2011 in American music

Events

January

• 24 – Original Adema vocalist Mark Chavez leaves the band for the second time.
• 29 – Britney Spears's Hold It Against Me debuted at #1 on US Billboard Hot 100, making Spears the second artist to have more than one single to debut at no. 1, behind Mariah Carey. She also being the third female artist, behind Cher, Madonna and Janet Jackson to top the Hot 100 in three decades, as well as the seventh artist overall.

  February

• 11 – Lady Gaga releases Born This Way the first single off her new album of the same name. It became the fastest iTunes single at the time. It later went on to remain number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 6 consecutive weeks
• 14 – Justin Bieber tops the chart and goes platinum for the second time after the release of his second remix album

  March

• 11 – Kyuss begins their reunion tour in Europe under the moniker Kyuss Lives.
• 15 – Former rapper Nate Dogg dies at age 41 from strokes
• *15 – As Blood Runs Black released her first album in five years, Instinct.

  April

• 3 – LCD Soundsystem plays its final show at New York City's Madison Square Garden.

  May

• 10 – System of a Down began their first tour in 5 years in Edmonton.
• 12 – Katy Perry, with her fourth single from Teenage Dream, "E.T.", becomes the only artist in history to spend 52 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
• 23 – Lady Gaga releases her sophomore album, Born This Way. It sold 524,000 copies on its first day, and one million copies on its first week, making Gaga the first person to do that.
• 25 – Scotty McCreery is crowned winner of the tenth season of American Idol Lauren Alaina is runner-up.

  June

• 18 – Clarence Clemons, Bruce Springsteen's longtime saxophonist for the E Street Band dies at the age of 69.

  July

• 17 – Illinois rock band Cheap Trick is unharmed after a stage collapses during a performance at the Cisco Bluesfest in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
• 19 – Cold released her first album in six years, Superfiction.

  August

• 8 – Well-known hip-hop stars JAY Z and Kanye West release their highly anticipated collaboration album, Watch the Throne.
• 15 – Blink-182 start their 20th Anniversary Tour. The tour visited Canada in 2011, the United States and Europe in 2012 and Australia in 2013.
• 27 – "Last Friday Night " by Katy Perry becomes the fifth single from the album Teenage Dream to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, tying Michael Jackson's record for the most singles from one album to do so. She is the second artist and only woman in history to achieve this.
• 29 – Red Hot Chili Peppers released their first album in five years, I'm with You.

  September

• 2 – It was announced that drummer Mike Pedicone was kicked out of My Chemical Romance due to Pedicone stealing from the band. No charges were pressed.
• 17 – With Katy Perry's fifth single from Teenage Dream, "Last Friday Night ", she completed 69 consecutive weeks inside the top ten, more than any artist in history.
• 21 – Rock and Roll Hall of Famers R.E.M. disband after 31 years together. They played their last show in 2008.
• 24 – "I Wanna Go" by Britney Spears became Spears's 21 top-forty single, the third-highest female total since her first week on the chart on November 21, 1998, and only behind Taylor Swift with 27 and Rihanna with 22. It also broke the record for longest duration between the first and last # 1 on the pop chart.
• 27 – Blink-182 release their sixth studio album Neighborhoods. This is the first album they recorded together since their indefinite hiatus in 2005. It debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200.

  November

• 1 – For the third time, Justin Bieber tops the charts and goes platinum with his first Christmas album/second studio album Under the Mistletoe.
• 7 – David Lynch released his first album in ten years, Crazy Clown Time.

  December

• 6 – Korn's tenth studio album, The Path of Totality, debuts at number 10 on the Billboard 200 with 55,000 copies sold in its first week. This album marks the beginning of a new direction for nu metal, with artists like Skrillex and many more contributing to the album with dub step and more electronic sounds. Cimorelli also releases their second EP The CimFam EP
• 6 – The Mighty Mighty Bosstones released her first album in two years, The Magic of Youth.

