This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.
Specific locations
Specific genres
Events
January
- January 1 â Townes Van Zandt dies of a cardiac arrhythmia.
- January 6 â Scottish band Texas release first single, "Say What You Want" from their 6àPlatinum album "White on Blonde"
- January 7 â The Spice Girls release their debut single, "Wannabe" in the U.S. and premiere the music video eighteen days later.
- January 9 â David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert (the day after his birthday) at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, with the opening act Placebo. Proceeds from the concert went to the Save the Children fund.
- January 10 â James Brown receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, USA.
- January 17âÂÂFebruary 2 â The Big Day Out festival takes place in Australia and New Zealand, headlined by Soundgarden, The Offspring and The Prodigy. Sepultura are originally named in the lineup, but cancel their performance after the departure of former frontman Max Cavalera in December 1996. They are later replaced by Fear Factory.
- January 19 â Madonna wins Best Actress In A Motion Picture, Musical Or Comedy, for her part in Evita, at the 54th annual Golden Globe Awards in the USA.
- January 20 â Daft Punk releases their debut studio album Homework.
- January 28
- The Virginia Senate votes to retire "Carry Me Back to Old Virginny" as the official state song, and begins looking for a replacement.
- Clive Davis gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
February
March
- March 1
- Pianist David Helfgott performs at the Boston Symphony Hall, in Boston, USA, during his world tour. The Boston Globe describes his performance as "without phrasing, form, harmonic understanding, differentiation of style and often basic accuracy; worst of all, it was without emotional content".
- The jam band Phish records "Slip Stitch and Pass" live at Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany.
- March 9
- The Notorious B.I.G. is shot dead while sitting in the passenger seat of a car after a post Soul Train Awards party in Los Angeles, CA.
- The Spice Girls become the first act in the history of the UK Top 40 singles charts to have four consecutive number one hits with "Mama"/"Who Do You Think You Are". Profits from the single go to Comic Relief and provide the biggest individual contribution of 1997.
- March 10 â A Marilyn Manson concert in Columbia, South Carolina is canceled in response to pressure from religious and civic groups.
- March 11 â Paul McCartney is knighted by Elizabeth II.
- March 17 â Whirlwind Heat play their first show.
- March 19âÂÂ20 â The reunited The Monkees perform two sold-out concerts at Wembley Arena in London, UK.
- March 30 â The Spice Girls launch Britain's new television channel, Channel 5.
April
May
- May 3
- 5ive's musical career begins after auditions are held in London, UK to find potential band members, with over 3,000 hopefuls showing up to audition.
- The Spice Girls attend the Cannes Film Festival to announce their plans to hit the big screen with Spiceworld: The Movie. A photo call on top of the Hotel Martinez entrance brings the area to a standstill.
- At the 42nd Eurovision Song Contest, held in Dublin's Point Theatre, the UK win with "Love Shine a Light", sung by Katrina and the Waves.
- The Notorious B.I.G.'s single "Hypnotize" is #1 for three weeks.
- May 6 â The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is held in Cleveland at the site of the hall itself for the first time. Prior to this year, the ceremony had only been held in New York City.
- May 11 â The Spice Girls perform their first British live gig for the Prince's Trust 21st anniversary concert at the Manchester Opera House. They break royal protocol by kissing the Prince of Wales (now Charles III) on the cheeks and even pinching his bottom.
- May 15 â The Spice Girls' album Spice reaches number one on the US charts, making them the first British act to top the charts with a debut album.
- May 20 - Foo Fighters release their second studio album The Colour and the Shape.
- May 21 â Radiohead releases OK Computer.
- May 23 â Brainiac frontman Tim Taylor is killed in a car crash at age 29 driving to his Dayton, Ohio home. The band announces they will not continue.
- May 24 â The first Ozzfest tour kicks off at the Nissan Pavilion in Washington, D.C., featuring Pantera and a reconstituted Black Sabbath with three of the four original members.
- May 26 â NSYNC releases their debut album NSYNC.
- May 27 - Kirk Franklin releases his fourth album (first collaboration album with GodâÂÂs Property) GodâÂÂs Property from Kirk FranklinâÂÂs Nu Nation which spawned the crossover hit single âÂÂStompâÂÂ
- May 28 â Japanese pop singer and songwriter Miho Komatsu releases her first and debut song entitled Nazo. It is used as an opening soundtrack in popular hit anime Detective Conan.
June
JulyâÂÂAugust
- July 1 â Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong to China: Tan Dun's Symphony 1997: Heaven, Earth, Mankind for orchestra, biÃÂnzhÃ
Âng bells, children's chorus and solo cello is premièred as part of the official ceremony.
- July 5 â The first Lilith Fair tour kicks off at The Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. Sarah McLachlan, Tracy Chapman and Jewel are among the performers.
- July 15âÂÂ20 â The second Yoyo A Go Go punk and indie rock festival opens in Olympia, Washington.
- August 3 â The Black Crowes perform their last show with Johnny Colt and Marc Ford.
- August 4 â Nigerian afrobeat pioneer and dissident pop star Fela Anikulapo-Kuti dies in Lagos, Nigeria, of HIV-related illness.
- August 7 â Garth Brooks performs to an estimated 800,000 to one million people during a free concert given in Central Park, New York City.
- August 11 â The Backstreet Boys release their second international album, Backstreet's Back.
- August 12 â The Backstreet Boys release their U.S. debut album, Backstreet Boys.
- August 14 â Godspeed You! Black Emperor releases debut album, F⯠A⯠âÂÂ
- August 16âÂÂ17 â Phish perform at the two-day music festival, The Great Went, at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine, US. They play 500 minutes of music, six sets and two encores. There is an estimated attendance of between 65,000 and 70,000, and it is the top-grossing concert of the season, making over $4,000,000 in box office receipts.
- August 19 â The reunited Fleetwood Mac begin a concert tour in the United States.
- August 30 â "Mo Money Mo Problems" reaches #1 on the Hot 100 singles chart, making The Notorious B.I.G. the first artist to achieve two posthumous #1 singles.
SeptemberâÂÂOctober
- September 6 â Elton John performs "Candle in the Wind" at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales; John Tavener's "Song for Athene" is performed at the same ceremony, with soprano Lynne Dawson singing the solo part.
- September 16
- After a tumultuous divorce from her first husband, Mariah Carey releases the album Butterfly, which moved her sound in a more hip-hop/R&B direction.
- Aaliyah releases the single "Hot Like Fire"/"The One I Gave My Heart To".
- September 17 â The KLF return for 23 minutes with their performance of "Fuck the Millennium".
- September 19 â While on his way to a benefit concert in Kansas, USA, Rich Mullins loses control of his Jeep, flipping the automobile and throwing both Mullins and passenger Mitch McVicker out onto the road. A tractor-trailer approaching the scene swerves to miss McVicker, striking and killing Mullins instantly. McVicker survives, but suffers major injuries.
- September 20 â U2 plays at Reggio Emilia during their PopMart Tour to over 150,000 people.
- September 22 â Björk releases Homogenic, moving towards a darker sound and away from her 'pixie' image.
- September 23 â U2 perform a concert in Sarajevo during their PopMart Tour.
- September 27 â Bob Dylan performs for Pope John Paul II at a Catholic youth event in Bologna, Italy.
- September 29
- The Rolling Stones release Bridges to Babylon.
- The Verve release Urban Hymns. In a controversial legal dispute, the majority of their royalties and songwriting credit for their single "Bitter Sweet Symphony" go to The Rolling Stones.
- October 7 â Everclear release their multi-platinum third album So Much for the Afterglow, containing "Father of Mine" and "I Will Buy You a New Life".
- October 13 â The "Prince Igor" single, jointly performed by The Rhapsody, Warren G and Sissel Kyrkjebø is released.
- October 15 â Michael Jackson ends the HIStory World Tour, which included an attendance record of 4,500,000 fans, in Durban, South Africa.
- October 22 â Namie Amuro shocks her fans when she announces that she has recently married and is three months pregnant. She subsequently begins a one-year hiatus from the music industry.
- October 23 â R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry announces his departure from the group.
- October 25 â The 26th OTI Festival, held at in Lima, Peru, is won by the song "", written by Francisco Curiel and Josemanuel Fernández, and performed by Iridián representing Mexico.
NovemberâÂÂDecember
- November 3 â The Spice Girls release Spiceworld, their second number one album, making the group the first British band since The Beatles to have two albums in the US chart at the same time. Spice and Spiceworld have amassed enough sales for one out of every two people in Britain to own a Spice Girls album.
- November 4 â Shania Twain releases her album Come On Over which goes on to sell over 40 million copies worldwide to date and later became the biggest selling album in country music history and the biggest selling album by a female music artist.
- November 6 â The Spice Girls make the decision to take over the running of the group and drop Simon Fuller as their manager.
- November 18 â American indie rock band Modest Mouse release their second full-length album, The Lonesome Crowded West.
- November 19 â Gary Glitter is arrested after images of child pornography are found on a laptop computer that he had taken in for repairs.
- November 22 â INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence is found dead in a Sydney, Australia hotel room, aged 37.
