# 2008 in American music

The following is a list of notable music events and releases that occurred in 2008 in the United States.

## Notable events
### January

* 6 – "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" by Soulja Boy became the first song ever to sell over 3 million digital copies in the United States.
* 15 – The Magnetic Fields released their first studio album in four years, Distortion.
* 29 — Course of Nature released their first studio album in six years, and also their final album, Damaged.
** Decrepit Birth released their first studio album in over four years, Diminishing Between Worlds.
** Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla released his solo debut studio album, Field Manual.
** The Helio Sequence released their first studio album in four years, Keep Your Eyes Ahead.
** Idina Menzel released her first studio album in four years, I Stand.
** Classical soprano singer Margaret Truman, the only child of President Harry S. Truman, died at the age of 83.

### February

* 3 – Jordin Sparks performed the National Anthem and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performed the halftime show during Super Bowl XLII at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
* 5 – Lenny Kravitz released his first studio album in four years, It Is Time for a Love Revolution.
* 10 – The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Amy Winehouse took home the most awards with five including Record and Song of the Year with "Rehab". Herbie Hancock won Album of the Year with River: The Joni Letters.

### March

* 3 – The Black Crowes released their first studio album in seven years, Warpaint.
* 25 – Counting Crows released their first studio album in nearly six years, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings.
* 31 – R.E.M. released their first studio album in almost four years, Accelerate.

### April

* 3 – 14 years after their breakup, Donnie Wahlberg confirmed that New Kids on the Block were reuniting along with a new album and tour.
* 8 – Stone Temple Pilots announced their reunion after five years apart with a tour beginning in May 2008.
** Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery released his debut solo album, Help Wanted.
* 14 – The CMT Music Awards took place at the Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
* 15 – Phantom Planet released their first studio album in four years, Raise the Dead. The band then announced a hiatus later in the year.
* 17 – Danny Federici, founding member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, died at the age of 58 due to melanoma.
* 19 – LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, died at the age of 46 due to injuries he sustained from an ATV accident on his farm.
* 23 – Jane's Addiction played their first show after a four year break at the NME Awards. This was the band's first performance with original bassist Eric Avery since 1991.

### May

* 13 – Usher released his first studio album in four years, Here I Stand.
** Filter released their first studio album in six years, Anthems for the Damned.
* 18 – The 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley won the most awards with two each.
* 21 – David Cook won the seventh season of American Idol. David Archuleta was named runner-up. This is the last season where the judging panel consisted of only Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson, as songwriter Kara DioGuardi joined the panel the following season.

### June

* 3 – Journey released Revelation, their first studio album with new lead singer, Arnel Pineda.
* 10 – Emmylou Harris released her first studio album in five years, All I Intended to Be.
** N.E.R.D. released their first studio album in four years, Seeing Sounds.
* 11 – The Offspring released their first studio album in nearly five years, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace.
* 29 – "Low" by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain became the first song ever to sell four million digital copies in the United States.

### July

* 1 – G-Unit released their first studio album in five years, T·O·S (Terminate on Sight).
* 5 – Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the 1,000th No. 1 song of the rock era.
* 22 – Candlebox released their first studio album in ten years, Into the Sun.

### August

* 10 – Issac Hayes died at the age of 65 at his home in Memphis, Tennessee.
* 12 – Michelle Williams released her first studio in four years, Unexpected.
* 26 – Jimmy Wayne released his first studio album in five years, Do You Believe Me Now.
** Slipknot released their first studio album in four years, All Hope Is Gone.
** Solange released her first studio album in six years, Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams.

### September

* 2 – New Kids on the Block released their first studio album in fourteen years, The Block.
* 6 – T.I. broke the Billboard Hot 100 record for a song's biggest jump to number 1 with "Whatever You Like". It jumped from number 71–1.
* 7 – The MTV Video Music Awards took place at Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles. Britney Spears won the most awards with 3.
* 12 – Metallica released their first studio album in five years, Death Magnetic. It is also their first album with bassist Robert Trujillo, who replaced longtime bassist Jason Newsted in 2003 following Newsted's departure from the band in 2001.
* 30 – The Archies released their first studio album in 37 years, The Archies Christmas Album.

### October

* 17 – Levi Stubbs, lead singer and founding member of the Four Tops, died at the age of 72.
* 18 – T.I. broke his own Billboard Hot 100 record for a song's biggest jump to number 1 with "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna. In went from number 80–1.
* 23 – The BET Hip Hop Awards took place at the Atlanta Civic Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
* 25 – Britney Spears's "Womanizer" breaks the Billboard Hot 100 record for a song's biggest jump to number 1, going from 96–1. She held the record until February 7, 2009, when Kelly Clarkson reclaimed it with "My Life Would Suck Without You".

### November

* 4 – Q-Tip released his sophomore solo album, The Renaissance. It was also his first studio album in nine years.
** Deftones bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a car crash that left him in a coma. The injuries he sustained in the crash eventually led to his death in April 2013.
* 12 – The CMA Awards took place at the Sommett Center in Nashville, Tennessee. George Strait, Brad Paisley and Sugarland took home the most awards with three each.
* 13 – The 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards took place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
* 23 – The American Music Awards took place at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Chris Brown won the most awards with 3.
** Guns N' Roses released their first studio album in 15 years and their first album of original material in 17 years, Chinese Democracy. It was also their first album to not feature guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan, or guitarist and co-founder Izzy Stradlin.
* 25 – Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland released his first solo album in 10 years, "Happy" in Galoshes.

