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.
* The B-52s released their first studio album in sixteen years, Funplex.
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.
7 – The Breeders released their first studio album in six years, Mountain Battles.
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.
22 – Blind Melon released their first studio album in nearly thirteen years, For My Friends. It is the first studio album released since the death of original lead singer Shannon Hoon in 1995, with Travis Warren stepping in as lead vocalist on this album.
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

6 – Gavin DeGraw released his first studio album in five years, Gavin DeGraw.
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

14 – Sixpence None the Richer released their first studio album in six years, The Dawn of Grace.
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 seriously injured 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

Bands reformed

Bands on hiatus

Bands disbanded

List of albums released

August

Top songs on record

''Billboard'' Hot 100 No. 1 Songs

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

''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.

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
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
April 21 – Al Wilson, soul singer
April 22 – Pail Davis, 60, singer, songwriter
April 26 – Henry Brant, composer
May 1 – Jimmy Hagger, 66, country singer, actor
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
June 17 – Cyd Charisse, 86, singer, actress
June 27 – Leonard Pennario, 83, pianist, composer
July 6 – Bobby Durham, 71, jazz drummer
July 14 – Katie Reider, 30, folk singer, songwriter, guitarist
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
August 5 – Robert Hazard, 59, singer, songwriter
August 10 – Issac Hayes, 65, soul singer, songwriter, actor
August 11 – Don Helms, 81, steel guitarist
August 12 – Donald Erb, 81, composer
August 15 – Jerry Wexler, 91, producer
August 18 – Pervis Jackson, 70, R&B singer
August 19 – Clea Bradford, 67, jazz singer
*LeRoi Moore, 46, saxophonist
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
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
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
November 1 – Jimmy Carl Black, 70, singer, drummer
* 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
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