Music History Today: April 26, 2022

April 26, 1972: Alice Cooper released the single "School's Out." 

School's Out catapulted Alice Cooper into the hard rock stratosphere, largely due to its timeless, all-time classic title track.

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But while the song became Alice's highest-charting single ever (reaching number seven on the U.S. charts) and recalled the brash, three-and-a-half-minute garage rock of yore, the majority of the album signaled a more complex compositional directional for the band. 

Read more: Allmusic

April 26, 1975: Elton John's ex-drummer,  Nigel Olsson, had his first single to debut on Billboards Hot 100 with"Only One Woman."

"Only One Woman" is a song and the first single by English musical duo the Marbles, written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees.

 

Nigel Olsson, recently released from Elton John's band as their drummer, released his second self-titled studio album. This album included a cover of "Only One Woman", which was also released as a single. 

Read more: Wikipedia

April 26, 1980: The Manhattans' "Shining Star" started climbing up the Hot 100 chart in the US.

"Shining Star" by the Manhattans peaked at Number 4 on the US Billboard R&B chart, and number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1980, the only one ever received by The Manhattans. 

Read more: Wikipedia

April 26, 1997: U2 entered the Hot 100 in the US at Number 30 with "Staring at the Sun."

Bono said of "Staring At The Sun:" "I think it nails a certain mood, where you actually don't want to know the truth because lies are more comforting." Drummer Larry Mullen thought this could have been a huge hit if they had time to finish it properly. The album was rushed in order to meet deadlines. 

Read more: Songfacts

April 26, 2003: Audioslave's "Like a Stone" moved into the American Top 40.

"Like a Stone" by Audioslave topped both the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts. It reached 31 on the Hot 100 chart, making it their biggest US hit.  The melancholy tone and certain parts of the lyrics of "Like a Stone" have prompted some to wonder if Cornell wrote the song about the late Alice in Chains singer Layne Staley, who died in April 2002. Cornell has denied this. 

Read more: Wikipedia

School's Out
Alice Cooper