### December

* 5 – Brandy released her first studio album in four years, Human.
* 20 – Rock and blues singer-guitarist Bo Diddley died at the age of 80.
* 25 – Singer and actress Eartha Kitt died in her home in Connecticut at the age of 81 due to colon cancer.

## Bands formed

* Allstar Weekend
* Blue Giant
* Brass Knuckles
* The Bunny the Bear
* Chicano Batman
* Das Racist
* The Drums
* Dum Dum Girls
* Empires
* Falling in Reverse
* Fitz and the Tantrums
* Fun.
* The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger
* Gloriana
* Imagine Dragons
* Kate & Kacey
* Major Lazer
* Messengers
* Neon Indian
* One Day as a Lion
* Parachute
* Selena Gomez & the Scene
* Sleigh Bells
* Wavves

## Bands on hiatus

* Adema
* The Dresden Dolls
* Phantom Planet
* The Starting Line

## Bands disbanded

* Allegiance
* Be Your Own Pet
* The Cheetah Girls
* Hootie & the Blowfish
* Men, Women & Children
* Monster in the Machine
* Yellowcard

## List of albums released
### January

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 1 | American Gothic (EP) | The Smashing Pumpkins | Alternative rock |
| 8 | Warning Device | Teenage Bottlerocket | Punk rock |
| 8 | Good Thing Going | Rhonda Vincent | Countrybluegrass |
| 11 | Seasons of Tragedy | Benedictum | Heavy metal |
| 15 | Winter (EP) | Jon Foreman | Acoustic |
| 15 | Distortion | The Magnetic Fields | Indie popnoise popshoegaze |
| 15 | The North Pole Project | Number One Gun | Christian rockalternative rockemo |
| 22 | Champion | The Audition | Pop-punk |
| 22 | Illustrious | Big Noyd | East Coast hip-hopgansta rap |
| 22 | Oblivion Beckons | Byzantine | Groove metal |
| 22 | Unfamiliar Faces | Matt Costa | Folk |
| 22 | Venus on Earth | Dengue Fever | Cambodian rockpsychedelic pop |
| 22 | Introducing Foxy Shazam | Foxy Shazam | Alternative rockpost-hardcoreexperimental rocksoul |
| 22 | Mission Control | The Whigs | Garage rock |
| 22 | Chuck Wicks | Chuck Wicks | Country |
| 22 | Horror | With Blood Comes Cleansing | Deathcore |
| 22 | Line in the Sans | ZOX | Alternative rockreggae rockska |
| 29 | Damaged | Course of Nature | Alternative rockhard rockpost-grunge |
| 29 | Diminishing Between Worlds | Decrepit Birth | Technical death metal |
| 29 | Another Sound Is Dying | Dub Trio | Dubpunk rock |
| 29 | Keep Your Eyes Ahead | The Helio Sequence | Indie rock |
| 29 | Slick Dogs and Ponies | Louis XIV | Indie rockpost-punk |
| 29 | The Bedlam in Goliath | The Mars Volta | Progressive rockjazz fusionfunk rock |
| 29 | I Stand | Idina Menzel | Pop |
| 29 | Moment of Forever | Willie Nelson | Country |
| 29 | We Brave Bee Stings and All | Thao & the Get Down Stay Down | Folk |
| 29 | Vampire Weekend | Vampire Weekend | Indie popAfrobeatchamber popworldbeat |
| 29 | Field Manual | Chris Walla | Indie rock |
| 29 | Women as Lovers | Xiu Xiu | Art rockexperimentalpost-punk |
| 30 | Hello...x | Tristan Prettyman | Pop |

### February

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 5 | Detours | Sheryl Crow | Rockpop rockfolk rock |
| 5 | Rhythm & Romance | Kenny G | Latin jazzsmooth jazz |
| 5 | It Is Time for a Love Revolution | Lenny Kravitz | Rock |
| 5 | District Line | Bob Mould | Alternative rock |
| 5 | Lucky | Nada Surf | Alternative rockindie rock |
| 18 | Shallow Believer (EP) | The Used | Emopost-hardcore |
| 19 | My Life's Been a Country Song | Chris Cagle | Country |
| 19 | Susquehanna | Cherry Poppin' Daddies | Rockswingska |
| 19 | Shh, Just Go with It | Every Avenue | Alternative rockpop-punkpower pop |
| 19 | A Twist in My Story | Secondhand Serenade | Emoalternative rockacoustic rock |
| 26 | Backwoods Barbie | Dolly Parton | Country |
| 26 | You're Awful, I Love You | Ludo | Pop rockpop-punkalternative rock |

