History Highlight:

Today in 1970, Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose in her room at the Landmark Hotel in Hollywood, California. At 27, she was just finishing up recording her second solo album, Pearl. The album was released posthumously on January 11th, 1971. One of the biggest rock stars of her era, five of her singles went into the Billboard Hot 100, including a cover of the song "Me and Bobby McGee". Her most popular songs include her cover versions of "Piece of My Heart", "Cry Baby", "Down on Me", "Ball 'n' Chain", and "Summertime"; and her original song "Mercedes Benz".

Also, Today In:

1963 - The up and coming Eric Clapton was tapped to replace Anthony "Top" Topham in the Yardbirds.

1963 - The Beatles made their first appearance on the U.K. show "Ready Steady Go!"

1969 - Creedence Clearwater Revival started a four-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Green River, the group's first U.S. chart topper.

1969 - The Beatles' Abbey Road album went to No. 1 on the U.K. chart.

1974 - John Lennon's next-to-last album before his self-imposed recording and performing hiatus, Walls & Bridges was released.

1975 - Pink Floyd went to No. 1 on the U.K. album chart with Wish You Were Here.

1980 - Queen started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Another One Bites The Dust." It was the waning months of the disco era, yet the group's first stab at a disco single was a massive success.

1986 - CBS-TV newsman Dan Rather was caught off guard and roughed up in NYC by one man, as another yelled the enigmatic, "Kenneth, what is the frequency?" R.E.M. was inspired to later write a song about the incident, and it was their first single off of their 1994 album Monster.

1996 - "That Thing You Do!", a musical film starring Tom Hanks, who plays the manager of fictional '60s band The Wonders, is released to U.S. theaters. Fun fact: the title track to the film was written by Adam Schlesinger, bass player for Fountains of Wayne.

1997 - Farm Aid returns to Illinois for the first time since it started in 1985, selling out the New World Music Theater in Tinley Park. Performers include The Dave Matthews Band and Beck.

1999 - Jimi Hendrix's half-sister Janie announced her plans to exhume the body of her famous brother and move it to a mausoleum where curious onlookers can view it for a price. The public outcry forced her to shelve the idea.

1999 - Jazz trumpeter Art Farmer dies of a heart attack in Manhattan, New York, at age 71.

2000 - Dixie Chicks are the big winners at the CMA Awards, taking Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year (for Fly), Vocal Group of the Year and Video of the Year for "Goodbye Earl."

2005 - Mike Gibbins, drummer with Badfinger, died in his sleep at the age of 56.

2006 - Barbra Streisand's tour-opening performance at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center is the highest single event gross in the 10-year history of the arena. Streisand grosses $5,265,600 from 16,510 attendants.

2007 - Pitchfork gives Bon Iver's debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, a positive review (8.1) leading to huge record label interest.

2014 - Paul Revere, organist and leader of Paul Revere And The Raiders, died following a battle with cancer.

Birthdays

Chris Lowe of the Pet Shop Boys is 59.

Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire is 41.

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