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Today in Music History: The Supremes start with 'Stop!'

February 20, 2015

The Supremes perform on The Ed Sullivan Show
Publicity photo of the music group The Supremes from the television program The Ed Sullivan Show.
CBS Television/Public Domain

History Highlight:

Today in 1965, The Supremes entered the Billboard Hot 100 (at No. 80) with "Stop! In The Name Of Love." Written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, "Stop! In the Name of Love" would go on to hold the number-one position on the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States just a few weeks later. The Supremes' choreography for this song, with one hand on the hip and the other outstretched in a "stop" gesture, is as legendary as the song itself; the moves were taught to the Supremes by Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin of The Temptations.

Also, Today In:

1960 - Jimi Hendrix made his stage debut when he played a show at a high school in Seattle.

1965 - Gary Lewis and the Playboys started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "This Diamond Ring." Lewis is the son of actor Jerry Lewis.

1970 - The single "Instant Karma" by The Plastic Ono Band was released in the United States. John Lennon had written, recorded and mixed the track all in one day on Jan. 22, 1970.

1971 - The soundtrack to Andrew Lloyd Weber's Jesus Christ Superstar went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart.

1980 - Bon Scott, singer from AC/DC, was pronounced dead on arrival at a London hospital after a heavy night's drinking.

1991 - Bob Dylan was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the 33rd annual Grammy Awards.

Birthdays:

J. Geils is 69.

Kurt Cobain was born today in 1967.

Rihanna is 27.