### March

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 2 | Ghosts I–IV | Nine Inch Nails | Dark ambient |
| 3 | Warpaint | The Black Crowes | Southern rockblues rockhard rock |
| 4 | Float | Flogging Molly | Celtic rockpunk rock |
| 4 | Good Time | Alan Jackson | Country |
| 11 | Dreaming of Revenge | Kaki King | Indie popindie rock |
| 11 | These Are the Good Times People | The Presidents of the United States of America | Alternative rock |
| 11 | Saving Abel | Saving Abel | Hard rockpost-grunge |
| 11 | Ego Trippin' | Snoop Dogg | Hip hopR&B |
| 17 | Maybe I'm Dreaming | Owl City | Synth-popelectronica |
| 17 | Brain Thrust Mastery | We Are Scientists | Alternative rockindie rockpost-punk |
| 18 | Get Awkward | Be Your Own Pet | Punk rocknoise popgarage punk |
| 18 | Welcome to the Dollhouse | Danity Kane | PopR&B |
| 18 | Mail on Sunday | Flo Rida | Hip-hopSouthern hip hop |
| 18 | The Odd Couple | Gnarls Barkley | Pop rockpsychedelic soul |
| 18 | Heart is Long (EP) | Idiot Pilot | Electronic rock |
| 18 | A Band in Hope | The Matches | Pop-punkpop rock |
| 18 | Hits | New Found Glory | Pop-punk |
| 18 | Volume One | She & Him | Indie popalternative countryalternative rock |
| 21 | Pretty. Odd. | Panic at the Disco | Psychedelic poppsychedelic rockbaroque poppop rockfolk rock |
| 24 | Reason to Believe | Pennywise | Punk rockalternative rock |
| 25 | Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings | Counting Crows | Alternative rockfolk rock |
| 25 | Gave Me the Clap | Crash Romeo | Pop-punkpunk rock |
| 25 | Consolers of the Lonely | The Raconteurs | Alternative rockblues rockcountry rockpower popgarage rock |
| 31 | Accelerate | R.E.M. | Hard rockpunk rockglam rockjangle pop |

### April

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 1 | The Bright Lights of America | Anti-Flag | Punk rockalternative rock |
| 1 | Attack & Release | The Black Keys | Alternative rockblues rockgarage rock |
| 1 | Live in Phoenix | Fall Out Boy | Pop-punkpop rock |
| 1 | We Weren't Crazy | Josh Gracin | Country |
| 1 | Low vs Diamond | Low vs Diamond | Indie rock |
| 1 | Last Night | Moby | EDM |
| 1 | The Feel Good Record of the Year | No Use for a Name | Punk rock |
| 1 | Troubadour | George Strait | Country |
| 8 | Keep Telling Myself It's Alright | Ashes Divide | Alternative rockalternative metalhard rock |
| 8 | Help Wanted | Eric Avery | Alternative rockrock |
| 8 | When Angels & Serpents Dance | P.O.D. | Alternative metalalternative rock |
| 8 | All I Feel | Ray J | R&Bhip-hop |
| 15 | E=MC² | Mariah Carey | R&Bpophip-hop |
| 15 | Lovin' Life | Gaither Vocal Band | CCMSouthern gospel |
| 15 | Lady Antebellum | Lady Antebellum | Country |
| 15 | Mercy (Dancing for the Death of an Imaginary Enemy) | Ours | Alternative rock |
| 15 | Raise the Dead | Phantom Planet | Alternative rockgarage rock |
| 22 | When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold | Atmosphere | Hip hopalternative hip hop |
| 22 | Stop Drop and Roll!!! | Foxboro Hot Tubs | Garage rockrock and roll |
| 22 | Hello Destiny... | Goldfinger | Punk rockpop-punk |
| 22 | The Black Swan | Story of the Year | Alternative rockmelodic hardcoreemopost-hardcore |
| 29 | Whisper War | The Cab | Pop-punkpop rockpower pop |
| 29 | Underdog Alma Mater | Forever the Sickest Kids | Pop-punkpop rockalternative rock |
| 29 | VYP (Voice of the Young People) | Lil Mama | Hip-hopR&Bdance |
| 29 | Hard Candy | Madonna | Dance-pop |
| 29 | Mudcrutch | Mudcrutch | Southern rockcountry rock |
| 29 | Nerf Herder IV | Nerf Herder | Alternative rockrock |
| 29 | Tip of the Iceberg (EP) | New Found Glory | Pop-punkpunk rock |
| 29 | Santogold | Santogold | Indie poppop rockindie rock |
| 29 | Phil Stacey | Phil Stacey | Country |

### May

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 5 | ...Earth to the Dandy Warhols... | The Dandy Warhols | Neo-psychedeliaindie rock |
| 5 | The Slip | Nine Inch Nails | Industrial rock |
| 6 | On My Way Here | Clay Aiken | Pop |
| 6 | From First to Last | From First to Last | Alternative rockpost-hardcoreemo |
| 6 | Acoustic EP | Motion City Soundtrack | Acoustic |
| 6 | Spread the Rumors | Socratic | Pop-punkemo |
| 8 | Nouns | No Age | Punk rocknoise rock |
| 12 | Narrow Stairs | Death Cab for Cutie | Indie rockindie popalternative rock |
| 12 | We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things | Jason Mraz | Popfolkblue-eyed souljazz |
| 13 | Division | 10 Years | Alternative metalrock |
| 13 | Anthems for the Damned | Filter | Industrial rockhard rockalternative rocknu metal |
| 13 | Twelve Angry Months | Local H | Alternative rockrock |
| 13 | With Arrows, With Poise | The Myriad | Alternative rockindie pop |
| 13 | Honestly, I'm Doing Okay (EP) | The Spill Canvas | Alternative rockemo |
| 13 | Here I Stand | Usher | R&B |
| 17 | No, Virginia... | The Dresden Dolls | Dark cabaretart pop |
| 19 | Coming to Terms | Carolina Liar | Pop rockalternative rock |
| 20 | 3 Doors Down | 3 Doors Down | Alternative rockpost-grungehard rock |
| 20 | Julianne Hough | Julianne Hough | Country |
| 20 | Re-Arrange Us | Mates of State | Indie popindie rock |
| 20 | Departure | Jesse McCartney | PopR&Bdance-popelectropop |
| 20 | It's All Happening (EP) | The Takeover UK | Alternative rock |
| 21 | Wires...and the Concept of Breathing | A Skylit Drive | Post-hardcoreemohard rock |
| 27 | Bring Ya to the Brink | Cyndi Lauper | Dance-pop |

