This Day In Music Search

Coldplay and their former manager filed competing claims in London's High Court, with each party seeking millions of pounds from the other. Dave Holmes, who worked with the band from 2005 to 2022, sued them in August for £10 million in unpaid commission. In a counter-claim, the group rejected his claim and said Holmes had allowed tour costs to spiral out of control and demanded £14 million in damages. According to lawyers, the band were paid an advance of £35 million for their 10th album and £30 million for their 11th and 12th albums.

Foo Fighters were at No.1 on the US album chart with their ninth studio album Concrete and Gold and their second album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. Dave Grohl had ended a self-imposed six-month hiatus from music to record the album while recovering from an injury sustained on the Sonic Highways World Tour.

Paul McCartney, (a vegetarian for 30 years), was said to be furious when he heard that a Liverpool branch of McDonald's restaurant displayed his picture, accusing them of using it to attract customers. Sir Paul was quoted as saying "What sort of morons do McDonald's think Beatles fans are?"

The Imagine Peace Tower was officially unveiled in Kollafjorour Bay near Reykjav’k, Iceland. The memorial to John Lennon from his widow, Yoko Ono, consists of a tall "tower of light", projected from a white stone monument that has the words "Imagine Peace" carved into it in 24 languages.

Ambrose Kappos, 37, of New York, was charged with three counts of stalking and harassing singer Sheryl Crow. He was arrested after being accused of sneaking into New York's Hammerstein Ballroom and then trying to get into Crow's limousine when she left the venue. Mr Kappos' brother said he was harmless but "infatuated" with the singer.

A man wrecked a $300,000 sports car owned by hip-hop star Missy Elliott after losing control of the 550-horsepower vehicle and crashed into a traffic sign and a tree. Joseph Johnson had taken the Lamborghini Diablo away from the garage where it was stored without permission for a late night spin. He was later sentenced to three years in jail and ordered to pay $170,000 for the car and $1,975 for curb repairs at the site of the accident.

Eurythmics, George Michael, David Bowie, Robbie Williams and Bono all appeared at 'Netaid' an event to raise money for global poverty. The concerts in London, New York and Geneva were all broadcast live on the internet.

Take That had their second UK No.1 single with 'Relight My Fire'. The song which was written and released by Dan Hartman in 1979, where it topped the US dance charts for six weeks. The Take That version featured Scottish singer Lulu and gave her a No.1 hit nearly 30 years after her first hit in 1964.

Nirvana entered the US album chart at No.1 with 'In Utero', their third and final studio album. Kurt Cobain had originally wanted to name the album 'I Hate Myself and I Want to Die.'

All four members of The Stone Roses were each fined £3,000 after being found guilty of criminal damage at their former record companies offices.

Cliff Gallup guitarist with Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps died of a heart attack. (1956 US No. 7 & UK No. 16 single 'Be Bop A Lula').

Marking what would have been John Lennon's 45th birthday, Yoko Ono formally opened the three and a half acre garden at the Strawberry Fields site in New York's Central Park. The area was planted with trees, shrubs and flowers gathered from across the world and with a $1m donation from Yoko.

During a North American tour The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. Support act was Prince, who dressed in his controversial bikini briefs and trench coat ran off stage after 15 minutes due to the crowd booing and throwing beer cans at him.

Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel died of cancer aged 49. Artists who recorded his songs include, Ray Charles, Scott Walker, Alex Harvey, Frank Sinatra, Dusty Springfield, David Bowie, Nina Simone and Terry Jacks.

The Sex Pistols signed to EMI records for £40,000 ($68,000). The contract was terminated three months later with the label stopping production of the 'Anarchy In The UK' single and deleting it from its catalogue. EMI later issued a statement saying it felt unable to promote The Sex Pistols records in view of the adverse publicity generated over the last few months.

Dr Feelgood scored their only No.1 UK album when 'Stupidity' went to the top of the charts. It was the first ever live album to go to No.1 in the UK chart in its first week of release. Some of the album was recorded at The Kursaal in Southend-on-Sea.

One hit wonders Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'A Fifth Of Beethoven', it made No.28 in the UK.

Elvis Presley and his wife Priscilla, divorced after six years of marriage. Priscilla was awarded property, $725,000 cash and $4,200 a month support. Elvis first met 14-year-old Priscilla when he was 24-year-old at a party at his rented villa in Bad Nauheim, West Germany, during his military service. The couple married on May 1, 1967, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born on February 1, 1968, exactly nine months after their wedding.

