Events in 2001
- New Orleans International Airport was renamed Louis Armstrong International Airport on August 2, 2001, in honor of the New Orleans-born trumpeter, singer, and bandleader Louis Armstrong.
- Ron Townson, singer with The 5th Dimension, died on August 2, 2001, at the age of 68 from kidney failure.
- Whitney Houston signed a new recording contract with Arista Records worth more than $100 million — reported at the time as the largest recording deal for a female artist.
- Atomic Kitten reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with their version of “Eternal Flame.”
- “Bootylicious” by Destiny's Child reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was their fourth U.S. No. 1 hit.
- Dave Stewart married fashion photographer Anoushka Fisz on a private beach on the French Riviera. Guests included Elton John, Mick Jagger, Liam and Noel Gallagher, and Annie Lennox.
- The News of the World reported that Mariah Carey had hired private investigator Jack Palladino to monitor her former husband, Tommy Mottola. Palladino said Carey believed that Mottola was conducting a smear campaign against her.
- Composer, musician, actor and virtuoso harmonica player Larry Adler died in London at the age of 87. He was known for his collaborations with George Gershwin, Kate Bush, Sting and Ralph Vaughan Williams, as well as for his own virtuoso performances.
- Usher released his third album “8701”. The album included two No. 1 hits, “U Remind Me” and “U Got It Bad”; the title referred to its release date.
- David Gray reached No. 1 on the UK albums chart with White Ladder, his fourth studio album. The album also topped the chart in Ireland and became one of the best-selling albums in both countries.
- NSYNC reached No. 1 on the US albums chart with their fourth studio album Celebrity. The album also topped the charts in Canada and Malaysia.
- Black Sabbath, Linkin Park, Slipknot and Marilyn Manson performed at Ozzfest at the PNC Bank Arts Centre in New Jersey.
- Shania Twain and her husband and producer, Mutt Lange, welcomed their son Eja.
- A pizza-stained piece of paper signed by three of the four members was sold for $48,000 (£17,441) to an anonymous collector at an auction in Melbourne. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison signed it during the band's 1964 Australian tour at a hotel in Adelaide. Ringo Starr had laryngitis and did not join the tour.
- Alicia Keys reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with her debut single "Fallin'," beginning a total six-week non-consecutive run at the top. The global smash hit also topped the charts in Belgium and the Netherlands, while peaking at No. 3 in the United Kingdom.
- Pop girl group Atomic Kitten reached No. 1 on the UK album chart with their debut studio album Right Now.
- Garage and hip-hop group So Solid Crew reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart for the first time with “21 Seconds.”
- The compilation Now That's What I Call Music! 7 reached No. 1 on the US album chart. The album was released by Virgin Records and featured songs by artists including Jennifer Lopez, Destiny's Child, Janet Jackson, Nelly and Aerosmith.
- The American soul singer and pianist died at the age of 61 and was found dead at her home in Beloit, Wisconsin, after her heart problems worsened. She was best known for “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)”, which reached number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1964; she was the first artist to have a hit with the song. After her initial success, she released another seventeen singles, with “Let It Be Me” (#5 in 1964) and “There’ll Come a Time” (#26 in 1969) making the biggest impact on the Hot 100. “The Shoop Shoop Song” was used in the opening titles of the 1984 film Desperately Seeking Susan starring Madonna, and in 1990 Cher recorded it for the closing credits of Mermaids; her version reached number one on the UK singles chart and was also successful in other European countries.
- Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted performed live with EchoBrain for the first time.
- The remaining European tour dates for Foo Fighters were canceled after drummer Taylor Hawkins was hospitalized following a drug overdose.
- Stevie Nicks postponed two concerts to undergo treatment for severe bronchitis.
- The Backstreet Boys resumed their Black & Blue World Tour 2001, which had been interrupted on July 9 after A.J. McLean entered a treatment center.
- Performers at the Carling Weekend Reading/Leeds festival included Travis, Eminem, Eels, Green Day, Marilyn Manson, Supergrass, PJ Harvey, Manic Street Preachers, Weezer, Iggy Pop, Queens of the Stone Age, The Cult, Frank Black, The Strokes, Ash, Stephen Malkmus, Mercury Rev and others. A three-day ticket cost £80.
- Aaliyah Haughton, a 22-year-old American R&B singer and actress, died along with eight other people in a plane crash in the Bahamas shortly after takeoff. She had been filming the music video for “Rock the Boat” there. Her third studio album “Aaliyah” continued to be successful after her death and has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide.
- David Gray reached number one on the UK album chart with “White Ladder”.
- British boy band Five scored their third and final UK number-one single with “Let's Dance”.
- Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nelly Furtado were the headline acts at the V2001 festival in Hylands Park in Chelmsford, England.
- Alicia Keys’ album “Songs in A Minor” was released in the United Kingdom.
- Mary J. Blige released her fifth studio album “No More Drama” through MCA Records. The album debuted and peaked at No. 2 in the US and received two Grammy nominations.
- Puddle Of Mudd released their debut album “Come Clean”. The album sold more than three million copies, driven by the hits “Blurry”, “Control”, and “She Hates Me”.
