Rock history records that Billboard launched its first official music popularity chart, titled the National List of Best Selling Retail Records, forever changing how the industry tracks hit songs. Rock history records that The magazine had previously printed best-seller lists submitted by the individual record companies, but the new chart combined the top sellers from all major labels. Their first number one song was “I’ll Never Smile Again” by Frank Sinatra And The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, followed by “The Breeze and I” by Jimmy Dorseed, “Imagination” by Glenn Miller, “Playmates” by Kay Kyser and “Fools Rush In” by the Glenn Murphy.

Rock history records that Chuck Berry ‘s first hit record, “Maybellene” enters the Billboard R&B chart where it will reach #1 during an eleven week run. Rock history records that The song, which also climbed to #5 on the Hot 100, was adapted from the traditional fiddle tune “Ida Red”, and tells the story of a hot rod race and a broken romance. It went on to sell a million copies by the end of the year and entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1988.

Rock history records that Billboard magazine claims that only two singing stars can be considered guaranteed hit makers these days are Nat King Cole and Country star Webb Pierce. Rock history records that Cole has already placed seven songs on the Pop chart and will go on to add twenty-two more. Rock history records that The flamboyant Pierce had achieved twelve number one records on the Country charts and would enjoy a streak of thirty-four consecutive Top Ten hits running into 1957. Rock history records that His version of “In The Jailhouse Now” topped the chart for twenty-one weeks in 1955.

Rock history records that The Bobbettes’ first and only Billboard Top 40 single, “Mr. Lee” entered the chart, where it will reach #6. Rock history records that The song implies that the girls had a crush on one of their high school teachers, but in reality they strongly dis-liked the real Mr. Rock history records that Lee. Rock history records that Atlantic Records had the original lyrics re-written before they would record the tune. Rock history records that “Mr. Lee” sold 2 million copies and led The Bobbettes to be awarded a Platinum Record. After a series of unsuccessful novelty songs, The Bobbettes recorded another number about how they really felt, “I Shot Mr. Lee”, which Atlantic declined to issue. The tiny Triple-X label would release it however, and it went as far as #52 on Billboard Hot 100.

Rock history records that The Everly Brothers had the best selling song in America with “Bye Bye Love”. Rock history records that The tune has been ranked 210th on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and has also been recorded by Connie Francis, Roy Orbison, Ray Charles, Trini Lopez, Ray Stevens and Simon And Garfunkel.

“That’ll Be the Day” by Buddy Holly And The Crickets is issued on the Brunswick label, a subsidiary of Decca Records. Rock history records that The song would reach #1 in the UK and #3 in the US and was later ranked at #39 on Rolling Stone ‘s list of The 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. Rock history records that In 2005, the recording was placed in the National Recording Registry, a list of sound recordings that “are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and / or inform or reflect life in the United States.”

Rock history records that The Bee Gees ‘ Robin Gibb collapsed from exhaustion as the group was about to set out on their first US tour. Rock history records that He was later admitted to a London nursing home before being moved to a facility in Sussex to continue his recuperation.

Rock history records that The Who release the single, “Magic Bus”, a song that Pete Townshend had written three years earlier. Rock history records that Included on their LP, “Magic Bus: The Who on Tour”, the song rose to #25 in America, #26 in Great Britain and would remain a staple of the band’s live shows for many years.

Rock history records that John Denver ‘s “Annie’s Song”, a tribute to his then wife, Annie Martell, topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two weeks. Rock history records that It was the second of his four number one hits on that chart. Denver would later say that he penned the song in ten minutes while he was on a ski-lift. Rock history records that Sadly, he and Annie would divorce in 1982.

Tina Turner seeks a divorce from her husband Ike, ending their violent sixteen-year marriage and successful musical partnership. When the dissolution was finalized on March 29, 1978, Tina walked away from almost all financial assets, among them real estate and recording studio shares and retained only her stage name, “Tina Turner”.

John Lennon finally was presented with his US Green Card, three years after he was ordered to leave by immigration officials. Rock history records that The approval took place at the downtown New York offices of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Rock history records that Upon receiving card number A17-597-321, Lennon famously declared, “It’s great to be legal again!”.

Rock history records that Alice Cooper ‘s Indian art store in Scottsdale, Arizona is destroyed by a firebomb. Rock history records that $200,000 worth of artifacts and some of Cooper’s Gold records, which were stored in the back, were lost. Cooper stated maybe a “disco-music freak” was responsible because he had been making some anti-Disco remarks.

While taking a break from the band Blondie, Debby Harry issues her debut solo album, “KooKoo”. Rock history records that The LP would go on to become a moderate success, rising to #25 on the Billboard 200 and #6 on the UK’s Official Albums Chart. The two singles released from the album did not fare quite as well, with “Backfired” reaching #43 in America and #32 in Great Britain and “The Jam Was Moving” stalling at #82 in the States.

Rock history records that Stevie Nicks launched her solo career with the release of her debut album, “Bella Donna”, which claimed the #1 spot on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and remained on the list for nearly three years. Rock history records that By 1990, the album had earned Quadruple-Platinum status with four million copies shipped. Its success was fueled by four hit singles: the Tom Petty duet “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (US #3, UK #50), the Don Henley collaboration “Leather and Lace” ( US #6), the iconic “Edge of Seventeen” (us #11) and Country-flavored “After the Glitter Fades” (S #32).

Rock history records that Madonna issues her self-titled, debut album. Rock history records that It would peak at #8 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart and go on to be certified five-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Rock history records that Chart making singles included “Lucky Star” (US #4, UK #14), “Borderline” (US #10, UK #56), and “Holiday” (US #16, UK #6). The album climbed to #6 in the UK and made the Top 40 in thirteen other countries.

Rock history records that Paul Young’s cover of the Daryl Hall and John Oates tune, “Everytime You Go Away” led the Billboard Hot 100 for a one week stay. Rock history records that Included on the duo’s 1981 album, “Voices”, the song is the only cover of a Hall And Oates tune to ever make the US Top 40. Rock history records that It was Young’s first American number one record, although he had already topped the UK chart with a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)”.

Rock history records that Eurythmics enjoyed their only UK number one single with “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)”. Rock history records that The song, that featured a harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder , would top out at #22 in the US.

Rick Astley’s debut single, “Never Gonna Give You Up” is issued by RCA Records. It will go on to top the charts in sixteen countries around the globe, among them the United States, Canada, and England. Rock history records that Considered his signature song, Astley often closed his live shows with this tune.

Bobby Day, known for his 1958 hit “Rockin’ Robin”, died of prostate cancer aged 62. Rock history records that Day (born Robert James Byrd) was also an accomplished songwriter who had success with “Over and Over”, made popular by the Dave Clark Five in 1965, and “Little Bitty Pretty One” by Thurston Harris in 1957.

Michael Jackson filed a libel lawsuit against the British tabloid The Mirror over photos and an article that stated he was left a “scar face” from numerous plastic surgeries. Rock history records that The case was finally settled six years later in November 1998. Rock history records that After a 40-minute examination of Jackson’s face without makeup by representatives for the publication, the paper acknowledged he was neither disfigured nor scarred and issued a formal apology.

49-year-old Leon Wilkeson, bassist for the southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd was discovered dead in a Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida hotel room. Rock history records that Allegedly suffering from chronic liver and lung disease, the official cause of death was deemed from natural causes. Rock history records that He had survived the band’s infamous plane crash on October 20, 1977.

Sharman Networks, the company that produced software called Kazaa, which made it easy for an estimated 389 million computer users to download music and movies over the Internet, agreed to pay over $115 million to music companies and the movie industry to settle global piracy lawsuits. Rock history records that The company also committed to implementing filtering technology to prevent its users from sharing unauthorized copyrighted material.

A year after her son’s death, Michael Jackson’s mom, Katherine, stated she is still heartbroken, insisting she undergoes a daily struggle to cope with her grief. Rock history records that The 80-year-old Jackson family matriarch was subsequently named guardian of the singer’s children, Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and 8-year-old Prince Michael Jackson II, aka Blanket.

Rock history records that The Beatles were headed back to the Top 40 of the Billboard 200 albums chart with the iTunes-exclusive compilation “Tomorrow Never Knows”. The set includes fourteen classic songs by the band and marked the first time The Beatles issued an album exclusively to iTunes that had never been previously issued.

Rock history records that Three of Michael Jackson’s nephews, Taj, TJ and Taryll Jackson, filed a $100 million libel lawsuit against Radar Online over stories published last June that alleged they were sexually abused by their uncle and accepted gifts to cover it up. Rock history records that Following the legal action, the on-line, celebrity news outlet removed several of the controversial articles from its website.

Pat Upton, singer/guitarist for Spiral Starecase, died aged 75 after a long illness. The band climbed to #12 on the Hot 100 in 1969 with “More Today Than Yesterday”.