August 3rd: The Biggest Music Headlines

Scroll down the page to see all the music headlines, stories and events for August 3 throughout music history

Photo: Courtesy of Artist

Def Leppard’s Historic Release

On this day in music – August 3, 1987 – Def Leppard released their fourth studio album, Hysteria. Their best-selling title to date, Hysteria was the follow-up to 1983’s Pyromania and the last record to feature guitarist Steve Clark before his death in 1991. Since its release, over 20 million copies have been sold worldwide.

On August 3, 1999, Patsy Cline received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cline is heralded as one of the most influential and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century, and the country sensation was at the height of her career prior to her untimely death at age 30. She was the first solo female artist elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame, while the Patsy Cline Museum in Nashville opened its doors in 2017.

On this day in 1971, Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new group, Wings, with his wife Linda, and former Moody Blues guitarist and singer, Denny Laine. Over the next ten years, the band released eight albums, starting with their 1971 debut Wild Life. They also won two Grammys: one in 1975 for Best Pop Vocal Performance and another in 1980 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.

In 2002, Bob Dylan ended his 37-year absence from the Newport Folk Festival with a two-hour performance. Donning a false beard and a wig, Dylan played 19 songs, including “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and “Desolation Row.”

In 1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival released their third studio album, Green River. Their second of three albums released that year, Green River featured such hits as the title track and “Bad Moon Rising.” It was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1970, with a triple Platinum certification to follow in 1990.

On this date in 1991, Metallica held a playback party at NYC’s Madison Square Garden to celebrate the release of their self-titled album. Among the attendees were Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic of Nirvana.

In 1963, The Beatles played their last performance at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. During their set, a short power outage gave Lennon and McCartney a chance to perform an acoustic version of “When I’m Sixty-Four,” which would be released four years later.

That same year, The Beach Boys released “Surfer Girl,” the first song that Brian Wilson wrote and produced.

Looking for more things that happened on this day in music?
Keep scrolling for all of the headlines for August 3.

BORN ON AUGUST 3:

1926: Tony Bennett
1941: Beverly Lee (The Shirelles)
1951: John Graham (Earth, Wind, & Fire)
1961: Martin Atkins (Public Image Ltd)
1963: James Hetfield (Metallica)
1971: Deirdre Roper “DJ Spinderella” (Salt-N-Pepa)
1973: Stephen Carpenter (Deftones)

Looking for more artists born on this day?
Keep scrolling for all of our August 3 birthdays.

What to find another day?

