December 28th: The Biggest Music Headlines

Scroll down the page to see all the music headlines, stories and events for December 28 throughout music history

Photo by Bettmann/Getty Images

ABBA Explores Digital Horizons With ‘The Visitors’

On this day in music, December 28, 1968, The Beatles topped the Billboard 200 with their self-titled ninth studio album, better known as The White Album. The LP earned the nickname thanks to its plain white jacket cover, which contained no images or fonts other than the band’s name. The influential title features an impressively diverse collection of 30 songs (19 of which were written during the band’s well-documented retreat at a Transcendental Meditation course in Rishikesh, India,) including “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Revolution 9,” and “Helter Skelter.” Since its release, The White Album has been certified 24x Platinum in the US and has long ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time.

In 2003, 50 Cent’s debut, Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, was named the year’s biggest-selling US album. Featuring collaborations with 50’s label bosses, Eminem and Dr. Dre, the LP sold over 872,000 copies in its first week.

In 2015, Lemmy Kilmister, the celebrated frontman and founder of Motörhead, died at the age of 70. Best known by his first name, Lemmy was the only continuous member of the legendary metal band during its 40-year period.

In 1968, the Miami Pop festival kicked off at Gulfstream Park, a horse racing track just north of the South Florida city. The three-day event marked the first major rock festival held on the East Coast and boasted an impressive line-up, including The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Chuck Berry, The McCoys, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, and Marvin Gaye.

In 1983, in a tragic twist of irony, 39-year-old Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson drowned. Wilson, who co-founded the best-selling group in 1961, alongside his brothers Brian and Carl, was the only member of the band that actually surfed, and exemplified the Southern California lifestyle that the Beach Boys sang about. In addition to serving as one of the group’s lyricists and vocalists, Wilson also released two solo albums and appeared in the underground film sensation, Two-Lane Blacktop.

Looking for more things that happened on this day in music?
Keep scrolling for all of the headlines for December 28.

BORN ON DECEMBER 28:

1915: Roebuck “Pops” Staples (The Staple Singers)
1946: Edgar Winter
1950: Alex Chilton (Big Star)
1953: Richard Clayderman
1958: Joe Diffie
1978: John Legend

Looking for more artists born on this day?
Keep scrolling for all of our December 28 birthdays.

What to find another day?

