August 26th: The Biggest Music Headlines

Scroll down the page to see all the music headlines, stories and events for August 26 throughout music history

Photo: Bernd Muller/Redferns

The Rolling Stones Conclude A Record-Breaking Tour

On August 26, 2007, The Rolling Stones concluded their A Bigger Bang World Tour with a final show at London’s O2 Arena. The band’s longest and largest tour of their career, it earned over $560 million and the title as the highest-grossing tour in rock history. The Stones had previously set the record with their 1994 Voodoo Lounge Tour.

In 1970, long-running recording studio Electric Ladyland opened its doors in New York City. While the facility was commissioned by Jimi Hendrix two years earlier, the esteemed rockstar only spent ten weeks recording there before his death. Nevertheless, it soon became a hotspot for many top-selling recording artists, including John Lennon, AC/DC, Stevie Wonder, and Guns N’ Roses.

Across the Atlantic that same year, the third Isle of Wight Festival kicked off. Featuring Joni Mitchell, The Doors, The Who, Miles Davis, and The Moody Blues, the British festival also marked Hendrix’s final UK appearance. An estimated 600,000-700,000 people attended the weekend.

In 1995, Britpop rivals Blur and Oasis released their singles “Country House” and “Roll with It,” respectively. While the two bands were neck-and-neck, Blur’s “Country House” sold 270,000 copies (50,000 more than Oasis), placing them at the top of the pop charts and earning them their very first No.1 single in the UK.

In 2003, Rolling Stone named Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist in rock history. Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine wrote that Hendrix “manipulated the guitar, the whammy bar, the studio, and the stage” and “took what was to become Seventies funk and put it through a Marshall stack, in a way that nobody’s done since.” Eric Clapton, Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, and Stevie Ray Vaughan also made the ranking’s top 10.

In 1967, The Beatles held a press conference with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at University College in Bangor, North Wales. The four-piece announced that they had become disciples of the guru and members of the Maharishi’s “Spiritual Regeneration Movement,” renouncing the usage of drugs and donating a week’s earnings monthly to the organization.

In 2014, Kate Bush made her stage comeback after 35 years with a performance at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. Her 22-show residency sold out in less than 15 minutes and ran from August 26-October 1.

In 1987, Sonny Bono announced his campaign for mayor of Palm Springs, California. The singer, songwriter, and former husband of Cher had once stated that he had never voted until he was 53, but he successfully won the 1988 mayoral election and went on to win a seat in Congress in 1996.

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BORN ON AUGUST 26:

1938: Jet Black (The Stranglers)
1948: Valerie Simpson (Songwriter and recording artist)
1965: Annie Holland (Elastica)
1966: Dan Vickrey (Counting Crows)
1966: Shirley Manson (Garbage)
1969: Adrian Young (No Doubt)

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Keep scrolling for all of our August 26 birthdays.

