The number one British single today in 1957 gave a name to a genre of music between country and rock (even though the song doesn’t sound like the genre):

The number one single today in 1967:

The number one British album today in 1967 promised “More of the Monkees”:

(Interesting aside: “More of the Monkees” was one of only four albums to reach the British number one all year. The other three were the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” the soundtrack to “The Sound of Music,” and “The Monkees.”)

The number one single today in 1978:

Birthdays today begin with Richard Valenzuela, better known as Ritchie Valens:

Another singer gone too soon, Mary Wells:

Two birthdays in the same band: harmonica player Richard “Magic Dick” Salwitz and bassist Danny Klein of the J. Geils Band:

Pete “Overend” Watts, bass player for Mott the Hoople:

Danny Kirwan, one of the early members of Fleetwood Mac before Fleetwood Mac started selling records …

… was born the same day as Stevland Hardaway Morris, better known as Stevie Wonder:

Paul Thompson, drummer of Roxy Music: