1998 in music
See also: 1997 in music, other events of 1998, 1999 in music, 1990s in music and the list of 'years in music'
Events
- February 19 - The Stray Cats reunite for a benefit show for the Carl Perkins Foundation at L.A.'s House Of Blues.
- February 19 - Lorrie Morgan issues a statement denying a story reported in the tabloid Star magazine that claimed that the singer had an affair with US President Bill Clinton
- February 22 - In Los Angeles, California, Stevie Wonder is honored as the 1999 MusiCares Person of the Year.
- February 24 - Elton John is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. The singer is mistakenly introduced as "Sir John Elton".
- February 24 - Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee is arrested and charged with beating his wife, actress Pamela Anderson. Malibu sheriff deputies responded to reports of a disturbance and found Anderson bleeding from an injury to her hand.
- February 24 - John Fogerty is awarded the 1998 Orville H. Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award
- March 13 - The Smashing Pumpkins file a $1 million lawsuit against U.K.-based Sound And Media Ltd., alleging that the company released a book and CD about the band without proper clearances.
- March 26 - Chuck Negron files a lawsuit against his fellow Three Dog Night band mates, alleging that they broke a 1990 settlement agreement and interfered with his career.
- April 5 - Rock and Roll drummer Cozy Powell is killed in a high-speed car crash near Bristol, England. Powell was known for playing with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Jeff Beck, Brian May and Whitesnake.
- April 7 - George Michael is arrested in a public restroom in Beverly Hills, California for lewd conduct. Michael is sentenced to community service.
- May 8 - A British court rules in favor of the Beatles and John Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, stopping the release of another Live at the Star Club recording. All copies of the recording and the original tape are awarded to the Beatles, as well as damages and legal costs.
- May - The 3rd EJCF in Basel was held. Next time was in 2001.
- The entertainment industry frantically lobbies for, and the United States Congress passes, the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, which gives the entertainment industry 20 more years of exclusive monopoly on all of its works created since 1923.
- Elton John performs "Candle In The Wind" at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Albums Released
- Nine Lives - Aerosmith
- A South Little Sanity - Aerosmith
- Moon Safari - Air
- Look Forward For Failure - The Ataris
- Stunt - Barenaked Ladies
- Mutations - Beck
- How Does Your Garden Grow? - Better Than Ezra
- Reunion - Black Sabbath
- Nightfall in Middle-Earth - Blind Guardian
- Prolonging the Magic - Cake
- Gallery of Suicide - Cannibal Corpse
- Believe - Cher
- Pilgrim - Eric Clapton
- Hits - Phil Collins
- Cruelty and the Beast - Cradle of Filth
- Sound of Persevereance - Death
- D'Eux - Celine Dion
- Les Chansons en Or - Celine Dion
- The Devil You Know - Econoline Crush
- Vain Glory Opera - Edguy
- How to Measure a Planet? - The Gathering
- Legacy of Kings - Hammerfall
- Better Than Raw - Helloween
- Faith - Faith Hill
- The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
- Something Wicked This Way Comes - Iced Earth
- S.C.I.E.N.C.E. - Incubus
- Jerky Boys 4 - The Jerky Boys
- Live Meltdown - Judas Priest
- Tape Head - King's X
- Follow The Leader - Korn
- 5 - Lenny Kravitz
- Powertrip - Monster Magnet
- Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie - Alanis Morissette
- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
- The Best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
- Oceanborn - Nightwish
- Americana - The Offspring
- Candyass - Orgy
- Walking Into Clarksdale - Page and Plant
- Life Won't Wait - Rancid
- Symphony of Enchanted Lands - Rhapsody
- The Rivalry - Running Wild
- Different Stages - Rush (live)
- The Question - The Slackers
- Diabolis in Musica - Slayer
- Navy Blues - Sloan
- Come On Over - Shania Twain
- Fush Yu Mang - Smash Mouth
- El Oso - Soul Coughing
- Destiny - Stratovarius
- Twilight in Olympus - Symphony X
- Aegis - Theatre of Tragedy
- Vovin - Therion
- Severe Tire Damage - They Might Be Giants
Top Hits
- "My Heart Will Go On" - Celine Dion
- "Tubthumping" - Chumbawamba
- "I Don't Want To Wait" - Paula Cole
- "Time of Your Life (Good Riddance)" - Green Day
- "My Own Worst Enemy" - Lit
- "Ray Of Light" - Madonna
- "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)" - The Offspring
- "Iris" - Goo Goo Dolls
- "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" - Aerosmith
- "Thank U" - Alanis Morissette
- "The Way" - Fastball
- "You're Still The One" - Shania Twain
- "Torn" - Natalie Imbruglia
- "Uninvited" - Alanis Morissette
See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1998
Top 10 Selling Albums of the Year
- Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
- The Offspring - Americana
- Cher - Believe
- 98° - 98° and Rising
- Shania Twain - Come On Over
- Monica - The Boy Is Mine
- Madonna - The Ray Of Light
- Brandy - Never Say Never
- R. Kelly - R.
- Mya - Mya
- Cabaret Broadway revival
- Footloose Broadway production
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch off-Broadway production
- High Society Broadway production
- Ragtime Broadway production
- The Sound of Music Broadway revival
Births
Deaths
- January 19 - Carl Perkins, complications following a series of strokes
- February 6 - Carl Wilson, The Beach Boys, lung cancer
- February 13 - Buddy Lee, respiratory failure while undergoing treatment for lung cancer
- February 17 - Bob Merrill, US songwriter
- February 19 - Grandpa Jones, star of Hee-Haw, comedian and musician
- April 5 - Cozy Powell, drummer, car accident
- April 7 - Wendy O. Williams, The Plasmatics, suicide
- April 17 - Linda McCartney, cancer
- May 14 - Frank Sinatra
Awards
- The following artists are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, The Mamas and the Papas, Lloyd Price, Santana and Gene Vincent
- Inductees of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame include Andrae Crouch, The Imperials, The Jordanaires and The LeFevres
Grammy Awards
Country Music Association Awards
- Bring It On - Gomez wins.