This Day In Music Search

Taylor Swift overtook Madonna by setting a new chart record for the quickest succession of nine UK No.1 albums by a female artist after her 10th album, Midnights, topped the UK chart. The album also became the fastest-selling record of 2022.

Ed Sheeran became the UK’s richest star under 30 according to the annual Rich List of Britain’s wealthiest young stars with an estimated fortune of £170million - almost double his worth last year. Coming in second was Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe with £90million and former One Direction singer Harry Styles was placed at number three.

Singer, songwriter and musician James Edwin Farrar died due to heart failure, at the age of 67. He was the original lead singer of the Raw Energy band and the second lead singer of the American Southern Rock band Molly Hatchet from 1980 to 1982, and in more recent years, Gator Country.

Bob Dylan said he accepted his Nobel Prize in literature, ending a silence since being awarded the prize earlier this month. He said the honour had left him "speechless". The foundation said it had not yet been decided if the singer would attend the awards ceremony in December.

Phil Collins handed over his large collection of Alamo memorabilia to a Texas museum, calling the donation the end of a six-decade "journey". "I'm 64," he said of his fascination with the 1836 battle. "When I was five or six years old, this thing began." Collins' collection included a fringed leather pouch used by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie's legendary knife.

John Lennon's first home, in Liverpool, was sold for £480,000 at an auction held at The Cavern Club. The red brick terrace at 9 Newcastle Road, Wavertree, was where the member of The Beatles lived from birth, in 1940, until he was five. The property has a rear yard and is a few streets away from Penny Lane, made famous by The Beatles.

Hundreds of viewers complained about Lady Gaga's recent UK performance on The X Factor according to Ofcom. Around 200 people contacted the broadcasting watchdog about her outfit of shells and flesh-coloured underwear. Another 60 viewers complained directly to ITV about the singer's appearance, before the 9pm watershed.

Forbes Magazine reported that Michael Jackson had earned about 72 million dollars since his death on June 25th. That was good enough for third place on their list of dead celebrities making the most money. Fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent came in first at $350 million, songwriters Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein were second with $235 million and Elvis Presley was fourth, earning $55 million.

Walk the Line, the film about the life of singer Johnny Cash was voted the greatest music biopic in a poll. The film starred Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon as Cash and his wife June Carter as the country stars and won the actress an Oscar in 2006. It was followed by rapper Eminem's 8 Mile, with Mozart's life story Amadeus next and Ray, starring Jamie Foxx as musician Ray Charles, at number four. The most recent film in the top 10 was Joy Division biopic Control.

Kylie Minogue was honoured with the Music Industry Trust prize for her 20-year career and status as an "icon of pop and style" at a London ceremony. The first time in the event's 16-year history that the award has gone to a woman, past winners included Sir Elton John and Peter Gabriel.

McFly scored their 6th UK No.1 single with 'Star Girl'. The song was played in space to wake up the astronauts on the space station, after a successful twitter campaign asking NASA to play the song started by band member Tom Fletcher.

A set of waxwork heads of The Beatles from their Sgt. Pepper's album cover sold for £81,500. The "pepperheads" were auctioned off after recently being discovered in a back room at London's Madame Tussauds. They were used in 1967 by artist Sir Peter Blake in the backdrop of the "Lonely Hearts Club Band" album with the actual Beatles posing at the front.

P Diddy promised to investigate claims that his clothing company used a sweatshop factory in Honduras. An American organisation campaigning for workers' rights, said conditions at the factory were wholly unacceptable claiming workers were paid less than a dollar an hour, forced to work overtime, subjected to body searches and dismissed if they got pregnant.

Research in the US found that songs get stuck in our heads because they create a 'brain itch' that can only be scratched by repeating a tune over and over. Songs such as the Village People's Y.M.C.A and the Baha Men's 'Who Let The Dogs Out' owe their success to their ability to create a 'cognitive itch', according to Professor James Kellaris, of the University of Cincinnati College of Business Administration.

Winners at this years 'Q' awards included, Ash, best single for 'Burn Baby Burn', Starsailor won best new act, Travis won best album for 'The Invisible Band', Manic Street Preachers won best live act and John Lydon won the Inspiration award.

The Spice Girls went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Holler / Let Love Lead The Way'. The group made musical history by scoring their ninth No.1 making them joint fourth in the list of acts that have had nine UK No.1 singles.

