History Highlight:

Today in 1977, at the last minute, Elvis Costello And The Attractions were scheduled to appear on Saturday Night Live in place of the Sex Pistols, who were unable to gain a visa to enter the country. SNL Producer Lorne Michaels asked Costello to not play "Radio, Radio" (because of the song's critique of '70s corporate rock radio). Costello launched into a few seconds of "Less Than Zero," then abruptly broke into a full version of "Radio, Radio". Michaels was not amused and banned Costello from SNL for years.

Also, Today In:

1955 - With their song "Only You" already at #2, The Platters' "The Great Pretender" debuted on the R&B chart at #13.

1963 - James Carroll at WWDC in Washington, D.C., became the first disc jockey to broadcast a Beatles record on American radio. Carroll played "I Want To Hold Your Hand", which he had obtained from his stewardess girlfriend, who brought the single back from the U.K..

1969 - The bizarre Tiny Tim married Miss Vicky on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

1971 - David Bowie released his fourth album Hunky Dory.

1982 - The Who performed at what was billed as the last concert of their farewell tour at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The show was simulcast nationally on pay-per-view satellite/cable TV to closed-circuit arena outlets. OK, tell us again, how many farewell tours have The Who had since then?

1982 - Karen Carpenter made her last live appearance with The Carpenters when she performed in Sherman, Calif. She died at the age of 32 from heart failure, on February 4, 1983 caused by complications related to anorexia nervosa.

1986 - Paul and Linda McCartney were not injured after their limo caught fire as they were headed to a TV taping in Newcastle, England.

1999 - Keith Richards decided to keep a guitar from an autograph seeker at his birthday party at the Russian Tea Room in New York. The owner of the guitar shrugged it off with, "It's Keith, man."

2000 - Eminem was the subject of an internet hoax after MTV reported that the rapper had been killed in a car crash on the way to a party.

2006 - Leona Lewis started a 4-week run at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart with "A Moment Like This", also a U.S. No. 1.

2012 - Adele was named Billboard's top artist of 2012, while her hit record 21 was named top album of the year in the music magazine's annual review. The 24-year-old became the first to receive both accolades two years in a row.

Birthdays:

Wanda Hutchinson of The Emotions (single "Best of my Love") is 64 today.

Mike Mills, R.E.M bassist, is 57 today.

Bob Stinson, The Replacements' guitarist, was born today in 1959.

Mick Quinn, Supergrass singer, is 46 today.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, and Wikipedia.