MUSIC HISTORY'S BLOG

On this day in 1973, Pink Floyd released their eighth studio album The Dark Side of The Moon in the US. It remained in the US charts for 741 discontinuous weeks from 1973 to 1988,…

On this day in 1977, Ray Charles was attacked onstage by a man who tried to strangle him with a microphone cord. The man was a member of a group called Project Heavy, a community…

On this day in 1968, 25 year old Frankie Lymon, lead singer of The Teenagers, died of a heroin overdose in his grandmother's New York home. Lymon was on leave from a Georgia Army post at…

Born on this day in 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas, was Johnny Cash, US country singer, songwriter who was considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Although he is remembered as a…

On this day in 1972, Led Zeppelin appeared in front of over 25,000 fans at the Western Springs Stadium, Auckland, New Zealand, the group's first ever gig in New Zealand, (and the largest crowd ever…

On this day in 1989, A category for Heavy Metal was included at the Grammy Awards for the first time. Metallica performed on stage, but the award went to Jethro Tull. Many audience members booed.…

On this day in 1976, Florence Ballard of The Supremes died of cardiac arrest, aged 32. Ballard had left The Supremes in 1967, lost an $8 million (£4.7 million) lawsuit against Motown records and was…

Born on this day in 1967, Kurt Kobain guitarist, singer, songwriter with Nirvana who had the 1991 hit "Smells Like teen Spirit".  Their 1991 album 'Nevermind' spent over two years on the UK chart. During…

Born on this day in 1940, Smokey Robinson, singer, songwriter and producer who with The Miracles had the 1970 UK & US No.1 single 'The Tears Of A Clown'. As a solo artist Robinson scored…

On this day in 2003, Country singer Johnny Paycheck died at the age of 64. He had been in a nursing home, suffering from emphysema and asthma. During his career, Paycheck recorded 70 albums and had…