Manchester band The Stone Roses split up. Singer Ian Brown said 'having spent the last ten years in the filthiest business in the universe, it's a pleasure to announce the end of The Stone Roses.'

UK reggae/rap performer Pato Banton (with Robin & Ali Campbell from UB40), started a four week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the 1968 Eddy Grant song and Equals hit 'Baby Come Back.'

Enya started a three week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Orinoco Flow.' Originally with family act, Clannad, Enya went solo and specialised in Celtic and New Age recordings.

'Decades' Rolling Stones Ronnie Wood's first ever British art exhibition opened in London, featuring portraits of friends and rock stars from the past 20 years.

David Bowie played the first night of his 15 date Glass Spider Tour in Australia and New Zealand at the Boondall Entertainment Centre in Brisbane.

American drummer Wells Kelly who was a member of Orleans and worked with Meat Loaf died aged 45 after choking to death on his vomit. Had the 1976 US hit singles with Orleans, 'Still The One' and 'Dance with Me.'

'Islands In The Stream', gave Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers a No.1 on the US singles chart. The song was written by The Bee Gees and co-produced by Barry Gibb.

Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon marked its 491st week on the Billboard album chart in the US, surpassing the previous record holder, 'Johnny's Greatest Hits' by Johnny Mathis. When it finally fell off of list in October 1988, 'Dark Side' had set a record of 741 weeks on the chart.

The Belgian travel service issued a summons against the Sex Pistols claiming the sleeve to the bands single 'Holidays In The Sun' infringed copyright of one of its brochures.

Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle on a Macon, Georgia street while trying to swerve to avoid a tractor-trailer and was thrown from the motorcycle. The motorcycle bounced into the air, landed on Allman and skidded another 90 feet with Allman pinned underneath. He was three weeks shy of his 25th birthday.

Cream played two shows at the Saville Theatre in London, England, billed as "Sundays At The Saville", The Bee Gees were appearing the following week.

? & the Mysterians went to No.1 on the US singles chart with '96 Tears'. Although he closely guarded his true identity at the time, the man known as Question Mark turned out to be Rudy Martinez, from Saginaw Valley, Michigan. The song was later a UK hit in the UK for The Stranglers in 1990.

The Who released the single 'My Generation' in the UK. The song was named the 11th greatest song by Rolling Stone on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and 13th on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Songs of Rock & Roll. It reached No. 2 in the UK, the Who's highest charting single in their home country but only No. 74 in America.

The Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Mickie Most, The Rolling Stones, Julie Grant and The Flintstones all appeared at The Goumont Theatre, St Albans, England.

The Beatles made their second appearance on the Granada TV program ‘People and Places.’ Filmed in Manchester, they performed two songs, 'Love Me Do' and ‘A Taste of Honey’.

Swedish singer and songwriter Tove Lo. She rose to prominence with her debut album, Queen of the Clouds, which peaked at No.14 on the US Billboard 200 chart in October 2014. It spawned the sleeper hit single 'Habits (Stay High), which peaked at No.3 on the US Hot 100. He song 'Glad He's Gone', was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2020 for Best Music Video.

American musician Chris Baio, bassist from Vampire Weekend. The band's debut album, Vampire Weekend (2008), has been hailed as one of the greatest debut albums. Their second album, Contra (2010), was similarly acclaimed and garnered strong commercial success, debuting at No.1 on the US Billboard Chart.

Irish musician Mark Sheehan. From 1996 to 2001, he was a member of the boy band Mytown. In 2001, he co-founded alternative rock band the Script. Sheehan died in hospital on 14 April 2023 at the age of 46 following a brief, undisclosed illness.

Toby Smith, keyboards, with Jamiroquai who had the 1993 UK No.1 album Emergency on Planet Earth and the 1998 UK No.1 single 'Deeper Underground'. Smith died on 11 April 2017 aged 46 after he had been diagnosed with cancer six years earlier.

English DJ and record producer Roni Size. He came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and frontman of Roni Size & Reprazent, a drum and bass collective. That year, they won the Mercury Prize for their debut studio album New Forms.

Peter Timmins, drummer of the Canadian alternative country and folk rock band Cowboy Junkies, which formed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1985. The band gained wide recognition with their second studio album, The Trinity Session (1988), recorded in 1987 at Toronto's Church of the Holy Trinity.

