History Highlight:

Today in 1972, David Bowie released his fifth studio album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. The concept album tells the story of a fictional rock star (Bowie's alter ego) named Ziggy Stardust who acts as a messenger for extraterrestrial beings. The album includes songs such as "Suffragette City", "Ziggy Stardust", and the unforgettable "Starman". It peaked at No. 5 on the U.K. Albums Chart and No. 75 in the United States on the Billboard 200, then improved to a No. 21 position in the wake of Bowie's death.

Also, Today In:

1962 - The first Beatles recording session took place at Abbey Road studios.

1968 - In the wake of the assassination of Robert Kennedy, The Rolling Stones added the line, "Who killed the Kennedys?" to the lyric of their unreleased-at-the-time "Sympathy For The Devil."

1970 - Syd Barrett played his first gig since leaving Pink Floyd at the Extravaganza 70, at London's Olympia Hall, England, backed by a band that included his old friend Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.

1971 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono went onstage for the first time together since 1969, joining Frank Zappa for a jam at the Fillmore East.

1972 - The landmark David Bowie album, Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, was released.

1993 - The Who's "Tommy", which was converted into a Broadway play, won five Tony Awards.

1999 - Plans were announced for Elvis Presley to tour the UK almost 23 years after his death with a virtual version of the "King" performing with a live orchestra and members of his band.

2010 - Marvin Isley, the youngest member of the Isley Brothers, died at age 56. Marvin Isley, who was the group's bass player, stopped performing in 1996 because of complications from diabetes, including the loss of his legs.

Birthdays:

Levi Stubbs, lead singer of the Four Tops, was born today in 1936.

Gary U.S. Bonds is 78.

Guitar wizard Steve Vai is 57.

Jeremy Gara, Arcade Fire drummer, is 39.

Carl Barat, singer of The Libertines, is 39.

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