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August 26th

On this day in music

26 Aug 2019 Ed Sheeran eneded his ÷ (Divide) tour with a show at Chantry Park in Ipswich, England, near his hometown of Framlingham. The tour started on March 16, 2017 and set the record for highest-grossing tour, earning $775.6 million over 255 shows.
26 Aug 2014 Kate Bush made her stage comeback at London's Hammersmith Apollo to an ecstatic response from fans at her first live concert for 35 years. Bush received a standing ovation as she closed the show with 'Cloudbusting', from her 1985 hit album The Hounds of Love. The 22 shows had completely sold out in less than fifteen minutes, after tickets were released in March of this year.
26 Aug 2009 American pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer Ellie Greenwich died of a heart attack age 68. With Phil Spector and Jeff Barry she wrote or co-wrote many hits including 'Da Doo Ron Ron', 'Be My Baby' 'Then He Kissed Me', 'Do Wah Diddy Diddy', 'Leader of the Pack, and 'River Deep – Mountain High' among others.
26 Aug 2007 Police who raided the home of US rap star DMX, found 12 neglected pit bull terrier dogs and a number of guns.The bodies of three more dogs had been buried. No arrests were made and DMX told police he had not been at the property in Arizona for at least two months. The rapper who had launched his own range of dog clothing, including caps, scarves and raincoats for canines also featured on the cover of his latest album, Year of the Dog... Again, with a pit bull straining at the leash.
26 Aug 2007 After two years, The Rolling Stones played the final show on their A Bigger Bang World Tour at the O2 Arena in London, England. The longest and biggest tour of their career, it became the highest grossing in rock history ($560 million).
26 Aug 2005 A plaque was unveiled by fellow Quarrymen John Duff Lowe and Colin Hantonat at the site where the band which was to become The Beatles made their first recordings. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison recorded a version of Buddy Holly's 'That'll Be The Day' and a Lennon-Harrison song, 'In Spite Of All The Danger' as The Quarrymen at the Percy Philips studio in Liverpool in 1958.
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26 Aug 2005 A post office near the Los Angeles studio where Ray Charles recorded much of his music was renamed after the R&B legend. A federal bill was signed by US President George Bush to rename the post office. Charles, died in June 2004 at the age of 74, suffering from acute liver disease.
26 Aug 2005 Green Day were named best band on the planet at the 12th annual Kerrang! rock awards, they also won best live act. Welsh metal group Funeral For a Friend won best British band, while New Jersey's My Chemical Romance picked up best album and best video. Iron Maiden were inducted into the Kerrang! Hall of Fame and Marilyn Manson took the Icon Award. Best single went to Foo Fighters 'Best of You' while Trivium were named best international newcomers. Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor was named classic songwriter while Killing Joke were given a lifetime achievement accolade.
26 Aug 2004 US Cinematographer David Myers died after suffering a stroke. He worked of various music films including Woodstock, Elvis On Tour, The Last Waltz, the Grateful Dead Movie, Mad Dogs & Englishmen and Cracked Actor: A Film About David Bowie.
26 Aug 2004 Singer Laura Branigan died of a brain aneurysm. She had had a 1982 US No.2 & UK No.6 single with ‘Gloria’ and a 1984 US No.4 & UK No.5 with ‘Self Control’. She had also played Janis Joplin in the US musical Love, Janis.
26 Aug 2003 Rolling Stone Magazine named Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist in Rock history. Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Chuck Berry Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ry Cooder also made the top 10 list.
26 Aug 2000 Allen Woody former bass player with The Allman Brothers Band and co-founder of Gov't Mule was found dead in New York aged 44.
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26 Aug 1997 Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was admitted to hospital after crashing on his motorbike while driving down Sunset Boulevard.
26 Aug 1995 Blur scored their first UK No.1 single with 'Country House' and won a media battle with Oasis for the No.1 position. Both acts released their new singles on the same day, 'Country House' topped the chart, selling 270,000 copies, compared to 'Roll with It' which sold 220,000, seeing Oasis entering the chart at No.2.