August 1st

On this day in music

3 Aug 2021 British rapper Dave was at No.1 on the UK album chart with We're All Alone in This Together his second consecutive No.1. The album follows the themes of loneliness and mental health, as well as social commentary on the conditions faced by young black people in society. The lead single from the album, 'Clash' featuring Stormzy, peaked at No.2 on the UK Singles Chart.
3 Aug 2019 French music producer and songwriter Henri Belolo died in Paris, France age 82. In the 1970s, with his friend, composer Jacques Morali, he worked in the United States, creating The Ritchie Family as well as their most successful group, Village People.
3 Aug 2015 Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd pleaded not guilty to breaching the conditions of his current home detention by drinking alcohol. Rudd had been under house detention since being sentenced for drug possession and making threats to kill in July of this year. The 61-year-old could face further sanctions, including jail time, if the judge decided he did violate his conditions.
3 Aug 2012 Stevie Wonder representatives confirmed that the singer had filed for divorce, ending his 10-year marriage to Kai Millard Morris. The legal proceedings were initiated under his given name, Stevland Morris. Stevie's first marriage to Syreeta Wright ended in 1972.
3 Aug 2008 Kid Rock was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'All Summer Long'. The song is based on Warren Zevon's 'Werewolves of London' and Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama'.
3 Aug 2007 Queen guitarist Brian May handed in his astronomy PhD thesis - 36 years after abandoning it to join the band. May had recently carried out observational work in Tenerife, where he studied the formation of "zodiacal dust clouds".
ADVERTISEMENT
3 Aug 2006 Arthur Lee singer and guitarist of the influential 1960s band Love died in Memphis at the age of 61 following a battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. He called himself the "first black hippie" and formed Love in Los Angeles in 1965. Best known for the critically revered 1967 album, 'Forever Changes.'
3 Aug 2002 After an absence of 37 years, Bob Dylan returned to the Newport Folk Festival (now known as the Apple and Eve Newport Folk Festival) where he performed a 2 hour show of 19 songs, wearing a false beard and a wig. Songs played included: Subterranean Homesick Blues, 'Desolation Row', 'Positively 4th Street', 'The Wicked Messenger', 'Like A Rolling Stone' and 'Mr. Tambourine Man'.
3 Aug 2001 Co-founder of US group 5th Dimension Ron Townson died of kidney failure aged 68. Had the 1969 US N.1 & UK No.11 single 'Aquarius'.
3 Aug 2000 Pearl Jam played the first date on the North American leg of their Binaural 73-date world tour at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
3 Aug 2000 Maurice Kinn died aged 76. The UK publisher launched The New Musical Express in 1953, which instigated the first UK charts based on record sales (first published on 14 November 1952). and organised the annual NME poll-winners concerts between 1963 and 1966.
3 Aug 1999 Patsy Cline received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Prior to her death at the age of 30 in a private plane crash, she was at the height of her career. She is considered to be one of the most influential, successful, and acclaimed female vocalists of the 20th century. Some of the more notable hits she had during her lifetime began in 1957 with Donn Hecht's 'Walkin' After Midnight' Harlan Howard's 'I Fall to Pieces', Hank Cochran's 'She's Got You', Willie Nelson's 'Crazy', and ended in 1963 with Don Gibson's 'Sweet Dreams'.
ADVERTISEMENT
3 Aug 1996 Los Del Rio started a 14 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Macarena'. The song which has sold 11 million copies world-wide was ranked the No.1 Greatest One Hit Wonder of all Time by VH1 in 2002.
3 Aug 1991 Metallica held a playback party to launch their self-titled album at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic from Nirvana both attended.
3 Aug 1987 Def Leppard released their fourth studio album Hysteria which became their best selling album to date, selling over 20 million copies worldwide. The title of the album was thought up by drummer Rick Allen relating to his experiences during the time of his car accident, and the worldwide media coverage that followed.
3 Aug 1986 The News Of The World in the UK printed an exclusive interview with 16 year old model Mandy Smith, who revealed she has been having an affair with Rolling Stone Bill Wyman for the past 2 and a half years.
3 Aug 1985 'Drive' by The Cars was re-released following it's dramatic use on TV during the Live Aid concert. All the royalties from the record went to the Band Aid trust.
3 Aug 1985 Madonna scored her first UK No.1 single with 'Into The Groove'. The track was taken from the movie 'Desperately Seeking Susan' which featured Madonna and Rosanna Arquette. 'Into The Groove' is Madonna's best selling single in the UK, having sold over 850,000 copies.
ADVERTISEMENT
3 Aug 1985 Tears For Fears started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Shout', the duo's second US No.1.
3 Aug 1974 Anne Murray appeared at The Schaefer Festival in New York as the headlining act. The opening act was Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
3 Aug 1973 Stevie Wonder released his 16th studio album Innervisions. Wonder played all or virtually all instruments on six of the album's nine tracks, singles from the album were, 'Higher Ground' and 'Living for the City' and 'He's Misstra Know-It-All'.
3 Aug 1971 Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new group Wings with his wife Linda and former Moody Blues guitarist and singer Denny Laine.
3 Aug 1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival released their third studio album and first US No.1 Green River. It was the second of three albums they released in this year, the first one being Bayou Country and the third Willy and the Poor Boys. The album featured the title track and 'Bad Moon Rising' both of which were major hits in the US.
3 Aug 1968 The Doors started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Hello I Love You', the group's second US No.1. 'Hello I Love You', was also in the Top 5 at the same time as Jose Feliciano's version of 'Light My Fire', giving The Doors two songs, written by the group, simultaneously in the Top 5.
ADVERTISEMENT
3 Aug 1968 The two day Newport Pop Festival took place in Costa Mesa, California with Alice Cooper, Canned Heat, Chambers Brothers, Charles Lloyd Quartet, Country Joe and the Fish, Electric Flag, James Cotton Blues Band, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sonny & Cher, Steppenwolf and Tiny Tim. Over 100,000 fans attended the festival.
3 Aug 1967 The Jimi Hendrix Experience played the first of five nights at the Salvation Club in New York City. During this period a typical set list included: 'Foxy Lady', 'Hey Joe', 'The Wind Cries Mary', 'Purple Haze' and 'Burning Of The Midnight Amp'.
3 Aug 1966 The Rolling Stones began nine days recording sessions for their next album at Los Angeles, RCA Studios, Hollywood, USA. Tracks recorded included: Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? Let’s Spend The Night Together, My Obsession, Yesterday's Papers and Back Street Girl.
3 Aug 1963 The Beach Boys released 'Surfer Girl', the first song Brian Wilson ever wrote and the first one he produced.
3 Aug 1963 The Beatles played their last ever performance at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. During their set a power cut silenced their instruments and plunged the Cavern into temporary darkness. Lennon and McCartney performed an acoustic version of 'When I'm Sixty-Four', a song they wouldn't release until 1967, while waiting for the electricity to return. The Beatles, whose fee for their first performance at the Cavern had been £5, received a fee of £300 for this performance.

