October 3rd: The Biggest Music Headlines

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

Image by Mick Hutson/Redferns

Sinead O’Connor’s Controversial ‘SNL’ Appearance

On October 3, 1992, Sinead O’Connor made Saturday Night Live history with one of the show’s most unforgettable appearances. In a controversial move that defined her career, the Irish singer-songwriter performed a cover of Bob Marley’s “War,” changing the lyric “racism” to “child abuse,” while holding up a photo of Pope John Paul II. She then tore the picture and threw the pieces at the camera. The audience was stunned, neither clapping nor booing. NBC, meanwhile, was fined $2.5 million by the FCC for O’Connor’s live stunt.

In 1967, American folk icon Woody Guthrie died after a lengthy battle with Huntington’s disease at age 55. During his career, the pioneering artist wrote hundreds of songs, including, most famously, “This Land Is Your Land,” in response to Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America.” An anti-fascist activist, who was associated with several American communist groups, Guthrie often incorporated political and social commentary into his songs. His vast catalog of work would inspire artists across a range of genres and decades, including Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Jerry Garcia, and Jeff Tweedy.

In 1945, a 10-year-old Elvis Presley performed in public for the first time during a talent contest at the Mississippi Alabama Dairy Show. He sang “Old Shep” and came in second place.

In 1999, 59-year-old Tom Jones became the oldest artist to top the UK album charts with new material. The LP in question was Reload, which featured his hit collaboration with Mousse T, “Sexbomb.”

In 2004, 17-year-old Joss Stone became the youngest female artist to top the UK Album charts with Mind Body & Soul. Across the pond, Stone’s sophomore LP earned her three Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Female Pop Performance (for “You Had Me”).

In 1991, Texas governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3rd “Stevie Ray Vaughan Day,” to mark the late, Dallas-born musician’s birthday. Annual motorcycle rides and concerts in Central Texas benefit the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial Scholarship Fund.

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Keep scrolling for all of the headlines for October 3.

BORN ON OCTOBER 3:

1941: Chubby Checker
1949: Lindsey Buckingham
1954: Stevie Ray Vaughan
1962: Tommy Lee
1969: Gwen Stefani
1971: Kevin Richardson (Backstreet Boys)
1975: India Arie
1978: Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters)

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Keep scrolling for all of our October 3 birthdays.

