On this day today:
1948 - Klaus Meine (lead singer of Scorpions) is born in Hanover, Germany.
1950 - Robby Steinhardt (co-lead singer for Kansas) is born in Illinois, but will grow up in Lawrence, Kansas.
1958 - Paul Weller (singer, guitarist for The Jam, The Style Council) is born in Woking, Surrey, England.
1962 - The West Side Story soundtrack goes to #1 in the US, where it stays for a record 54 (non-consecutive) weeks.
1970 - Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green plays his final official show with the band, although he returns for a few performances years later to fill in after they lose their lead guitarist.
1973 - Mike Oldfield releases "Tubular Bells" in the UK. A segment of it later becomes the theme music for the movie The Exorcist.
1977 - George Lucas' space opera Star Wars debuts in theaters, accompanied by an instantly iconic score from John Williams.
1978 - Keith Moon performs his final show with The Who at the Shepperton Film Studio in England, during the filming of the movie The Kids Are Alright.
1985 - Wham!'s "Everything She Wants" reaches #1 in the US, marking them as the first group since the Bee Gees to achieve three #1 hits from the same album.
1985 - Dire Straits scored their second UK No.1 album with 'Brothers In Arms', also No.1 in the US and 24 other countries.
1987 - The Cure achieve mainstream success in America with their double album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, which includes the hit singles "Why Can't I Be You?" and "Just Like Heaven."
1990 - In Back to the Future Part III, ZZ Top makes a cameo appearance, performing an Old West-style version of their hit song "Doubleback" as Marty McFly travels back to 1885 to save Doc Brown. The standard version of the song is featured during the closing credits. Additionally, Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers reprises his role as Needles, Marty's adversary.
1991 - Michael Bolton reaches the peak of his career as his album Time, Love & Tenderness hits #1 in America. The album features hits like the title track, penned by Diane Warren, and his cover of "When a Man Loves a Woman."
1996 - With their funk-infused cover of "Killing Me Softly," the Fugees' second album, The Score, climbs to #1 in America. Despite its success, the album turns out to be their last, as the group disbands shortly after due to personal and professional conflicts.
2004 - Nineteen-year-old Avril Lavigne releases her second album, Under My Skin, featuring hits like "Don't Tell Me" and "My Happy Ending." The album goes on to sell 3 million copies in America.
2005 - Carrie Underwood wins Season 4 of American Idol and becomes their most successful alum in terms of sales.
2011 - Judas Priest perform "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking the Law" on American Idol alongside contestant James Durbin, marking a rare heavy metal appearance on the show.
2012 - During a concert in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson halts their performance of "Stupid Girl" to address a man in the crowd who is being abusive. She firmly tells him, "Dude, never hit a woman."
