The number one single today in 1956:

The number one single in Great Britain in 1964:

… and in the U.S. today in 1964:

The number one single on both sides of the Atlantic today in 1977 was sung by Hutch …

… which brings to mind my own insight that more often singers act better than actors sing.

The number one single today in 1988:

The number one British single today in 1999:

The number one British single in 2005 was the 1,000th British number one, recorded 48 years earlier by a performer who had died 28 years earlier:

Birthdays begin with Bob Bogle of the Ventures:

Raymond Philips of the Nashville Teens (who were not from Nashville, Tennessee, or even the U.S.):

William Francis played keyboards for Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show:

Who is Helen Folasade Adu? You knew her as Sade:

Paul Webb of Talk Talk:

Maxine Jones of En Vogue:

One death of note, today in 2000: Will Jones of the Coasters:

• Music