  Bands formed

• Adrenaline Mob
• Art of Anarchy
• Banks & Steelz
• Big Talk
• Chris Robinson Brotherhood
• Crosses
• Deap Vally
• DIIV
• Downtown Boys
• Empress Of
• Foxing
• A Great Big World
• The Internet
• The Milk Carton Kids
• Modern Baseball
• The Moth & The Flame
• MS MR
• The Neighbourhood
• Ninja Sex Party
• Nothing
• Pentatonix
• Pistol Annies
• Poliça
• The Record Company
• Rozwell Kid
• Speedy Ortiz
• SuperHeavy
• Tremonti
• Waxahatchee
• Young Buffalo
• Your Favorite Martian

  Bands reformed

• Bad Meets Evil
• Ben Folds Five
• Blink-182
• Evanescence
• Gym Class Heroes
• Dispatch
• Grant Lee Buffalo
• Live
• O-Town
• System of a Down
• Five Iron Frenzy

  Bands on hiatus

• Atreyu
• The Black Eyed Peas
• Disturbed
• Good Charlotte
• Idiot Pilot
• Iglu & Hartly
• Innerpartysystem
• Jonas Brothers
• Nevermore
• Sonic Youth
• The Spill Canvas
• Thrice
• Thursday
• Velvet Revolver

  Bands disbanded

• The Academy Is...
• Anal Cunt
• Big Star
• The Bravery
• Buckner & Garcia
• The Depreciation Guild
• Double Dagger
• Draco and the Malfoys
• The Famine
• The Graduate
• Haste the Day
• LCD Soundsystem
• Monty Are I
• Nick Jonas & the Administration
• Pontytail
• P.S. Eliot
• pureNRG
• R.E.M.
• Rilo Kiley
• SHeDAISY
• The Takeover UK
• Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players
• The Von Bondies
• The White Stripes

  Albums released

January

• Fuckin' A by Anal Cunt
• Outside by Tapes 'n Tapes
• ' by Lecrae
• Showroom of Compassion by Cake
• Thank You, Happy Birthday by Cage the Elephant

• ' by The Music

  February

• Until We Have Faces by Red

• California Fae by Anna Waronker
• Sever the Wicked Hand by Crowbar
• Tao of the Dead by...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

• Angels & Devils by Sarah Darling
• To Hell with God by Deicide
• Identity on Fire by A Skylit Drive
• Justice by Rev Theory
• The People's Key by Bright Eyes
• Runner Runner by Runner Runner

• Beast by DevilDriver
• D.R.U.G.S. by Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows
• The End of the World Party by I See Stars
• Killing Time by Bayside
• Rugged Road by The Aggrolites

  March

• Alexander by Alex Ebert
• Forever the Sickest Kids by Forever the Sickest Kids
• Going Out in Style by Dropkick Murphys

• Collapse into Now by R.E.M.
• Downtown Battle Mountain II by Dance Gavin Dance
• Dreaming in Black and White by TRUSTcompany
• Lasers by Lupe Fiasco
• My Devil In Your Eyes by The Color Morale
• Pedals by Rival Schools
• Skins by Buffalo Tom
• Stronger by Sara Evans

• Dancing Backward in High Heels by New York Dolls
• Endgame by Rise Against
• First World Manifesto by Screeching Weasel
• Give the Drummer Some by Travis Barker
• Megalithic Symphony by Awolnation
• Oh Land by Oh Land

• Angles by The Strokes
• Awesome as Fuck by Green Day
• F.A.M.E. by Chris Brown
• I Remember Me by Jennifer Hudson
• Live on I-5 by Soundgarden
• My Life, My Way by Agnostic Front
• Under Your Skin by Saliva
• Vices & Virtues by Panic! at the Disco
• When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes by Yellowcard

• All Eternals Deck by The Mountain Goats
• Disguises by Aiden
• Doggumentary by Snoop Dogg
• Femme Fatale by Britney Spears
• Rolling Papers by Wiz Khalifa
• Swan by Unwritten Law

