See also: 1999 in music, other events of 2000, 2001 in music and the list of 'years in music'.
Events
- January 14 - Rolling Stone magazine reveals that the two children of Melissa Etheridge and her partner, Julie Cypher, were fathered by David Crosby
- January 18 - Spencer Goodman is executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas. Goodman was convicted of kidnapped and murdering the wife of ZZ Top manager Bill Ham in 1991. Ham is present for the execution.
- February 9 - The Million Dollar Hotel, a film co-written by U2 lead singer Bono, premieres at the 50th Berlinale (Berlin Film Festival). The film stars Mel Gibson and Milla Jovavich
- February 11 - Diana Ross divorces her husband of 14 years
- February 16 - The Silver Tassie, an opera by Mark-Anthony Turnage, premieres at the London Coliseum, performed by the English National Opera
- February 24 - Italian motorcycle manufacturing company Aprilla SpA wins a lawsuit filed against The Spice Girls over a sponsorship deal that fell apart when Geri Halliwell left the group.
- Febraury 28 - Songwriter Stan Penrige files a lawsuit against the rock band KISS, the band's publishing company and Universal Music Group, claiming that he had not received millions of dollars in publishing royalties that he was owed for the song "Beth".
- March 1 - Social Distortion guitarist Dennis Danell dies of an apparent brain aneurysm
- March 6 - Foxy Brown is injured in a car accident in Brooklyn, New York in which her car hit a fence. Police discovered that Brown was driving with a suspended drivers license and order her to appear in court in April. Brown's license was suspended for failing to appear in court for a parking violation.
- March 28 - Jimmy Page wins a lawsuit filed against Ministry magazine. The magazine claimed that Page had contributed to the death of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham by wearing a Satanic robe and chanting spells while the Bonham was dying and choking on his vomit. The magazine apologizes and offers to pay Page's legal bills. Page donates the money received from the case to the Action for Brazil's Children Trust
- April 6 - Shawn Colvin, James Taylor, Cyndi Lauper, Richard Thompson, Sweet Honey, Elton John, Cassandra Wilson, Wynonna Judd, k.d. lang, Bryan Adams, and Mary Chapin Carpenter perform in New York as part of a tribute to Joni Mitchell.
- April 12 - Metallica files a lawsuit against Napster, Yale University, University of Southern California and Indiana University for copyright infringement. Yale and Indiana are later dropped from the suit when they block access to Napster on campus computers.
- May 1 - A $1.8 million civil fraud lawsuit is filed against Neil Young in Los Angeles Superior Court by a former Village Voice writer. The lawsuit charges that Young broke an agreement to have a biography written about him when he blocked the book's publication.
- May 5 - Rod Stewart undergoes an hour long throat operation at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California to remove a growth on his thyroid, which turns out to be benign.
- May 6 - John Mellencamp receives an honorary doctorate of music as the commencement speaker for Indiana University's Class of 2000
- October - The Beatles release a hardcover book version of The Beatles Anthology, containing newly published photos and interviews with band members. The book went straight to the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.
- The latest Joel and Ethan Coen film, O Brother, Where Art Thou? was released to much criticial acclaim. The film and its T-Bone Burnett produced soundtrack ignite a new found popularity of traditional American folk music and bluegrass.
- The Beatles release The Beatles Anthology book which included interviews with all four band members and others involved, plus rare photos. The book went straight to the top of the New York Times bestsellers list.
- Rage Against The Machine's Tim Commerford is arrested for climbing on the set at MTV's Video Music Awards.
Albums Released
- Let It Burn - The Ataris
- 1 - The Beatles
- The Post Wave - Blue Meanies
- Breathe - Faith Hill
- Crush - Bon Jovi
- The Sickness - The Disturbed
- No Strings Attached - 'N Sync
- The State - Nickelback
- Wishmaster - Nightwish
- Return of Saturn - No Doubt
- Conspiracy Of One - The Offspring
- Vapor Transmission - Orgy
- O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack
- Two Against Nature - Steely Dan
- All That You Can't Leave Behind - U2
Top Hits
- "Breathe" - Faith Hill
- "Everything You Want" - Vertical Horizon
- "I Wanna Know" - Joe
- "Fly" - Dixie Chicks
- "Ex-Girlfriend" - No Doubt
- "Kryptonite" - 3 Doors Down
- "There She Goes" - Sixpence None The Richer
- "Who Let The Dogs Out" - Baha Men
- "A Puro Dolor" - Son By Four
Top 10 Selling Albums of the Year
- The Beatles - 1, best selling album of the year
- NSYNC - No Strings Attached
- Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
- Britney Spears - Oops I Did It Again
- Creed - Human Clay
- Santana - Supernatural
- Nelly - Country Grammar, Fo' Real
- Backstreet Boys - Black & Blue
- Dr. Dre - Dr. Dre 2001
- Destiny's Child - The Writing's on the Wall
Births
Deaths
- February 12 - Screamin' Jay Hawkins (70), American rock artist
- March 1 - Dennis Danell, Social Distortion, brain aneurysm
- March 7 - Pee Wee King (86), heart attack on February 28.
- March 20 - Gene "Eugene" Andrusco, actor, singer, brain aneurysm
- March 27 - Ian Dury (57), English rock musician
- October 3 - Benjamin Orr, bassist, vocalist for American rock group The Cars
- October 30 - Steve Allen, comedian, composer, talk show host, author
Awards
- The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Eric Clapton, Earth, Wind & Fire, Lovin' Spoonful, The Moonglows, Bonnie Raitt and James Taylor
- Inductees of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame include Shirley Caesar, and The Oak Ridge Boys