History Highlight:

Today in 1968, The Beatles began work on their first and only double album - the self-titled record which has come to be known as "The White Album". It was more a collection of solo works than an actual group effort, as the band was going through a period of increasing tension and personality clashes. At the time, the album received mixed reviews from music critics, who criticized its satirical and often deliberately oblique songs as apolitical amid a turbulent political and social climate. Still, the album has sold over 30 million copies worldwide and has since been viewed by critics as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Also, Today In:

1964 - The Beatles went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Love Me Do", the group's fourth U.S. No. 1 in five months.

1971 - 36 people are hospitalized during a Grateful Dead concert at the Winterland Auditorium in San Francisco after drinking an apple drink spiked with LSD.

1975 - Alice Cooper's first solo album Welcome to My Nightmare was certified Gold by the RIAA. It later went on to sell one million copies in the U.S.

1980 - Carl Radle, bassist of Derek and the Dominos died of kidney failure.

1987 - Adam Horovitz from The Beastie Boys was arrested while on tour after a beer can hit a fan during a disturbance in Liverpool, England.

1991 - Morrissey played the first date on his debut Kill Uncle US concert tour in California.

1992 - Paul Simon married Edie Brickell in a private civil ceremony at their home in Montauk, NY.

1992 - The Black Crowes debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion which spent one week on top of the chart.

1997 - Neil Young cancelled a European tour after cutting his finger while slicing a sandwich.

2003 - Mickie Most, producer of artists such as The Animals, Jeff Beck & Herman's Hermits died of cancer. He was 64 years old.

2007 - A leaked copy of the new White Stripes album Icky Thump' was played completely on Chicago's radio station Q101-WKQX. Jack White personally called the station from Spain, where he was touring, to voice his displeasure.

2009 - Mick Jagger offered to buy an ice cream van but was turned down by its owner - who'd promised his daughter he would drive her to her wedding in it.

2014 - Aretha Franklin received an honorary degree from Harvard University.

Birthdays:

Topper Headon, drummer for The Clash, is 61.

Tom Morello, of Rage Against The Machine, is 52.

Sven Pipien, bassist for The Black Crowes, is 49.

Patrick Dalheimer, bassist for Live, is 45.

Cee Lo Green, half of Gnarls Barkley and solo artist, is 42.

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