History Highlight:

Today in 1987, The Beastie Boys became the first rap act to have a No.1 album in the US with their debut album, Licensed To Ill. It was also one of Columbia Records' fastest-selling debut records to date, eventually selling over 9 million copies in the United States. In 2003, the album was ranked number 217 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Also, Today In:

1970 - Simon and Garfunkel's album Bridge Over Troubled Water started a ten week run at No.1 on the US chart. The duo had split-up by the time of release.

1973 - A song from the movie Deliverance called "Dueling Banjos" by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel became one of the few 1970s instrumentals to be awarded a Gold record.

1991 - The readers of Rolling Stone voted George Michael the best male singer and sexiest male artist.

2004 - The Smiths song "I Know It's Over" topped a poll of tunes, which people turn to when they are miserable in "The Songs That Saved Your Life" poll by BBC radio station 6 Music. REM's "Everybody Hurts" and Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" also made the Top 10.