The number one song today in 1961 told the previous week’s number one, Ray Charles, to hit the road, Jack:

A horrible irony today in 1964: A plane carrying all four members of the group Buddy and the Kings crashed, killing everyone on board. Buddy and the Kings was led by Harold Box, who replaced Buddy Holly with the Crickets after Holly died in a plane crash in 1959:

Today in 1976, Chicago had its first number one single, which some would consider the start of its downward slope to sappy ballads:

The number one single today in 1982:

The short list of birthdays begins with Ellie Greenwich, who wrote some of the ’60s’ biggest hits:

Freddie Marsden, drummer for Gerry and the Pacemakers:

Weird Al Yankovic:

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