- Weezer released “Island in the Sun”, the second single from the album “Weezer”, also known as “The Green Album”. It was a very laid-back song for the band, markedly different from their first single, “Hash Pipe”. The song became the most frequently licensed track in the band’s catalog and appeared, for example, in the TV series The Simpsons and The Sopranos and in the film Trolls Band Together.
- Alicia Keys released the single "Fallin'", which reached No. 1 on the US chart.
- Aaliyah's funeral was held at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Manhattan, New York, six days after her death in a plane crash in the Bahamas. Hundreds of grieving fans accompanied her horse-drawn casket to the private ceremony, which was attended by Gladys Knight, Lil' Kim, Sean Combs, Timbaland and Missy Elliott. After the service, 22 white doves were released in her memory, representing each year of her life.
- American saxophonist Jay Migliori died of cancer at the age of 70. As a session musician, he recorded with The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra and Frank Zappa and was a founding member of Supersax, a tribute group dedicated to Charlie Parker.
- With the album “Iowa”, Slipknot reached number one on the UK album chart.
- Thousands more fans than expected arrived for a free System Of A Down concert in a Los Angeles parking lot. Authorities prevented the band from performing, riots followed, the group’s equipment was destroyed and six people were arrested. The concert was intended to celebrate the release of the album Toxicity the following day.
- System of a Down released their second studio album, Toxicity, regarded as a classic of the Armenian folk-metal genre. It sold more than three million copies, reached number one in North America and featured three of their best-known songs: “Chop Suey!,” “Toxicity” and “Aerials.”
- The album Junichiro Koizumi Presents: My Favorite Elvis Songs, featuring a selection of Elvis Presley songs compiled by the Japanese prime minister, was released in Japan.
- Britney Spears performed her new single "I'm A Slave 4 U" at the MTV Video Music Awards, appearing on stage with a snake.
- Earth, Wind & Fire announced that their planned U.S. tour celebrating the group's 30th anniversary would be sponsored by a company that manufactured Viagra.
- Michael Jackson performed the first of two concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York as part of celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of his career. After an eleven-year break, he returned to the stage in the US together with the Jackson Five. The celebration also featured Eminem, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child, Slash and 'N Sync. Footage from the concerts was edited and broadcast by CBS as a special on November 13.
- The film “Rock Star”, starring Mark Wahlberg as the singer of a tribute band who eventually joins his favorite group, was released in theaters. The film featured several musicians, including Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind and Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe, whose song “Colorful” Wahlberg pretends to sing at the end of the film.
- Ryan Adams filmed the music video for “New York, New York” with the World Trade Center buildings in the background. Four days later, the buildings were destroyed in the terrorist attacks, and the video was dedicated to their victims after its release.
- The film Clambake starring Elvis Presley was released on DVD.
- The concert Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Performers included Dave Matthews Band, Alanis Morissette, Stone Temple Pilots, and Moby; the host was Kevin Spacey.
- Kevin Spacey hosted the evening “Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music” at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Performers included Marc Anthony, Alanis Morissette, Moby, Stone Temple Pilots, and Dave Matthews Band. The evening concluded with a group performance of “Give Peace A Chance.”
- Jazz baritone saxophonist, composer, arranger, and conductor Manny Albam died of cancer at the age of 79 in Croton-on-Hudson, New York.
- Keith Urban returned to Australia to receive a special ARIA Award. He received the Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of his sales and success on the US charts.
- Rock band Powderfinger dominated the 15th annual Australian Record Industry Association Awards, winning a total of six awards at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney.
- After several months of disputes over child support, rapper Eminem's divorce proceedings were officially finalized.
- The television series Reba premiered on the WB. Reba McEntire played a single mother of three children. The series ran for six seasons.
- Dido reached No. 1 on the UK album chart with her debut studio album No Angel. The album became an international hit and also reached No. 1 in nine other countries.
- Peter Criss played his final concert with KISS at North Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, South Carolina. After the performance, he was replaced in KISS by Eric Singer.
- Liza Minnelli performed at the White House during the Columbus Day celebrations.
- The Beastie Boys held their second benefit concert against violence in New York, with surprise appearances by U2 frontman Bono, R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe and electronica artist Moby. The concert was part of two anti-violence benefit events organized by the Beastie Boys.
- RCA Records announced the release of an enhanced CD single featuring Elvis Presley singing "America The Beautiful," with all proceeds going to disaster relief funds following the September 11 attacks.
- A man wrecked a $300,000 sports car owned by hip-hop star Missy Elliott after losing control of the 550-horsepower vehicle and crashing into a traffic sign and a tree. Joseph Johnson had taken the Lamborghini Diablo from the garage where it was stored without permission.
- Under pressure to change their name because of the attacks involving letters containing anthrax bacteria, the metal band Anthrax issued a statement announcing that they would not do so. “In light of current events, we are changing the band's name to something friendlier, ‘Basket Full Of Puppies,’” they said. “Actually, the fact that we are making fun of our name is already ridiculous.”
- At a time when broadband internet access was still rare, U2 streamed a concert from their Elevation Tour in South Bend, Indiana, free of charge on U2.com.
- Guitarist Wes Borland leaves Limp Bizkit. The band announces on its website that the split is amicable and that both sides will pursue their own musical careers. Borland returns in 2009.
- Merle Haggard cancelled his remaining US concerts through November 3 because of chest tightness and on his doctor's advice. He had previously experienced problems with coronary artery disease.