Event of Interest
Jan 9 Heart attacks sends Frank Sinatra back to hospital
Frank Sinatra
Music Awards
Jan 27 24th American Music Awards: Toni Braxton & Alanis Morissette win
Alanis Morissette
- Feb 2 "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" closes at Gershwin NYC
- Feb 13 "Three Sisters" opens at Criterion Theater NYC
- Feb 20 "Stanley" opens at Circle in Sq Theater NYC
- Feb 26 39th Grammy Awards: Change the World Babyface, Beck & LeAnn Rimes wins
- Feb 27 "Last Night of Ballyhoo" opens at Helen Hayes Theater NYC
- Feb 27 Singer Sade (Helen Folasade) arrested in Jamaica for disobeying a police officer
- Mar 1 "Mandy Patinkin in Concert" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC
- Mar 8 11th Soul Train Music Awards: Curtis Mayfield, and Babyface win
Knighthood
Mar 11 Beatle Paul McCartney knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
Paul McCartney
Elizabeth II
- Mar 20 "Play On!" opens at Brooks Atkinson Theater NYC for 61 performances
- Mar 22 "Sunset Boulevard" closes at Minskoff NYC after 977 performances
- Mar 23 "Mandy Patinkin in Concert" closes at Lyceum Theater NYC
- Mar 25 "Barrymore" opens at Music Box Theater NYC for 240 performances
- Mar 25 "Life After Death" 2nd studio album by The Notorious B.I.G. is released (Billboard Song of the Year 1997)
- Mar 26 "Annie" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC
- Mar 27 "Young Man From Atlanta" opens at Longacre NYC for 85 performances
- Apr 2 "Doll's House" opens at Belasco Theater NYC
- Apr 3 "Dream-Johnny Mercer Musical" opens at Royale NYC for 109 performance
- Apr 6 "3 Sisters" closes at Criterion Theater NYC
- Apr 13 "American Daughter" opens at Cort Theater NYC for 88 performances
- Apr 20 "Gin Game" opens at Lyceum Theater NYC for 144 performances
- Apr 20 "Present Laughter" closes at Walter Kerr Theater NYC
- Apr 23 32nd Academy of Country Music Awards: Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, and Patty Loveless win
- Apr 24 "Steel Peer" opens at Richard Rodgers Theater NYC for 76 performances
- Apr 26 "Life" opens at Barrymore Theater NYC
- Apr 27 "Little Foxes" opens at Vivian Beaumont NYC for 56 performances
- Apr 27 "Stanley" closes at Circle in Sq Theater NYC
- Apr 28 "Jekyll & Hyde" opens at Plymouth Theater NYC
- Apr 29 "Candide" opens at Gershwin Theater NYC for 103 performances
- Apr 30 "London Assurance" opens at Criterion Theater NYC for 72 performances
- May 3 42nd Eurovision Song Contest: Katrina and the Waves for United Kingdom wins singing "Love Shine a Light" in Dublin
Hall of Fame
May 6 Michael Jackson & Bee Gees inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Michael Jackson
Maurice Gibb
- May 11 "Play On!" closes at Brooks Atkinson Theater NYC after 61 performances
Music Single
May 12 "It's Your Love" single released by Time McGraw and Faith Hill
Faith Hill
- May 31 "Once Upon a Matress" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 187 performances
- Jun 8 "Young Man From Atlanta" closes at Longacre Theater NYC after 85 performances
- Jun 15 "Little Foxes" closes at Vivian Beaumont Theater NYC after 56 performances
- Jun 16 31st Music City News Country Awards: Alan Jackson & LeAnn Rimes
- Jun 19 "Forever Tango!" opens at Walter Kerr Theater NYC
- Jun 21 "Defending the Caveman" closes at Helen Hayes NYC after 671 performances
- Jun 25 Jamaica issues a warrant for singer Sade, who fails to report to court on charges of failure to obey a cop who signaled her to stop
- Jun 28 "Master Class" closes at Golden Theater NYC after 601 performances
- Jun 28 "Steel Peer" closes at Richard Rodgers Theater NYC after 76 performances
- Jun 29 "American Daughter" closes at Cort Theater NYC after 88 performances
- Jun 29 "London Assurance" closes at Criterion Theater NYC after 72 performances
- Jul 6 "Dream-Johnny Mercer Musical" closes at Royale NYC after 109 performances
- Jul 25 Rocker Rick Danko gets suspended sentence in Japan for drug smuggling
- Jul 27 "Candide" closes at Gershwin Theater NYC after 103 performances
- Jul 27 "Victor/Victoria" closes at Marquis Theater NYC after 738 performances
Music Concert
Aug 3 Garth Brooks performs a free concert in NYC's Central Park for HBO
Garth Brooks
- Aug 9 "Just to See You Smile" single released by Tim McGraw (Billboard Song of the Year 1998)
- Aug 14 "1776" opens at Criterion Theater NYC
- Aug 31 "Gin Game" closes at Lyceum Theater NYC after 144 performances
- Sep 1 "Doll's House" closes at Belasco Theater
- Sep 4 14th MTV Video Music Awards: Jamiroquai, Jewel & Beck win
Music Release
Sep 13 Elton John releases "Candle in the Wind 1997", a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales in the UK
Elton John
Diana Spencer
- Sep 13 "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" single is released in the UK by Elton John
- Sep 22 Elton John releases "Candle in the Wind 1997", a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales in the US
- Sep 24 31st Country Music Association Award: Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood & George Strait win
Album Release
Sep 29 Robbie Williams releases his first solo album "Life thru a Lens" features single "Angels"
Robbie Williams
- Sep 30 "Too Close" single released by Next (Billboard Song of the Year 1998)
- Oct 16 "Side Show," opens at Richard Rodgers Theater NYC for 91 performances
- Oct 19 "Annie" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC
- Oct 23 "Triumph of Love" opens at Royale Theater NYC
- Oct 30 "The Cherry Orchard" opens at Martin Beck Theater, NYC
- Nov 2 "Barrymore" closes at Music Box Theater NYC after 240 performances
Album Release
Nov 4 "Come On Over" 3rd studio album by Shania Twain is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1999)
Shania Twain
- Nov 6 "Proposals" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 76 performances
- Nov 9 "Cherry Orchard" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC
- Nov 9 "Scarlet Pimpernel" opens at Minskoff Theater NYC
- Nov 10 "Jackie - An American Life" opens at Belasco Theater NYC
- Nov 13 "Lion King" opens at New Amersterdam Theater NYC
- Nov 16 "1776" closes at Criterion Theater NYC
Jason Newsted
James Hetfield
- Nov 18 "Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture" album is released by Sony Music Soundtrax
- Nov 19 "Eugene Onegin" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC
- Nov 19 "Old Neighborhood" opens at Booth Theater NYC
- Nov 20 "Ivanov" opens at Vivian Beaumont Theater NYC for 51 performances
- Nov 24 "Street Corner Symphony" opens at Brooks Atkinson NYC for 79 performances
- Nov 25 "Sevens" 7th studio album by Garth Brooks is released (Grammy Award Best Country Collaboration with Vocals 1998, Billboard Album of the Year 1998)
- Nov 30 "Eugene Onegin" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC
- Dec 3 "1776" opens at Gershwin Theater NYC
- Dec 4 "Diary of Anne Frank" opens at Music Box Theater NYC
Music Awards
Dec 8 8th Billboard Music Awards: LeAnn Rimes & Spice Girls win
Film Premier
Dec 15 "Spice World" movie directed by Bob Spiers and starring girl group the Spice Girls premieres in the UK
