2008 in American music

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The following is a list of notable music events and releases that occurred in 2009 in the United States.

Notable events

January

• 15 – The Magnetic Fields released their first studio album in four years, Distortion.[1]
• 29 — Course of Nature released their first studio album in six years, Damaged. This was their final album before breaking up in 2011.[2]
  • Decrepit Birth released their first studio album in over four years, Diminishing Between Worlds.
  • Death Cab for Cutie guitarist Chris Walla released his debut studio album, Field Manual.[3]
  • 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.[4]

Feburary

• 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.[5]
• 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.
• 31 – R.E.M. released their first studio album in almost four years, Accelerate.

April

• 8 – Stone Temple announced their reunion after five years a part, and a tour beginning in May 2008.[6]
• 14 – The CMT Music Awards took place at the Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tennessee.[7]
• 15 – Phantom Planet released their first studio album in four years, Raise the Dead.

May

• 13 – 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.

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.[8]

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 song No. 1 song of the rock era.[9]

August

• 26 – Jimmy Wayne released his first studio album in five years, Do You Believe Me Now.[10]
  • Slipknot released their first studio album in four years, All Hope Is Gone.

September

• 2 – New Kids on the Block released their first studio album in fourteen years, The Block.
• 6 – T.I. breaks the Billboard Hot 100 record for a song's biggest jump to number 1 with "Whatever You Like". It jumped from number 71–1.[11]
• 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.
• 30 – The Archies released their first studio album in 37 years, The Archies Christmas Album.[12]

October

• 18 – T.I. breaks 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.[13]
• 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".[14]

November

• 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.

December

• 20 – Rock and blues singer, guitarist, Bo Diddley died at the age of 80.

Bands formed

• Allstar Weekend
• Blue Giant
• Brass Knuckles
• The Bunny the Bear
• Chicano Batman
• Das Racist
• Dum Dum Girls
• Empires
• Fitz and the Tantrums
• Fun.
• The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger
• Gloriana
• Imagine Dragons
• Kate & Kacey
• Major Lazer
• Messengers
• Parachute
• Selena Gomez & the Scene
• Sleigh Bells

Bands reformed

• Stone Temple Pilots

Bands disbanded

• Allegiance
• The Cheetah Girls
• Hootie & the Blowfish
• Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
• Phantom Planet
• Yellowcard

List of Albums released

January

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
1	American Gothic (EP)	The Smashing Pumpkins	Alternative rock
8	Warning Device[15]	Teenage Bottlerocket	Punk rock
	Good Thing Going	Rhonda Vincent	Country bluegrass
11	Seasons of Tragedy	Benedictum	Heavy metal
15	Winter (EP)	Jon Foreman	Acoustic
	Distortion[1]	The Magnetic Fields	Indie pop noise pop shoegaze
	The North Pole Project	Number One Gun	Christian rock alternative rock emo
22	Champion	The Audition	Pop-punk
	Illustrious	Big Noyd	East Coast hip-hop gansta rap
	Oblivion Beckons	Byzantine	Groove metal
	Unfamiliar Faces	Matt Costa	Folk
	Venus on Earth[16]	Dengue Fever	Cambodian rock psychedelic pop
	Introducing Foxy Shazam	Foxy Shazam	Alternative rock post-hardcore experimental rock soul
	Chuck Wicks	Chuck Wicks	Country
	Horror	With Blood Comes Cleansing	Deathcore
	Line in the Sans	ZOX	Alternative rock reggae rock ska
29	Damaged[2]	Course of Nature	Alternative rock hard rock post-grunge
	Diminishing Between Worlds	Decrepit Birth	Technical death metal
	Another Sound Is Dying	Dub Trio	Dub punk rock
	Keep Your Eyes Ahead	The Helio Sequence	Indie rock
	The Bedlam in Goliath	The Mars Volta	Progressive rock jazz fusion funk rock
	I Stand[4]	Idina Menzel	Pop
	Moment of Forever	Willie Nelson	Country
	We Brave Bee Stings and All	Thao & the Get Down Stay Down	Folk
	Vampire Weekend	Vampire Weekend	Indie pop Afrobeat chamber pop worldbeat
	Field Manual[3]	Chris Walla	Indie rock
	Women as Lovers	Xiu Xiu	Art rock experimental post-punk
30	Hello...x	Tristan Prettyman	Pop

February

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
5	Detours	Sheryl Crow	Rock pop rock folk rock
	Rhythm & Romance	Kenny G	Latin jazz smooth jazz
	It Is Time for a Love Revolution[5]	Lenny Kravitz	Rock
19	My Life's Been a Country Song	Chris Cagle	Country
26	Backwoods Barbie	Dolly Parton	Country

March

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
2	Ghosts I–IV	Nine Inch Nails	Dark ambient
3	Warpaint	The Black Crows	Southern rock blues rock hard rock
4	Good Time	Alan Jackson	Country
11	Saving Abel	Saving Abel	Hard rock post-grunge
18	Mail on Sunday	Flo Rida	Hip-hop Southern hip hop
21	Pretty. Odd.	Panic at the Disco	Psychedelic pop psychedelic rock baroque pop pop rock folk rock
25	Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings	Counting Crows	Alternative rock folk rock
	Consolers of the Lonely	The Raconteurs	Alternative rock blues rock country rock power pop garage rock
31	Accelerate	R.E.M.	Hard rock punk rock glam rock jangle pop

April

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
1	We Weren't Crazy	Josh Gracin	Country
	Low vs Diamond	Low vs Diamond	Indie rock
	Troubadour	George Strait	Country
8	Keep Telling Myself It's Alright	Ashes Divide	Alternative rock alternative metal hard rock
	When Angels & Serpents Dance	P.O.D	Alternative metal alternative rock
15	E=MC²	Mariah Carey	R&B pop hip-hop
	Lovin' Life	Gaither Vocal Band	CCM Southern gospel
	Lady Antebellum	Lady Antebellum	Country
	Raise the Dead	Phantom Planet	Alternative rock garage rock
29	Hard Candy	Madonna	Dance-pop
	Mudcrutch	Mudcrutch	Southern rock country rock
	Phil Stacey	Phil Stacey	Country

May

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
6	On My Way Here	Clay Aiken	Pop
12	Narrow Stairs	Death Cab for Cutie	Indie rock indie pop alternative rock
	We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things	Jason Mraz	Pop folk blue-eyed soul jazz
13	Anthems for the Damned	Filter	Industrial rock hard rock alternative rock nu metal
20	3 Doors Down	3 Doors Down	Alternative rock post-grunge hard rock
	Julianne Hough	Julianne Hough	Country

June

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
3	Indestructible	Disturbed	Heavy metal alternative metal hard rock
	Perfectly Clear	Jewel	Country
	Revelation	Journey	Hard rock arena rock
10	All I Intended to Be[8]	Emmylou Harris	Country folk Americana
	Tha Carter III	Lil Wayne	Hip-hop pop rap
	Back When I Knew It All	Montgomery Gentry	Country
	Red Album	Weezer	Alternative rock power pop geek rock
17	One of the Boys	Katy Perry	Pop soft rock power pop pop-punk
24	The Sound of Madness	Shinedown	Hard rock alternative rock post-grunge alternative metal

July

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
1	T·O·S (Terminate on Sight)	G-Unit	Hip-hop gangsta rap
	The Bird and the Bee Sides	Relient K	Rock pop punk alternative rock
8	Want	3OH!3	Electropop crunkcore alternative rock electronic rock dance-pop Electro-hop
	Modern Guilt	Beck	Psychedelic rock avant-pop neo-psychedelia
	I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind II	Killer Mike	Hip-hop
	Can't Stop Won't Stop	The Maine	Pop rock Pop punk
	Two Men with the Blues	Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis	Jazz
15	Life, Death, Love and Freedom	John Mellencamp	Americana folk rock roots rock alternative country country rock blues rock heartland rock
	Untitled	Nas	Hip-hop R&B political hip hop
	Around the Bend	Randy Travis	Counry
	Ace Young	Ace Young	Pop
22	Partie Traumatic	Black Kids	Indie rock indie pop
	Love on the Inside	Sugarland	Country
29	Along Came a Spider	Alice Cooper	Hard rock heavy metal

August

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
5	C'mon!	Keith Anderson	Country
19	The Cheetah Girls: One World	The Cheetah Girla	Pop R&B hip-hop
	The Fame	Lady Gaga	Electropop synth-pop dance-pop
	The Illusion of Progress	Staind	Post-grunge alternative rock
26	LAX	The Game	West coast hip hop gangsta rap hardcore hip hop
	Holler Back	The Lost Trailers	Country
	All Hope Is Gone	Slipknot	Groove metal alternative metal
	Do You Believe Me Now[10]	Jimmy Wayne	Country

September

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
2	The Block	New Kids on the Block	Pop dance-pop R&B blue-eyed soul pop rock
	Lost in the Sound of Separation	Underoath	Metalcore post-hardcore screamo
9	Still Unforgettable	Natalie Cole	Jazz
	Do You Know	Jessica Simpson	Country pop
12	Death Magnetic	Metallica	Thrash metal heavy metal
16	Why Wait	Kristy Lee Cook	Country
	We Global	DJ Khaled	Hip hop
	Jet Black & Jealous	Eli Young Band	Country
	Learn to Live	Darius Rucker	Country
19	Only by the Night	Kings of Leon	Alternative rock Southern rock pop rock
	Doll Domination	The Pussycat Dolls	Pop R&B
23	Tennessee Pusher	Old Crow Medicine Show	Folk country
30	The Archies Christmas Album[12]	The Archies	Christmas pop
	Christmas Gaither Vocal Band Style	Gaither Vocal Band	Christmas CCM
	The Christmas Collection	Amy Grant	Christmas CCM gospel
	Joy to the World	Faith Hill	Christmas country big band
	Jennifer Hudson	Jennifer Hudson	R&B
	Kellie Pickler	Kellie Pickler	Country country pop
	Paper Trail	T.I.	Country

