Today in 1959, Bertolt Brecht‘s “Threepenny Opera” reached the U.S. charts in a way Brecht …

… could not have fathomed:

Today in 1968, Apple Records released its first single by — surprise! — the Beatles:

Today in 1969, this spent three weeks on top of the British charts, on top of six weeks on top of the U.S. charts, making them perhaps the ultimate one-number-one-hit-wonder:

Zager and Evans were not at the second Isle of Wight Festival, which started today:

Nor were they at the Texas International Pop Festival, which also started today:

The number one British hit today in 1975 was not British:

The winners of the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards (ironic for a channel that now rarely plays music videos) included:

The short list of birthdays starts with John Phillips, one of the Mamas and Papas and father of actors Mackenzie and Bijou:

Charles Colbert of American Breed:

Martin Jackson of Swing Out Sister:

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