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October 3rd

On this day in music

3 Oct 2019 Liam Gallagher was at No.1 on the UK chart with his second solo studio album Why Me? Why Not. The album's lead single 'Shockwave' became one of Gallagher's biggest solo hits, and the best selling vinyl single of 2019 in the UK.
3 Oct 2014 A mint-condition copy of The Beatles' Please Please Me album, signed by George Harrison, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Ringo Starr sold for $36,655 at an auction held in the US.
3 Oct 2013 The family of Michael Jackson lost a negligence case against concert promoters AEG Live over the death of the 50-year-old pop star. A jury concluded the doctor looking after Jackson ahead of his concert tour was not unfit for his job - and so AEG had not been negligent in hiring him. Jackson died in 2009 after taking an overdose of a surgical anaesthetic.
3 Oct 2011 According to new scientific research, Queen's 'We Are The Champions' was found to be the catchiest song ever written. Musicologist Dr Alisun Pawley from the University of London, England, conducted research into what makes a song memorable and compiled a list of the ten "catchiest" songs of all time. During the research, they discovered that sing-along songs contained four key elements: long and detailed musical phrases, multiple pitch changes in a song's 'hook', male vocalists, and higher male voices making a noticeable vocal effort. Y.M.C.A by the Village People, Sum 41's Fat Lip, and Europe's The Final Countdown were also on the list.
3 Oct 2008 Singer, producer and songwriter Johnny J (Johnny Jackson) died after jumping from a tier in a Los Angeles jail while serving a sentence for driving under the influence. He produced Tupac Shakur's albums All Eyez on Me and Me Against the World, as well as many of Shakur's subsequent posthumous albums and Candyman.
3 Oct 2007 American jazz bassist Lloyd Trotman died of pneumonia age 84. He backed numerous jazz and rock and roll artists in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s including Sam Cooke, James Brown and The Everly Brothers. He provided the bass line on Ben E. King's 'Stand by Me'.
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3 Oct 2004 UK singer Joss Stone scored her first UK No.1 album with her second release Mind Body & Soul. Stone became the youngest female singer to top the UK Albums Chart, a record previously held by Avril Lavigne.
3 Oct 2002 Original guitarist, vocalist from American psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly Darryl DeLoach died of liver cancer at the age of 56.
3 Oct 2000 The Cars singer and bass player Benjamin Orr died of cancer at home in Atlanta at the age of 53. Sang lead vocals on the bands hits ‘Just What I Needed’, ‘Let's Go’ and ‘Drive’.
3 Oct 2000 John Lennon's assassin Mark Chapman was denied parole after serving 20 years in prison. Chapman was interviewed for 50 minutes by parole board members who concluded that releasing Chapman would 'deprecate the seriousness of the crime.'
3 Oct 1999 Tom Jones went to No.1 on the UK album chart with Reload, making the singer the oldest artist to score a UK No.1 album with new material. The album featured the collaboration with Mousse T, 'Sexbomb', which reached No.3 on the UK Singles Chart, and was later used in an episode of The Simpsons.
3 Oct 1999 Akio Morita the founder of Sony electronics died aged 78. The 1979 Sony Walkman transformed both Sony and consumers across the world.
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3 Oct 1992 Sinead O’Connor ripped up a photograph of Pope John Paul II, on the US TV show 'Saturday Night Live', as a protest over sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. The incident happened as Sinead ended her live performance and out of nowhere, produced a photograph of Pope John Paul II, which she ripped into pieces. There was stunned silence in the studio and the station went to a commercial. NBC was fined $2.5 million dollars by the Federal Communications Commission.
3 Oct 1991 Texas governor Ann Richards proclaimed October 3, Stevie Ray Vaughan, (Stevie Ray Vaughan's birthday), to be "Stevie Ray Vaughan Day". An annual motorcycle ride and concert in Central Texas benefits the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial Scholarship Fund.
3 Oct 1991 M.C. Hammer offered a $50000 reward for the return of Michael Jackson's white glove, which had been stolen from the Motown Museum. This was part of an on-going battle between Hammer and Michael Jackson.
3 Oct 1987 M/A/R/S were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Pump Up The Volume.' The first British-made house hit heavily sampled other recordings which resulted in litigation.
3 Oct 1978 The members of Aerosmith bailed thirty fans out of jail after they were arrested for smoking pot during an Aerosmith concert at Fort Wayne Coliseum.
3 Oct 1968 Working at Trident Studios in London, The Beatles recorded the new George Harrison song ‘Savoy Truffle’. George, Paul, and Ringo recorded just one take of the basic track (drums, bass, and lead guitar). The song was inspired by Eric Clapton's love of chocolates, particularly Mackintosh's Good News.
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3 Oct 1967 American singer, songwriter Woody Guthrie died after suffering from Huntington's Chorea disease. Guthrie was a major influence on Bob Dylan and American folk music. The 70s film 'Bound For Glory' is based on his life. His best-known song is 'This Land Is Your Land', which is regularly sung in American schools.
3 Oct 1958 The Biggest Show Of Stars 1958 Tour kicked off at the Worcester Auditorium in Worcester, Massachusetts. This Autumn Edition featured; Buddy Holly, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Darin, The Olympics, Dion & The Belmonts, Bobby Freeman, The Elegants, Jimmy Clanton, The Danleers, Duane Eddy, Clyde McPhatter and The Coasters.
3 Oct 1945 Elvis Presley made his first ever-public appearance in a talent contest at the Mississippi Alabama Dairy Show singing 'Old Shep', Elvis was 10 years old at the time and came second.