October

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
7	Caroling, Caroling: Christmas with Natalie Cole	Natalie Cole	Christmas
	Appeal to Reason	Rise Against	Melodic hardcore punk rock
10	Christmas Duets	Elvis Presley	Country CCM Christmas pop
12	Sounds of the Season: The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection (EP)	Julianne Hough	Christmas country
14	Lucky Old Sun	Kenny Chesney	Country
	Little Bit of Everything	Billy Currington	Country
	It's Christmas	Mandisa	Gospel Christmas CCM R&B
21	Damn Right, Rebel Proud	Hank Williams III	Country psychobilly
	Call Me Crazy	Lee Ann Womack	Country
28	The Life of a Song	Joey + Rory	Country bluegrass
	Funhouse	Pink	Pop rock
	Holiday Spirits	Straight No Chaser	Christmas A cappella

November

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
4	Play: The Guitar Album	Brad Paisley	Country
10	David Archuleta	David Archuleta	Pop
11	Fearless	Taylor Swift	Country pop
18	I Am... Sasha Fierce	Beyoncé	Pop R&B
	David Cook	David Cook	Pop rock alternative rock post-grunge
	Startin' Fires	Blake Shelton	Country
	The Foundation	Zac Brown Band	Country
26	Home for Christmas	Sheryl Crow	Christmas country jazz

December

Date	Album	Artist	Genre(s)
2	Circus	Britney Spears	Pop dance
9	...And a Happy New Year (EP)	The Maine	Christmas pop-punk acoustic rock
16	When the World Comes Down	The All-American Rejects	Alternative rock pop punk power pop
	Folie à Deux	Fall Out Boy	Power pop pop rock pop-punk pop R&B alternative rock emo
	Snoop Dogg Presents Christmas in tha Dogg House	Snoop Dogg	Christmas West coast hip hop G-funk gangsta rap
	Christmas with Weezer (EP)	Weezer	Christmas alternative rock power pop

Deaths

• January 19 – Ken Nelson, 96, record producer
• February 25 – Static Major, 33, R&B and hip hop singer, rapper, producer, songwriter
• April 22 – Pail Davis, 60, singer, songwriter
• May 1 – Jimmy Hagger, 66, country singer, actor (Hager Twins)
• May 5 – Jerry Wallace, 79, country and pop singer
• May 8 – Eddy Arnold, 89, country and pop singer
• May 11 – Dottie Rambo, 74, southern gospel singer-songwriter
• July 16 – Jo Stafford, 90, pop singer
• August 11 – Don Helms, 81, steel guitarist (Drifting Cowboys)
• September 12 – Charlie Walker, 81, country singer
• December 20 – Bo Diddley, 80, rock and blues singer, guitarist

See also

• 2000s in music
• 2008 in American television

References

1. Newlin, Jimmy (January 13, 2025). "Review: The Magnetic Fields, Distortion". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
2. "Interview with Mark Wilkerson of Course of Nature". Retrieved January 2, 2025.
3. Klein, Joshua (January 31, 2008). "Field Manual – Chris Walla". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
4. Ennever, Lizzie (January 31, 2008). "Idina Menzel - I Stand Review". BBC Music. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
5. Graff, Gary. "It Is Time for a Love Revolution". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 3, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
6. "MTV | Homepage - Shows & Schedules". MTV. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008.
7. "2008 CMT Music Awards". CBS. April 15, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
8. Cohen, Jonathan (April 7, 2008). Billboard Bits: New Kids/Zootopia, River To River, Emmylou Harris. Billboard. Retrieved on January 4, 2025.
9. Bronson, Fred (June 26, 2008). "Chart Beat: Katy Perry, Kathy Griffin, Miley Cyrus". Billboard. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
10. Hackett, Vernell (November 14, 2014). "Jimmy Wayne, 'Do You Believe Me Now' - Story Behind the Song". The Boot. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
11. Pietroluongo, Silvio (August 27, 2008). "T.I. Sets New Record With Hot 100 No. 1 Jump". Billboard magazine. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
12. "The Archies Christmas Party - The Archies - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
13. Caulfield, Keith (October 8, 2008). "T.I.'s 'Paper Trail' Leads To No. 1 On The Billboard 200". Billboard magazine. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
14. Caulfield, Keith (October 8, 2008). "T.I. Maintains No. 1 Album While Britney Spears Zooms to No. 1 on the Hot 100". Billboard magazine. Archived from the original on October 18, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2008.
15. Yancey, Bryne (January 11, 2008). "Teenage Bottlerocket - Warning Device (2008)". PunkNews.org. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
16. Poweell, Mike (March 21, 2008). "Dengue Fever: Venus on Earth". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 2, 2025.