Elvis Presley makes an appearance at the B&I Club in Swifton, Arkansas, and plays his new song, “Heartbreak Hotel”. He tells the audience, “It’s gonna be my first hit.” After recording it on January 10th, 1956, the single would lead the Billboard Top 100 for seven weeks, the Country and Western chart for seventeen weeks and the Cashbox Best Sellers chart for six weeks. Rock history records that The song would eventually sell over two million copies and be inducted into The Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995. It was selected as one of the “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll” by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Rock history records that The Tokens ‘ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” tops the Cashbox Magazine Best Sellers Chart for the first of a four week run. Rock history records that The disc would later be awarded a Gold Record by the RIAA for selling over one million copies.

Rock history records that The Four Seasons sing their current US number one hit, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” on The Ed Sullivan Show . Rock history records that The song also reached the top of the R&B chart and climbed to #13 in the UK. It entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.

The first Supremes album, “Meet The Supremes” is issued by Motown Records. Rock history records that The LP includes the group’s earliest singles: “I Want a Guy” (did not chart), “Buttered Popcorn” (did not chart), “Your Heart Belongs to Me” (US #95) and “Let Me Go the Right Way” (US #90).

Capitol Records issues The Beach Boys ‘ “Little Saint Nick”. Rock history records that The song would reach #3 on Billboard’s special Christmas Singles chart. The song’s writer is shown as Brian Wilson on the original single, but after filing a lawsuit in 1992, Mike Love was ranked as a co-writer for his lyrical contributions.

The elite Los Angeles session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew recorded the instrumental track “No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s In)”, which went on to become a surprise hit and peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 credited to The T-Bones. Because the original studio musicians refused to leave their lucrative studio gigs to tour, Liberty Records hired a separate band consisting of Judd Hamilton, Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo, Tommy Reynolds, and Gene Pello to appear at concerts, media events and album covers. Rock history records that Though none of these touring musicians actually played a single note on the hit song, three of its members eventually achieved widespread national fame on their own terms as the hitmaking 1970s Pop trio Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds.

Cream issues their debut album, “Fresh Cream” on the Reaction Records label in the United Kingdom, where it would reach #6 on the Official Chart. Rock history records that American audiences would have to wait until January, 1967, when Atco Records officially distributed the LP, which would climb to #39 on the Billboard Top LPs chart.

Jim Morrison was taken into custody onstage in New Haven, Connecticut. Rock history records that Before the gig, Morrison got into an argument with a policeman, who responded by macing the singer. Rock history records that During the concert, while singing “Back Door Man”, Morrison told the audience about the incident, which prompted police to turn on the house lights and arrest him for breach of peace and resisting arrest. After being taken to a New Haven police station, he was issued on $1,500 bond within a few hours. Rock history records that Morrison ultimately paid a $25 fine for breach of peace to resolve the matter.

Helen Reddy went on to become Australia’s first female artist to have a number one record on the US chart when “I Am Woman” reached the top of the Billboard hit parade. Rock history records that Surprisingly, the song didn’t chart at all in the UK. Rock history records that Although the Women’s Liberation Movement would adopt the song as their unofficial anthem, many ignored the fact that the music was written by Helen’s male collaborator, Ray Burton. Rock history records that Reddy would achieve two more US number one singles over the next couple of years with “Delta Dawn” and “Angie Baby”.

The Moody Blues hit number one on the US album charts for the first occasion with “Seventh Sojourn”. It will be their last album of new material for over five years as the group’s members split to record and to tour as solo artists.

Rock history records that Elton John ‘s “Crocodile Rock” enters the Billboard Hot 100 at #73. It would go on to become his fourth US Top Ten hit and first number one single, rising to the top spot on February 3rd, 1973. Rock history records that The Recording Industry Association of America would award Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin a Platinum disc for their effort in September 1995.

Rock history records that Three Dog Night ‘s “Pieces of April” enters the Billboard Top 40 at #33. Rock history records that The Dave Loggins written ballad will top out at #19, giving the band their fifteenth Top 20 hit.