### June

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 3 | The Declaration | Ashanti | R&B |
| 3 | Indestructible | Disturbed | Heavy metalalternative metalhard rock |
| 3 | Perfectly Clear | Jewel | Country |
| 3 | Revelation | Journey | Hard rockarena rock |
| 10 | All I Intended to Be | Emmylou Harris | Country folkAmericana |
| 10 | Tha Carter III | Lil Wayne | Hip-hoppop rap |
| 10 | Whats Your Medium | The Medic Droid | Synth-poppower pop |
| 10 | Back When I Knew It All | Montgomery Gentry | Country |
| 10 | Evil Urges | My Morning Jacket | Indie rockneo-psychedelia |
| 10 | Seeing Sounds | N.E.R.D. | Hip hopalternative hip hop |
| 10 | Weezer (Red Album) | Weezer | Alternative rockpower popgeek rock |
| 11 | Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace | The Offspring | Alternative rockpunk rockpop-punk |
| 17 | One of the Boys | Katy Perry | Popsoft rockpower poppop-punk |
| 17 | Last Stop: Crappy Town | Reggie and the Full Effect | Alternative rockpost-hardcore |
| 23 | Cage the Elephant | Cage the Elephant | Punk bluesalternative rock |
| 24 | Rotation | Cute Is What We Aim For | Pop-punk |
| 24 | Superhero Brother | G. Love & Special Sauce | Rockindie rock |
| 24 | GNV FLA | Less Than Jake | Punk rockska punk |
| 24 | The Sound of Madness | Shinedown | Hard rockalternative rockpost-grungealternative metal |
| 24 | Last 2 Walk | Three 6 Mafia | Hip hop |

### July

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 1 | Agony & Irony | Alkaline Trio | Pop-punkalternative rock |
| 1 | T·O·S (Terminate on Sight) | G-Unit | Hip-hopgangsta rap |
| 1 | The Black Parade Is Dead! | My Chemical Romance | Alternative rockemopop-punk |
| 1 | The Bird and the Bee Sides (EP) | Relient K | Rockpop punkalternative rock |
| 8 | Want | 3OH!3 | Electropopcrunkcorealternative rockelectronic rockdance-popElectro-hop |
| 8 | Modern Guilt | Beck | Psychedelic rockavant-popneo-psychedelia |
| 8 | ¿Cómo Te Llama? | Albert Hammond, Jr. | Indie rockpost-punkgarage rock |
| 8 | Skip School, Start Fights | Hit the Lights | Pop-punkpunk rock |
| 8 | I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II | Killer Mike | Hip-hop |
| 8 | Can't Stop Won't Stop | The Maine | Pop rockPop punk |
| 8 | Two Men with the Blues | Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis | Jazz |
| 9 | Stronger Now (EP) | Just Surrender | Pop-punkemo |
| 15 | The Greatest Story Ever Told | David Banner | Southern hip hop |
| 15 | Life, Death, Love and Freedom | John Mellencamp | Americanafolk rockroots rockalternative countrycountry rockblues rockheartland rock |
| 15 | Untitled | Nas | Hip-hopR&Bpolitical hip hop |
| 15 | Around the Bend | Randy Travis | Counry |
| 15 | Ace Young | Ace Young | Pop |
| 18 | One Day as a Lion (EP) | One Day as a Lion | Rap rockalternative hip hop |
| 22 | Partie Traumatic | Black Kids | Indie rockindie pop |
| 22 | Into the Sun | Candlebox | Rockhard rockpost-grunge |
| 22 | Finch (EP) | Finch | Post-hardcore |
| 22 | Love on the Inside | Sugarland | Country |
| 29 | Along Came a Spider | Alice Cooper | Hard rockheavy metal |
| 29 | Scars on Broadway | Scars on Broadway | Alternative metalhard rock |

