History Highlight:

Today in 2006, Pearl Jam made their new single "World Wide Suicide" available as a free download after making a 15-second clip available on the Internet. The song topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, where it spent a total of three weeks at No. 1. Jonathan Cohen of Billboard said in his review of the song that "atop a propulsive beat and a thick, three-guitar attack, Vedder personalizes his anger that the U.S. occupation of Iraq has reached the three-year mark." He added, "Rock radio should jump on this despite the delicate subject matter."

Also, Today In:

1965 - History was made when the Smokey Robinson-written "My Girl" made The Temptations the first male Motown act to score a No. 1 single.

1970 - The Beatles' compilation album Hey Jude went Gold.

1975 - Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album is certified Gold.

1976 - The Miracles scored their biggest hit when "Love Machine (Part 1)" reached No. 1 in America.

1982 - The Go-Go's started a six-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Beauty And The Beat, containing the hits "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got The Beat." The album sold in excess of three million copies and reached triple-platinum status, making it one of the most successful debut albums of all time. It is now widely considered one of the cornerstone albums of 1980s new wave music. It was the first, and so far the only, album entirely written and performed by an all-female band to top the charts.

1998 - Oasis singer Liam Gallagher appeared handcuffed in a Brisbane court on charges of head butting a fan during a gig in Australia. Gallagher was released on bail.

2000 - Eric Clapton was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, making him the first person inducted three times. He was also inducted as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream.

2001 - Michael "Smitty" Smith, drummer for Paul Revere & the Raiders, died in Hawaii at age 58.

2004 - Peggy DeCastro (of The DeCastro Sisters) dies of lung cancer in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 82.

2006 - African musician Ali Farka Toure dies of bone cancer at age 66.

2006 - New Orleans soul singer King Floyd died from complications of stroke and diabetes at age 61.

2009 - Thousands of Phish fans descended upon Hampton, Virginia, to see Page McConnell, John Fishman, Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon return to the stage for their first show since 2004. They opened with "Fluffhead," a song they haven't played since 2000.

2010 - Mark Linkous, frontman of Sparklehorse, committed suicide in Knoxville, Tenn.

Birthdays:

Sylvia Robinson of the duo Mickey & Sylvia was born today in 1936.

Mary Wilson, founding member of the Supremes, is 75.

David Gilmour, lead singer of Pink Floyd, is 73.

Guy Garvey, singer for Elbow, is 45.

Chris Tomson, drummer from Vampire weekend, is 35.

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