History Highlight:

Today in 1983, future American music legends R.E.M. released their debut album Murmur. Critics loved the album and though the band experienced drama with their label and producer changes during the recording process, they debuted a new quiet, introverted side of the first wave of alternative rock in the United States.

Also, Today In:

1966 - In an eerie recreation of the duo's single from the year before, Jan Berry of Jan & Dean crashed his Corvette into a parked truck on Beverly Hills' Whittier Drive, near a stretch of road in Los Angeles known as Dead Man's Curve. Berry suffered paralysis and extensive brain damage, and required four years of rehabilitation to be able to talk and a full decade in order to perform live again. See digital producer Luke Taylor's personal story on this very topic.

1968 - The outspoken Frank Zappa performed at a dinner for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, who are the people who give us the Grammys. Zappa says the event was "a load of pompous hokum" and told the audience, "All year long you people have manufactured this crap, now for one night you're gonna have to listen to it!"

1969 - The 5th Dimension started a six week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In." The tune is a medley of two songs written for the 1967 musical Hair. The single topped the American pop charts and was eventually certified platinum in the U.S. Instrumental backing was provided the Wrecking Crew, and the song listed at No. 66 on Billboard's "Greatest Songs of All Time."

1973 - The film "That'll Be The Day" premiered in London, featuring David Essex, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Billy Fury and Dave Edmunds.

1975 - The legendary Josephine Baker died in France at the age of 68. An American-born French dancer, jazz and pop music singer, and actress, Baker was the first black woman to star in a major motion picture (Zouzou (1934). Baker refused to perform for segregated audiences in the United States and is noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

1975 - David Bowie announced his second career retirement, saying, "I've rocked my roll. It's a boring dead end, there will be no more rock 'n' roll records from me."

1988 - Sonny Bono was elected mayor in his hometown of Palm Springs, California. He would hold the position until 1992.

1995 - Two weeks after Selena's death, George W. Bush (then governor of Texas) declared "Selena Day" in Texas.

2008 - Lou Reed married his third wife, the conceptual artist Laurie Anderson. The couple, who had been together since the early '90s, decided to get married the previous day, so they met at a friend's house in Boulder, Colorado and held the ceremony in the backyard.

Birthdays:

One of our favorite musical oddballs, Tiny Tim was born today in 1932.

Herbie Hancock is 77.

Steppenwolf frontman John Kay is 73.

Alex Briley, the 'G.I.' from The Village People is 70. He did, however, dress as a sailor for the band's 'In The Navy' video.

Former teen heartthrob David Cassidy (The Partridge Family) is 67.

Will Sergeant, the only constant member of Echo & The Bunnymen, is 59.

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