### August

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 5 | The Airborne Toxic Event | The Airborne Toxic Event | Alternative rockpost-punk |
| 5 | C'mon! | Keith Anderson | Country |
| 5 | Avalon | Anthony Green | Indie rockpop rock |
| 5 | Fragile Future | Hawthorne Heights | Emopop-punk |
| 5 | Urgency | Ism | Alternative rock |
| 5 | The Anti Mother | Norma Jean | Metalcorehard rockpost-hardcore |
| 5 | There for Tomorrow (EP) | There for Tomorrow | Post-hardcorepop-punkemoalternative rock |
| 5 | Only Through the Pain | Trapt | Alternative metalrock |
| 12 | A Little Bit Longer | Jonas Brothers | Rockpower-pop |
| 12 | Sugarbaby (EP) | Morningwood | Indie popdance-rock |
| 12 | Unexpected | Michelle Williams | R&BDance-popelectronica |
| 19 | Fast Times at Barrington High | The Academy Is... | Alternative rockpop-punk |
| 19 | The Cheetah Girls: One World | The Cheetah Girls | PopR&Bhip-hop |
| 19 | Dance Gavin Dance | Dance Gavin Dance | Post-hardcore |
| 19 | The '59 Sound | The Gaslight Anthem | Rockpunk rock |
| 19 | The Fame | Lady Gaga | Electropopsynth-popdance-pop |
| 19 | The Rhumb Line | Ra Ra Riot | Indie popindie rock |
| 19 | The Illusion of Progress | Staind | Post-grungealternative rock |
| 19 | No Deliverance | Toadies | Alternative rock |
| 19 | Look What You Made Me | Yung Berg | Hip-hop |
| 26 | LAX | The Game | West coast hip hopgangsta raphardcore hip hop |
| 26 | Holler Back | The Lost Trailers | Country |
| 26 | All Hope Is Gone | Slipknot | Groove metalalternative metal |
| 26 | Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams | Solange | R&Bpop-soulpsychedelic soulelectronica |
| 26 | Do You Believe Me Now | Jimmy Wayne | Country |

### September

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 2 | Swan Songs | Hollywood Undead | Rockrap rocknu metal |
| 2 | The Block | New Kids on the Block | Popdance-popR&Bblue-eyed soulpop rock |
| 2 | Lost in the Sound of Separation | Underoath | Metalcorepost-hardcorescreamo |
| 5 | The Way Out Is Broken (EP) | Armor for Sleep | Pop-punkemoalternative rock |
| 9 | Still Unforgettable | Natalie Cole | Jazz |
| 9 | Do You Know | Jessica Simpson | Country pop |
| 10 | Tigers Jaw | Tigers Jaw | Indie rockpop-punk |
| 12 | Death Magnetic | Metallica | Thrash metalheavy metal |
| 16 | It's Classy, Not Classic | Breathe Carolina | Synth-poppost-hardcore |
| 16 | Why Wait | Kristy Lee Cook | Country |
| 16 | We Global | DJ Khaled | Hip-hop |
| 16 | Jet Black & Jealous | Eli Young Band | Country |
| 16 | Cruel to Be Young | Jonezetta | Indie rock |
| 16 | Tell It to the Volcano | Miniature Tigers | Indie popindie rock |
| 16 | Year of the Gentleman | Ne-Yo | R&Bpop |
| 16 | Brass Knuckles | Nelly | Hip-hop |
| 16 | Colby O | Colby O'Donis | R&Bpop |
| 16 | Censored Colors | Portugal. The Man | Progressive rockindie rock |
| 16 | Learn to Live | Darius Rucker | Country |
| 16 | Un Mas Dos (EP) | Straylight Run | Indie rockemo |
| 16 | Dear Science | TV on the Radio | Indie rockart rockalternative rock |
| 17 | Way to Normal | Ben Folds | Indie popalternative rock |
| 19 | Only by the Night | Kings of Leon | Alternative rockSouthern rockpop rock |
| 19 | Doll Domination | The Pussycat Dolls | PopR&B |
| 23 | Loyalty to Loyalty | Cold War Kids | Indie rockalternative rock |
| 23 | Any Port in a Storm | The Dirty Heads | Alternative rockrap rockreggae rock |
| 23 | Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford | Everlast | Alternative rockblues rock |
| 23 | Tennessee Pusher | Old Crow Medicine Show | Folkcountry |
| 23 | Big Bad World | Plain White T's | Pop-punkpop rockalternative rock |
| 29 | & Then Boom | Iglu & Hartly | Pop rockpower popindie pop |
| 30 | New Surrender | Anberlin | Alternative rockpop-punkemo |
| 30 | The Archies Christmas Album | The Archies | Christmaspop |
| 30 | Shudder | Bayside | Alternative rockemopunk rockpop-punk |
| 30 | Christmas Gaither Vocal Band Style | Gaither Vocal Band | ChristmasCCM |
| 30 | The Christmas Collection | Amy Grant | ChristmasCCMgospel |
| 30 | Joy to the World | Faith Hill | Christmascountrybig band |
| 30 | Jennifer Hudson | Jennifer Hudson | R&B |
| 30 | The Dream | In This Moment | Hard rockalternative metal |
| 30 | Innerpartysystem | Innerpartysystem | Dance punkelectronic rock |
| 30 | The Glass Passenger | Jack's Mannequin | Pop rockpower pop |
| 30 | Kellie Pickler | Kellie Pickler | Countrycountry pop |
| 30 | Paper Trail | T.I. | Hip-hop |
| 30 | Live and Lawless | Unwritten Law | Punk rockalternative rock |
| 30 | Wavves | Wavves | Lo-finoise pop |

