Music History Today: May 1, 2022

May 1, 2005: Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas was the first male artist from a rock or pop group to debut at number one with his first solo album, '...Something To Be.'  The LP spawned the US top ten hit "Lonely No More." 

Music History Today: January 3, 2023

January 3, 1976: The Scottish boy band Bay City Rollers saw their debut single, "Saturday Night," hit Number 1 in the US.

"Saturday Night" by the Bay City rollers got a huge publicity push.

Music History Today: October 16, 2021

October 16, 1976:  Two weeks after entering the Billboard single's charts "Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)" by Rod Stewart sailed from Number 71 to 42, 

"Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" by Rod Stewart proved to be a massive commercial success and became his second US chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Rod Stewart

Music History Today: October 9, 2021

October 9, 1986: The Phantom of the Opera premiers at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. 

 

Music History Today: May 29, 2021

May 29, 1984: Tina Turner released Private Dancer, her big comeback album.

Few would have predicted Tina Turner’s triumphant comeback in 1984, when Private Dancer put her on top of the album charts – least of all, perhaps, Turner herself. 

Music History Today: May 22, 2021

May 22, 1976: "Silly Love Songs" by Paul McCartney & Wings hit Number 1 in America.

Paul McCartney was very sentimental when he shared the story behind “Silly Love Songs.” “Over the years people have said, ‘Aw, he sings love songs, he writes love songs, he’s so soppy at times.’ I thought, Well, I know what they mean, but, people have been doing love songs forever,” McCartney told Billboard in 2001. 

Paul & Linda McCartney

Music History Today: May 15, 2021

May 15, 1982: "Ebony And Ivory" by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder hit Number 1 in the US.

“When I wrote the song, I thought, ‘Maybe we don’t need to keep talking about black and white. Maybe the problem is solved…

Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder

Music History Today: May 8, 2021

May 8, 1999: "Livin' la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin tops the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

On February 24th 1999, the TV lights at LA’s Shrine Auditorium powered up for the opening number at the 41st annual Grammy Awards. 

Ricky Martin

Music History Today: May 1, 2021

May 1, 1978: Boney M's double-sided hit -  "Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring" - was certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.

"Rivers of Babylon" is a Rastafari song written and recorded by Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Jamaican reggae group The Melodians in 1970. The lyrics are adapted from the texts of Psalms 19 and 137 in the Hebrew Bible. 

Boney M.

Music History Today: April 3, 2021

April 3, 1922: Actress and singer Doris Day was born Doris Mary Ann Kappelhoff in Cincinnati, Ohio. 

Doris Day studied ballet and tap dance growing up. She even won a local dance contest with her partner Jerry Doherty in her early teens. 

Doris Day with her dog in 1968

Music History Today: March 13, 2021

March 13, 2007: Amy Winehouse's second album, Back to Black, was released in the US.

Back to Black came out of nowhere – in a sense. Of course, Amy Winehouse had already released her debut album, 2003’s Frank, but it could not prepare the listener for Back to Black.

Amy Winehouse

Music History Today: February 7, 2021

February 7, 1980: At the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Pink Floyd staged the first production of The Wall.

Pink Floyd kicked off a tour in support of The Wall on Feb. 7, 1980 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Auditorium – and it almost got derailed from the start. 

Music History Today: January 31, 2021

January 31, 2005: "Here We Go Again," a single by Ray Charles and Norah Jones from the album Genius Loves Company, was released.

"Here We Go Again" is a country music standard written by Don Lanier and Red Steagall that first became notable as a rhythm and blues single by Ray Charles from his 1967 album Ray Charles Invites You to Listen.

Music History Today: January 24, 2021

January 24, 1976: The theme from Diana Ross' second movie, Mahogany, became her third solo US number-one hit.

Mahogany was the story of Tracy Chambers, a secretary at a Chicago department store who dreams of becoming a fashion designer. 

Music History Today: January 17, 2021

January 17, 1976: Barry Manilow's "I Write The Songs" hit Number 1 in America. It won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.

Barry Manilow has written a lot of songs, but he didn’t write “I Write The Songs.” In fact, Manilow didn’t write any of his three #1 hits. 

Barry Manilow

Music History Today: January 3, 2021

January 3, 1987: Aretha Franklin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the first woman to be so honored. 

On January 3, 1987, Aretha Franklin made history when she became the first woman ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 

Music History Today: December 8, 2020

December 8, 1980: John Lennon, 40 years old, was shot and killed outside his apartment in New York City.

Forty years ago today Annie Leibovitz photographed John Lennon and Yoko Ono at their apartment in New York City for a feature in Rolling Stone. Lennon autographed an album for a man in the morning.  

Music History Today: December 6, 2020

December 6, 1969: Four people died during a free concert at Altamont, California by the Rolling Stones. 

The end of the 1960s hadn’t been kind to the Rolling Stones. There were drug charges, legal battles, and deteriorating interpersonal relationships, capped off by the ousting of founder Brian Jones and his subsequent drowning. 

Music History Today: October 23, 2020

October 23, 1990: AC/DC's Back In Black album is certified Diamond for US sales of 10 million.

For many bands, the sudden and horrific death of their lead singer at the peak of their popularity would be a career-ender. AC/DC took a few weeks to regroup and then recorded one of the biggest albums of all time.

Music History Today: September 13, 2020

September 13, 1974: With "Fulfillingness' First Finale" atop Billboard's album chart, Stevie Wonder kicks off his first tour since an accident left him in a coma for four days last year. 

The cover of Fulfillingness’ First Finale depicts a staircase of keyboards rising to the sky. It’s remarkably apt, for the careers of few performers in popular music have been such uninterrupted ascents.