- November 25 â Will Smith releases his debut solo studio album Big Willie Style.
- November 26 â In a performance billed as the "highest" gig on Earth, Spiritualized play in the deck of the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for an audience of 150 people.
- November 27 â Namie Amuro releases her ninth single under Avex Trax, "Dreaming I Was Dreaming."
- December 1 â Aaron Carter bursts onto the music scene at the age of 10 with the release of his debut album Aaron Carter, making him the youngest male artist in the world since Michael Jackson in 1969.
- December 4-5 â Black Sabbath perform a pair of reunion shows in their hometown of Birmingham, England. They are the first full-length concerts by the original lineup of the band since 1978.
- December 10 â Faith Hill and LeAnn Rimes at the Christmas Time with Eddy Arnold.
- December 26 â The Spice Girls release their big screen debut ', starring Richard E. Grant, Roger Moore, Elton John and Stephen Fry. The movie makes ã6.8m in its first week of release.
- December 31
- The Home of Country Music, the Opryland USA theme park, in Nashville, Tennessee, USA closes and is subsequently demolished.
- Namie Amuro performs on NHK KÃ
Âhaku Uta Gassen for the last time before beginning her maternal hiatus.
Also in 1997
Bands formed
Bands disbanded
Bands reformed
Albums released
January â March
April â June
July â September
October â December
Release date unknown
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest positions in the charts of 1997.
Top 40 Chart hit singles
Other Chart hit singles
Notable singles
Other Notable singles
Classical music
Premieres
Compositions
Opera
Jazz
Musical theater
Musical films
Births
- January 1 â Noah Kahan, American folk musician
- January 7 â Ayumi Ishida, Japanese pop singer and dancer (Morning Musume)
- January 9 â Daigo Nishihata, Japanese singer (Naniwa Danshi)
- January 11 â Cody Simpson, Australian surf pop singer-songwriter, musician and athlete
- January 14 â Jaira Burns, American singer-songwriter
- January 17 â Jack Vidgen, Australian singer, 2011 Australia's Got Talent winner, activist and television personality
- January 20 â Blueface, American rapper
- January 21 â Edan Lui, Hong Kong singer (MIRROR)
- January 24 â CK Wong, Hong Kong singer-songwriter (STRAYZ)
- January 28 â Nutsa Buzaladze, Georgian singer
- January 31 â Miyeon, South Korean singer, ((G)I-dle)
- February 1 â Jihyo, South Korean singer (TWICE)
- February 8
- Bella Poarch, Filipino American singer, songwriter, activist, veteran and internet star (Friend of Grimes)
- Rude-ñ, Japanese rapper
- February 10 â Maan de Steenwinkel, Dutch singer, actress
- February 11
- Nasty C, South African rapper
- Rosé, South Korean-New Zealand singer and dancer (Blackpink)
- February 15 â Mia Boyka, Russian singer
- February 16 â Ren Meguro, Japanese singer (Snow Man)
- February 18 â DK, South Korean singer (Seventeen)
- February 23 â Shiena Nishizawa, Japanese singer
- March 2 â Becky G, Mexican-American singer-songwriter, actress
- March 3 â Camila Cabello, Cuban-American singer/songwriter, dancer and actress
- March 4 â Daoko, Japanese singer
- March 8 â Jurina Matsui - Japanese idol, actress, talent, and model (former SKE48)
- March 21 â Tini Stoessel, Argentine actress, singer, songwriter, dancer and model.
