorist, ethnomusicologist and musician
* July 21 – Gus Dudgeon (59), English music producer
* August 2
** Joe Allison (77), songwriter
** Magda László, operatic soprano
* August 9 – Bertold Hummel (76), German composer
* August 10 – Michael Houser (40), guitarist (Widespread Panic) (pancreatic cancer)
* August 14 – Dave Williams (30), vocalist of Drowning Pool
* August 31 – Lionel Hampton (94), vibraphone virtuoso
* September 7 – Erma Franklin (64), gospel singer
* September 20 – Joan Littlewood (87), impresario
* September 24 – Tim Rose, (62), singer-songwriter
* September 29 – Mickey Newbury (62), singer, songwriter
* October 3 – Darryl DeLoach (55), guitarist (Iron Butterfly)
* October 17 – Derek Bell (66), harpist (The Chieftains)
* October 18 – Roman Tam (57), singer
* October 24 – Adolph Green (87), lyricist
* October 25 – Richard Harris (72), actor and singer
* October 27 – Tom Dowd (77), recording engineer and producer
* October 30 – Jam-Master Jay (37), member of Run-D.M.C.
* November 3 – Lonnie Donegan (71), skiffle musician
* November 5 – Billy Guy (66), singer (The Coasters)
* November 21 – Hadda Brooks (86), U.S. jazz singer, pianist and composer
* November 28 – Dave "Snaker" Ray (59), blues singer and guitarist
* November 30 – Minuetta Kessler (88), concert pianist, classical composer and music educator
* December 9 – Mary Hansen (36), member of Stereolab (road accident)
* December 13 – Zal Yanovsky (57), rock singer and guitarist (The Lovin' Spoonful)
* December 22 – Joe Strummer (50), singer and guitarist of The Clash
* December 31 – Kevin MacMichael (51), Canadian guitarist of British band Cutting Crew

## Awards

* The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Isaac Hayes, Brenda Lee, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Gene Pitney, Ramones and Talking Heads
* Inductees of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame include Pat Boone, and Amy Grant

### ARIA Music Awards

* ARIA Music Awards of 2002

### Grammy Awards

* Grammy Awards of 2002

### Country Music Association Awards

* 2002 Country Music Association Awards

### Eurovision Song Contest

* Eurovision Song Contest 2002

### Mercury Music Prize

* A Little Deeper – Ms. Dynamite wins.

### Glenn Gould Prize

* Pierre Boulez (laureate), Jean-Guihen Queyras (protégé)

### WET Awards
#### WET Awards 2002

The 2nd WET Awards took place at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 25, 2002. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedian Mike Myers and Jim Carrey hosted the event for the second time.

##### Winners and nominees

| Video of the Year | Viewers' Choice |
| No Doubt feat. Bounty Killer – "Hey Baby" Nelly Furtado – "I'm Like a Bird" Sam Moran feat. Dane Bowers – "Amish Paradise" Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule – "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" NSYNC and 98° – "Can U Get wit It" | Blue – "Too Close" Nelly Furtado – "I'm Like a Bird" Backstreet Boys feat. 98° – "Freak Me" D12 – "Purple Hills" Britney Spears – "Overprotected" |
| Best Female Rock Artist | Best Male Rock Artist |
| Sheryl Crow Tori Amos Melissa Etheridge Michelle Branch Stevie Nicks | Coldplay Cypress Hill Lenny Kravitz Aerosmith Nickelback |
| Best Female Pop Artist | Best Male Pop Artist |
| Shakira Jewel Nelly Furtado Pink Britney Spears | Justin Timberlake Michael Jackson Sam Moran Enrique Iglesias Aaron Carter |
| Best Group ||
| NSYNC O-Town Blue Atomic Kitten Backstreet Boys ||
| Best New Artist | Best Country Artist |
| Britney Spears Kylie Minogue Blue Michael Jackson Five | Tim McGraw Toby Keith Kenny Chesney Alan Jackson Brad Paisley |
| Best Actress | Best Actor |
| Mandy Moore Angelina Jolie Cameron Diaz Nicole Kidman Reese Witherspoon | Will Ferrell Elijah Wood Vin Diesel Paul Walker Jackie Chan |
| Sportswoman of the Year | Sportsman of the Year |
| Mae Young Stacy Keibler Molly Holly Torrie Wilson Trish Stratus | Brock Lesnar Stone Cold Steve Austin Triple H The Undertaker The Rock |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Humanitarian Award |
| Eurythmics | Kurt Angle |

## Charts

* Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2002

### Triple J Hottest 100

* Triple J Hottest 100, 2002