### October

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 7 | Caroling, Caroling: Christmas with Natalie Cole | Natalie Cole | Christmas |
| 7 | Hold on Tight | Hey Monday | Pop-punkpop rockpop |
| 7 | Japanese Motors | Japanese Motors | Garage rockpunk rock |
| 7 | Appeal to Reason | Rise Against | Melodic hardcorepunk rock |
| 7 | Life Is Not a Waiting Room | Senses Fail | Emopop-punkalternative rock |
| 10 | Christmas Duets | Elvis Presley | CountryCCMChristmaspop |
| 12 | Sounds of the Season: The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection (EP) | Julianne Hough | Christmascountry |
| 14 | Lucky Old Sun | Kenny Chesney | Country |
| 14 | Little Bit of Everything | Billy Currington | Country |
| 14 | Civil War | Dillinger Four | Punk rockmelodic hardcore |
| 14 | The End of an Error | Houston Calls | Pop-punkalternative rock |
| 14 | It's Christmas | Mandisa | GospelChristmasCCMR&B |
| 19 | Exposion | White Denim | Indie rockgarage rock |
| 21 | The Sound | Mary Mary | CCMgospel |
| 21 | Damn Right, Rebel Proud | Hank Williams III | Countrypsychobilly |
| 21 | Call Me Crazy | Lee Ann Womack | Country |
| 28 | Heart On | Eagles of Death Metal | Alternative rockgarage rock |
| 28 | The Life of a Song | Joey + Rory | Countrybluegrass |
| 28 | Funhouse | P!nk | Pop rock |
| 28 | Greatest Hits Volume 1 | Rascal Flatts | Country |
| 28 | Holiday Spirits | Straight No Chaser | ChristmasA cappella |
| 29 | The Sparrow and the Crow | William Fitzsimmons | Folk rockindie folk |

### November

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 4 | Play: The Guitar Album | Brad Paisley | Country |
| 4 | The Renaissance | Q-Tip | Hip hop |
| 4 | Season of Poison | Shiny Toy Guns | Indie rockindie popalternative rock |
| 10 | David Archuleta | David Archuleta | Pop |
| 11 | Fearless | Taylor Swift | Country pop |
| 18 | I Am... Sasha Fierce | Beyoncé | PopR&B |
| 18 | David Cook | David Cook | Pop rockalternative rockpost-grunge |
| 18 | Day & Age | The Killers | Alternative rocksynth-popdance-rock |
| 18 | Startin' Fires | Blake Shelton | Country |
| 18 | The Foundation | Zac Brown Band | Country |
| 23 | Chinese Democracy | Guns N' Roses | Hard rockrock |
| 24 | In the City | Kevin Rudolf | Pop rockrap rockhip-hopelectronic rock |
| 24 | 808s & Heartbreak | Kanye West | Electropophip-hopsynth popart pop |
| 25 | X | Trace Adkins | Country |
| 25 | Get It Together | The Supersuckers | Rockhard rockpunk rock |
| 25 | "Happy" in Galoshes | Scott Weiland | Alternative rockrock |
| 26 | Home for Christmas | Sheryl Crow | Christmascountryjazz |
| 28 | Phantom on the Horizon (EP) | The Fall of Troy | Post-hardcore |

### December

| Date | Album | Artist | Genre(s) |
| 2 | Circus | Britney Spears | Popdance |
| 8 | The Pink Lavalamp | Charles Hamilton | Hip hop |
| 9 | Universal Mind Control | Common | Hip hop |
| 9 | ...And a Happy New Year (EP) | The Maine | Christmaspop-punkacoustic rock |
| 11 | Ghetto Love (EP) | Spinnerette | Alternative rockrock |
| 16 | When the World Comes Down | The All-American Rejects | Alternative rockpop punkpower pop |
| 16 | Human | Brandy | PopR&B |
| 16 | Folie à Deux | Fall Out Boy | Power poppop rockpop-punkpopR&Balternative rockemo |
| 16 | Snoop Dogg Presents Christmas in tha Dogg House | Snoop Dogg | ChristmasWest coast hip hopG-funkgangsta rap |
| 16 | Secret Valentine (EP) | We the Kings | Pop-punk |
| 16 | Christmas with Weezer (EP) | Weezer | Christmasalternative rockpower pop |
| 23 | Take It to the Floor | Cash Cash | Synth-popdance popEDM |

## Top songs on record
### Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Songs

* "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis (4 weeks)
* "Disturbia" – Rihanna (2 weeks)
* "I Kissed a Girl" – Katy Perry (7 weeks)
* "Live Your Life" – T.I. featuring Rihanna (5 weeks)
* "Lollipop" – Lil Wayne featuring Static Major (5 weeks)
* "Love in This Club" – Usher featuring Young Jeezy (3 weeks)
* "Low" – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain (10 weeks)
* "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" – Beyoncé (2 weeks)
* "So What" – Pink (1 week)
* "Take a Bow" – Rihanna (1 week)
* "Touch My Body" – Mariah Carey (2 weeks)
* "Viva La Vida" – Coldplay (1 week)
* "Whatever You Like" – T.I. (5 weeks)
* "Womanizer" – Britney Spears (1 week)

