In 1952, at Manhattan Center in New York City, Perry Como recorded "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes."
In 1957, Jackie Wilson made his US chart debut with "Reet Petite," (it made #1 in the UK in 1986, 29 years after its first release).
In 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis was the guest performer on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1957, the top six singles on the Billboard pop and R&B charts were exactly the same: Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" was #1, then "Wake Up Little Susie" by the Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke's "You Send Me,""Silhouettes" by the Rays, Ricky Nelson's "Be-Bop Baby," and "Honeycomb" by Jimmie Rodgers.
In 1961, three weeks after turning 21 years old, Cliff Richard's "I'm 21 Today" tops the UK chart.
In 1963, the Beatles topped the bill at The Royal Variety Show at The Prince of Wales Theatre, London. With the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret in the audience, this was the night when John Lennon made his famous remark, “For the people in the cheaper seats, clap your hands. And the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewelry.” John would later say "I was fantastically nervous, but I wanted to rebel a bit and that was the best I could do."
In 1963, the night after The Rolling Stones had just come off a 30-date UK tour with the Everly Brothers, they kicked off another 50-date UK club tour at the Top Rank Ballroom in Preston.
In 1964, "Shindig!" on ABC-TV featured performances by the Miracles, Gene Pitney, Gerry & the Pacemakers, Ketty Lester, and Glen Campbell.
In 1965, at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, the Beatles recorded "What Goes On" for the UK version of the 'Rubber Soul' album. In North America, it appeared on their album 'Yesterday And Today.' It has the distinction of being the only song credited to Lennon-McCartney/Starkey.
In 1965, the Rolling Stones were at #1 on the UK singles chart with "Get Off Of My Cloud," also a #1 in the US.
In 1966, the Beach Boys "Good Vibrations," entered the UK chart, it went on to be a UK & US #1 hit single. As a child, Brian Wilson's mother told him that dogs could pick up "vibrations" from people, so that the dog would bark at "bad vibrations" Wilson turned this into the general idea for the song.
In 1969, founder member of the Ink Spots, Ivory Watson died aged 60. The group who formed in the early 1930s in Indianapolis, had the 1939 US hit "If I Didn't Care," and "The Gypsy" was their biggest chart success, staying at the #1 position for 13 weeks.
In 1970, in Los Angeles, the Beach Boys played the first of four nights at the Whiskey A Go Go.
In 1971, the Who opened up the Rainbow Finsbury Park, London, England appearing on the first of three nights.
In 1972, eight weeks after entering the Billboard Hot 100, "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash claims the top spot. It made #5 in the UK.
In 1973, Pink Floyd and Soft Machine played a benefit concert for Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt who was paralyzed in a fall.
In 1974, even though he was the one who was the most opposed to touring in the final years of the Beatles, George Harrison became the first to set out on a solo tour when he appeared in Vancouver, Canada with Billy Preston. It will be a troublesome show for him as his voice is ravaged after LP sessions and tour rehearsals. The concert and the rest of the tour played in front of thin crowds.
In 1976, the start of Bruce Springsteen's concert at the Palladium in New York City was delayed by a bomb threat. Springsteen joked that the threat probably was made by former manager Mike Appel, who was suing Bruce at the time.
In 1977, the Mystery Girls, featuring Pete Burns, Julian Cope and Pete Wylie appeared at Eric's, Liverpool, England.
In 1978, after returning from a two year hiatus, Anne Murray topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the biggest selling single of her career, "You Needed Me." It was her fourth US Top Ten single and made #22 in the UK. Anne would go on to put six more songs on Billboard's Top 40 Pop chart.
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In 1978, Boston, the bock band from the city of the same name, played their hometown for the first time since becoming major stars. They open a two night, sold out stand at the Boston Garden.
In 1978, Crosby Stills Nash & Young were sued by former bass player Greg Reeves for over a $1 million claiming he was owed from sales of their album 'Deja Vu.'
In 1980, Bob Marley was baptised at the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Kingston, converting to a Christian Rastafarian and taking on the new name Berhane Selassie.
In 1980, doo-wop singer/trumpeter Ronnie Goodson of Ronnie and the Hi-Lites died of a brain tumor at age 30.
In 1984, Prince played the first of seven nights at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan at the start of his 87-date North American Purple Rain tour. The outing marked the live debut of his new band The Revolution.
In 1989, Elton John became only the third artist in history to put 50 hit records on the UK charts. His first was "Your Song" in 1971 and the fiftieth was "Sacrifice," his first solo #1 in Britain. The first two artists with 50 hits were Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard.
In 1989, Roxette scored their second US #1 single with "Listen To Your Heart," a #6 hit in the UK the following year.
In 1990, the musical "Buddy" (The Buddy Holly Story), starring Paul Hipp, Russ Jolly, Bobby Prochaska, Kurt Ziskie, and Jill Hennesey, opened at New York's Shubert Theatre for 225 performances.
In 1991, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Booker T. & The M.G.'s, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, The Isley Brothers, The Yardbirds, and Sam & Dave are elected to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.
In 1992, Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin sign a $39 million publishing contract with Warner-Chappell music.
In 1993, Depeche Mode's Martin Gore was arrested at the Denver Westin Hotel after refusing to turn down the volume of his music in his room.
In 1994, Fred Smith, guitarist for the MC5 on their Shock-Rock hit "Kick Out The Jams", died of heart failure at the age of 46.
In 1996, Melissa Etheridge and partner Julie Cypher appeared on the cover of Newsweek magazine in connection with an article on gay parents.
In 1997, after an 18 month delay, Capitol Records releases The Beach Boys''The Pet Sounds Sessions,' a 4-CD boxed set which details the creation of the Beach Boys' album 'Pet Sounds.' Overseen by producer Brian Wilson, the collection allows the listener to hear a capella vocals from the master tapes and alternate mixes of the songs. The set also contains instrumental tracks, vocals-only tracks, alternate mixes, and edited highlights from the recording sessions for many of the album's songs, as well as several songs not included on the album.
In 1998, Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was arrested after an alleged drunken brawl with photographer Mel Bouzac at a London pub. Bouzac had been tipped off that Liam was in the pub wearing a Russian hat and attempted to take photos.
In 2002, Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin received the Music Industry Trusts Award for one of the greatest songwriting partnerships of all time.
In 2007, the Eagles went to #1 on the UK album chart for the first time ever with 'Long Road Out of Eden'– 33 years after their debut album 'On the Border.'
In 2009, Robin Bachman and Blair Thornton, both former members of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, launched a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver, Canada over the rights to the name of their iconic 1970s group. The suit claimed Randy Bachman and Fred Turner, the other members of the Rock quartet, signed away their rights to the names Bachman-Turner Overdrive, BTO and any similar brands when Randy left in 1977 to go solo. The suit would be successful.
In 2009, country music singer Taylor Swift became the first artist in Billboard Hot 100 history to debut five tracks in the top-30 in a single week.
In 2010, Aretha Franklin canceled all of her appearances until next Spring on the advice of her doctors. The 68 year old Queen Of Soul was released from a Detroit hospital on October 30th after being admitted for undisclosed reasons.
In 2012, a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by songwriter Guy Hobbs against Elton John and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin over their hit song "Nikita" was thrown out of court. The Judge ruled that both songs shared similar themes and phrases, but that these were prevalent in modern music.
