The number one single today in 1960 was written by a one-hit wonder and sung by a different one-hit wonder:
The number 45 45 today in 1964 was this group’s first, but not last:
Today in 1974, members of Free, Mott the Hoople and King Crimson formed Bad Company:
The number one album today in 1976 was Earth Wind & Fire’s “Gratitude” …
The number one British album today in 1999 was Fatboy Slim’s “You’ve Come a Long Way Baby”:
The number one single today in 1956:
The number one single in Great Britain …
… and in the U.S. today in 1964:
Today in 1967 was not a good day for fans of artistic freedom or the First Amendment. Before their appearance on CBS-TV’s Ed Sullivan Shew, the Rolling Stones were compelled to change “Let’s Spend the Night Together …”
… to “Let’s Spend Some Time Together”:
The number one British album today in 1977 was ABBA’s “Arrival” …
The number one British single today in 1960:
The number one single today in 1978:
The number one British single today in 1995 came from a Swedish group that did a wacky country-ish song:
The number one single today in 1960 topped the charts for the second time:
The number one album today in 1973 was Carly Simon’s “No Secrets”:
Today in 1973, Eric Clapton performed in concert for the first time in several years at the Rainbow Theatre in London:
It figures after War and Peace-size Presty the DJ entries the past few days, today’s is relatively short.
The number one album today in 1974, a few months after the death of its singer, was “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim”:
The number one single today in 1974 introduced the world to the word “pompatus”:
Today in 1982, Bob Geldof was arrested after a disturbance aboard a 727 that had been grounded for five hours:
The number one album today in 1964 was “Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash,” the first country album to reach the top of the album chart:
The number one single today in 1964, whatever the words were:
The number one British single today in 1986:
Today in 1992, Nirvana appeared on NBC-TV’s “Saturday Night Live”:
Today’s first birthday is of someone who influenced rock music though he did not perform rock: Laurens Hammond, inventor of the Hammond organ:
Clarence Clemons, Bruce Springsteen’s saxophonist:
Terry Williams played drums for Dire Straits:
Vicki Peterson of the Bangles:
Tom Dumont of No Doubt:
One death of note, today in 2005: Spencer Dryden, drummer for the Jefferson Airplane:
The number one British single today in 1957 was the same single as the previous week, though performed by a different act:
The number one British single today in 1958:
The number one album for the fifth consecutive week today in 1976 was “Chicago IX,” which was actually “Chicago’s Greatest Hits”:
John Lennon had three songs in the British top five, including number one, today in 1981, a month after his death:
Birthdays today begin with Ronnie Hawkins, whose band, the Hawks, was the precursor to The Band:
Jim Croce:
Rod Stewart:
Aynsley Dunbar played drums for a lot of acts:
Bob Lang of Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders:
Neal Smith played drums for Alice Cooper:
Donald Fagen of Steely Dan:
Pat Benatar:
Luci Martin of Chic:
Shawn Colvin:
Matt Roberts of Three Doors Down:
The number one single today in 1955 was banned by ABC Radio stations because it was allegedly in bad taste:
The number one album today in 1961 wasn’t a music album — Bob Newhart’s “The Button Down Mind Strikes Back!”
The number one album today in 1965 was “Beatles ’65”:
Steve Prestegard.com: The Presteblog 