26 Aug 1995 Seal went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Kiss From A Rose', taken from the film 'Batman Forever' a No.4 hit in the UK.
26 Aug 1994 Scottish singer Frankie Miller suffered a massive brain haemorrhage in New York, while writing material for a new band he and Joe Walsh from the Eagles had formed. Miller spent five months in a coma. He then entered rehabilitation, re-learning how to walk and talk.
26 Aug 1993 A double sided acetate of The Beatles performing live at The Cavern Club in Liverpool sold for £16,500 at Christies, London, a world record price for a recording.
26 Aug 1987 Sonny Bono, who once said that he never voted until he was 53, announced that he was running for mayor of Palm Springs, California. He won the election in 1988 and went on to win a seat in Congress in 1996.
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26 Aug 1981 Ottawa City Council named 'Paul Anka Day' to celebrate his 25th anniversary in show-business. The council also named a street in Ottawa 'Paul Anka Drive' in his honour. The Canadian singer songwriter had written over 900 songs including the classic 'My Way'.
26 Aug 1978 Frankie Valli went to No.1 on the US singles chart with the Barry Gibb song 'Grease'. It went on to sell over 2 million in the States (a No. 3 hit in the UK).
26 Aug 1977 Uriah Heep, Thin Lizzy, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Golden Earing, Aerosmith, Doobie Brothers, Hawkwind, Racing Cars, John Miles, Graham Parker, The Enid, No Dice and Frankie Miller's Full House all appeared at the 17th three day Reading Festival, England. A three day ticket cost £7.95.
26 Aug 1975 Glen Campbell was at No.1 on the US Country singles chart with 'Rhinestone Cowboy'. The song was one of six songs released in 1975 that topped both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. The other songs were 'Before the Next Teardrop Falls' by Freddy Fender; '(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song' by B.J. Thomas, 'Thank God I'm a Country Boy' and 'I'm Sorry'/'Calypso,' both by John Denver; and 'Convoy' by C.W. McCall.
26 Aug 1973 10cc made their live debut at the Palace Lido Isle of Man at the start of an UK tour. Comprising of Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, who had written and recorded together for some three years before assuming the 10cc name.
26 Aug 1970 Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, (his last ever UK appearance), Donovan, Jethro Tull, Miles Davis, Arrival, Cactus, Family, Taste, Mungo Jerry, ELP, The Doors, The Who, Spirit, The Moody Blues, Chicago, Procol Harum, Sly and the Family Stone and Free all appeared over three days at the third Isle Of Wight Festival. Weekend tickets, £3.
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26 Aug 1970 A party was held to celebrate the official opening of 'Electric Ladyland' studios in New York City, New York. Artists who went on to record at the studio include: Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, AC/DC, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa and Guns N' Roses.
26 Aug 1970 Recording with Eric Clapton for what would become the double album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, producer Tom Dowd took Clapton and his band to an Allman Brothers concert where Clapton, already a fan of the guitarist, first heard Duane Allman play in person. After Clapton invited the whole band back to the studio that night, he and Allman formed an instant bond that provided the catalyst for the Layla album. Over ten days Allman contributed to most of the tracks on the album.
26 Aug 1967 The Beatles held a press conference at University College in Bangor, North Wales with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The Beatles announced that they had become disciples of the guru and that they renounced the use of drugs. The four had become members of the Maharishi's 'Spiritual Regeneration Movement', which obligated them to donate one week's earnings each month to the organization.
26 Aug 1967 Small Faces, Move, The Gass, Tomorrow, Denny Laine, Jeff Beck, Eric Burdon and Marmalade all appeared on the first day of the 3-day non-stop happening 'Festival of the Flower Children' at Woburn Abbey, England. Plus DJ's John Peel and Tommy Vance, day tickets cost £1.
26 Aug 1965 Sonny & Cher were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I Got You Babe', the duo's only UK No.1. Sonny Bono was inspired to write the song to capitalize on the popularity of the term "babe," as heard in Bob Dylan's 'It Ain't Me Babe'.

