We begin with an entry from Great Business Decisions in Rock Music History: Today in 1961, EMI Records decided it wasn’t interested in signing the Beatles to a contract.

The number one single over here today in 1961:

Today in 1966, a friend of Rolling Stones Mick Jagger and Brian Jones, Tara Browne, was killed when his Lotus Elan crashed into a parked truck. John Lennon used Browne’s death as motivation for “A Day in the Life”:

The number one album today in 1971 was Sly and the Family Stone’s “There’s a Riot Going On”:

The number one single today in 1982:

Birthdays begin with Chris Chandler, who played bass for the Animals:

Sam Andrew of Big Brother and the Holding Company:

Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones:

Elliot Easton of the Cars:

John Webster of Red Rider: