Music History Today: April 13, 2020

April 13, 1971: The Rolling Stones released 'Brown Sugar' from their latest album, Sticky Fingers.*

April 6, 1971: The Rolling Stones unveiled their new record label, Rolling Stones Records.

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The label featured the band’s new logo, the tongue-and-lips “pop art” drawing created by London graphic artist John Pasche. The first single on their new label would be “Brown Sugar”, which would be released later in the month.

Read more: Megarock Radio

*Correction: April 16, 1971

April 13, 1974: Paul McCartney's Band On The Run went to Number 1 on the US album charts. 

Paul McCartney - 1966
Credit:Jean-Marie Périer

The success of Paul McCartney as part of the Beatles has been out of this world for 55 years and counting. What about his solo career through?  At 76, he is still able to shot to the top of the US album chart as shown by his last effort Egypt Station. He also landed at #1 multiple times with both albums and singles during the 70s and the 80s. .

Read more: Chart Masters

April 13, 1985: The all-star charity single "We Are The World" hits Number 1 in America, where it stays for four weeks.

Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote this song, and Quincy Jones produced it. This talented trio was perfect for the job: Quincy Jones was the hottest producer around, and his Rolodex (what would now be a contact list) was filled with the biggest names in music; 

Richie had written songs that went to number 1 on the Hot 100 each of the previous seven years ("We Are The World" made it eight); Michael Jackson had the biggest album of 1984 with Thriller (produced by Jones) and was the biggest star in the world.  

Read more: Song Facts

April 13, 2009: Procol Harum's 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' was the most played song in public places in the past 75 years, according to a chart compiled for BBC Radio 2.  

Procol Harum 

Procol Harum's psychedelic classic "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has just been named Britain's most-played song in public places in the past 75 years, beating out Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "All I Have to Do Is Dream" by The Everly Brothers. The song spent six weeks at the top of the charts when it was released in 1967.   

Read more:  NPR

Brown Sugar
Rolling Stones