Born on this day in music

3 Aug 1985 Holly Lake, Dream, (2001 US No.3 & UK No.17 single, 'He Loves You Not').
3 Aug 1976 Jimmy De Martini American singer and fiddle player with the Grammy Award winning country music group, Zac Brown Band. Their 2015 album Jekyll + Hyde which debuted at No.1 on the US chart featured the single 'Heavy Is the Head' with vocals from Chris Cornell.
3 Aug 1973 Stephen Carpenter, from American alternative metal band Deftones, who had the 2003 US No.2 & UK No.7 album Deftones.
3 Aug 1971 Deirdre Roper, (DJ Spinderella), from American hip-hop/rap trio from New York City Salt-N-Pepa who had the 1991 hit single 'Let's Talk About Sex'.
3 Aug 1967 Skin, (Deborah Anne Dyer), singer with British rock band Skunk Anansie who had the 1996 UK No.20 single 'Weak'. The band have spent a total of 141 weeks on both the singles and album charts.
3 Aug 1966 Dean Sams, keyboards, with American country group Lonestar who had the 2000 US No.1 & UK No.21 single 'Amazed'. Lonestar has charted more than 20 singles on the Hot Country Songs chart, including 9 that reached No.1.
ADVERTISEMENT
3 Aug 1963 James Hetfield, guitar, vocals, Metallica, (1991 UK No.5 single 'Enter Sandman', 1991 US & UK No.1 album 'Metallica').
3 Aug 1961 American double bass player Lee Rocker with The Stray Cats who spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 1980s. They scored the 1980 UK No.9 single 'Runaway Boys', and the 1983 US No.3 single 'Stray Cat Strut'. The Stray Cats sold nearly 10 million albums.
3 Aug 1959 Martin Atkins, Public Image Ltd, (1983 UK No.5 single 'This Is Not A Love Song').
3 Aug 1956 Kirk Brandon, singer, guitarist, Spear Of Destiny, (1987 UK No.14 single 'Never Take Me Alive'), Theatre Of Hate, (1982 UK No.40 single 'Do You Believe In The Westworld').
3 Aug 1953 Scottish musician Ian Bairnson best known for being one of the core members of the Alan Parsons Project. With Pilot he had the 1975 UK No.1 single 'January'. Bairnson played on Kate Bush's first four albums and also worked with Bucks Fizz, Joe Cocker, Jon Anderson, Chris DeBurgh, Mick Fleetwood, Neil Diamond, Sting and Eric Clapton. He died on 7 April 2023, following a long battle with dementia. He was 69.
3 Aug 1951 John Graham, guitarist with Earth, Wind & Fire, who had the 1975 US No.1 single 'Shining Star', and the 1981 UK No.3 single 'Let's Groove'. The band has received 20 Grammy nominations and were the first African-American act to sell out Madison Square Garden.
ADVERTISEMENT
3 Aug 1949 B.B. Dickerson, American bassist with funk band War. Their album The World Is a Ghetto was the best-selling US album of 1973. They also scored the 1973 US No.2 single 'Cisco Kid'. He died on 2 April 2021 age 71.
3 Aug 1946 John York, The Byrds, (1965 UK & US No.1 single 'Mr Tambourine Man')
3 Aug 1941 Beverly Lee, singer with American girl group The Shirelles, notable for their popularity in the early 1960s. They were the first all female group to have a No.1 hit record with 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow' in 1961.
3 Aug 1939 Jimmy Nicol, drummer, temporary member of The Beatles for nine Australian gigs in 1964, after Ringo Starr collapsed and was hospitalised on 3 June 1964 with tonsillitis. George Martin suggested Nicol, as he had recently played on a budget label album called "Beatlemania" and knew the songs.
3 Aug 1935 Gordon Stoker, The Jordanaires, Elvis Presley's backing group. Known for providing background vocals for Elvis Presley, in live appearances and recordings from 1956 to 1972. He died on 27 March 2013.
3 Aug 1926 American singer Tony Bennett who had the 1955 UK No.1 single 'Stranger In Paradise' and the 1965 UK No.25 single 'I Left My Heart In San Francisco'. In 1998, Bennett made an unlikely but highly successful appearance on the final day of a mud-soaked Glastonbury Festival in the UK dressed in an immaculate suit and tie, his whole set on this occasion consisting of songs about the weather. Bennett and Amy Winehouse recorded the duet 'Body and Soul' in March 2011 - the final recording made by Winehouse before her death on July 23, 2011 at the age of 27. When the song charted on the Billboard Hot 100 it made Bennett, at age 85, the oldest living artist ever to chart on the Hot 100. Bennett died at his home in New York City on July 21, 2023 just two weeks short of his 97th birthday, following seven years of Alzheimer's disease.
ADVERTISEMENT