Born on this day in music

26 Aug 1990 Lil' Chris, English singer-songwriter and actor who came to prominence in 2006 after appearing on the Channel 4 series Rock School, which saw Kiss vocalist and bassist Gene Simmons make a rock band at Lil' Chris' school. Lil' Chris took his own life on 23rd March 2015 at his home in Lowestoft after a period of depression.
26 Aug 1986 Saint Jhn (Carlos St. John Phillips), American-Guyanese rapper, songwriter, and record producer best known for his single 'Roses', initially released in 2016. A 2019 remix of ‘Roses’ by Kazakh DJ Imanbek helped the song become a worldwide hit.
26 Aug 1969 Adrian Young, drummer, No Doubt, (1997 UK No.1 single 'Don't Speak', 1997 No.1 US album 'Tragic Kingdom').
26 Aug 1969 Drummer, percussionist, and record producer Drew Hester. He has played drums and percussion with Joe Walsh, Stevie Nicks, Beck, Jewel, Daniel Powter, Foo Fighters and Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders.
26 Aug 1966 Dan Vickrey, guitarist, from American rock band Counting Crows, who had the 1994 UK hit single 'Mr Jones', and the 1996 US No.1 album Recovering The Satellites. They received a 2004 Academy Award nomination for their song 'Accidentally in Love', which was included in the film Shrek 2.
26 Aug 1966 Shirley Manson, vocals, Garbage, (1996 UK No. 4 single 'Stupid Girl').
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26 Aug 1965 Annie Holland, Elastica, (1995 UK No.13 single 'Waking Up').
26 Aug 1957 John O'Neill, The Undertones (1980 UK No.9 single 'My Perfect Cousin').
26 Aug 1954 Michael Chetwood, Keyboards, T'Pau, who had the 1987 UK No.1 single 'China In Your Hand' and the 1987 US & UK No.4 single 'Heart And Soul', (which was initially a flop in the UK). T'Pau took their name from a Vulcan elder of the same name in the sci-fi series Star Trek.
26 Aug 1952 Billy Rush, from the Jersey Shore group Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes who had the 1978 album Hearts Of Stone and have released over ten other albums.
26 Aug 1952 American guitarist Jack Holder for American Southern rock band Black Oak Arkansas. The band reached the height of its fame in the 1970s and scored a hit with LaVern Baker's 1957 ‘Jim Dandy (To The Rescue)’, which reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. He died from cancer on January 13, 2015, at the age of 62.
26 Aug 1950 Bill and Dick Cowsill, from American singing group The Cowsills, who had the 1967 US No.2 single 'The Rain, The Park & Other Things', and the 1969 US No.2 single the theme from 'Hair'. TV's Partridge Family was based on The Cowsills family.
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26 Aug 1949 Singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor Leon Redbone. He rose to fame in the '70s folk scene and was known for Vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley music. He later performed in several TV commercials, including Budweiser beer, in which he lay on a surfboard singing "This Bud's for You." Redbone died on 30 May 2019 age 69.
26 Aug 1948 Valerie Simpson, from husband-and-wife songwriting-production team Ashford and Simpson, who had the 1985 UK No. 3 single 'Solid'. They wrote hits such as: 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough', 'You're All I Need To Get By', 'Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing', and 'Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)'.
26 Aug 1944 English guitarist Alan Parker. He had a successful career as session guitarist starting in the late 1960s, and played with David Bowie, Blue Mink, Walker Brothers, CCS and Serge Gainsbourg. Parker is also known to have owned Jimi Hendrix's Epiphone acoustic guitar, which was given to him by Hendrix in March 1970.
26 Aug 1941 Chris Curtis, drums, The Searchers, (1964 UK No.1 single 'Needles And Pins'1964 US No.3 single 'Love Potion Number Nine'). Died on 28th Feb 2005 at the age of 63 after a long illness.
26 Aug 1940 English musician Nik Turner, saxophones and flute with Hawkwind who had the 1972 UK No.3 single 'Silver Machine'. Turner was known for his experimental free jazz stylisations and outrageous stage presence, often donning full makeup and Ancient Egypt-inspired costumes. Hawkwind had a run of twenty-two of their albums charting in the UK from 1971 to 1993. Turner died on 10 November 2022, at the age of 82.
26 Aug 1938 English drummer Jet Black (Brian John Duffy), one of the founding members of The Stranglers, and who is now one of the oldest working rock drummers. They had major mainstream success with their 1982 single 'Golden Brown'. Before forming The Stranglers, Black was a successful businessman up until the mid-1970s, owning a fleet of ice cream vans. He died on 6 December 2022 aged 84.
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