Births
1933 Bandleader, trumpeter, composer and producer Quincy Jones born in Chicago, IL
1943 Jim Pons, bassist for the Turtles and the Mothers of Invention, is born.
1955 Boon Gould of Level 42 born.
1965 Indian singer Sheila Chandra is born in Britain.
Events
1955 CBS A & R man Arthur Godfrey turns down Elvis Presley, at the same audition he signs Pat Boone.
1956 The movie "Rock Around the Clock" (with Bill Haley) made its premier in Washington, DC.
1958 The Recording Industry Association of America is created to award gold and platinum records, giving the first gold disc to Perry Como's "Catch a Falling Star."
1959 Elvis Presley made the Billboard album chart with "For LP Fans Only". It was the first LP ever issued without the artist's name to be found anywhere on the cover - front or back.
1960 Sam Cooke began his first tour of the West Indies.
1963 Cliff Richard gets his seventh No. 1 with 'Summer Holiday' taken form the film of the same name.
1963 Gerry Marsden (Gerry & the Pacemakers) was fined 60 pounds for evading British customs with a German guitar.
1964 For the first time in British recording history, all Top Ten singles in the UK are by British acts. #1 - "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by Cilla Black, #2 - "Bits and Pieces" by The Dave Clark Five, #3 - Little Children by Billy J Kramer, #4 - "Diane" by The Bachelors, #5 - "Not Fade Away" by The Rolling Stones, #6 - "Just One Look" by The Hollies, #7 - "Needles and Pins" by The Searchers, #8 - "I Think Of You" by The Merseybeats, #9 - "Boys Cry" by Eden Kane, #10 - "Let Me Go Lover" by Kathy Kirby.
1964 Billboard Magazine reports that Beatle records have claimed 60-percent of the US singles market.
1965 Petula Clark made her American TV debut on CBS' "Ed Sullivan Show."
1969 The Jimi Hendrix Experience record a live concert for Dutch TV show 'Fan Club', in Amsterdam.
1970 The Supremes, with Jean Terrell singing lead vocals, enjoy their first hit without Diana Ross, when "Up the Ladder to the Roof" enters the Hot 100, where it will peak at number ten.
1971 The Rolling Stones play a "farewell" gig at London's Roundhouse. The band is about to go into tax exile in France.
1972 At the Grammys, Carole King's Tapestry wins Album of the Year. King is also anointed Best New Artist.
1973 Elton John was at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Crocodile Rock'.
1980 Quincy Jones got a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.
1980 Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark play London’s Y.M.C.A. building , Russell St , Entrance fee is ?2.50
1981 Eric Clapton is hospitalized in St. Paul, Minnesota with bleeding ulcers.
1981 Roxy Music release a cover of John Lennon's, "Jealous Guy".
1983 Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Alec John Such form Bon Jovi.
1984 Michael Jackson's Thriller LP, having sold over 30 million copies and going strong, surpasses Bing Crosby's, "White Christmas," single as the biggest selling piece of vinyl ever.
1984 Annie Lennox marries Hare Krishna devotee Radha Raman.
1984 Rainbow played their last ever gig in Japan.
1985 Dead Or Alive are kicked off UK TV's 'The Tube', after admitting they were incapable of playing 'live.'
1985 Frankie Goes To Hollywood play Sheffield's City Hall.
1987 Boy George gets his first UK No.1 single as a solo artist with the David Gates song ' Everything I Own'.
1987 Huey Lewis & The News went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Jacob's Ladder'.
1990 Michael Jackson was voted artist of the decade at the annual 'Soul Train Awards'.
1991 R.E.M. played the first of two nights at London's Borderline Club under the name of 'Bingo Hand Job'.
1991 David Geffen sells his label to MCA.
1992 Farm Aid Five in Irving, Texas, attracts a crowd of 40,000 to watch performances by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Paul Simon, and John Mellencamp.
1992 Madness started a three week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with their third compilation LP 'Divine Madness'.
1995 Prince released the single "Purple Medley."
1998 Celine Dion went back to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'My Heart Will Go On'.
1998 Will Smith started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Gettin' Jiggy Wit It'.
1998 Ray Charles made his first solo performance in 53 years on the television shopping network QVC.
1998 Jo Dee Messina made her Grand Ole Opry debut.
1999 Stereophonics went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Performance And Cocktails', only the third Welsh band to score a No.1 and the first No.1 album for Richard Branson's V2 label.
1999 Marilyn Manson injured his ankle during a show in Inglewood, CA.
2003 Israel "Cachao" Lopez received the 2,219th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2005 The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame celebrated its twentieth anniversary with a ceremony at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel that saw Bruce Springsteen ushering in U2 and Rod Stewart inducting soul singer Percy Sledge. Neil Young welcomed the Pretenders into the Hall, while Justin Timberlake introduced the O'Jays.
Billboard charts today in '80s music history
1980 Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
1981 Dolly Parton - 9 to 5
1982 J. Geils Band - Centerfold
1983 Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
1984 Van Halen - Jump
1985 REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling
1986 Mr. Mister - Kyrie
1987 Huey Lewis and The News - Jacob's Ladder
1988 Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up"
1989 Debbie Gibson - Lost in Your Eyes
