Events in 1983
- James Jamerson, the influential Motown bassist and member of The Funk Brothers, died on August 2, 1983, in Los Angeles at the age of 47 from complications related to cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure, and pneumonia. He played on numerous landmark Motown recordings and was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
- American singer Dawn Richard, known in part for her work with Danity Kane, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- David Crosby was sentenced in Texas to five years in prison for possession of cocaine and an illegal firearm. After unsuccessful appeals, he began serving his sentence at Huntsville State Prison on March 6, 1986, and was released on parole five months later. In November 1987, a Texas appeals court overturned the original conviction because of an illegal search during his arrest.
- Avant-garde German singer and musician and former David Bowie backing vocalist Klaus Nomi died in New York at the age of 39 from complications related to AIDS.
- The Beach Boys reached No. 1 on the UK album chart with the compilation album “The Very Best of the Beach Boys.”
- Black Sabbath vydali album „Born Again“, jediné album skupiny s Ianem Gillanem jako hlavním zpěvákem.
- Billy Joel released his ninth studio album "An Innocent Man". The album reached No. 4 in the U.S. and contained three Billboard Top 10 singles: "Tell Her About It" at No. 1, "Uptown Girl" at No. 3 and "An Innocent Man" at No. 10. It was later certified eight-times platinum.
- Metallica released the single “Whiplash”. It was their first single.
- The Police released the single “King Of Pain”.
- Kajagoogoo dismissed their lead singer Limahl, who subsequently began a solo career. The band had previously reached No. 1 in the UK with the single “Too Shy”.
- They released the album Rant N' Rave with the Stray Cats.
- Paul Simon married actress Carrie Fisher after a six-year relationship. Their relationship inspired several of Simon's songs, including the title track of the album Hearts and Bones.
- David Bowie performed at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona.
- American composer and lyricist Ira Gershwin died.
- Prince released the song “Delirious”.
- British singer, songwriter and pianist Michael Penniman, known as Mika, was born in Beirut, Lebanon.
- The Police, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and R.E.M. performed at Shea Stadium in New York. It was R.E.M.'s biggest concert to date.
- Black Sabbath performed at Isstadion in Stockholm, Sweden.
- Australian singer and songwriter Missy Higgins was born. In 2004, she had the Australian number one single “Scar”, and in 2007 she reached the same position with “Steer”.
- Pirate radio station Radio Caroline, which had broadcast only sporadically since its original closure in 1968, returned to the air from the ship Ross Revenge in international waters in the North Sea. Exactly six years later, it was shut down again.
- Elvis Presley's album I Was The One reached No. 83 on the British chart.
- Madness, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, The Police and R.E.M. performed at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. R.E.M. began the concert at 5:00 p.m., with The Police taking the stage later. R.E.M. nervously waited in a small trailer at the back of the venue, while The Police and their entourage arrived backstage in several limousines.
- Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5's compilation album “18 Greatest Hits” began a three-week run at No. 1 on the British chart, knocking The Beach Boys' album “20 Golden Greats” from the top spot. It remained on the British chart for more than 50 weeks and was later certified platinum.
- Taco's cover version of Irving Berlin's “Puttin' On the Ritz” reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, making the 95-year-old Berlin the oldest living songwriter ever to have a song reach the Top 10 of the chart.
- The Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone, born John Cummings, got into a fight with Seth Micklaw of Sub Zero Construction after seeing him with his girlfriend Cynthia Whitney. Ramone suffered a serious head injury when he was kicked in the head with steel-toed boots during the fight and was found unconscious on a New York street. He underwent emergency four-hour brain surgery to remove blood clots. Micklaw was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and later spent several months in prison.
- The Grateful Dead performed at Frost Amphitheater on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, California.
- David Bowie performed at Scope arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
- Jerry Lee Lewis's fifth wife, Shawn Michelle Stevens, was found dead at their home in Mississippi after a methadone overdose. The couple had been married for only 77 days. A grand jury later cleared Jerry Lee Lewis of criminal responsibility.
- The film “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence”, starring David Bowie, premiered in New York.
- Thin Lizzy performed at the Reading Festival alongside Climax Blues Band, Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul, Opposition, Sad Café, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Ten Years After, and The Enid. For bassist and singer Phil Lynott, it was his final performance in the United Kingdom.
- Actress and singer Jennifer Landon was born.
- Mick Jones, lead guitarist of The Clash, was dismissed by the other three members, who said he had moved away from the group's original vision. His departure effectively marked the breakup of The Clash's classic lineup.
- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened its doors.