Jul 31: 2003

2003 was important for music as this was the year that Apple launched the 3rd edition iPod - in white with a click wheel for navigation.

I still have mine and it still works. I have the charger and it's still got music on it.

By this time, the internet was providing opportunities to download tracks and iTunes had been around for a while. Streaming was still a way off.

Some of the downloads were illegal in that they didn't involve paying for the music. One of the locations online was Pirate Bay. This opened in 2003 too. This was a Peer to Peer torrent service. At this time, there was a lot of coverage.

The founders were charged with several offences linking to copyright. And yet now AI just steals the world's music....

I was able to listen to music that I could not afford to risk buying in case I didn't appreciate it, so probably ended up buying more music on CD and vinyl as I knew that I liked it...

Mike Oldfield released a single remix of the introduction to his classic album 'Tubular Bells' for a 2003 remix.

This track from this era has a similar vibe:

Rush released a live album recorded in Rio de Janeiro and also played a SARS benefit concert in Canada. Called SARStock it had a huge audience:

What was your favourite music from 2003?