### Billboard Hot 100 Top 20 Hits

All songs that reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the year, complete with peak chart placement.
* "4 Minutes" – Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake and Timbaland (#4)
* "7 Things" – Miley Cyrus (#7)
* "American Boy" – Estell featuring Kanye West (#9)
* "A Mili" – Lil Wayne (#6)
* "Better in Time" – Leona Lewis (#11)
* "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis (#1)
* "The Boss" – Rick Ross featuring T-Pain (#17)
* "Burnin' Up" – Jonas Brothers (#5
* "Bust It Baby Pt.2" – Plies featuring Ne-Yo (#7)
* "Bye Bye" – Mariah Carey (#19)
* "T-Pain" – T-Pain featuring Lil Wayne (#7)
* "Change" – Taylor Swift (#10)
* "Circus" – Britney Spears (#3)
* "Closer" – Ne-Yo (#7)
* "Crush" – David Archuleta (#2)
* "Damaged" – Danity Kane #10)
* "Disturbia" – Rihanna (#1)
* "Don't Stop the Music" – Rihanna (#3)
* "Dream Big" – David Cook (#15)
* "Elevator" – Flo Rida (#16)
* "Fearless" – Taylor Swift (#9)
* "Feedback" – Janet Jackson (#19)
* "Forever" – Chris Brown (#2)
* "Get Like Me" – David Banner featuring Chris Brown (#16)
* "Got Money" – Lil Wayne featuring T-Pain (#10)
* "Gotta Be Somebody" – Nickelback (#10)
* "Heartless" – Kanye West (#4)
* "Hot n Cold" – Katy Perry (#3)
* "I Kissed a Girl" – Katy Perry (#1)
* "If Today Was Your Last Day" – Nickelback (#19)
* "I'm Yours" – Jason Mraz (#6)
* "Independent" – Webbie featuring Lil Boosie and Lil Phat (#9)
* "In the Ayer" – Flo Rida (#9)
* "It's Not My Time" – 3 Doors Down (#17)
* "Just Stand Up!" – Various artists (#11)
* "Last Name" – Carrie Underwood (#19)
* "Leavin'" – Jesse McCartney (#10)
* "Let It Rock" – Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne (#5)
* "Light On" – David Cook (#17)
* "Like You'll Never See Me Again" – Alicia Keys (#12
* "Live Your Life" – T.I. featuring Rihanna (#1)
* "Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)" – Three 6 Mafia featuring Project Pat, Yung D and SuperPower (#18)
* "Lollipop" – Lil Wayne featuring Static Major (#1)
* "Love in This Club" – Usher featuring Young Jeezy (#1)
* "Love Like This" – Natasha Bedingfield featuring Sean Kingston (#5)
* "Love Lockdown" – Kanye West (#3)
* "Love Song" – Sara Bareilles (#4)
* "Love Story" – Taylor Swift (#5)
* "Low" – Flo Rida featuring T-Pain (#1)
* "Miss Independent" – Ne-Yo (#7)
* "Mrs. Officer" – Lil Wayne featuring Bobby Valentino and Kidd Kidd (#16)
* "No Air" – Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown (#3)
* "One Step at a Time" – Jordin Sparks (#17)
* "Our Song" – Taylor Swift (#16)
* "Paper Planes" – M.I.A. (#4)
* "Put On" – Young Jeezy featuring Kanye West (#12)
* "Right Now (Na Na Na)" – Akon (#7)
* "Realize" – Colbie Caillat (#20)
* "Right Now (Na Na Na)" – Akon (#7)
* "Say" – John Mayer (#12)
* "See You Again" – Miley Cyrus (#10)
* "Sensual Seduction" – Snoop Dogg (#7)
* "Sexy Can I" – Ray J featuring Yung Berg (#3)
* "Shadow of the Day" – Linkin Park (#15)
* "Shake It" – Metro Station (#10)
* "Shawty Get Loose" – Lil Mama featuring Chris Brown and T-Pain (#10)
* "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" – Beyoncé (#1)
* "So What" – Pink (#1)
* "Sorry" – Buckcherry #9)
* "Stop and Stare" – OneRepublic (#12)
* "Superstar" – Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos (#10)
* "Suffocate" – J. Holiday (#18)
* "Swagga Like Us" – T.I. featuring Kanye West and Lil Wayne (#5)
* "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" – Wyclef Jean featuring Akon, Lil Wayne and Niia (#12)
* "Take a Bow" – Rihanna (#1)
* "Teardrops on My Guitar" – Taylor Swift (#13)
* "The Time of My Life" – David Cook (#3)
* "Touch My Body" – Mariah Carey (#1)
* "Viva La Vida" – Coldplay (#1)
* "What About Now" – Daughtry (#18)
* "What You Got" – Colby O'Donis featuring Akon (#14)
* "Whatever You Like" – T.I. (#1)
* "When I Grow Up" – The Pussycat Dolls (#9)
* "White Horse" – Taylor Swift (#13)
* "With You" Chris Brown (#2)
* "Womanizer" – Britney Spears (#1)
* "When I Grow Up" – The Pussycat Dolls (#9)

