Music History Today: July 31, 2022

July 31, 2011: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga recorded a cover of "The Lady Is a Tramp" for the album Duets II.

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July 31, 1971: "Sooner or Later" by The Grass Roots made it to Number 9 in the US. 

Written by Gary Zekley, Mitchell Bottler, brothers Adenyi Jacob and Ekundayo Paris, and Ted McNamara, "Sooner or Later" was the Grass Roots' first Top 10 hit since their hit "Midnight Confessions," which was released three years before. Zekley and Bottler also wrote the Grass Roots' previous hit "(I'd) Wait a Million Years." 

Read more: Songfacts

July 31, 1993: Aerosmith enters Billboard's Hot 100 with "Cryin'." 

All hail the greatest rock video trilogy of all time – Aerosmith‘s Alicia Silverstone Trilogy. The future Clueless starlet played the plucky teen heroine of three perfect videos – “Cryin’,” “Amazing” and “Crazy.” As soon as “Cryin'” hit MTV in the summer of 1993, it was clear Alicia was a new rock & roll muse. 

Read more: Rolling Stones

July 31, 1965: The Supremes were flying up Billboard, from Number 88 to 40, their second week on the chart with "Nothing But Heartaches."

The Supremes

"Nothing But Heartaches," written and produced by Motown songwriting and producing team Holland–Dozier–Holland, was notable for breaking the first string of five consecutive number-one pop singles for the Supremes in the United States, peaking at number 11. 

Read more: Wikipedia

July 31, 1999: Santana broke into Billboard's Hot 100 with "Smooth," featuring vocals by Rob Thomas from matchbox twenty.

Were you aware that “Smooth,” by Santana and Rob Thomas, is the third biggest song of all time, in the 63-year history of Billboard’s fabled Hot 100 singles chart? Since 1958. 

Read more: The Ringer

The Lady Is a Tramp
Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga