September 5th: The Biggest Music Headlines

Scroll down the page to see all the music headlines, stories and events for September 5 throughout music history

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The Animals Transform The Airwaves With ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’

In 1964, The Animals began a three-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with their breakthrough hit, “House Of The Rising Sun.” The traditional folk song was transformed by the British band, who created a haunting, electric rock track. Initially, the Animals chose to cover the tune as a closer for their live act, to help them stand out from other bands in the scene. The song quickly became a favorite – so much so that producer Mickie Most decided that it had the potential to be a hit, despite its unusual sound for the era. Considered to be the first folk-rock hit, the song was unlike anything anyone had heard before on the US or UK airwaves. The song would influence a range of artists, even inspiring the likes of Bob Dylan to go electric.

In 1967, The Beatles began recording John Lennon’s enigmatic new song, “I Am The Walrus,” at Abbey Road Studios. The psychedelic track, which was featured in the film and album Magical Mystery Tour, featured a series of nonsensical lyrics. According to Beatles lore, Lennon purposefully wanted to confuse listeners, who often tried to interpret and analyze the band’s songs.

In 1981, Stevie Nicks’s solo debut, Bella Donna, topped the US album chart. The multi-platinum record, which remained on the Billboard 200 for nearly three years, featured such hits as “Edge of Seventeen,” “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley, and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

In 1965, Sonny & Cher made their first live UK appearance at the 100 Club in London. The pair achieved fame earlier that year with two hit songs: “Baby Don’t Go” and “I Got You Babe.”

In 1994, Oasis appeared at The Hacienda in Manchester to celebrate the launch of their debut, Definitely Maybe. The LP went on to become the fastest-selling debut of all time in the UK and marked the beginning of Oasis’ success in America, where they sold over one million copies.

In 1966, John Lennon began filming his role as Private Gripweed in Richard Lestor’s black comedy, How I Won the War. The movie, which was filmed in Spain, marked Lennon’s first role in a non-Beatles feature.

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Keep scrolling for all of the headlines for September 5.

BORN ON SEPTEMBER 5:

1941: Elliot Mazer (Producer)
1946: Loudon Wainwright III
1946: Freddie Mercury
1956: Roine Stolt (Swedish guitarist, vocalist, and composer)
1968: Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave)

Looking for more artists born on this day?
Keep scrolling for all of our September 5 birthdays.

