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Music History Today: April 28, 2020

April 28, 1973: Pink Floyd’s eighth album, Dark Side Of The Moon, rose to the summit of the US albums chart six weeks after its release. The iconic LP only spent a week at the top, supplanted by Elvis Presley’s Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite, but notched up an unparalleled 741 weeks on the Billboard chart.

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Music History Today: April 27, 2020

April 27, 1980: Three years and a day after opening its doors, New York's legendary Studio 54 was closed for liquor license violations. Schrager and Rubell opened the nightclub as disco was gaining popularity in the U.S. Infamous for its celebrity guest lists, quixotic entry policies, extravagant events, rampant drug use, and sexual hedonism.

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Music History on this Day: April 26, 2024

April 26, 1938: Duane Eddy was born in Corning, New York. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records produced by Lee Hazlewood, which were noted for their characteristically "twangy" sound, including "Rebel-'Rouser" and "Peter Gunn." He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2008.

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Music History on this Day: April 25, 2024

April 25, 1918: Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News, Virginia. She is sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song," "Queen of Jazz," and "Lady Ella."

Fitzgerald also appeared in films and as a guest on popular television shows in the second half of the twentieth century. Outside her solo career, she created music with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and The Ink Spots.

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Music History on this Day: April 24, 2024

April 24, 1942: Barbra Streisand was born in Brooklyn, New York City. She began her career in the 1960s, quickly gaining fame for her powerful voice and unique style. Streisand has won numerous awards, including multiple Grammy Awards, Emmy Awards, Tony Awards, and Academy Awards.

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Music History on this Day: April 23, 2024

April 23, 1971: The Rolling Stones released Sticky Fingers, their ninth UK studio album. It was their debut LP for their own label, Rolling Stones Records, and featured a provocative front cover created by pop art guru Andy Warhol, who was paid $15,000 to design a functioning zipper showing the crotch area of a man’s jeans. The album also marked the first time the band’s John Pasche-designed lips and tongue logo was used.

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Music History on this Day: April 22, 2024

April 22, 1936: Glen Campbell was born in Billstown, Arkansas. After becoming a solo artist, he placed 80 songs on either the Billboard Country Chart, Billboard Hot 100, or Adult Contemporary Chart, of which 29 made the top 10 and nine reached number one on at least one of those charts.

Among Campbell's hits are "Universal Soldier," his first hit from 1965, along with "Gentle on My Mind" and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" in 1967, "Dreams of the Everyday Housewife," and "Wichita Lineman" in 1968, "Galveston" in 1969, "Rhinestone Cowboy" in 1975, and "Southern Nights" in 1977.

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Music History on this Day: April 21, 2024

April 21, 1947: Iggy Pop was born in Muskegon, Michigan. He's known as the "Godfather of Punk." In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Stooges. Pop received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 for his solo work.

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Music History on this Day: April 20, 2024

April 20, 1973: David Bowie released Aladdin Sane. It followed his breakthrough, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Accompanied by the UK top-five singles "The Jean Genie" and "Drive-In Saturday," Aladdin Sane was Bowie's most commercially successful record up to that point.

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Music History on this Day: April 19, 2024

April 19, 1946: Timothy James Curry was born in Grappenhall, Cheshire, England. He rose to prominence as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. As a singer, Curry has released three rock-focused studio albums: Read My Lips in 1978, Fearless in 1979, and Simplicity in 1981.

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Music History on this Day: April 18, 2024

April 18, 1992: Annie Lennox topped the UK album chart with her solo debut, Diva. The LP spent 76 weeks on the char and scooped the British Album Of The Year award at the 1993 BRITs.

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Music History on this Day: April 17, 2024

April 17,1973: Country-rock pioneers Eagles released Desperado, their second studio album. The song "Desperado" was ranked 494 on Rolling Stone's 2004 "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list. Two singles, "Tequila Sunrise" and "Outlaw Man," reached number 64 and number 59 respectively. The album reached number 41 on the Billboard album chart.

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Music History on this Day: April 16, 2024

April 16, 1939: Dusty Springfield was born Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien in West Hampstead, London, England. During her 1960s peak, she ranked among the most successful British female performers on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Music History on this Day: April 15, 2024

April 15, 1957: Jerry Lee Lewis released the single "Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On." The song was first recorded by Big Maybelle. Lewis recorded it at his second recording session for Sun Records in February 1957.

The track reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the magazine's R&B record charts. The single hit the top on the country charts and 8 on the UK Singles Chart.

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Music History on this Day: April 14, 2024

April 14, 1980: Iron Maiden released their self-titled debut album. The release was met with critical and commercial success, peaking at number four on the UK Albums Chart and helping the band achieve prominence in mainland Europe.

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Music History on this Day: April 13, 2024

April 13, 1946: Al Green was born in Forrest City, Arkansas. He is best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including "Take Me to the River," "Tired of Being Alone," "I'm Still in Love with You," "Love and Happiness," and his signature song, "Let's Stay Together."

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Music History on this Day: April 12, 2024

April 12, 1954: Bill Haley & His Comets recorded their signature hit, "Rock Around the Clock." The song helped to push rock' n' roll firmly into mainstream culture. Written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (under the pseudonym "Jimmy De Knight"), the upbeat track became the first rock' n' roll single to top the charts in the UK and the US.