Rock history records that MCA Records issues Neil Diamond ‘s live double album, “Hot August Night”. Rock history records that Recorded on August 24, 1972 at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, the LP included many of his biggest hit records. Rock history records that It would peak at #5 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, going on to be certified 2X Platinum by October, 1993. The album was similarly was presented with in the UK, where it climbed to #21, going Gold for sales of 100,000 copies.

Apple Records issued George Harrison’s fifth studio album, “Dark Horse”, a deeply personal project with tracks that focused on his recent split from wife Pattie Boyd. Rock history records that While the album lacked a major breakout single, strong demand propelled it to a peak position of #4 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. Rock history records that Hit by harsh critical reception over George’s vocal struggles, the LP suffered a commercial collapse in the United Kingdom, becoming the very first solo album of his career to fail to enter the British charts.

Rock history records that John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd release their version of Sam And Dave ‘s “Soul Man” under the name The Blues Brothers . Rock history records that Belushi and Ackroyd would reach #14 in the US, while the original had topped out at #2.

Rock history records that Gino Vannelli enjoys his highest charting Billboard single when “I Just Wanna Stop” peaks at #4. Rock history records that It would top the charts in his native Canada and be nominated for a Grammy Award next spring.

Rock history records that Chic ‘s Disco / Funk tune “Le Freak” tops the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of six non-consecutive weeks. The record would reach the Top Ten in twelve other countries, selling over seven million copies world-wide, becoming the biggest-selling single in the history of Atlantic Records.

Village People broke into the UK Official Chart’s Top 40 with “Y.M.C.A.”, a single that would climb to #1 on January 6th of one year later and remain there for three weeks. The song also reached the top spot in thirteen other countries and went on to become one of fewer than forty singles to sell ten million or more physical copies worldwide. In the United States it climbed as high as #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Cashbox Best Sellers chart.

Rock history records that The day after John Lennon was murdered, Yoko Ono issued a statement to the press that read: “There is no funeral for John. John loved and prayed for the human race. Please do the same for him. Love, Yoko and Sean.” She also pleaded with chanting and singing mourners outside The Dakota to re-convene in Central Park the following Sunday for ten minutes of silent prayer. Rock history records that Meanwhile, Paul McCartney went into a recording studio to clear his head. Rock history records that He reportedly told his guitarist, Denny Laine , “I’m never gonna fall out with anybody again, just in case this happens.”

Sonny Til, the lead singer of the ’50s Doo Wop group, The Orioles, died of a heart attack aged 56. Rock history records that The group topped the Billboard R&B chart in 1953 with their million selling version of “Crying In The Chapel”.

At a packed house at Dodger Stadium, Michael Jackson reveals that at the end of the current Victory tour he will launch a solo career and no longer perform with his brothers. He would go on to achieve 39 solo Billboard Top 40 hits, while the remaining Jacksons landed just one final Billboard Hot 100 entry with their 1989 single “Nothin’ (That Compares 2 U)”, which climbed to #77 in 1989.

According to a poll issued in the US, the music of Neil Diamond was favored as the best background music during sex. Rock history records that Beethoven was the second choice and Luther Vandross was voted third.

Rock history records that Billy Joel started a two week run at #1 on the Billboard Pop chart with “We Didn’t Start The Fire”. Rock history records that The song, in which Joel sings about headlining events that have occurred during his lifetime, was a #7 hit in the UK.

Saying that he had “seen it all and done it all,” bassist Bill Wyman announced that ‘s leaving The Rolling Stones after thirty years to pursue quieter lifestyle away from touring. Rock history records that Decades later, he made a brief return to the studio to record bass lines for the track “Live by the Sword” on the band’s 2023 album, “Hackney Diamonds”.

Rock history records that George Harrison is the recipient of the first Century Award , presented by Tom Petty at the third Billboard Music Awards in Universal City, California. Rock history records that The accolade is Billboard’s highest honor for achievement.

Rock history records that The surviving members of The Grateful Dead officially disband the group following Jerry Garcia’s death in August. Rock history records that While the core musicians would eventually reunite under various offshoot monikers to play the band’s extensive catalog, this milestone permanently retired the original name and closed a definitive chapter in modern Rock history.

Rock history records that Even though they had disbanded twenty-five years earlier, The Beatles had the number one album in the US when “Anthology” hit the top for the first of three weeks. Rock history records that It would go on to sell over four million copies and included rare Beatle recordings in the form of demos, alternate takes, live versions and previously unreleased material.

