In 1931, the first jazz album to sell a million copies was recorded. It was 'Minnie The Moocher' by Cab Calloway.
In 1937, Benny Goodman started a three-week engagement at the Paramount Theater in New York City.
In 1940, Artie Shaw & His Orchestra recorded "Frenesi." It was released as the B-side of the single "Adios, Marquita Linda," which featured vocalist Anita Boyer. As the audience-preferred side, "Frenesi" rose to #1 on the record chart and stayed there for 13 weeks.
In 1956, Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on the Billboard charts when "Heartbreak Hotel" debuts at #68. Although many staff members at RCA Victor believed that the release was a mistake, the song would rise to #1 on the US Pop chart for 8 weeks and spend 17 weeks at the top of the Country chart. Many years later, "Heartbreak Hotel" would be ranked #45 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
In 1957, the head of the Catholic archdiocese of Chicago, Samuel Cardinal Strich, bans Rock and Roll from Catholic schools in his district.
In 1958, at the Capitol Tower studios in Hollywood, Frank Sinatra and Keely Smith recorded "How Are Ya' Fixed For Love?"
In 1959, at Owen Bradley's Quonset Hut studio in Nashville, Lefty Frizzell recorded "The Long Black Veil."
In 1959, the Drifters, with new lead vocalist Ben E. King, record their breakthrough hit, "There Goes My Baby," at Atlantic's studios in New York. The song will become the group's first of 16 Billboard Top 40 hits.
In 1963, the Beatles played the last show on a UK tour supporting Helen Shapiro at The Gaumont Cinema, Hanley, Stoke.
In 1963, Patsy Cline gave her last public performance, a benefit in Kansas City.
In 1965, "Shindig!" on ABC-TV featured the Rolling Stones, Little Eva, Joe Tex, Jay & the Americans, Roy Clark, and Bobby Sherman.
In 1967, the Jeff Beck group, featuring a virtually unknown singer named Rod Stewart, along with bass player Ron Wood and drummer Aynsley Dunbar, make their debut in London, England.
In 1967, fans at Ottawa, Ontario's Coliseum riot after waiting an hour for the Animals to perform. The band however, refuses to play unless they are paid in advance. The concert is eventually cancelled.
In 1969, Led Zeppelin recorded their first BBC Radio 1 'Top Gear' session during the afternoon at the Playhouse Theatre in London, England. Songs recorded were "Dazed And Confused,""Communication Breakdown,""You Shook Me" and "I Can't Quit You Baby." Free, the Moody Blues and Deep Purple were also in session on the show.
In 1971, South African radio lifts its five-year ban on Beatles' music.
In 1971, Elton John and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform for a packed house at London's Royal Festival Hall.
In 1973, Slade's "Com On Feel The Noize," entered the UK at #1, making Slade the first act to achieve the feat since the Beatles.
In 1973, Jimi Hendrix's personal manager, Michael Jeffrey, was one of 68 people killed in a plane crash in France. Jeffery was en route to a court appearance in London related to Hendrix.
In 1978, the first Van Halen nationwide tour began in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom.
In 1979, the Bee Gees scored their fourth UK #1 single with "Tragedy." Also today The Bee Gees went to #1 on the US album chart with 'Spirits Having Flown,' the brother's second US #1 album.
In 1980, London auction house Sotheby's holds its first ever auction of rock memorabilia. Among the notable items sold were four US dollar bills signed by The Beatles that went for £220 ($528).
In 1981, the documentary movie "This is Elvis" premiered in Memphis, featuring singer Ral Donner doing a voiceover narration as Presley.
In 1982, a re-formed version of the Mamas and the Papas, with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty, joined by Phillips' daughter Mackenzie and Spanky McFarlane of Spanky and Our Gang, play the first show of their brief reunion tour.
In 1983, a member of a motorcycle gang tells a US Senate Judiciary hearing that his friends have a contract out on the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger and that two assassination attempts have already failed.
In 1984, Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' LP became the first album to reap seven Billboard Top Ten hits when the title track reaches #4.
In 1985, Michael Jackson visited Madame Tussauds Waxworks in London to unveil his waxwork look-alike.
In 1986, in New York City, husband-and-wife songwriters Boudleaux and Felice Bryant, who wrote many of the Everly Brothers' hits, were inducted into the National Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In 1990, during a world tour Paul McCartney played the first of 6 sold-out nights at the Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan. The final night was broadcast live to venues in 10 other Japanese cities; Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kumamoto, Matsuyama, Nagoya, Niigata, Osaka, Sapporp, Sendai and Takamatsu.
In 1994, the Smashing Pumpkins were banned from appearing on BBC TV's Top Of The Pops due to the content of the song's lyrics.
On this day in 1995, "Take A Bow" by Madonna was the #1 song.
In 1995, Foo Fighters made their live debut during a benefit show at The Satyricon in Portland, Oregon.
In 1999, music professor Peter Jeffrey went to court to sue the Smashing Pumpkins, their promoters and a company who make ear plugs after claiming his hearing was damaged at a concert in Connecticut.
In 2000, Tom Jones won the Best male artist at this year's Brit Awards. Other winners included Travis for Best band and Best album 'The Man Who.' Best single went to Robbie Williams for "She's The One," Five won Best pop act, TLC won Best International group, Beck won Best International Male, Macy Gray won Best newcomer and Outstanding Contribution went to the Spice Girls.
In 2002, in Houston, George Strait played the last concert ever held at the Astrodome.
In 2002, songwriter and Country Music Hall of Famer Harlan Howard, "the Irving Berlin of country music," died following a heart attack at 74.
In 2003, Ray Jackson who found fame with Lindisfarne took out legal action against Rod Stewart over his 1970s hit song "Maggie May." Jackson claimed he came up with the worldwide hit's classic mandolin melody and claimed he may have lost at least ‘1m because he was not credited for the track's distinctive "hook." Jackson was paid just £15 for the recording session by Stewart in 1971.
In 2006, 61 year old Gary Glitter was jailed for three years after a Vietnamese court found him guilty of sexually abusing two young girls aged 11 and 12 at his home in the resort town of Vung Tau, in southern Vietnam.
In 2008, Norman Smith, who was the chief engineer on Beatles recording sessions between 1962-65, dies at the age of 85. Nicknamed “Normal Norman” by John Lennon, he recorded the early Pink Floyd. As Hurricane Smith he had unexpected Top 5 U.K. hits in 1971 with “Don’t Let It Die”and “Oh Babe, What Would You Say” the following year.
In 2009, to celebrate the release of U2's twelfth studio album and their appearance every night for a week on the Late Show with David Letterman, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg temporarily renamed part of 53rd street in Midtown Manhattan U2 Way.
In 2012, guitarist Ronnie Montrose, who fronted the heavy metal band Montrose and was a former member of the Edgar Winter Group, committed suicide while battling lifelong depression and being successfully treated for prostate cancer at age 64.
In 2013, Bobby Rogers, a founding member of the Motown group the Miracles, died at the age of 73 following a long illness. His voice can be heard on the group's hits "Shop Around,""You've Really Got a Hold on Me,""The Tracks of My Tears,""Going to a Go-Go,""I Second That Emotion" and "The Tears of a Clown."
birthdays today include (among others): Jennifer Warnes (67), Robyn Hitchcock (61), John Lilley (Hooters) (60) and Tone Lōc (48)