On this day today:
1941 - Roy Harper, an English folk rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was born in Rusholme, Manchester, England. Notably, he provided the lead vocals for Pink Floyd’s "Have a Cigar."
1949 - John Wetton, frontman for King Crimson and Asia, is born in Derbyshire, England.
1951 - Brad Delp (lead vocalist for Boston) is born in Peabody, Massachusetts.
1958 - Meredith Brooks, the singer-songwriter who gained fame with her 1997 hit "Bitch," hails from Oregon.
1961 - Frankie Avalon embarks on a groundbreaking 12-day tour of South America, marking one of the earliest rock tours to visit the continent.
1965 - Sonny and Cher make their US television debut, enchanting audiences with their performance of "Just You" on American Bandstand.
1966 - Pink Floyd made a significant appearance at The Marquee Club in Wardour Street, London, England. It was during this show that future co-manager Peter Jenner witnessed the band live for the first time. This pivotal moment led to Pink Floyd signing a management contract with Peter Jenner and Andrew King on October 31 of the same year.
1979 - Electropop singer Robyn, born Robin Miriam Carlsson, hails from Stockholm, Sweden.
1984 - Howard Jones' debut album, Human's Lib, is released in the US.
1990 - Mariah Carey releases her self-titled debut album, which becomes a monumental success. Selling 9 million copies in America alone, all four of its singles—"Vision Of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday," and "I Don't Wanna Cry"—achieve the #1 spot on the charts.
1999 - Jennifer Lopez achieves her first #1 hit in America with her debut single, "If You Had My Love," which remains at the top of the charts for an impressive five weeks.
2001 - Blink-182 follows up their mainstream success with "Enema of the State" by releasing the cleverly titled "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket." Despite their initial resentment towards crafting radio-friendly singles, the album's ironic approach results in two catchy hits, leading to a milestone chart debut.
2003 - Little Richard, Van Morrison, Queen, and Phil Collins are honored with induction into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame.
2005 - Pink Floyd made a historic announcement of their reunion with former bassist Roger Waters, who departed the band in 1985. The reunion was set for the Live 8 London concert on July 2, marking the first time the band had performed together as a quartet since The Wall tour in 1981.
2008 - Amy Winehouse delivered an exclusive performance at a Moscow art gallery for Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich and his girlfriend Dasha Zhukova. Reports circulated that the singer received £1 million for the gig, which took place at the launch of The Garage gallery, founded by Ms. Zhukova.
2009 - At the Bonnaroo festival, the Beastie Boys perform together for the last time, as Adam Yauch (MCA) is soon diagnosed with cancer.
2012 - Rush releases their 20th and final studio album titled "Clockwork Angels," a concept album that showcases their musical prowess. Notably, drummer Neil Peart employs a new method in collaboration with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who "conducts" Peart's drumming during recordings, adding a unique dynamic to the album's production.
2013 - BTS makes their debut with the release of their first album, "2 Cool 4 Skool." In subsequent years, the date of the album's release becomes a celebrated occasion with special releases and events tailored for their dedicated fan club, ARMY.
2019 - Radiohead foiled a blackmail attempt by releasing 18 hours of music recorded during the making of their iconic album "OK Computer." Hackers had stolen tapes from the sessions and demanded $150,000 for their return. Rather than comply, the band decided to release the tapes in full, with proceeds benefiting climate crisis activists Extinction Rebellion. Guitarist Jonny Greenwood cheekily remarked, "For £18 you can find out if we should have paid that ransom."