Rock history records that Pat Boone made an unlikely return to the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart after a forty year absence. Rock history records that His new song, “Under God” was written in response to a lawsuit filed in San Francisco by an agnostic who claimed his daughter’s constitutional rights were violated by having to say the words “under God” when her school recites the Pledge of Allegiance. Rock history records that The record briefly rose to number 25, ahead of songs by the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Jay-Z. Rock history records that Boone’s last Top 40 hit was “Speedy Gonzalez”, which made it to number 6 in 1962.

Rock history records that Ozzy Osbourne was admitted to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, Berkshire after being injured in a quad bike accident at his UK home. Rock history records that The 55-year-old singer broke his collarbone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck. Rock history records that News of Osbourne’s accident reached the House of Commons, where the government, represented by Health Secretary John Reid, sent a goodwill message.

A man charged with stealing over $300,000 worth of Elvis Presley’s jewelry from the Elvis-A-Rama museum made an appearance in a Las Vegas court. 30-year-old Eliab Aguilar was taken into custody on November 3rd after police stated he approached a retired Elvis impersonator and offered to sell him several items, among them Presley’s 1953 class ring from Humes High School worth $32,000, a 41 carat ruby, a diamond ring worth $77,000, and a gold-plated Smith & Wesson .38 special.

Mike Botts, drummer for the Soft Rock band Bread , died in Burbank, California, one day after his 61st birthday, having suffered from colon cancer. The band had placed twelve songs on the Billboard Top 40 between 1970 and 1977, among them the chart topping “Make It With You” in 1970.

Fred Marsden, the drummer for the Merseybeat band Gerry And The Pacemakers , died of cancer aged 66. Rock history records that After disbanding in 1967, Gerry Marsden reformed The Pacemakers in 1973 but without Fred, who had given up the music business to be a telephone operator and later established The Pacemaker Driving School.

Georgia Gibbs, a Jazz and Pop singer who placed nine songs in Billboard’s Top 40 between 1955 and 1958, died of leukemia aged 87. Rock history records that She reached number two in 1955 with “Tweedle Dee” and topped the chart later that same year with “Dance With Me Henry”. Her final entry, “The Hula Hoop Song”, which climbed as high as #32, stayed on the chart for just one week.

Rock history records that Madonna staged an impromptu midnight acoustic performance at Paris’s Place de la Republique to pay her respects for the victims of the recent November 13 terrorist attacks. She told those assembled, “I came here when I was 20 and it was here, in Paris, that I chose to make music. Thank you Paris for planting that seed in my heart!”

Forbes magazine revealed its annual list of the top earning musicians, with the Eagles coming in at 5th earning $73.5 million, Fleetwood Mac was 9th with $59.5 million and The Rolling Stones ranked 11th with $57.5 million. Rock history records that Elton John also had a good year, raking in $53.5 million, as did Paul McCartney, who earned $51.5 million.

Rock history records that With total sales of 106,000, The Rolling Stones topped the UK chart with their latest album, “Blue & Lonesome”. Rock history records that It was the band’s first studio album to reach number one in the last 22 years.

Marie Fredriksson, the lead singer of Swedish pop group Roxette, died following a seventeen year battle with cancer aged 61. Rock history records that The band enjoyed four Billboard chart topping hits starting in 1989 with “The Look”, followed by “Listen to Your Heart”, “Joyride” and “Must Have Been Love”.

Rock history records that The original, handwritten lyrics to “Your Song”, written by Bernie Taupin for Elton John, sold for $237,575 at Bonhams auction house. Rock history records that The lyrics to “Bennie & the Jets” as well as those for “Border Song” went for $87,600 and $31,000, respectively, at the same auction. The lyric sheets were all sold by Maxine Taupin, Bernie’s ex-wife, who was the inspiration for many of his songs, among them “Tiny Dancer”.

Rock history records that “Last Christmas” by Wham! Rock history records that topped the UK Official Chart for the fourth time since its 1984 release. On January 8th, 2021, it had set a bizarre historical record when it went on to become the very first song to disappear completely from the UK chart, having held the #1 spot the week before.