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September 5th

On this day in music

5 Sep 2021 American rock guitarist Rickie Reynolds died age 72. He was a founding member along with singer Jim Dandy of Southern rock band Black Oak Arkansas.
5 Sep 2021 English singer Sarah Harding died age 39. Her professional career began in 2002 when she successfully auditioned for the ITV reality series Popstars: The Rivals, during which Harding won a place in the girl group Girls Aloud. The group achieved twenty consecutive top ten singles (including four number ones) in the UK. In August 2020 Harding announced that she had been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.
5 Sep 2017 Former Tower of Power lead singer Rick Stevens died age 77 after a battle with cancer. Stevens was in his 30s, four years out of Tower of Power and addicted to drugs, when he shot to death three men in a 1976 dealing dispute and served 36 years in prison.
5 Sep 2016 An asteroid was named after Freddie Mercury to mark what would have been the singer's 70th birthday. The Queen frontman has had his name attached to Asteroid 17473, which was discovered in 1991 - the year he died. Queen guitarist Brian May told a gathering of 1,250 fans at Montreux Casino in Switzerland that the asteroid would now be known as Asteroid 17473 Freddiemercury.
5 Sep 2012 Singer-songwriter Joe South, who had hits in the late 1960s and early ’70s, including 'Games People Play,' 'Walk a Mile in My Shoes' and '(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden,' died at home in Flowery Branch, Atlanta from a heart attack, aged 72. South also played on Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde album.
5 Sep 2008 A study of more than 36,000 people from around the world concluded that musical tastes and personality type were closely related. The research, which was carried out by Professor Adrian North of Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh in the UK suggested classical music fans were shy, while heavy metal fans were gentle and at ease with themselves. Fans of Indie music had low self-esteem and were not hard working, fans of Rap music had high self-esteem and were outgoing. Country & Western fans were hardworking and outgoing, Reggae fans were creative but not hardworking, and fans of chart pop had high self-esteem, were not creative, but where hardworking and outgoing.
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5 Sep 2006 Arctic Monkeys won this year's UK Mercury Prize for their album 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.' The Sheffield-based bands album became the fastest-selling debut in chart history after shifting more than 360,000 copies in its first week of release in Feb 2006.
5 Sep 2002 Heather Mills, Paul McCartney's second wife accepted £50,000 libel damages over an article in the Sunday Mirror. The paper had suggested that Mills acted dishonestly over cash collected for an earthquake appeal.
5 Sep 1999 After spending 58 weeks on the UK album chart, Shania Twain went to No.1 with 'Come On Over'. It became the best-selling country music album, and the second best-selling studio album by a female act. To date, the album has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide.
5 Sep 1998 Aerosmith scored their first US No.1 single with the Diane Warren written song 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing'. The song which was featured in the 1998 film Armageddon gave the band their first No.1 single after 28 years together.
5 Sep 1998 Manic Street Preachers scored their first UK No.1 single with 'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next'. The group's 19th hit and the first Welsh act to have a No.1 single since Shakin' Stevens in 1985. The song is in the Guinness World Records as the longest title for a No.1 single without brackets.
5 Sep 1994 Oasis appeared at The Hacienda in Manchester to celebrate the launch of their debut album Definitely Maybe. The album went on to become the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK and marked the beginning of Oasis' success in America, selling over one million copies there.
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5 Sep 1990 Ian Dury And The Blockheads drummer Charley Charles died of cancer. Scored the 1978 UK No.1 single 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick'.
5 Sep 1987 Ian Astbury of The Cult was arrested after a show in Vancouver ended in a riot. Staff at the concert claimed they were assaulted by Astbury, who spent the night in the local police cells.
5 Sep 1981 Stevie Nicks went to No.1 on the US album with Bella Donna, featuring the tracks ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’ (the Tom Petty duet), ‘Leather and Lace’ (with Don Henley), ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and ‘After the Glitter Fades.’
5 Sep 1981 Soft Cell were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of 'Tainted Love.' The song had been a hit for Gloria Jones in 1964. (Jones who became Marc Bolan's girlfriend was the driver of the car, that crashed and killed Bolan on 16 September 1977. Jones nearly died in the accident).
5 Sep 1978 Joe Negroni from Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers died of a brain haemorrhage. They had the 1956 UK No.1 & US No.6 single 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love' and are also noted for being rock's first all-teenaged act.
5 Sep 1976 Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Gary Rossington was seriously injured in a car crash in Florida.
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5 Sep 1970 Janis Joplin started recording sessions recording a version of the Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster song 'Me and Bobby McGee'. Joplin, (who was a lover and a friend of Kristofferson's from the beginning of her career to her death), topped the US singles chart with the song in 1971 after her death, making the song the second posthumous No.1 single in US chart history after '(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay' by Otis Redding.
5 Sep 1968 On their first ever visit to the UK The Doors appeared on Top Of The Pops performing 'Hello I Love You' live on the TV show.
5 Sep 1967 Working at Abbey Road studios, London, The Beatles began recording John Lennon’s new song ‘I Am The Walrus’, recording 16 takes of the basic backing track.
5 Sep 1966 John Lennon started work on his role as Private Gripweed in the film 'How I Won The War'. The black comedy directed by Richard Lester, was filmed in Spain in Almería Province and saw Lennon, taking a long-overdue break from The Beatles after nearly four years of constant touring.
5 Sep 1965 The Rolling Stones recorded their eighth single 'Get Off Of My Cloud' at RCA studios in Hollywood. The song peaked at No.1 in the US and the UK.
5 Sep 1965 Sonny & Cher made their first live UK appearance when they appeared at the 100 Club in London.
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5 Sep 1964 The Animals started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'House Of The Rising Sun'. When first released the record company printed the time of the song on the record as three minutes feeling that the real time of four minutes was too long for radio airplay.
5 Sep 1963 The Rolling Stones kicked off their fourth UK tour at The Astoria London. A 32-date package tour with Mike Berry and the Innocents The Mojos and Simon Scott and the Leroy's.
5 Sep 1956 Elvis Presley surprised his mother with a gift of a pink Cadillac. The car remained in the Presley family and eventually went on display at Graceland.