  April

• American Tragedy by Hollywood Undead
• Apocalypse by Bill Callahan
• Blood Pressures by The Kills
• Cocoon by Meg & Dia
• Razorback Killers by Vicious Rumors
• What if We Were Real by Mandisa

• Nine Types of Light by TV on the Radio

• C'mon by Low
• The Family Sign by Atmosphere
• Lollipop by Meat Puppets
• No Devolución by Thursday
• So Beautiful or So What by Paul Simon
• Wasting Light by Foo Fighters
• Murder the Mountains by Red Fang

• All at Once by The Airborne Toxic Event
• Fishing for Woos by Bowling for Soup
• Speak-Ahh by Eastern Conference Champions
• Take Care, Take Care, Take Care by Explosions in the Sky
• Atavist by Otep
• The Hollow by Memphis May Fire

  May

• And the Tears Washed Me, Wave After Cowardly Wave by Dreamend
• Are You Gonna Eat That? by Hail Mary Mallon
• Chuckles & Mr. Squeezy by Dredg
• Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes
• Hot Sauce Committee, Pt. 2 by Beastie Boys
• In Your Dreams by Stevie Nicks
• Love? by Jennifer Lopez
• Move Like This by The Cars
• Musiqinthemagiq by Musiq Soulchild
• This Is Gonna Hurt by

• Goblin by Tyler the Creator
• I Am Very Far by Okkervil River
• Let's Cheers to This by Sleeping With Sirens
• Life Fantastic by Man Man
• Rock & Roll Submarine by Urge Overkill
• Simple Math by Manchester Orchestra
• Volcanic Sunlight by Saul Williams

• Destroyed by Moby
• Laugh Now, Laugh Later by Face to Face
• Mona by Mona
• Rome by Danger Mouse
• Running from a Gamble by Company of Thieves
• Too Cool to Care by New Boyz

• Born This Way by Lady Gaga
• Torches by Foster the People

• Back Burner by For the Fallen Dreams
• D by White Denim
• Eclipse by Journey
• Valleyheart by She Wants Revenge

• Circuital by My Morning Jacket
• Codes and Keys by Death Cab for Cutie
• Macabre Eternal by Autopsy
• Speed of Darkness by Flogging Molly
• Ukulele Songs by Eddie Vedder

  June

• All 6's and 7's by Tech N9ne
• The Color Spectrum by The Dear Hunter
• Cults by Cults
• Dirty Work by All Time Low
• Gloss Drop by Battles
• Illud Divinum Insanus by Morbid Angel

• All Things Bright and Beautiful by Owl City
• Find Me by Christina Grimmie
• ' by Bad Meets Evil
• Set The World on Fire by Black Veil Brides
• Time Together by Michael Franks

• 4 by Beyoncé
• Finally Famous by Big Sean
• Gold Cobra by Limp Bizkit
• I'm American by Billy Ray Cyrus
• Taking Back Sunday by Taking Back Sunday
• The Verge by There for Tomorrow
• This Loud Morning by David Cook
• When the Sun Goes Down by Selena Gomez & the Scene

  July

• King of Hearts by Lloyd

• "Regional At Best by Twenty One Pilots

• Here I Am by Kelly Rowland
• Rabbits on the Run by Vanessa Carlton
• Follow Me Home by Jay Rock
• Wilderness'' by The Features

  August

• Hold On 'til the Night by Greyson Chance
• Bad Habits by Every Avenue
• King by O.A.R.
• Sky Full of Holes by Fountains of Wayne
• Tripper by Fruit Bats
• Victorious soundtrack by Victorious Cast
• Wicked Will by The Ettes

• Watch the Throne by Jay-Z and Kanye West

• In Waves by Trivium
• Success Is Certain by Royce da 5'9"
• White Lotus by Eyes Set to Kill

