History Highlight:

Today in 1966, one Miss Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born. The youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series "The Jacksons" in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including "Good Times" and "Fame". But she is best known for her music. Having sold over 160 million records, she is ranked as one of the best-selling artists in the history of contemporary music. With singles such as "Nasty", "Rhythm Nation", "That's the Way Love Goes", "Together Again" and "All for You", she holds the record for the most consecutive top 10 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart by a female artist with 18.

Also, Today In:

1965 - Driving away from a gig at the Civic Hall in Long Beach, the limo taking The Rolling Stones back to their hotel was besieged by fans who caved in the roof by standing on it. The band attempted to hold the roof up while their chauffeur drove off with bodies falling onto the road.

1966 - The Beach Boys release the critically-lauded Pet Sounds.

1969 - Pete Townshend spends the night in a New York City jail after assaulting a man who jumped onstage during a Who concert at The Filmore East. It turned out that this man was a plainclothes police officer trying to warn the audience that a fire had broken out, which Townshend wasn't aware of.

1970 - Crosby Stills Nash & Young went to No.1 on the US album chart with Deja Vu.

1976 - Patti Smith made her UK debut at The Roundhouse, London.

1987 - U2 started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart "With Or Without You," the group's first US No.1.

1992 - Red Hot Chili Peppers peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Blood Sugar Sex Magik which went on to sell seven million copies in the U.S.

1992 - U2 peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with "One" which was their fifth top ten single in the U.S.

1998 - Keith Richards fell while reaching for a book of nude art in his Connecticut home. The fall broke his ribs, causing the Stones to postpone many dates on their Bridges To Babylon tour.

2009 - Bob Dylan went to No.1 on the US album chart with Together Through Life, his 33rd studio album. The album received two Grammy Award nominations in Best Americana Album category and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance category for "Beyond Here Lies Nothin." The album also is significant as the only album by Dylan to top the US and UK charts consecutively.

2010 - Ronnie James Dio, singer for Rainbow, Black Sabbath & Dio died of stomach cancer in Houston. He was 67 years old.

Birthdays:

Liberace was born today in 1919.

Robert Fripp, guitarist for King Crimson, is 70.

Darrell Sweet, drummer for Nazareth, was born today in 1947.

Boyd Tinsley of the Dave Matthews Band is 52.

Krist Novoselic, bassist for Nirvana, is 51 today.

Janet Jackson is 50.

Ralph Tresvant of New Edition is 48.

Simon Katz of Jamiroquai is 45.

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