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2003 in country music

See also: 2002 in country music, 2003 in music, other events of 2003, 2004 in country music, 2000s in music and the List of years in Country Music


Contents

Events

Those who took offense to Maines' comments based their feelings on a number of grounds, including that the country was then on the verge of declaring war on Iraq (which happened less than two weeks later) and that Maines made the comments on foreign soil. Chicks' supporters, meanwhile, cited their right to free speech. Radio stations – perhaps riding the wave of fan sentiment – refuse to play their music on the air, including their then-current hit, "Travelin' Soldier" (which ironically was about a soldier who is about to go to war); some even sponsor anti-Dixie Chicks promotional events, such as disposing and destroying Chicks' compact discs and other merchandise. Maines, meanwhile, defended her stance during a televised interview with Diane Sawyer
Maines and her bandmates – Emily Robison and Martie Maguire – appeared nude (with private parts strategically covered) on the May 2 cover of Entertainment Weekly. Their bodies were covered with words such as "Saddam's Angels" and "Traitor." [1]

Top hits of the year

Number one hits

(As certified by Billboard magazine)

DateSong NameArtistWks. No. 1Spec.
Note
January 1119 Somethin'Mark Wills6
February 22The BabyBlake Shelton3
March 15Man to ManGary Allan1
March 22Travelin' SoldierDixie Chicks1After falling to No. 3 after just one week atop the chart, the song plummeted off the Billboard charts as part of the radio backlash to Natalie Maines' controversial remarks made about President Bush during a concert a few weeks earlier in London.
March 29BrokenheartsvilleJoe Nichols1
April 5Have You Forgotten?Darryl Worley7Contains references to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and Iraq War.
May 24Three Wooden CrossesRandy Travis1Travis' first No. 1 hit in nine years, which soon became a popular Christian hit as well.
May 31I BelieveDiamond Rio2
June 14Beer For My HorsesToby Keith (with Willie Nelson)6At age 70 years, one month and four days, Willie Nelson became the oldest country singer to have a No. 1 hit on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, smashing a three-year old record set by 61-year-old Kenny Rogers. The "Red-Headed Stranger" becomes one of the few — if not the first — septegenerian to top the charts in any format in Billboard.
July 26My Front Porch Looking InLonestar1
August 2Red Dirt RoadBrooks & Dunn1
August 9It's Five O' Clock SomewhereAlan Jackson (with Jimmy Buffett)81, 2
  • This song became just the second song since 1966 to spend eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart; the last song being Lonestar's 1999 hit "Amazed."
September 27What Was I Thinkin'Dierks Bentley1
October 11Real Good ManTim McGraw2
October 25Tough Little BoysGary Allan2
November 8Who Wouldn't Wanna Be MeKeith Urban1
November 15I Love This BarToby Keith5
December 20There Goes My LifeKenny Chesney7

Other major hits

Top new album releases

Births

Deaths

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Major Awards

Grammy awards

Academy of Country Music

Country Music Association

Further reading

Categories


2003 in music | Years in country music

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