Einar Orn Benediktsson from Icelandic alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, who formed in Reykjavík in 1986 and disbanded in 1992. Einar has been described as the first punk in Iceland. He claims he became interested in punk rock after reading about Johnny Rotten. Einar spent the summer of 1977 in London, where his father worked. Through this, he was able to make contacts, enabling the Reykjavík arts festival to book The Clash in 1980. In 2000, Einar collaborated with Blur lead singer Damon Albarn on the soundtrack for the acclaimed Icelandic film 101 Reykjavík.

American musician, singer, songwriter Randy Jackson. He is the ninth child in the Jackson family. Randy is the youngest Jackson brother and the second-youngest Jackson sibling before his sister Janet. Randy is a former member of his family band the Jacksons, which he joined after his brother Jermaine left the group (then named the Jackson 5). He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his work on the 1980 studio album Triumph.

Roger O'Donnell, keyboardist with English rock band The Cure who had the 1989 US No.2 single 'Love Song', the 1992 UK No.6 single 'Friday I'm In Love', plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles. He has also worked with the Psychedelic Furs, the Thompson Twins and Berlin.

Kevin DuBrow, singer, Quiet Riot, (1983 US No.1 album, 'Metal Health'). Found dead in his Las Vegas home at the age of 52 on 25th Nov 2007. The band's biggest hit was Cum on Feel the Noize, a cover of the Slade song which they are said to have grudgingly recorded in just one take.

Steve Luscombe, from English synth-pop band Blancmange, who had the 1982 UK No.7 single 'Living On The Ceiling'. Blancmange released three studio albums in the 80s, Happy Families (1982), Mange Tout (1984) and Believe You Me (1985). Luscombe died on 13 September 2025, at the age of 70.

Scottish bassist, guitarist and singer David Paton, who with Pilot had the 1975 UK No.1 single 'January' and the No.11 hit 'Magic'. Paton is also known for his work in the original lineup of The Alan Parsons Project (1975-1985), and for working with acts such as Kate Bush, Camel and Elton John.

American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer James Williamson. He was a member of the iconic proto-punk rock band The Stooges with Iggy Pop, notably on the influential 1973 album Raw Power.

Ricky Reynolds, from American Southern rock band Black Oak Arkansas, known for their 70s US No.1 radio hit single 'Jim Dandy To The Rescue'. He died on 5 September 2021 age 72.

Rob Van Leeuwen, from the Dutch rock band Shocking Blue, who formed in The Hague in 1967. They had the 1970 US No.1 & UK No.8 single 'Venus' which topped the charts in nine countries and was the first song by a Dutch band to reach No. 1 on the US chart. Worldwide, the single has sold over 5 million copies. Bananarama covered 'Venus' in 1986, hitting No.1 in the United States, Canada, and Australia, and reaching No.8 in the UK. American rock band Nirvana recorded a cover version of the Shocking Blue song 'Love Buzz' for its 1988 debut single, released on Sub Pop in the USA.

English blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green, the founder of Fleetwood Mac. He was a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, (replacing Eric Clapton). Fleetwood Mac scored the 1969 UK No.1 single 'Albatross' and other hits include 'Black Magic Woman', 'Oh Well' and 'Man of the World'. While touring Europe in late March 1970, Green took LSD at a party at a commune near Munich, an incident cited by Fleetwood Mac manager Clifford Davis as the crucial point in his mental decline. After a final performance on 20 May 1970, Green left Fleetwood Mac and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent time in psychiatric hospitals undergoing electroconvulsive therapy during the mid-1970s. Green formed the Peter Green Splinter Group in the late 1990s, releasing nine blues albums. He died in his sleep age 73 on 26 Jul 2020.

Mick Gallagher, English Hammond organ, piano and synthesizer player, best known as a member of Ian Dury and the Blockheads and Gallagher played on two of the most influential Clash albums, London Calling (1979) and Sandinista! (1980). He also played with the Animals in 1965

English musician, singer, songwriter Denny Laine who with The Moody Blues, had the 1965 UK No.1 & US No.10 single 'Go Now'. Laine was a constant member of Wings for their entire run from 1971 to 1981, playing guitar, bass, keyboards, singing backing and lead vocals, and co-writing songs with Paul McCartney including the 1977 hit 'Mull of Kintyre'. Laine died from interstitial lung disease in Naples, Florida, on 5 December 2023, at the age of 79.