Rod Stewart was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Maggie May', (first released as a B side to 'Reason To Believe'). The first of six UK No.1's for Stewart, spent five weeks at the top of the chart.

The Who played a small, low-key show at the University of Surrey, Guildford, with guest John Sebastian joining in on harmonica on ‘Magic Bus’ ‘ the only outside musician ever to jam with The Who on stage. Backstage, the group celebrated John Entwistle’s 27th birthday.

For the first time in the history of the show, the BBC’s Top Of The Pops producers refused to air the No. 1 song, ‘Je T’aime... Moi Non Plus’, the erotic French language love song by Serge Gainsbourg and actress Jane Birkin. The song, an instrumental with the voices of Gainsbourg and Birkin apparently recorded in the act of love and superimposed over the top, caused such a stir in Britain that the original label, Fontana, dropped the record despite it being No. 2 on the charts. A small record company, Major Minor, bought the rights and saw the song climb to the top of the charts, the first French language song to ever do so.

The Beatles started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with the Paul McCartney ballad 'Yesterday' giving the group their tenth US No.1. The track was not released as a single in the UK until 1976.

The Beach Boys recorded ‘Dance Dance Dance’, with Glen Campbell playing the lead guitar intro. It would go on to become their twelfth US Top 40 hit.

Ray Charles started a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Hit The Road Jack'. Written by the rhythm and blues singer Percy Mayfield the song also gave Charles a No.6 hit on the UK chart and won a Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Recording, becoming one of Charles' signature songs.

Eddie Cochran recorded the classic song, 'C'mon Everybody', which became a 1959 UK No.6 single for Cochran and a 1979 hit for the Sex Pistols.

American singer and songwriter Megan Moroney. She scored the 2022 Country Top 10 hit with 'Tennessee Orange' and was nominated for the Country Music Association Award for Song of the Year at the 57th Annual CMA Awards. Her second album, Am I Okay? (2024) debuted at No.9 on the Billboard chart, becoming her first album to peak in the top 10.

American country singer Scotty McCreery. He rose to fame after winning the tenth season of American Idol in May 2011. His debut studio album Clear as Day peaked at No.1 on the US chart. McCreery broke records as the first country act to debut at No.1 with their first studio album, and at 18 years old, the youngest man to open at the top of the chart with their debut release.

Nicholas Byrne from Irish pop vocal group Westlife who scored 14 UK No.1 singles, and have sold over 50 million records worldwide. Despite their success worldwide, Westlife never managed to break into the US market, achieving only one hit single in 2000, 'Swear It Again'.

Sean Taro Ono Lennon, the only child of John Lennon by Yoko Ono. After Sean's birth, John Lennon became a stay-at-home-dad to look after him. Elton John is his godfather. Sean went on to become a singer, songwriter, musician and actor.

American country music singer-songwriter Brandy Clark. Her songs have been recorded by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker, and Kacey Musgraves. She debuted as an artist in her own right in 2013 with her album 12 Stories and has released four additional studio albums. Clark is a sixteen-time Grammy Award nominee.

American musician Terry Balsamo, best known as the former guitarist of the rock bands Cold and Evanescence. Balsamo became singer and pianist Amy Lee's musical collaborator on their second album, The Open Door (2006). Balsamo continued with the band, playing and co-writing on their 2011 self-titled third album. He left the band in August 2015 after he suffered a stroke from a torn neck artery, leaving the left side of his body paralyzed. The doctors said it was caused by a blood clot in his neck, possibly a result of headbanging on-stage and likely formation of an aneurysm.

English musician, singer-songwriter PJ Harvey, who had the 1993 UK hit single '50ft Queenie'. Rolling Stone awarded her 1992's Best New Artist and Best Singer Songwriter and 1995's Artist of the Year. Her fifth album, Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea, was released in 2000, received the Mercury Music Prize in 2001. In June 2013, she was awarded an MBE for services to music.

English record producer, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Giles Martin. The son of Beatles producer George Martin he has worked with Paul McCartney, Jeff Beck, Elvis Costello, INXS, Kate Bush, and Elton John. He was the producer in charge of the 50th anniversary Beatles remix/deluxe editions album releases.

Vickie Perks, from the English alternative rock group We've Got A Fuzzbox And We're Gonna Use It. Formed in Birmingham in 1985, the all-female quartet had the 1989 UK No.11 single 'International Rescue'.

