History Highlight:

Today in 1971, Carole King received a Gold record plaque for Tapestry, which featured "It's Too Late," "I Feel The Earth Move," "You've Got A Friend" and "So Far Away."

Also, Today In:

1956 - Elvis Presley was termed "the most controversial entertainer since Liberace" by Billboard. On the same day, Elvis was booked for three appearances on Ed Sullivan's widely watched Sunday-night variety program, even though Sullivan had declared Elvis and his gyrating hips would never be welcomed back.

1969 - The Beatles started work on the John Lennon song, "Come Together," at Abbey Road studios in London.

1973 - Jim Croce started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown." Croce was killed in a plane crash three months later.

1987 - Guns N' Roses released their debut album, Appetite for Destruction, on Geffen Records. It featured the singles "Welcome to the Jungle," "Sweet Child o' Mine," and "Paradise City." The album has garnered worldwide sales in excess of 28 million, 18 million of which were sold in the U.S., making it the all-time, best-selling debut album in America.

1990 - Pink Floyd's The Wall was presented live on the site of the former Berlin Wall, performed by Roger Waters and friends, including The Band, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Bryan Adams, Paul Carrack, Sinéad O'Connor, The Scorpions and others.

1994 - Oasis played their first-ever U.S. show as part of the New Music Seminar at The Wetlands music club in New York City.

2001 - Madonna kicked off the North American leg of her 47-date Drowned World Tour at the First Union Center in Philadelphia. It was her first world tour in eight years and would eventually go on to gross more than $75 million.

Birthday:

Yusuf Islam, commonly known by his stage name, Cat Stevens, is 68.