Born on this day in music

3 Oct 1988 American rapper ASAP Rocky. His 2012 single, 'Fuckin' Problems' (featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar), marked his first entry, at No.8, on the Billboard Hot 100, received a nomination for Best Rap Song at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, and preceded his debut studio album, Long. Live. A$AP (2013).
3 Oct 1984 American singer, songwriter, and actress Ashlee Simpson. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, scored the 2004 US No.1 album Autobiography which sold over five million copies worldwide, making it her most successful album to date.
3 Oct 1983 Irish singer-songwrite Danny O'Donoghue from The Script who scored the 2008 UK No.1 self-titled album. He was earlier a member of the Irish boy band Mytown and later a coach on the television singing talent show The Voice UK.
3 Oct 1979 American musician Josh Klinghoffer, best known for being the guitarist for the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers from 2009 to 2019, with whom he recorded two studio albums, I'm with You (2011) and The Getaway (2016). Following his departure from Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2019, Klinghoffer became a touring and session member of both Pearl Jam (since 2021) and Jane's Addiction (2023).
3 Oct 1978 American singer, songwriter, musician Jake Shears (Jason Sellards) from Scissor Sisters. Their 2004 UK No.1 self-titled album peaked at No.1 on the UK chart and was the best-selling album of 2004. All five of its singles reached positions within the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart. Their second consecutive UK No.1 album, Ta-Dah produced their first UK No.1 single 'I Don't Feel Like Dancin''.
3 Oct 1975 American singer and songwriter India Arie, who had the 2006 US No.1 album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship. Arie has sold over five million records in the US and 10 million worldwide, and has won four Grammy Awards from 23 nominations, including Best R&B Album.
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3 Oct 1973 American rapper, singer, actor Tariq Luqmaan Trotter better known as Black Thought, and the lead MC of the hip hop group The Roots. In 2000, the Roots won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "You Got Me". He and The Roots perform as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
3 Oct 1971 Kevin Richardson, American singer from Backstreet Boys who had the 1997 US No.2 single 'Quit playing Games With My Heart' and the 1999 UK No.1 single 'I Want It That Way'.
3 Oct 1969 American singer-songwriter Gwen Stefani. With No Doubt she had the 1997 UK No.1 single 'Don't Speak', which also set a record when it spent 16 weeks at the No.1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart. The group's 1997 US No.1 album Tragic Kingdom, has sold over 16 million copies worldwide. As a solo artist she had the 2005 US No.1 single 'Hollaback Girl’ taken from the 2004 worldwide 2004 Top 5 album Love, Angel, Music, Baby. Stefani was married to Bush lead singer and guitarist Gavin Rossdale and later married country music artist Blake Shelton.
3 Oct 1967 American singer, songwriter Chris Collingwood lead vocalist and founding member of the power pop band Fountains of Wayne who had the 2003 Grammy-nominated single 'Stacy's Mom'.
3 Oct 1966 Dan Miller, guitarist, from American alternative rock band They Might Be Giants, who scored the 1990 UK No.6 single, 'Birdhouse In Your Soul'. The band has won two Grammy Awards, one in 2002 for their song 'Boss of Me, and in 2009 for 'Here Come the 123s'.
3 Oct 1962 Tommy Lee, drummer and founding member of Motley Crue, who had the 1988 UK No.23 single 'You're All I Need' and the 1989 US No.1 & UK No.4 album Dr Feelgood. Lee also founded rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, and has pursued solo musical projects. He has been married to model Elaine Starchuk and actresses Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson.
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3 Oct 1961 Robbie Jaymes, from British pop band Modern Romance who had the 1982 UK No.4 single 'Best Years Of Our Lives'. Further hits followed in 1983: 'High Life' (UK No. 8), 'Don't Stop That Crazy Rhythm' (UK No. 14), and the ballad 'Walking in the Rain' (UK No. 7).
