JANUARY
Tom Maffei named VP Crossover for MCA Records… Norah Jones dominates Grammy nominations… Eminem, Dixie Chicks rule holiday sales… Thomas D. Mottola steps down as Sony Music Entertainment Chairman, NBC President Andrew Lack takes his place… Jermaine Dupri takes his So So Def label to Arista… Steve Case resigns as AOL Time Warner Chairman… RIAA’s Hilary Rosen says she’ll leave org by end of year… Jay Boberg resigns as MCA Records President, Craig Lambert named interim head… Bryan Turner partners with DreamWorks for Melee Entertainment, a DVD label…

FEBRUARY
Longtime promo exec Marc Benesch passes away… 50 Cent album ships early, bows at #1, with 1.6 million in sales first two weeks… B-movie actress Lana Clarkson found shot to death in producer Phil Spector’s Alhambra home… Eric Ferris named VP Marketing at Hollywood Records… Lisa Marie Presley’s “Lights Out” hits radio… R. Kelly debuts at #1, Norah Jones sweeps Grammys…

MARCH

Post-Grammy sales boost pushes Norah Jones back to #1… Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducts Police, Elvis Costello, The Clash, AC/DC, Righteous Brothers and Mo Ostin… Chris Lighty lands at Jive… NARM is held in Orlando, FL… Chicago named Best Picture, Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” Best Song at Oscars… Court finds IDJ liable in TVT suit…

APRIL

Longtime WEA and UMVD Chairman Henry Droz passes away… Don Ienner named to newly created title of Sony Music U.S. President… Linkin Park bows at #1… The White Stripes debut in Top 10… Kelly Clarkson debuts at #1… Ric Ocasek named Sr. VP A&R at Elektra… Apple’s Steve Jobs announces launch of iTunes Music Store…

MAY

Madonna album bows #1… David McPherson to head new Sony Music Urban division… Apple’s Steve Jobs debuts iTunes Music Store… Benny Pough named SVP Promotion for Def Jam … Arista’s Steve Bartels named EVP Promotion… Norah Jones returns to #1… Tom Donnarumma named EVP Sales for Sony Music Label Group, with Bill Frohlich upped to EVP Sales for Sony Music Distribution… WMG-BMG discuss merger… Marilyn Manson debuts #1… Staind and Deftones bow 1-2… RealOne Rhapsody launches online store…

JUNE

MTV Networks’ Judy McGrath adds Comedy Central to her portfolio… Led Zeppelin live bows at #1… Metallica is released early, debuts #1, with Jewel #2… Jordan Schur takes over as President of MCA Records when it’s folded into Geffen… Luther Vandross debuts #1… Musicland is acquired by Sun Capital Partners from Best Buy…

JULY

Beyoncé, Michelle Branch debut 1-2… Pepsi Smash premieres on WB-TV, with Joel Gallen in charge… Ashanti debuts #1… Thomas D. Mottola inks with UMG for a revived Casablanca Records… Barry White passes away… Dave Yeskel named Sr. VP Sales for V2… P. Diddy’s Bad Boys II ST bows at #1, Chingy #2… AOLTW sells its CD/DVD manufacturing to Cinram International for $1.05 billion…

AUGUST

Mitch Bainwol named RIAA chief… Lionel Ridenour joins Virgin Records… David Massey named EVP A&R for Sony Music… Bill Carroll named VP Promotion for Elektra… Larry Jenkins leaves Columbia Records to manage Wallflowers, Simon & Garfunkel tour… WEA taps Craig Applequist for Sr. VP Sales & Mktg… Michael Goldstone named President of Sire… Alan Jackson bows at #1… EMI makes offer for WMG… Neptunes bow at #1…

SEPTEMBER

Mary J. Blige, Hilary Duff debut at #1-2… UMG announces program to slash retail pricing, co-ops… Madonna kisses Britney, Aguilera at MTV VMAs… RIAA to sue illegal file-sharers… Duff goes #1… Liz Brooks named SVP Business Development at BuyMusic.com… Warren Zevon passes away… John Mayer debuts #1… Polly Anthony to leave Epic... Navarre celebrates 20^th anniversary… DMX, A Perfect Circle, Erykah Badu bow 1-2-3… BMG and WMG break off talks… Steve Rifkind joins Universal Motown Records Group…

OCTOBER

OutKast, Dave Matthews, Limp Bizkit, Obie Trice, R. Kelly, Nickelback and Murphy Lee debut Top 10… Retail vets Danny Yarbrough and Lew Garrett join Eric Weisman’s new Musicland team… Laura Curtin named VP Rock & Alternative at Arista… Dick Parsons entertains other offers for WMG… Ludacris debuts #1… Clay Aiken bows #1… Sony-BMG announce plans to merge their music operations… Rod Stewart debuts #2…

NOVEMBER

UMG acquires DreamWorks, Mo Ostin, Lenny Waronker to split… Toby Keith, Sarah McLachlan, Now Vol. 14, Sheryl Crow, Ja Rule, P.O.D. bow in Top 10… MAP’s Buddy Arnold passes away… Jay-Z, Tupac, G-Unit, Josh Groban, Kid Rock and Pink debut Top 10… A group of private equity investment firms headed by Edgar Bronfman Jr. acquires WMG for $2.6 billion… Britney Spears debuts #1, Blink 182 #3 and The Beatles #5…

DECEMBER
No Doubt debuts #1 … Grammy noms announced… Alicia Keys bows #1… Casey Wasserman partners with Coldplay manager Dave Holmes… Ruben Studdard bows at #1 with 403k+...