Born on this day in music

5 Sep 1980 Kevin Simm, vocals, Liberty X (2002 UK No.1 single 'Just A Little'). The group was formed by the five finalists of the British talent show Popstars who failed to make it into the group Hear'Say. Liberty X went on to achieve ten consecutive UK Top 20 singles.
5 Sep 1968 Brad Wilk, drummer, from Rage Against The Machine, who had the 1996 US No.1 album Evil Empire. And with Audioslave had the 2005 US No.1 album Out of Exile.
5 Sep 1966 Terry Ellis, vocals, En Vogue (1992 US No.2 & UK No.4 single 'My Lovin').
5 Sep 1964 Kevin Saunderson, from American electronic group Inner City, who had the 1989 UK No.4 single 'Good Life' and the hit 'Big Fun'.
5 Sep 1956 Swedish guitarist, vocalist and composer Roine Stolt. A major figure in Sweden's rock history, Stolt led two of his country's most successful progressive rock bands: Kaipa in the 1970s and The Flower Kings in the 1990s onward.
5 Sep 1954 Sal Solo, Classix Nouveaux, (1982 UK No.11 single 'Is It A Dream').
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5 Sep 1951 Drummer Jamie Oldaker, who played on Eric Clapton's 461 Ocean Boulevard, the first of 11 Clapton albums to feature Oldaker on drums. Oldaker also played alongside Leon Russell and Bob Seger, with Ace Frehley and Peter Frampton, and appeared on recordings with artists as diverse as the Bee Gees, Stephen Stills and the Bellamy Brothers. He died of cancer on 16 July 2020 at the age of 68.
5 Sep 1949 Dave Clempson guitar, Humble Pie (1969 UK No.4 single 'Natural Born Bugie').
5 Sep 1947 Mel Collins, British saxophonist and flutist and session musician. Collins who played the sax solo on The Rolling Stones' 'Miss You' and has also worked with King Crimson, Camel, Alan Parsons Project, 10cc, Clannad, Eric Clapton, Bad Company, Dire Straits, Roger Waters, Gerry Rafferty, Tears For Fears and others.
5 Sep 1946 Buddy Miles drummer with The Ink Spots, Wilson Pickett, Santana, Electric Flag and Jimi Hendrix. Miles featured on the 1970 Hendrix album Band Of Gypsies as well as tracks on Electric Ladyland and The Cry of Love. He died on 28th Feb 2008 died aged 60 at his home in Austin, Texas after struggling with a long-term illness.
5 Sep 1946 Dean Ford, singer, guitarist from Scottish pop rock band Marmalade, (originally formed in 1961 as The Gaylords). They scored the 1969 UK No.1 single with their version of The Beatles song 'Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da'. Ford died on 31 December 2018 aged 73.
5 Sep 1946 Freddie Mercury British singer, songwriter, record producer with Queen. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave vocal range. Queen had had the 1975 UK No.1 single 'Bohemian Rhapsody', plus over 40 other UK Top 40 singles. And the 1980 US No.1 single 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. As a solo artist he scored the 1987 UK No. 4 single 'The Great Pretender'. Mercury died of bronchio-pneumonia on November 24th 1991 aged 45, just one day after he publicly announced he was HIV positive.
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5 Sep 1946 Loudon Wainwright III, US singer, songwriter, (1973 US No.17 single 'Dead Skunk'). Once appeared in TV 's M.A.S.H. He is the father of Martha and Rufus Wainwright,
5 Sep 1945 Al Stewart, UK singer, songwriter, (1977 UK No.31 & US No.8 single 'Year Of The Cat').
5 Sep 1941 Producer Elliot Mazer most famous for his work with Neil Young, working on a string of releases including Harvest, Journey Through The Past, Times Fades Away, Tonight's The Night, American Stars & Bars, Hawks & Doves, Everybody's Rockin', Old Ways, Lucky 13 and the recently released "lost" album Homegrown. He also worked with The Band, Janis Joplin, Rory Gallagher and many more. He died on 7 February 2021 age 79.
5 Sep 1939 John Stewart, singer, songwriter with The Kingston Trio. As a solo artist he had a 1979 US No.5 single with ‘Gold’. He also wrote The Monkees hit ‘Daydream Believer’. Stewart died aged 68 after he suffered a massive stroke or brain aneurysm in San Diego on 19th Jan 2008.
5 Sep 1936 Willie Woods, Junior Walker and the All Stars, (1969 US No.4 single 'What Does It Take To Win Your Love'). Woods died of lung cancer on 27th May 1997.
5 Sep 1934 American singer-songwriter Beverly Ross. She co-wrote several successful pop songs in the 1950s and 1960s, including 'Lollipop' (1958 US No.2 hit for The Chordettes and a UK hit for The Mudlarks), 'The Girl of My Best Friend', (covered by Elvis Presley in 1960), Remember Then', (a hit for Showaddywaddy in 1979) and 'Judy's Turn to Cry', (a hit for Lesley Gore in 1963). Ross died from dementia on 15 January 2022, at the age of 87.
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