## Deaths

* January 5 – Irene Reid, 77, jazz singer
* January 8 – Clyde Otis, 83, songwriter, producer, A&R
* January 11 – Pete Candoli, 84, jazz trumpeter
* January 18 – Frank Lewin, 82, composer
* January 19 – Ken Nelson, 96, record producer
** John Stewart, 68, folk and pop singer, songwriter, guitarist, banjo player
* January 29 – Margaret Truman, 83, classical soprano singer, actress, writer
* February 4 – Chris Anderson, 81, jazz pianist
* February 9 – Scot Halpin, 54, rock drummer
* February 13 – Roger Voisin, 89, classical trumpeter
* February 19 – Teo Macero, 82, jazz saxophonist, composer, record producer
* February 20 – Allen Strange, 84, composer
* February 24 – Phil Bodner, 90, jazz clarinetist, studio musician
** Larry Norman, 60, Rock and Christian rock musician, songwriter, producer
* February 25 – Static Major, 33, R&B and hip hop singer, rapper, producer, songwriter
* February 26 – Buddy Miles, 60, composer, drummer, guitarist, singer, producer (The Electric Flag, Buddy Miles Express, Band of Gypsies)
* March 4 – Leonard Rosenman, 83, film and television composer
* March 10 – Charles Wayne Day, 65, guitarist, bassist, blues performer
* March 21 – Patti Bown, 77, jazz pianist, singer, composer
* March 24 – Chalmers "Spanky" Alford, 52, gospel, jazz, neo-soul guitarist
* April 15 – Sean Costello, 28, blues singer, guitarist
* April 17 – Danny Federici, 58, rock organist, accordionist, glockenspieler (E Street Band)
* April 21 – Al Wilson, soul singer
* April 22 – Pail Davis, 60, singer, songwriter
* April 26 – Henry Brant (94), composer
* May 1 – Jimmy Hagger, 66, country singer, actor (Hager Twins)
* May 5 – Jerry Wallace, 79, country and pop singer
* May 8 – Eddy Arnold, 89, country and pop singer
** Larry Levine, 80, audio engineer
* May 11 – Dottie Rambo, 74, southern gospel singer-songwriter
* May 15 – Alexander Courage, 88, composer, arranger
** Walt Dickerson, 80, jazz vibraphonist
* May 24 – Utah Phillips, 73, folk singer, songwriter
* May 26 – Earle Hagen, 88, composer
* May 28 – Jerry Cole, 68, guitarist, arranger
* June 4 – Bill Finegan, 80, jazz bandleader, pianist, composer
* June 7 – Bill Coday, 66, singer, musician
* June 12 – Danny Davis, 83, country music band leader, trumpeter, vocalist, producer (Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass)
* June 17 – Cyd Charisse, 86, singer, actress
* June 27 – Leonard Pennario, 83, pianist, composer
* July 6 – Bobby Durham, 71, jazz drummer
* July 16 – Jo Stafford, 90, pop singer
* July 20 – Artie Traum, 65, folk guitarist, songwriter, producer
* July 22 – Joe Beck, 62, jazz and session guitarist
* July 24 – Norman Dello Joio, 95, composer, classical organist and pianist
* July 25 – Hiram Bullock, 52, jazz and funk guitarist
** Johnny Griffin, 80, jazz saxophonist
* August 3 — Erik Darling, 74, folk singer-songwriter (The Weavers)
* August 5 – Robert Hazard, 59, singer, songwriter
* August 10 – Issac Hayes, 65, soul singer, songwriter, actor
* August 11 – Don Helms, 81, steel guitarist (Drifting Cowboys)
* August 12 – Donald Erb, 81, composer
* August 15 – Jerry Wexler, 91, producer
* August 18 – Pervis Jackson, 70, R&B singer (The Spinners)
* August 19 – Clea Bradford, 67, jazz singer
** LeRoi Moore, 46, saxophonist (Dave Matthews Band)
* August 21 – Jerry Finn, 39, punk-rock producer, audio engineer
** Buddy Harman, 79, country music drummer, percussionist
* August 23 – Jimmy Cleveland, 82, jazz trombonist
* September 1 – Jerry Reed, 71, country music singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor
* September 3 – Matthew Peaceman, 56, oboist, composer, conductor
* September 7 – Richard "Popcorn" Wylie, 69, pianist, bandleader, songwriter, producer,
* September 12 – Charlie Walker, 81, country singer
* September 16 – Earl Palmer, 83, drummer
** Norman Whitfield, 68, songwriter, producer
* September 20 – Nappy Brown, 78, R&B singer, songwriter
* September 22 – Connie Haines, 87, singer, actress
* October 1 – Nick Reynolds, 75, folk musician
* October 8 – Gidget Gein, 39, heavy metal bassist and guitarist (Marilyn Manson)
* October 11 – Neal Hefti, 85, jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger
* October 12 – Cliff Nobles, 67, soul singer
* October 15 – Edie Adams, 81, singer, actress
* October 17 – Levi Stubbs, 72, R&B singer, actor (Four Tops)
* October 18 – Dee Dee Warwick, 66, soul singer
* October 24 – Moshe Cotel, 64, composer, pianist
** Merle Saunders, 74, organist and pianist
* October 28 – George Sopkin, 94, cellist
* October 29 – Mike Baker, 45, heavy metal singer and bassist (Shadow Gallery)
* November 1 – Jimmy Carl Black, 70, singer, drummer (The Mothers of Invention)
** Nathaniel Mayer, 64, R&B singer
** Shakir Stewart, 34, record producer, executive
* November 16 – Rusty Gill, 89, singer
* November 26 – De'Angelo Wilson, 29, rapper, actor
* December 2 – Odetta, 77, folk and blues singer, guitarist, actress
* December 7 – Dennis Yost, 65, singer (Classics IV)
* December 19 – Page Cavanaugh, 86, jazz and pop pianist
** Kenny Cox, 68, jazz pianist
* December 20 – Dorothy Sarnoff, 94, operatic soprano, actress
** Bo Diddley, 80, rock and blues singer, guitarist
* December 25 –Eartha Kitt, 81, singer, actress
* December 27 – Delaney Bramlett, 69, singer, guitarist
* December 29 - Freddie Hubbard, 70, jazz trumpeter