Birthdays
- 1909 - Burl Ives (d. 1995)
- 1929 - Cy Coleman (d. 2004)
- 1931 - Junior Walker (born Autry Mixon, Jr.) (d. 1995)
- 1936 - Renaldo "Obie" Benson (Four Tops) (d. 2005)
- 1938 - Julie Felix
- 1943 - Spooner Oldham (born Dewey Oldham)
- 1945 - Rod Argent (Zombies, Argent)
- 1947 - Barry Melton (Country Joe & the Fish)
- 1949 - Alan White (Yes)
- 1949 - Jimmy Lea (Slade)
- 1956 - King Diamond (born Kim Petersen)
- 1957 - Chad Cromwell (drummer)
- 1958 - Brian David Willis (Quarterflash)
- 1958 - Nick Van Eede (Cutting Crew)
- 1960 - Gary Husband
- 1961 - Boy George (Culture Club)
- 1963 - Chris DeGarmo (Queensrÿche)
- 1966 - Matt Freeman (Rancid)
- 1969 - MC Ren (born Lorenzo Patterson) (N.W.A.)
- 1971 - Billie Myers
- 1974 - Joshua Radin
- 1984 - Siobhán Donaghy (Sugarbabes)
- 1989 - Lucy Hale
Deaths
- 1968 - Ernest "Pop" Stoneman (75)
- 1969 - Wynonie Harris - Esophageal cancer (53)
- 1986 - Alan Jay Lerner - Lung cancer (67)
- 1989 - Pete de Frietas (Echo & the Bunnymen) - Motorcycle accident (27)
- 1994 - Henry Mancini - Pancreatic cancer (70)
- 1995 - Rory Gallagher - Complications from liver transplant (47)
- 2009 - Bob Bogle (Ventures) - Non-hodgkin's lymphoma (75)
- 2016 - Henry McCullough (Spooky Tooth, Wings) (72)
On This Day
- 1952 - The Dominoes pulled off a rarity by playing Washington in the afternoon and New Orleans in the evening.
- 1953 - Elvis Presley graduated from L.C. Humes High School in Memphis, TN.
- 1957 - Filming wrapped on Elvis Presley's movie Jailhouse Rock
- 1961 - Patsy Cline was hospitalized after a head-on car accident.
- 1961 - Fans accidently pushed Gene Vincent down a flight of stairs, knocking him out.
- 1961 - The Elvis Presley film Wild in the Country premiers in Memphis.
- 1966 - Capitol Records recalled the Beatles album Yesterday and Today after the "butcher cover" was deemed in poor taste.
- 1970 - Derek and the Dominoes played their first show in London.
- 1970 - Grand Funk Railroad bought a block long billboard in New York to advertise their album Close to Home.
- 1971 - The first Hard Rock Cafe opened in London.
- 1971 - Frank Sinatra announced his retirement. He was back 18 months later.
- 1972 - Simon & Garfunkel reunite for one evening in support of presidential candidate George McGovern.
- 1974 - David Bowie launched his Diamond Dog tour in Montreal.
- 1977 - Paul Williams and his wife placed an ad in Variety saying they would not buy orange juice as long as Anita Bryant was the spokesperson.
- 1979 - Little Feat broke up, after the death of Lowell George. They would reform in 1987.
- 1979 - The No Nukes concert was held at the Hollywood Bowl with Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills and more.
- 1982 - The Pretenders fired bassist Pete Farndon.
- 1984 - The wax figure of Boy George was unveiled at Madame Tussaud's in London.
- 1984 - Dolly Parton received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1986 - Bob Geldof was named an honorary Knight by Queen Elizabeth on her annual Birthday Honors List.
- 1986 - Three concert goers fell from the balcony and were killed at an Ozzy Osbourne concert in Long Beach, CA.
- 1987 - Madonna opened her Who's That Girl Tour in Osaka, Japan.