English musician Mat Osman from alternative rock band Suede, who had the 1994 UK No.3 single 'Stay Together'. Their debut album, Suede, reached No.1 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in nearly a decade and won the Mercury Music Prize. Suede's commercial success in the United States was limited, and due to a lawsuit with an American singer with the same name, the group had to change its name for the American market to The London Suede. Mat Osman is the brother of UK TV presenter and author Richard Osman.

Swiss musician, Thomas Wydler best known as the drummer of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds since 1985. Wydler has appeared on almost every Bad Seeds album, making his debut appearance on the group's third studio album Kicking Against the Pricks (1986).

Jamaican reggae singer Ini Kamoze who began his career in the early 1980s and rose to prominence in 1994 with the signature song 'Here Comes the Hotstepper'. The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 as well as charts in Denmark and New Zealand, reaching No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart.

English musician James Fearnley, accordion, guitar, and foot-operated snare drum from Irish-British Celtic punk band The Pogues, who scored the 1987 UK No.8 single 'The Irish Rover'. Fearnley became the guitarist in the last iteration of Shane MacGowan's band The Nipple Erectors.

British-American television personality, music manager, and author Sharon Osbourne, wife of Ozzy and star of MTV The Osbournes TV Show. Osbourne later became a judge on the television talent competition shows The X Factor and America's Got Talent. Osbourne is the daughter of Don Arden who was a music promoter and rock and roll entrepreneur.

English songwriter, record producer, and musician Rod Temperton who initially made his mark as the keyboardist and main songwriter for the R&B funk/disco band Heatwave, writing songs including 'Always and Forever', 'Boogie Nights', and 'The Groove Line'. Temperton was recruited by Quincy Jones to write songs for Michael Jackson, including 'Thriller', 'Off the Wall', and 'Rock with You'. Temperton died from cancer on 25 September 2016.

American rock musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist Jackson Browne. He wrote 'These Days' as a 16-year-old; the song became a minor hit for the German singer and Andy Warhol protégé Nico in 1967. The Eagles had their first Billboard Top 40 hit in 1972 with the Browne co-written song 'Take It Easy'. Browne released his self-titled debut album in 1972, which included two Top 40 hits of his own, 'Doctor, My Eyes' (covered by The Jackson 5) and 'Rock Me on the Water'. Browne scored the 1978 UK No.12 single 'Stay' from the 1978 album Running On Empty, which peaked at No.3 on the US chart, and the 1982 US No. 7 single 'Somebody's Baby'. Browne has sold over 30 million albums in the United States.

American vocalist, record producer, songwriter, musician, and author Nona Hendryx. With Labelle she had the 1975 US No.1 & UK No.17, single 'Lady Marmalade'. In 1985, Hendryx wrote and recorded the Grammy nominated song 'Rock This House' with Keith Richards from her fourth solo album The Heat (1985).

English bass guitarist, singer, songwriter John Entwistle from The Who, (nicknamed The Ox). The Who scored the 1965 UK No.2 single 'My Generation' plus over 20 other UK Top 40 hits, as well as 16 US Top 40 singles. He met Pete Townshend in the second year of school, and the two formed a trad jazz band, the Confederates. Entwistle died on 27th June 2002 in Room 658 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Paradise, Nevada, one day before the scheduled first show of the Who's 2002 United States tour. He was 57 years old. Entwistle had gone to bed that night with Alycen Rowse, a local stripper and groupie, who awoke the next morning to find Entwistle cold and unresponsive.

English musician and activist John Lennon. In 1956, he formed the Quarrymen, which evolved into the Beatles in 1960 and gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of The Beatles. Lennon's songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney remains the most successful in history. The Beatles are the best-selling music act of all time, with estimated sales of 600 million units worldwide. Lennon later cited 'Strawberry Fields Forever' as his finest work with the band. As a performer, writer or co-writer, Lennon had 25 No.1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Double Fantasy, his second-best-selling non-Beatles album, won the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In New York, on 8 December 1980, returning from a recording session, Mark Chapman shot Lennon twice in the back and twice in the shoulder at close range. Lennon was rushed to the emergency room of Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival at 11:15 p.m. He was 40 years old.

Pat Burke tenor saxophone from British soul band The Foundations, who were primarily active between 1967 and 1970. They scored the 1967 UK No.1 single 'Baby Now That I've Found You' and the 1969 US No.3 single 'Build Me Up A Buttercup'. The group was the first multi-racial group to have a No.1 hit in the UK in the 1960s and was one of the few British acts to imitate successfully what became known as the Motown Sound. The group had unsuccessfully tried to recruit Rod Stewart as a singer. They had a jam session with him, but he turned down their offer as he preferred other musical styles.