• Any Man in America by Blue October
• Out of Love by Mister Heavenly
• ' by Breaking Benjamin
• Deus Ex Machina by Greek Fire

• Am I the Enemy by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
• Black and White America by Lenny Kravitz
• ' by Puddle of Mudd
• Tha Carter IV by Lil Wayne
• WTF by Vanilla Ice

  September

• Welcome 2 My Nightmare by Alice Cooper
• Worship Music by Anthrax
• Dead Throne by The Devil Wears Prada
• A Dramatic Turn of Events by Dream Theater
• Own the Night by Lady Antebellum
• Green Naugahyde by Primus
• s/he by s/he
• Strange Mercy by St. Vincent
• Daybreak by Saves the Day
• Staind by Staind

• Unbroken by Demi Lovato
• Sweeter by Gavin DeGraw
• The Reckoning by Needtobreathe
• Time Travel by Never Shout Never
• Pearl Jam Twenty by Pearl Jam
• Major/Minor by Thrice
• Night of Hunters by Tori Amos

• Neighborhoods by Blink-182
• ' by J. Cole
• Future History by Jason Derülo
• Unto the Locust by Machine Head
• Music Is Better Than Words by Seth MacFarlane
• Vice Verses by Switchfoot
• The Whole Love by Wilco
• The Year of Hibernation by Youth Lagoon

• NSFW'' by Ninja Sex Party

  October

• Awakening by Blessthefall
• People and Things by Jack's Mannequin
• Mayday Parade by Mayday Parade
• Odd Soul by Mutemath
• Clear as Day by Scotty McCreery
• Radiosurgery by New Found Glory
• Christmas in Diverse City by tobyMac
• Best Intentions by We Are The In Crowd

• Wildflower by Lauren Alaina
• Evanescence by Evanescence
• American Capitalist by Five Finger Death Punch
• Fastlife by Joe Jonas
• Eleven by Martina McBride
• Seeking Major Tom by William Shatner
• ' by Britney Spears
• Third Power by DJ Drama

• Violence Begets Violence by Jedi Mind Tricks
• Clancy's Tavern'' by Toby Keith

  November

• Ambition by Wale
• Four the Record by Miranda Lambert
• Lulu by Lou Reed and Metallica
• Open Invitation by Tyrese
• Smile by The Beach Boys
• Thirteen by Megadeth

• Blue Slide Park by Mac Miller
• ' by Pusha T
• The Lost Children by Disturbed
• ' by Angels and Airwaves
• Welcome to Strangeland by Tech N9ne Collabos

• Camp by Childish Gambino
• The Papercut Chronicles II by Gym Class Heroes
• Love After War by Robin Thicke

• Elevate by Big Time Rush

• Break the Spell by Daughtry
• The Day After Tomorrow by Maino
• My Life II... The Journey Continues by Mary J. Blige
• Speak Now World Tour – Live by Taylor Swift
• Talk That Talk by Rihanna

  December

• El Camino by The Black Keys
• The Path of Totality by Korn
• Revolver by T-Pain
• Underrated by Bow Wow
• undun by The Roots
• Hats Off to the Bull by Chevelle
• The Magic of Youth by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones

• ' by Rivers Cuomo

• The Dreamer, The Believer by Common
• ' by Young Jeezy

  Top hits on record

Deaths

• January 1 – Charles Fambrough, 60, jazz bassist, composer and record producer
• January 7 – Bobby Robinson, 93, record producer and songwriter
• January 9 – Debbie Friedman, 59, singer-songwriter
• January 10 – Margaret Whiting, 86, singer
• January 14 – Georgia Carroll, 91, singer, actress and model
• January 17 – Don Kirshner, 76, record producer, music publisher, and songwriter
• January 19 – James O'Gwynn, 82, singer
• January 21 – Tony Geiss, 86, television writer and composer
• January 22 – Bobby Poe, 77, singer, songwriter, and record producer
• January 24 – Barrie Lee Hall, Jr., 61, trumpeter and band leader
• January 26
• *Gladys Horton, 65, singer
• *Charlie Louvin, 83, singer-songwriter and guitarist
• January 27 – Don Rondo, 81, singer
• January 29
• *Milton Babbitt, 94, composer
• *Emanuel Vardi, 95, violist
• January 31 – Doc Williams, 96, country music performer
• February 8 – Marvin Sease, 64, blues and soul singer-songwriter
• February 10 – Blanche Honegger Moyse, 101, conductor
• February 12 – Betty Garrett, 91, singer and actress
• February 14 – John Strauss, 90, television and film composer
• February 16 – David Shapiro, 58, jazz musician
• February 20 – Eddie Brandt, 90, composer and songwriter
• February 22
• *Beau Dollar, soul-R&B singer and drummer
• *Jean Dinning, 86, singer and songwriter
• February 24 – Eddie Serrato, 65, drummer
• February 25 – Rick Coonce, 64, drummer
• February 26 – Mark Tulin, 62, bassist
• February 27 – Eddie Kirkland, 87, blues musician
• March 8
• *St. Clair Lee, 66, singer
• *Mike Starr, 44, bassist
• March 10 – Eddie Snyder, 92, songwriter
• March 11 – Hugh Martin, 96, songwriter
• March 15 – Nate Dogg, 41, rapper, singer, and actor
• March 17 – Ferlin Husky, 85, country music singer
• March 21 – Loleatta Holloway, 64, singer
• March 23
• *Ken Arcipowski, 66, singer
• *Henry Jerome, 93, big band leader, trumpeter, arranger, composer
• March 24 – Rozetta Johnson, c. 68, soul and gospel singer
• March 31 – Mel McDaniel, 68, country music singer-songwriter
• April 9 – Orrin Tucker, 100, bandleader
• April 20 – Gerard Smith, 36, bassist
• April 23
• *Tom King, 68, guitarist and songwriter
• *Peter Lieberson, 64, classical composer
• April 26 – Phoebe Snow, 60, singer-songwriter
• May 3 – Odell Brown, 70, jazz organist
• May 13 – Bernard Greenhouse, 95, cellist
• May 27 – Gil Scott-Heron, 62, singer, instrumentalist, poet, and author
• June 2 – Ray Bryant, 79, jazz pianist and composer
• June 3 – Benny Spellman, 79, singer
• June 4 – David "Frankie" Toler, 59, drummer
• June 18 – Clarence Clemons, 69, saxophone player for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band
• July 11 – Rob Grill, 67, singer-songwriter and bass player
• July 15 – Cornell MacNeil, 88, operatic baritone
• July 24 – Dan Peek, 60, singer-songwriter
• July 29
• *Jack Barlow, 87, country music singer and songwriter
• *Gene McDaniels, 76, singer-songwriter
• August 10 – Billy Grammer, 85, country singer
• August 11 – Jani Lane, 47, glam rock singer
• August 22 – Jerome "Jerry" Leiber, 78, songwriter and record producer
• August 29 – Fred Farran, 74, pop singer
• September 27 – Johnny "Country" Mathis, 80, country music singer and songwriter
• October 3 – Kay Armen, 95, singer
• October 8 – Mikey Welsh, 40, bassist
• October 12 – Joel DiGregorio, 67, keyboardist
• November 7 – Andrea True, 68, porn performer and singer
• November 8
• *Heavy D, 44, rapper, singer, record producer, and actor
• *Jimmy Norman, 74, musician and songwriter
• November 17 – Gary Garcia, 63, musician and songwriter
• November 25 – Coco Robicheaux, 64, singer-songwriter and guitarist
• December 3 – Ronald Mosley, 72, singer
• December 6 – Dobie Gray, 71, singer-songwriter
• December 7 – Bob Burnett, 71, folk musician
• December 14 – Billie Jo Spears, 74, country music singer
• December 18 – Ralph MacDonald, 67, percussionist and songwriter