- 1988 - The Fat Boys sued Miller Beer and Joe Piscopo for the ad that featured "Rappin' Fats" Piscopo.
- 1989 - Carole King received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- 1990 - Trisha Yearwood performed at a showcase which led to her signing by MCA.
- 1995 - Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley were interviewed on TV live by Diane Sawyer.
- 1995 - Ty Herndon checked into rehab after being arrested with narcotics the day before.
- 1996 - George Martin was knighted.
- 1997 - The Verve cancelled a U.K. tour when lead Richard Ashcroft came down with a viral infection.
- 1997 - Five-year-old Hunter Hayes was brought on stage to perform at a Hank Williams, Jr. concert.
- 1997 - Barbara Mandrell made her final Grand Ole Opry appearance.
- 2001 - Charlie Daniels opened the Charlie Daniels Museum in Nashville.
- 2001 - The new members of the Songwriters Hall of Fame include Eric Clapton, Paul Williams, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Diane Warren.
- 2002 - Brian Harvey of East 17 went to jail for 56 days in London for failing to obey an injunction brought by his former wife.
- 2002 - Mick Jagger was named a Knight during the Queen's Birthday Honors.
- 2002 - Cher opened her Living Proof: The Farewell Tour. The 59 date tour was extended to 325 shows.
- 2002 - Billy Joel checked into a New Canaan, CT hospital for alcohol rehab.
- 2003 - Gerry Marsden (Gerry and the Pacemakers) was given the Member of the British Empire medal.
- 2005 - Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go, was given the National Heritage Fellowship in recognition of his contribution to folk and traditional arts.
- 2006 - Shakira kicked off her Oral Fixation tour in Zaragoza, Spain.
- 2006 - Rufus Wainwright recreated Judy Garland's 1961 Carnegie Hall concert at the venue.
- 2006 - EMI setteled a payola suit with the state of New York for $3.75 million.
- 2007 - Bob Dylan was given the Spain's Prince of Asturias Arts Award.
- 2008 - Paul McCartney finally played the Ukraine in Kiev.
- 2008 - Jermaine Jackson performed at the Grand Ole Opry.
- 2008 - A guitar stolen in 1962 is reunited with its owner, George Jones.
- 2012 - Ringo Starr's birthplace in Liverpool was saved from destruction, giving local fans the opportunity to, instead, repair the building.
- 2012 - Drake and Chris Brown got into a fight at a New York club over Rihanna.
- 2012 - Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame were Bob Seger, Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Steinman and Don Schlitz.
- 2013 - Merle Haggard received an honorary doctorate from California State University, Bakersfield.
- 2013 - Paul McCartney headlined the Bonnaroo Festival.
- 2017 - Yoko Ono's name was officially added to the writing credits for the song Imagine as she was presented with the National Music Publishers Association's Centenial Award.
- 2017 - The Bridge School Concert was cancelled after original organizer Neil Young pulled out of the benefit.
- 2017 - Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd sued Artimus Pyle and Cleopatra Records to prevent the release of the film Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash.
- 2018 - New to the Songwriters Hall of Fame are John Mellencamp, Alan Jackson, Bill Anderson, Kool & the Gang, Allee Willis and Steve Dorff.
