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.B-52's put a little spring in their step 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.New Breeders album announced 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.Eric Avery goes solo 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. 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.Blind Melon toss a coin into the Wishing Well 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.Cohen, Jonathan (April 7, 2008). Billboard Bits: New Kids/Zootopia, River To River, Emmylou Harris. Billboard. Retrieved on January 4, 2025. 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 album in four years, Unexpected. 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. 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.Guns N' Roses officially announce "Chinese Democracy." Pre-orders at Best Buy. 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
Allstar Weekend The Belle Brigade Blue Giant Brass Knuckles The Bunny the Bear Chicano Batman Das Racist Dinner and a Suit The Drums Dum Dum Girls Empires Falling in Reverse Fitz and the Tantrums Fun. The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger Gloriana Imagine Dragons Joyce Manor Kate & Kacey Major Lazer Mamaleek Messengers Neon Indian One Day as a Lion Parachute Selena Gomez & the Scene Sleigh Bells Tiny Moving Parts Two Tongues The Unlikely Candidates Wavves
Bands reformed
The Archies Armored Saint As Friends Rust Ben Folds Five Big Drill Car Biohazard Black 'n Blue Bleed the Dream Come The Dead Denali Disembodied Dishwalla Evildead Ex Girlfriend Face to Face Far
The Fat Boys The Feelies The Fluid Icon The Get Up Kids Green River Hot Water Music Human Waste Project Jane's Addiction Krieg Letters to Cleo Liquid Tension Experiment Living Sacrifice Mest N.E.R.D. New Kids on the Block Oleander On Broken Wings
Paw Pentagram Polvo Rival Schools Riverdales Saint Vitus Snot The Sonics Spacehog Spineshank Stetsasonic Stone Temple Pilots Teenage Jesus and the Jerks Tonic Truly Vision of Disorder Yob
Bands on hiatus Adema The Dresden Dolls The Format From Autumn to Ashes Phantom Planet The Starting Line
Bands disbanded Another Animal Be Your Own Pet The Cheetah Girls Damone Dark New Day Hootie & the Blowfish Men, Women & Children Monster in the Machine The Receiving End of Sirens Reggie and the Full Effect Satellite Party Yellowcard
List of albums released January Date Album Artist Genre(s)1American Gothic (EP)The Smashing PumpkinsAlternative rock8ChangesFor the Fallen DreamsWarning DeviceTeenage BottlerocketPunk rockGood Thing GoingRhonda Vincent11Seasons of TragedyBenedictum Heavy metal15Winter (EP)Jon ForemanAcousticDistortionThe Magnetic FieldsThe North Pole ProjectNumber One Gun 22ChampionThe Audition Pop-punkIllustriousBig Noyd Oblivion BeckonsByzantineGroove metalUnfamiliar FacesMatt CostaFolkVenus on EarthDengue FeverIntroducingFoxy Shazam Mission ControlThe WhigsGarage rockChuck WicksChuck Wicks CountryHorrorWith Blood Comes Cleansing DeathcoreLine in the SansZOX 29DamagedCourse of NatureDiminishing Between WorldsDecrepit BirthTechnical death metalAnother Sound Is DyingDub TrioKeep Your Eyes AheadThe Helio SequenceIndie rockSlick Dogs and PoniesLouis XIVThe Bedlam in GoliathThe Mars VoltaI StandIdina MenzelPopMoment of ForeverWillie NelsonCountryWe Brave Bee Stings and AllThao & the Get Down Stay DownFolkVampire WeekendVampire WeekendField ManualChris Walla Indie rockWomen as LoversXiu Xiu30Hello...xTristan PrettymanPop
February Date Album Artist Genre(s)5DetoursSheryl CrowRhythm & RomanceKenny GSleep Through the StaticJack JohnsonIt Is Time for a Love RevolutionLenny KravitzRockDistrict LineBob MouldAlternative rockLuckyNada Surf18Shallow Believer (EP)The Used19My Life's Been a Country SongChris CagleCountrySusquehannaCherry Poppin' DaddiesGolden DeliciousMike DoughtyShh, Just Go with ItEvery AvenueA Twist in My StorySecondhand SerenadeDay & NightdrivingSeven Mary Three26Backwoods BarbieDolly PartonCountryYou're Awful, I Love YouLudo
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