December 28th

On this day in music

28 Dec 2023 UK sales of vinyl LPs hit their highest level since 1990 as the revival of the physical music market continues. Sales rose by 11.7% to 5.9 million units, increasing for the 16th year in a row, according to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) trade group. Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version) was the best-selling LP, followed by the Rolling Stones' Hackney Diamonds. Cassette sales also did well, topping 100,000 for a fourth consecutive year.
28 Dec 2021 Dr. Dre's divorce was settled, with the rapper-producer agreeing to pay his ex-wife, Nicole Plotzker-Young, $100 million - more than one-fifth of the rap icon’s fortune. Young was required to move out of their Malibu beach house by the end of the month but would keep a Rolls Royce, Range Rover, Escalade limousine, and Spyder motorcycle as well as all of her jewellery. They were married from 1996-2020.
28 Dec 2015 Lemmy, lead vocalist and bassist with Motörhead died at his home in Los Angeles, California, four days after his 70th birthday following a short battle with an extremely aggressive cancer. Lemmy played in several rock groups in the 1960s, including the Rockin' Vickers and worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix and the Nice, before joining the space rock band Hawkwind in 1971, singing lead on their hit 'Silver Machine'.
28 Dec 2015 John Bradbury, the longtime drummer for the British band the Specials, died aged 62. He joined the band in 1979 after the original drummer left and was made a permanent member after playing at the recording session for the single 'Gangsters.'
28 Dec 2011 Sinead O’Connor announced the end of her marriage to therapist Barry Herridge after only 16 days. O'Connor admitted that they had "made a mistake rushing into getting married". This was the Irish singers fourth marriage.
28 Dec 2005 Pink Floyd were voted the greatest rock stars ever in a survey of 58,000 listeners from UK radio station Planet Rock. Led Zeppelin were voted into second place, 3rd was The Rolling Stones, 4th The Who, 5th, AC/DC, 6th, U2, 7th, Guns N’ Roses, 8th, Nirvana, 9th, Bon Jovi and in 10th place Jimi Hendrix. Listeners also named the 1970s as the golden age of rock, followed by the 1960’s.
ADVERTISEMENT
28 Dec 2003 50 Cent's debut album, Get Rich Or Die Tryin' was named the biggest selling album in the US in 2003 with the album going platinum six times over. Outkast came second with Speakerboxxx / The Love Below and Linkin Parks Meteora was the third biggest seller. The Top 10 albums of 2003 in the USA accounted for around 30 million sales.
28 Dec 1998 UK radio station BBC Radio 1 aired the 100 National Anthems, songs voted by listeners. At No.5 Radiohead, 'Creep', No.4 Underworld 'Born Slippy', No.3 The Verve 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', No.2 Nirvana 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' No.1 Massive Attack 'Unfinished Sympathy'.
28 Dec 1993 Canadian singer Shania Twain married record producer Mutt Lange. The couple separated in 2008 after 14 years of marriage.
28 Dec 1991 Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana and Pearl Jam all appeared at Del Mar O'brien Pavilion, San Diego, California.
28 Dec 1983 Having made two successful dives below a friend’s yacht to find items he’d drunkenly thrown off his own boat three years before, The Beach Boys Dennis Wilson took one last dive into the Pacific and never returned from the boat moored in Marina Del Rey, California. With the help of President Reagan he was given a burial at sea, normally reserved for Naval personnel. Dennis was the only genuine surfer in The Beach Boys.
28 Dec 1978 Rolling Stone magazine voted Some Girls by The Rolling Stones 'Album of the Year.' The cover designed by Peter Corriston, featured The Rolling Stones in garish drag alongside select female celebrities and lingerie ads. The cover immediately ran into trouble when Lucille Ball, Farrah Fawcett, Liza Minnelli (representing her mother Judy Garland), Raquel Welch, and the estate of Marilyn Monroe all threatened legal action.
ADVERTISEMENT
28 Dec 1976 Blues guitarist Freddie King died of heart trouble and ulcers aged 42. Eric Clapton covered his 'Have You Ever Loved A Woman' on his Layla album. Major influence on British and American blues-rock musicians such as Jimmy Vaughan, Ronnie Earl, Peter Green and Eric Clapton.
28 Dec 1974 Helen Reddy went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Angie Baby', the singers third US No.1. The song was turned down by Cher.
28 Dec 1972 David Bowie appeared at The Hardrock, Stretford, Manchester, England on his Ziggy Stardust tour.
28 Dec 1968 The Beatles went to No.1 on the US album chart with The White Album the group's 12th US No.1 album. A double album, its plain white sleeve has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed, which was intended as a direct contrast to the vivid cover artwork of the band's earlier Sgt. Pepper's. No singles were issued from the album in Britain and the United States, the songs 'Hey Jude' and 'Revolution' originated from the same recording sessions and were issued on a single in August 1968.
28 Dec 1968 The three day Miami Pop festival took place, the first major rock festival held on the East Coast of the US, with The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Chuck Berry, The McCoys, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac, Marvin Gaye, The Turtles, The Box Tops, Steppenwolf, Three Dog Night, Pacific Gas and Electric, Procol Harum, Canned Heat, Iron Butterfly and Grateful Dead.
28 Dec 1968 Pink Floyd appeared at the two day festival Flight To Lowlands Paradise II, Margriethal-Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, The Netherlands, (replacing The Jimi Hendrix Experience). Other acts appearing included Jethro Tull, Jeff Beck, The Pretty Things and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
ADVERTISEMENT
28 Dec 1961 Danny Williams was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Moon River', the Oscar-winning song was from the film Breakfast At Tiffany's. The Tokens were at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight.'