Marriages
- 1941 - Tex Ritter and Dorothy Fay
- 1942 - Rose Maddox and E.B. Hale
- 1986 - Mark Bright (producer) and Anne Marie Sullivan
- 1995 - John Carter-Cash and Mary Ann Joska
- 1999 - Eminem and Kimberly Anne Scott (1st Marriage)
- 2003 - Josh Turner and Jennifer Ford
- 2008 - Sara Evans and Jay Barker
Divorces
- 1957 - Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner
Recorded
- 1950 - Honky Tonk Blues - Hank Williams
- 1951 - Rocket 88 - Bill Haley & the Comets
- 1962 - Funny How Time Slips Away - Willie Nelson
- 1965 - I've Just Seen a Face, Yesterday - Beatles
- 1965 - Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
- 1966 - Here, There and Everywhere - Beatles
- 1967 - All You Need is Love - Beatles
- 1967 - Daydream Believer - Monkees
Released
- 1965 - Beatles VI - Beatles
- 1965 - Blue Kentucky Girl - Loretta Lynn
- 1968 - Aretha Now - Aretha Franklin
- 1968 - In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
- 1970 - Workingman's Dead - Grateful Dead
- 1971 - Tarkus - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
- 1972 - Greatest Hits - Simon & Garfunkel
- 1974 - Everyone is Everybody Again - Cockney Rebel
- 1975 - Initiation - Todd Rundgren
- 1976 - Chicago X - Chicago
- 1977 - Streisand Superman - Barbra Streisand
- 1980 - Cultösaurus Erectus - Blue Öyster Cult
- 1985 - Boy in the Box - Corey Hart
- 1993 - Mi Tierra - Gloria Estefan
- 1994 - Turn it Upside Down - Spin Doctors
- 1994 - Age Ain't Nothing But a Number - Aaliyah (debut)
- 1994 - Suicidal for Life - Suicidal Tendencies
- 2005 - Never Gone - Backstreet Boys
- 2005 - In Your Honor - Foo Fighters
Broadcasts
- 1958 - The Dick Clark Show (ABC) - John D. Loudermilk
- 1958 - The Bob Crosby Show (NBC) - Everly Brothers
- 1966 - Where the Action Is - Bob Lind, Pinkerton's Assorted Colours
- 1969 - Johnny Cash Show (ABC) - Gordon Lightfoot, Carter Family, Statler Brothers
Number Ones - U.S. Singles
- 1941 - Maria Elena - Jimmy Dorsey (1 week)
- 1958 - The Purple People Eater - Sheb Wooley (6 weeks)
- 1975 - Sister Golden Hair - America (1 week)
- 1986 - On My Own - Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald (3 weeks)
- 1997 - I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy and Faith Evans Featuring 112 (11 weeks)
Number Ones - U.S. Albums
- 1980 - Glass Houses - Billy Joel (6 weeks)
- 2003 - How the West Was Won - Led Zeppelin (1 week)
- 2008 - Here I Stand - Usher (1 week)
Number Ones - U.S. R&B Singles
- 1952 - Have Mercy Baby - Dominoes (10 weeks)
- 1975 - Rockin' Chair - Gwen McCrae (1 week)
- 1986 - Nasty - Janet Jackson (2 weeks)
- 1997 - I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy and Faith Evans Featuring 112 (8 weeks)
Number Ones - U.S. Country Singles
- 1947 - It's a Sin - Eddy Arnold (5 weeks)
- 1969 - Running Bear - Sonny James (3 weeks)
- 1975 - When Will I Be Loved - Linda Ronstadt (1 week)
- 1986 - Life's Highway - Steve Wariner (1 week)
- 2003 - Beer For My Horses - Toby Keith with Willie Nelson (6 weeks)
Number Ones - U.S. Adult Contemporary Singles
- 1975 - Wildfire - Michael Martin Murphey (1 week)
- 1980 - Little Jeannie - Elton John (2 weeks)
- 2014 - All of Me - John Legend (10 weeks)
Number Ones - U.K. Singles
- 2003 - Bring Me to Life - Evanescence (4 weeks)
- 2008 - Singin' in the Rain - Mint Royale (2 weeks)
- 2014 - Sing - Ed Sheeran (1 week)
Number Ones - U.K. Albums
- 1980 - Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel (2 weeks)
- 1986 - A Kind of Magic - Queen (1 week)
- 1997 - Wu-Tang Forever - Wu-Tank Clan (1 week)
- 2003 - You Gotta Go There to Come Back - Stereophonics (1 week)
- 2008 - 22 Dreams - Paul Weller (1 week)