1966The Mamas and the Papas released their second album, featuring “I Saw Her Again” and “Words of Love.” It reached No. 4 in America and No. 24 in Britain.
1968The Byrds released “Sweetheart of the Rodeo,” abandoning their psychedelic folk-rock sound for country and bluegrass. The change alienated core fans, and the album stalled at No. 77 in the U.S.
1969The three-day Texas International Pop Festival opened at Dallas International Motor Speedway with Chicago Transit Authority, Janis Joplin, Led Zeppelin, and Santana. An estimated 120,000–150,000 people attended.
1971The Beach Boys issued “Surf’s Up,” which reached No. 29 in America and No. 15 in Britain, their best U.S. chart showing for new music since 1967.
1972John Lennon and Yoko Ono held a One to One benefit at Madison Square Garden with Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, and Sha Na Na. Lennon performed with the Plastic Ono Elephant’s Memory Band; several tracks later appeared on “Live in New York City.”
1973The surviving Doors announced that they were disbanding two years after Jim Morrison’s death. Ray Manzarek and Robbie Krieger later attempted several reunions, including a 2002 tour billed as The Doors of the 21st Century.
1975KC and the Sunshine Band finally reached No. 1 in the U.S. with “Get Down Tonight,” a million-selling Platinum record that also topped Canada’s chart.
1980Christopher Cross’s “Sailing” topped the Hot 100 for one week and later won Grammys for Record, Song, and Arrangement of the Year, while Cross also won Best New Artist.
1986Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” reached No. 1 in America and later won Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
1989Billy Joel dismissed manager and former brother-in-law Frank Weber after an audit showed severe losses and a $5 million IRS debt. Joel later sued Weber for fraud and racketeering; the dispute ended in a settlement that recovered only part of the money.
1995Velvet Underground founding member Sterling Morrison died of cancer at 53. Though commercially unsuccessful, the group was later recognized as one of rock’s most influential bands and entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
2011Elvis Presley’s estate sued Arista Music over alleged underpayment for newer digital income. A 2017 ruling found that Presley had sold the relevant rights to RCA in 1973 and had been properly compensated.
1957Elvis Presley’s last concert outside the U.S. took place at Vancouver’s Empire Stadium before 26,000 fans. The 25-minute set included “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Hound Dog”; Presley gave a crew member his gold jacket so fans would follow the decoy while Elvis slipped away.
1958Ricky Nelson began his concert career at Atlantic City’s Steel Pier, drawing a venue-record 44,221 people over two days and earning a $10,000 fee.
1963The Angels became the first all-white female group to top the U.S. chart when “My Boyfriend’s Back” began a three-week run at No. 1. The song reached only No. 50 in Britain.
1968The Rolling Stones released “Street Fighting Man,” inspired by Mick Jagger’s experience at a 25,000-person anti-war rally in London. U.S. stations resisted its supposedly subversive lyrics, keeping it at No. 48; its withdrawn protest-themed picture sleeve later became a valuable collectible.
1968Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” peaked at No. 5 while “Wheels of Fire” sat at No. 1 on the album chart.
1969Bob Dylan made his first paid performance since his motorcycle accident, appearing with The Band at England’s Isle of Wight Festival for one hour and earning £38,000.
1970The Beach Boys released “Sunflower.” Critics liked it, but it reached only No. 151 in America; British listeners pushed it to No. 29.
1970Jimi Hendrix made his final U.K. live appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival around 2 a.m. before an estimated 600,000 people. He died less than three weeks later.
1973Paul McCartney received a Gold record for “Live and Let Die,” which reached No. 2 in America and No. 9 in Britain. The Rolling Stones also released “Goats Head Soup,” whose single “Angie” topped the U.S. chart.
1974John Lennon testified in federal court that the Nixon administration sought to deport him because of his anti-war activism and that government agents monitored him. An appeals court overturned the deportation order in 1975.
1976A U.S. judge found George Harrison guilty of subconscious plagiarism, ruling that “My Sweet Lord” was musically identical to The Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine.” Harrison ultimately paid $587,000 in damages.
1987CBS Records shipped 2.25 million pre-ordered copies of Michael Jackson’s “Bad,” the label’s largest advance shipment. The album later sold tens of millions worldwide.
1953Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery auditioned for KDAV radio’s Sunday Party in Lubbock, Texas, a live country-and-bluegrass showcase hosted by disc jockey and talent scout Dave “Hipockets” Duncan. The duo earned a weekly 30-minute Sunday-afternoon slot and performed under the name Buddy and Bob.
1962Tommy Roe scored his first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 when “Sheila” reached the top. The hit was a new recording of a song he had first released in 1960 with the Satins, and it launched a run that produced five additional U.S. Top 10 singles through 1970.
1965James Brown, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, and the Kinks appeared on the television program Shindig! Brown performed “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” while the single was sitting at No. 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
1967Following manager Brian Epstein’s death, the Beatles met at Paul McCartney’s St. John’s Wood home to discuss their future. McCartney proposed making Magical Mystery Tour themselves; afterward, the group announced it would not hire a replacement manager and would handle its business affairs internally, a choice that helped lead to Apple Corps.
1967After receiving a postcard invitation while busking in Stockholm, Boz Scaggs officially joined the Steve Miller Band. He appeared on Children of the Future and Sailor before departing in 1968 and later building a solo career that produced eight Billboard Top 40 hits between 1976 and 1988.
1972The O’Jays received a Gold record for “Back Stabbers.” The Philadelphia soul single reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Soul Singles chart.
1973Paul and Linda McCartney and Denny Laine began recording Wings’ Band on the Run at EMI’s studio in Lagos, Nigeria. Drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist Henry McCullough had quit shortly before the trip, leaving McCartney to cover bass, drums, and much of the lead guitar. The sessions unfolded amid poor studio conditions and local tension, and the McCartneys were later robbed at knifepoint of…
1976Ode Records president Lou Adler and employee Neil Silver were kidnapped from Adler’s Malibu home, handcuffed, and held for eight hours at another nearby Adler property. They were released unharmed after a $25,000 ransom was delivered; Veronica Franovich and Zoltan Laslow Kakash were later arrested, with Kakash receiving a life sentence and Franovich serving seven months.
1977Despite serious internal disputes over the Beach Boys’ artistic direction and finances, the band played a free Central Park concert for an estimated 150,000 people. Setting aside backstage tensions, they delivered hits including “California Girls,” “In My Room,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” and “Help Me, Rhonda.”
1977Blondie signed its first major-label agreement with Chrysalis Records. Chrysalis bought out the group’s contract with independent label Private Stock and acquired the master recordings for Blondie’s self-titled 1976 debut album.
1978Epic Records released Molly Hatchet’s self-titled debut album. Although it peaked at No. 64 on Billboard’s Top LPs & Tape chart, the record eventually earned an RIAA Platinum certification for sales exceeding one million copies.
1980Fleetwood Mac concluded an eleven-month tour at the Hollywood Bowl. Lindsey Buckingham told the audience it would be the band’s last show for a long time, and the group did not return to the road until the Mirage tour began nearly two years later.