History Highlight:

On this day in 2003, Curtis Jackson, best known by his artistic name, 50 Cent, released his debut studio album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Prior to the album’s release, 50 Cent had released mixtapes, but the rapper had trouble getting signed to a record label until he was signed to Eminem’s imprint, Shady, for a reported $1 million. The contract helped bankroll 50 Cent’s debut album, and the investment paid off: Get Rich or Die Tryin’ debuted at No. 1 in the Billboard 200, and it sold more than 872,000 copies in its first week after release. The album features the singles "In da Club," "21 Questions," and "P.I.M.P.," all of which became worldwide hits. As for the album title, 50 Cent told the BBC, “It might feel a little negative, right? But if you're a working class person and you say 'get rich or die trying,' then it means that you're determined."

Also, Today In:

1958 - George Harrison joined Liverpool band The Quarrymen. The band's lineup included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Len Garry, Eric Griffiths and John Lowe.

1965 - The Righteous Brothers started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with the Phil Spector-produced "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin’." The song was also No. 1 in the U.K. for the duo (who were not related in any way).

1981 - A New York Post headline proclaimed, "Surviving Beatles Plan New Album As Lennon Tribute." This, as we know, never came to pass. The rumor got started when word got out that Ringo was in Montserrat working with Paul McCartney on his Tug Of War album. George Harrison was nowhere near the scene. The record did contain McCartney's tribute to his late songwriting partner, John Lennon, with the song, "Here Today."

1982 - The J. Geils Band started a six-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Centerfold," the band's only No. 1 single. On this same day, their album Freeze-Frame started a four-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart.

1987 - Joan Jett made her acting debut, co-starring with Michael J. Fox in the movie, Light Of Day. Jett and Fox play a sister and brother who perform in a rock band, The Barbusters, in Cleveland. In his review for the Chicago Sun-Times, critic Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars, and he cited Jett's "most surprisingly good performance."

1989 - De La Soul released their debut studio album, 3 Feet High and Rising. The album features the singles "Me Myself and I," "The Magic Number," "Buddy," and "Eye Know."

1990 - More than 200 women filed suit against Chuck Berry when they learned that he had allegedly been secretly videotaping them while they used the bathroom at a restaurant he owned.

1990 - Billy Idol suffered serious injuries when he failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed his Harley into a car.

1995 - Slowdive released their third studio album, Pygmalion. It features “Miranda.”

1996 - 16 Horsepower released their debut studio album, Sackcloth 'n' Ashes. It features the singles "Black Soul Choir" and "Haw."

1998 - Beach Boy Carl Wilson died at age 51 after a long battle with lung cancer. Wilson sang lead vocal on "God Only Knows," "Good Vibrations," and "I Can Hear Music." He also sang backing vocals on Elton John's "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me."

2001 - Ladytron released their debut studio album, 604. It features the singles "He Took Her to a Movie," "Playgirl," and "The Way That I Found You."

2007 - Bloc Party released their second studio album, A Weekend in the City. It features the singles "The Prayer," "I Still Remember," "Hunting for Witches," and "Flux."

2007 - Sondre Lerche released his fourth studio album, Phantom Punch. It features the singles "Phantom Punch," "Say It All," and "The Tape."

2007 - Fall Out Boy released their third studio album, Infinity on High. It features the singles "The Carpal Tunnel of Love," "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race," "Thnks fr th Mmrs," "The Take Over, the Breaks Over," and "I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You)."

2012 - Mark Lanegan released his seventh studio album, Blues Funeral. It features the singles "The Gravedigger's Song," "Gray Goes Black," and "Harborview Hospital."

2012 - Air released their sixth studio album, Le voyage dans la lune. It features the singles "Parade" and "Seven Stars."

2014 - Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was named the greatest song of all time by NME. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was one of the last songs written for Nirvana's breakthrough album Nevermind, which was released in 1991. Rounding out the NME’s top five tracks were: 5) The Strokes, "Last Nite"; 4) The Smiths, "How Soon Is Now?"; 3) Donna Summer, "I Feel Love"; and 2) Joy Division, "Love Will Tear Us Apart.“

2016 - Dan Hicks, best-known as the lead musician and founder of the 1970s acoustic band Hicks and His Hot Licks, died at the age of 74 after suffering with throat and liver cancer. Hot Licks' hits included “I Scare Myself” and “Canned Music,” which blended genres such as country, blues, jazz and swing.

Birthdays:

Thurl Ravenscroft, the actor who gave voice to Tony the Tiger and who sang “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” was born on this day in 1914.

Dave Berry, singer of “The Crying Game” and “Memphis, Tennessee,” is 85.

John London, session bass player who worked with The Monkees, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor and The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, was born today in 1942.

Fabian is 83.

Bob Marley was born in Nine Mile, Jamaica, on ths day in 1945. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, Bob Marley’s musical career was marked by fusing elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, as well as his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley's contributions to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide. Over the course of his career, Marley became known as a Rastafari icon, and he infused his music with a sense of spirituality. He is also considered a global symbol of Jamaican music and culture and identity and was controversial in his outspoken support for democratic social reforms. Marley passed away in 1981 at the age of 36.

Richie Hayward, drummer for Little Feat, was born today in 1946.

Kate McGarrigle, musician and mother of Rufus and Martha Wainwright, was born today in 1946.

Folk musician Bill Staines was born on this day in 1947.

Natalie Cole was born today in 1950.

Simon Phillips — drummer for Toto, and session drummer for Judas Priest, Tears for Fears, the Who, and more — is 69.

Axl Rose is 64.

Gord Downie, lead singer of the Canadian rock band Tragically Hip, was born today in 1964. The band formed in 1984, and released 13 albums. Downie also released six solo albums between 2001 and 2017 and is regarded as one of the most influential and popular artists in the Canadian alternative rock scene. The Tragically Hip's final concert was held at the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston, Ontario, on August 20, 2016, and was broadcast and streamed live by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on television, radio and internet. It was viewed by an estimated 11.7 million people. On Oct. 17, 2017, Downie died of glioblastoma, a brain cancer, at age 53.

Rick Astley is 60.

Yael Naim is 48.

Jens Lekman is 45.

Tinashe is 33.

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