- March 24 â Mina, Japanese singer and dancer (TWICE)
- March 26 â Glowie, Icelandic singer
- March 27 â Lisa, Thai singer, dancer, rapper (Blackpink)
- March 29 â Arón Piper, German-Spanish actor and singer
- April 2 â Peach PRC, Australian pop singer, songwriter, activist, and internet personality
- April 3 â Kiana Lede, American singer-songwriter, actress, pianist and actress
- April 6 â Mingyu, South Korean rapper and singer (Seventeen)
- April 8 - Saygrace, Australian singer-songwriter
- April 27 â Sayuki Takagi, Japanese singer
- May 6 â Scene Queen, American metal musician
- May 7
- Irori Maeda, Japanese singer
- Rico Nasty, American rapper and trap metal artist
- May 11
- Lana Condor, American actress and dancer
- Coi Leray, American rapper, singer-songwriter and dancer
- May 20 - Omar Apollo. American bilingual singer and songwriter
- May 26 - Grace Carter, English singer-songwriter
- May 27 â Soccer Mommy, American singer-songwriter
- May 31 â Cupcakke, American rapper, LBTQ+ advocate
- June 9 - Tay Iwar, a Nigerian singer, songwriter, composer, sound engineer and record producer
- June 11
- Kodak Black, American rapper
- Jorja Smith, British singer
- June 13 â 070 Shake, American rapper
- June 14 â Fujii Kaze, Japanese singer
- June 15 â Bali Baby, American rapper
- June 17 - 070 Shake, American rapper and singer
- June 21 â Rebecca Black, American singer-songwriter, YouTube artist
- June 22 â Dinah Jane, American singer and member of the girl group Fifth Harmony
- June 25
- Jacquie Lee, American singer, and 2013 The Voice contestant
- Faye Webster, American singer-songwriter
- , Norwegian singer, dancer and actress
- June 26
- Abi Ann, American singer-songwriter
- Baek Ye-rin, South Korean singer-songwriter and former member of 15&
- June 27 â H.E.R., American singer-songwriter
- July 1 â Indigo De Souza, American singer
- July 5
- Cloud Wan, Hong Kong singer and actress
- Park Ji-min South Korean singer-songwriter, television host and former member of 15&
- July 7 - James Marriott, British YouTuber and musician
- July 7 â Erina Ikuta, Japanese pop singer, dancer, actress and model (Morning Musume)
- July 8 â Lauran Hibberd, British singer-songwriter
- July 10 â Rena KatÃ
Â, Japanese singer
- July 28 - Gabbriette, American model and musician
- July 30 â Finneas O'Connell, American singer-songwriter, actor, record producer and musician, brother of and collaborator with Billie Eilish
- August 5
- Olivia Holt, American actress and singer
- KennyHoopla, American singer
- August 7
- Yungblud, English alternative rock musician, singer-songwriter
- Evaluna Montaner, a Venezuelan actress, singer, music director, dancer, television presenter
- Valentina Cho, Hong Kong singer-songwriter (STRAYZ)
- August 9 â Kazuya Ohashi, Japanese singer (Naniwa Danshi)
- August 10 â Sara Takatsuki, Japanese actress, model and singer
- August 11
- Kanon Kimoto, former Japanese idol and actress (former SKE48)
- Saba, Danish singer, musical theatre actress
- August 16 â Greyson Chance, American singer, songwriter, and pianist
- August 19 â Baby Queen, British singer-songwriter born in Durban South Africa
- August 24 â Alan Walker, English-Norwegian DJ and record producer
- August 25 â Maty Noyes, American singer (Kygo)
- August 26
- Cordae, American rapper, singer, and songwriter
- Mae Muller â British singer-songwriter who represented the United Kingdom at Eurovision Song Contest 2023
- August 27 - Guitarricadelafuente, Spanish singer-songwriter, guitarist and musician based in Zaragoza
- August 28 â Bazzi, American singer-songwriter (Camilla Cabello)
- September 1 â Jungkook, South Korean singer-songwriter, record producer, and member of BTS
- September 2 â Sanah, Polish singer, songwriter, violinist, and composer
- September 8 - Tessa, Danish rapper
- September 14 â Benjamin Ingrosso, Swedish singer-songwriter
- September 24 â Malaya Watson, American singer
- October 1 â Sam Verlinden, New Zealand singer and actor
- October 2 - Rubi Rose, American rapper, songwriter and model
- October 3 - Bang Chan, Australian singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer
- October 6 â Michael J. Woodard, American singer
- October 7 â J. Rey Soul, Filipino-American singer
- October 8 â Bella Thorne, American actress and singer
- October 9 â Megan Moroney, American country singer
- October 10 â DDG, American rapper, singer and YouTuber
- October 14 â Miru Shiroma, Japanese singer and model
- November 18 - Hope Tala, British singer-songwriter
- October 23 â Minnie, Thai singer-songwriter, record producer, and member of (G)I-dle
- October 24
- Arthur Gunn, American singer
- Raye, British singer-songwriter and activist
