The database currently contains 7367 historical events.
- Black Eyed Peas began a six-week run at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Where Is The Love”. It was the best-selling single of 2003, with Justin Timberlake contributing to the recording without being credited.
- American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Warren Zevon died in Los Angeles at the age of 56 from mesothelioma, a cancer of the peritoneum. He was best known for the 1978 album “Excitable Boy”, which reached No. 21 on Billboard and contained his only US hit, “Werewolves Of London”, which reached No. 21. Zevon released more than 15 solo albums, eight of which also charted on the Billboard 200, and he also wrote Linda Ronstadt's hit “Poor Poor Pitiful Me”. He worked as a session musician, pianist and bandleader for The Everly Brothers and collaborated with, among others, Jackson Browne, The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. His 1969 song “She Quit Me” appeared in the film Midnight Cowboy. He frequently appeared on David Letterman's show, who was among the first to promote his music.
- Police were called in the early morning hours over a suspected break-in at the Los Angeles home of Jim Barber, Courtney Love's former boyfriend and manager. Love was found in the street outside the house and arrested; shortly after her arrest, she was taken to a hospital because of a suspected drug overdose.
- Del McCoury Band received the major awards at the 14th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards in Louisville, Kentucky. The group won Entertainer of the Year for the eighth time, while members Mike Bub and Jason Carter won Bassist of the Year and Fiddler of the Year.
- Trousers worn by Freddie Mercury in 1984 were sold at a Christie's auction in London to Hard Rock Cafe for £4,230. A wooden cabinet sculpture designed by John Lennon sold for £28,200, and hundreds of items associated with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and, according to one source, Madonna were also offered at the auction.
- John Mellencamp received the Woody Guthrie Award, presented to artists who honor the legacy of the late singer Woody Guthrie.
- Radiohead won the “Best Act in the World Today” award at the Q Awards in London for the third consecutive time. Q magazine had criticized their album “Hail to the Thief,” and the band did not attend the ceremony.
- At a conference on domestic violence, the wife of Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich strongly criticized the way sex was presented to teenagers and said, “If I had the opportunity to shoot Britney Spears, I think I would.” A blogger named Nina commented that violence does not solve domestic violence.
- The film School of Rock was released in cinemas. Jack Black plays a musician who poses as a substitute teacher and forms a band with his students. The film is filled with classic rock and includes songs such as “Highway to Hell,” “Smoke on the Water” and “Immigrant Song.” The latter song was obtained after Jack Black recorded a video literally begging Led Zeppelin for permission to use it. The film is also notable for the acting debut of Miranda Cosgrove.
- The film The Concert For George, documenting the benefit concert and star-studded tribute to recently deceased former Beatles member George Harrison, premiered in US cinemas.
- Beyoncé and Sean Paul began a nine-week run at number one on the US singles chart with Baby Boy.
- Muse reached number one on the UK albums chart with their third studio album, Absolution. The album also topped the chart in France, while reaching number 107 in the US.
- Beyoncé began a nine-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Baby Boy.” The single remained at the top one week longer than “Crazy in Love” and at the time became her longest-running No. 1 hit.
- Irish singer and songwriter Damien Rice won the third annual Shortlist Music Prize. The ceremony culminated in a four-and-a-half-hour concert at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, featuring Rice and seven of the nine nominees. The award was conceived as an American equivalent of the UK's Mercury Prize and recognized progressive artists whose latest albums had sold fewer than 500,000 copies at the time of nomination.
- Courtney Love was charged with a drug-related misdemeanor. Several hours after being released on bail, she was taken to a hospital because of an overdose.
- Elvis Presley released the compilation album Elvis 2nd To None, a follow-up to ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits. The collection included Presley hits not featured on the previous compilation, other notable recordings, the previously unreleased song “I'm a Roustabout,” and a remix of “Rubberneckin'” by Paul Oakenfold. Elvis Presley's official website confirms the release date as October 7, 2003.
- Coldplay singer Chris Martin asked Australian police to drop charges of intentional property damage after he was accused of smashing a photographer's car windshield with a rock. The photographer had previously been taking pictures of him surfing.
- For the first time in Billboard magazine's history, all of the Top 10 singles on the Hot 100 chart were by African-American artists.
- Ambrose Kappos, 37, of New York, was charged with three counts of stalking and harassing singer Sheryl Crow. He was arrested after allegedly sneaking into New York's Hammerstein Ballroom and then trying to get into Crow's limousine when she left the venue. His brother said he was harmless but "infatuated" with the singer.
- Dido's album Life for Rent began a four-week run at No. 1 on the UK album chart.
- Readers of Mojo magazine voted Elvis Presley's recording of "That's All Right," made at Sun Studio in July 1954, the most important moment in rock music history. Bob Dylan's move from acoustic to electric guitar came second, The Clash's "White Riot" third, The Beatles' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show fourth, and The Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash" fifth. Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, John Lennon and Led Zeppelin also appeared in the Top 10.
- Justin Timberlake made his first appearance on Saturday Night Live, serving as both host and musical guest. He returned to the show many times and appeared in numerous well-known sketches, including a Bee Gees parody, a dating sketch with Lady Gaga, a courtroom sketch involving an alligator, the character "Target Lady" and the musical sketch "Dick in a Box."
- Hip-hop duo OutKast reached No. 1 in the United States with their fifth studio album, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.
- Blind Puerto Rican singer Jose Feliciano sings the U.S. national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” for the first time since his controversial rendition in 1968. This time, he performs without incident at the Marlins–Cubs baseball game in Miami.
- Tickets for Duran Duran's reunion concert at London's Kentish Town Forum sold out in four minutes.