3 Oct 1960 Gail Greenwood bassist with US alternative rock band, Belly, who had the 1993 UK No.32 single 'Feed The Tree', which was also a No.1 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks.
3 Oct 1954 American musician, singer, songwriter, guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan frontman of the blues rock trio Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. He was one of the most influential guitarists in the revival of blues in the 1980s. Vaughan played guitar on six of the tracks on David Bowie's album Let's Dance, including the title track and 'China Girl'. Vaughan was killed in a helicopter crash on August 27th 1990 age 35. His family successfully sued the company's operators for allowing an unqualified pilot to fly in fog, and was awarded $2 million (£1.2 million). In the months that followed his death, Vaughan sold over 5.5 million albums in the United States.
3 Oct 1954 American guitarist Dawayne Bailey who has toured and recorded with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Véronique Sanson, and Chicago.
3 Oct 1950 Ronnie Laws, saxophonist, 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.
3 Oct 1949 American musician, singer, songwriter Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac who had the 1977 US No.1 single 'Dreams' from the world wide No.1 album Rumours. Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975, replacing guitarist Bob Welch, and convinced the group to recruit his musical (and, at the time, romantic) partner Stevie Nicks as well. Hit songs Buckingham wrote and sang with Fleetwood Mac include 'Go Your Own Way', 'Never Going Back Again', 'Tusk', and 'Big Love'. Buckingham has released seven solo studio albums and three live albums.
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3 Oct 1947 American trumpet player, Ben Cauley, vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of the Stax recording group, The Bar-Kays. He was the only survivor of the 1967 plane crash that claimed the lives of soul singer Otis Redding and four members of the Bar-Kays. Cauley died on 21st Sept 2015.
3 Oct 1947 American poet and political activist John Perry Barlow. He was also a lyricist for Grateful Dead and a founding member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Freedom of the Press Foundation. Barlow died in his sleep on February 7, 2018 at his San Francisco home, at the age of 70.
3 Oct 1946 American soul singer, PP Arnold who was a member of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. She scored several hits including the original version of the Cat Stevens song 'The First Cut Is the Deepest' and later released singles produced by Barry Gibb. As a session singer Arnold has worked with Eric Clapton and Roger Waters.
3 Oct 1945 Antonio Martinez, from Spanish beat group Los Bravos who had the 1966 UK No.2 & US No.4 single 'Black Is Black'. They were the first Spanish rock band to have a UK & US hit single.
3 Oct 1941 American rock 'n' roll singer Chubby Checker (Ernest Evans). He is known for popularising many dance styles, including the Twist, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighters' R&B song 'The Twist', and the Pony, with his 1961 cover of the song 'Pony Time'. His biggest UK hit, 'Let's Twist Again', was released in 1962. 'The Twist' was the only song to go to No.1 on the US singles charts twice. Once in 1960 and again in 1962. This would not happen for another song for nearly 59 years until December 2020, when Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' reached the summit after previously topping in another separate chart run in December 2019.
3 Oct 1940 Alan O'Day American singer-songwriter, best known for 'Undercover Angel,' a million-selling American No.1 hit in 1977. He also wrote the 1974 Helen Reddy No. 1 hit 'Angie Baby'. He died on 17 May 2013 age 72 after a battle with brain cancer.
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3 Oct 1938 American rock and roll musician Eddie Cochran, who had the 1958 US No. 8 single 'Summertime Blues', and the 1960 UK No.1 single 'Three Steps To Heaven'. He experimented with multitrack recording, distortion techniques, and overdubbing even on his earliest singles and played the guitar, piano, bass, and drums. Cochran was killed in a car crash on 17th April 1960 aged 21 while on tour in the United Kingdom. Songwriter Sharon Sheeley and singer Gene Vincent who were also in the car both survived the crash.