- November 6 â Jamal Roberts, singer
- November 23
- Akari Takeuchi, Japanese singer
- Kim Dracula, Australian metal musician
- November 24 â Reiley, Faroese singer
- December 5 â Maddie Poppe, American singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist (Winner of American Idol 16)
- December 16
- Snot, American rapper
- Zara Larsson, Swedish singer-songwriter, musician, and activist
- Nat ÃÂmiel (born Natasha Yelin Chang), Singaporean songwriter and producer known for the musical project, Yeule
- December 20 â Suzuka Nakamoto, Japanese singer (Babymetal)
- December 21
- Kida, Kosovan singer
- Pedro Sampaio, Brazilian singer and music producer
- December 29 â Dylan Minnette, American actor, musician and singer (Wallows)
Deaths
- January 1
- Ivan Graziani, Italian singer-songwriter and guitarist, 51
- Townes Van Zandt, country-folk musician, 52
- January 2 â Randy California, rock guitarist, 45 (drowned)
- January 5 â Burton Lane, composer and lyricist, 84
- January 10 â Kenny Pickett, vocalist (The Creation), 54
- January 18 â Keith Diamond, songwriter, 46
- January 21 â Colonel Tom Parker, manager of Elvis Presley, 87
- January 22
- Richard Berry, songwriter (notably wrote "Louie Louie"), 61
- Billy Mackenzie, Scottish vocalist of The Associates, 39 (suicide)
- January 27 â Gerald Marks, American songwriter, 96
- February 10 â Brian Connolly, vocalist (Sweet), 51 (liver failure)
- February 23 â Tony Williams, jazz drummer, 51
- March 3 â Finn Høffding, Danish composer, 97
- March 9 â The Notorious B.I.G., rapper, 24 (shot)
- March 10 â LaVern Baker, R & B singer, 67
- March 17 â Jermaine Stewart, vocalist, 39 (AIDS)
- March 24 â Harold Melvin, soul musician, 57
- April 8 â Laura Nyro, singer-songwriter, 49 (ovarian cancer)
- April 9
- Mae Boren Axton, songwriter and music promoter, 82
- Yank Rachell, blues guitarist, 87
- April 10 â Toshiro Mayuzumi, Japanese composer, 68
- April 19 â Eldon Hoke, metal/punk singer and drummer, 39
- May 9 â Willy Hess, Swiss musicologist and composer, 90
- May 11 â Ernie Fields, American trombonist, pianist and bandleader, 93
- May 29 â Jeff Buckley, American singer-songwriter and guitarist, 30 (drowned)
- June 2 â Doc Cheatham, jazz trumpeter, 91
- June 4 â Ronnie Lane, member of The Small Faces, 51 (multiple sclerosis, pneumonia)
- June 7 â Arthur Prysock, jazz singer, 68
- June 16 â John Wolters (Dr Hook), 52 (liver cancer)
- June 19 â Bobby Helms, country singer, 63
- June 20 â Lawrence Payton (The Four Tops), 59
- June 21 â Shintaro Katsu, Japanese actor, singer, producer, and filmmaker, 65 (pharyngeal cancer)
- June 23 â Prince Nico Mbarga, Nigerian highlife musician, 47
- June 26 â Israel Kamakawiwoûole, Hawaiian musician, 38
- July 5 â Mrs. Elva Miller, American singer, 89
- August 1 â Sviatoslav Richter, pianist, 82
- August 2 â Fela Kuti, Nigerian musician and composer, 58 (Kaposi's sarcoma)
- August 5 â Don Steele, American disc jockey, 61
- August 10 â Conlon Nancarrow, composer, 84
- August 12 â Luther Allison, blues guitarist, 57
- August 16 â Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, qawwali singer and world music ambassador, 48
- September 5 â Sir Georg Solti, conductor, 84
- September 8 â Derek Taylor, press agent for The Beatles, 65
- September 17 â Anthony Franchini, Italian American guitarist, 99
- September 18 â Jimmy Witherspoon, blues singer, 77
- September 19 â Rich Mullins, singer, 41
- September 28 â Munir Bashir, musician and oud player, 66âÂÂ67
- October 5 â Arthur Tracy, singer, 98
- October 12 â John Denver, American folk singer-songwriter and folk rock musician, 53 (air crash)
- October 19 â Glen Buxton, guitarist for the original Alice Cooper Band, 49 (pneumonia)
- October 20 â Henry Vestine, guitarist (Canned Heat), 52
- November 3 â Ronald Barnes, carillonist, 70
- November 6 â Epic Soundtracks, English singer-songwriter, drummer of Swell Maps, Crime and the City Solution and These Immortal Souls, 38
- November 12 â Carlos Surinach, Spanish-American composer and conductor, 82
- November 20 â Robert Palmer, writer, musicologist, clarinetist and producer, 52
- November 22 â Michael Hutchence, singer of INXS, 37 (suicide by hanging)
- December 1 â Stephane Grappelli, French violinist, 89
- December 2 â Michael Hedges, composer and guitarist, 43 (car accident)
- December 16 â Nicolette Larson, pop singer ("Lotta Love"), 45 (cerebral edema)
- December 19 â Jimmy Rogers, blues musician, 73
- December 21 â Amie Comeaux, American singer and actress, 21 (traffic accident)
- December 28 â Henry Barraud, French composer, 97
- December 31 â Floyd Cramer, pianist, 64
Awards
Charts
See also
References