Born on this day in music

28 Dec 1978 John Legend (John Stephens), singer, songwriter, 2006 US No.3 & UK No.10 album 'Once Again.' Scored the 2014 US No.1 single 'All Of Me'.
28 Dec 1977 US songwriter LaShawn Daniels, who co-wrote such hits as Destiny's Child's Grammy-winning ‘Say My Name’ and Lady Gaga's ‘Telephone’. He had also worked with artists including Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Brandy and Toni Braxton. Daniels died in a car crash in South Carolina on 3 September 2019 aged 41.
28 Dec 1971 Dutch singer and songwriter Anita Doth best known as the former singer of the duo 2 Unlimited, along with rapper Ray Slijngaard who had the 1993 UK No.1 single 'No Limit'.
28 Dec 1964 English musician Paul Wagstaff from Black Grape. Their 1995 debut studio album It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah topped the UK Albums Chart for two weeks.
28 Dec 1958 Grammy-winning country music star Joe Diffie. He charted 35 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, five of which peaked at No.1. He also co-wrote singles for Holly Dunn, Tim McGraw, and Jo Dee Messina, and recorded with Mary Chapin Carpenter, George Jones, and Marty Stuart. He died on 29 March 2020 age 61 from complications of COVID-19.
28 Dec 1954 American model, singer and songwriter Rosie Vela, who had the 1987 UK No.27 single 'Magic Smile' which was taken from the album Zazu which featured Steely Dan's Donald Fagen on keyboards and Walter Becker on guitar.
ADVERTISEMENT
28 Dec 1953 Richard Clayderman, French pianist who has sold over 70 million albums world-wide, biggest UK hit is the 1982 UK No.2 album 'Richard Clayderman.'
28 Dec 1950 Alex Chilton, guitar, vocals, with The Box Tops who had the 1967 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'The Letter'. He formed Big Star in 1971. In the 1980s both R.E.M., and the Replacements cited Big Star group as a major influence. Chilton died in hospital of heart problems in New Orleans on March 17th 2010 aged 59.
28 Dec 1948 American singer Mary Weiss who with The Shangri-Las had a 1964 US No.1 & UK No.11 single with ‘Leader Of The Pack’. Weiss died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at her home in Palm Springs, California, on 19 January 2024, at the age of 75.
28 Dec 1947 Dick Diamonde, The Easybeats, (1966 UK No.6 & 1967 US No. 16 single 'Friday On My Mind').
28 Dec 1946 American multi-instrumentalist Edgar Winter, who with the Edgar Winter Group, had the 1973 US No.1 & UK No.18 single 'Frankenstein'. His 1972 album They Only Come Out at Night, peaked at No.3 on the Billboard Hot 200 and stayed on the charts for 80 weeks. Winter played saxophone on Meat Loaf's 'All Revved Up with No Place to Go', Dan Hartman's solo hit 'Instant Replay' and Tina Turner's 'Simply the Best'. He is the brother of late blues singer and guitarist Johnny Winter.
28 Dec 1943 English musician and singer Chas Hodges, who had worked with British producer Joe Meek as a session musician, backing Jerry Lee Lewis and Gene Vincent. Hodges later joined Heads Hands and Feet, (with guitarist Albert Lee). With Chas & Dave he scored the 1982 UK No.2 single 'Ain't No Pleasing You'. He also played piano for short-lived supergroup the Rockers, which featured Roy Wood, Phil Lynott and John Coghlan. He died from pneumonia on 22 September 2018, aged 74.
ADVERTISEMENT
28 Dec 1942 American musician and record producer Allan Schwartzberg who has been a member of the rock band Mountain, Peter Gabriel's band, and toured with Linda Rondstadt. He has also played on hits such as Gloria Gaynor 'Never Can Say Goodbye' and worked with many artists including John Lennon, Diana Ross, James Brown, Alice Cooper, Frank Sinatra, Roxy Music, Rod Stewart and Robert Palmer.
28 Dec 1938 American R&B and jazz musician Charles Neville best known as part of The Neville Brothers. Charles's saxophone playing was especially notable on the title track of their best-selling album, Yellow Moon (1989), and helped earn the group its only Grammy Award. He died from pancreatic cancer on 26 April 2018, at the age of 79.
28 Dec 1936 American singer Young Jessie who was a member of The Coasters. In 1955 he wrote and recorded the single 'Mary Lou,' later covered by Ronnie Hawkins, Steve Miller Band, Bob Seger, Gene Clark and Frank Zappa. He died on 27 Apr 2020 age 83.
28 Dec 1932 American rockabilly singer Dorsey Burnette. With his younger brother Johnny Burnette he was a founder member of The Rock and Roll Trio. He is also the father of country musician and Fleetwood Mac member Billy Burnette. He died age 46 from a heart attack on 19 August 1979.
28 Dec 1921 American singer, musician, composer, bandleader, record producer, and talent scout Johnny Otis who had the 1957 UK No.2 single 'Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me', and the 1958 US No.9 single 'Willie And The Hand Jive'. He discovered numerous artists early in their careers who went on to become highly successful in their own right, including Little Esther Phillips, Etta James, Big Mama Thornton, Johnny Ace and Jackie Wilson. Otis who had been called the "Godfather of Rhythm and Blues" died of natural causes on January 17, 2012 age 90.
28 Dec 1915 American gospel and R&B musician Roebuck 'pop' Staples who with The Staple Singers had the 1975 US No.1 single 'Let's Do It Again'. Staples also appeared in the movie documenting The Band's final concert, The Last Waltz. He died 19 December 2000 after suffering an ultimately fatal concussion in a fall at his home, just nine days shy of his 86th birthday.
ADVERTISEMENT