History Highlight:

Today in 1979, Joe Jackson released his debut studio album, Look Sharp! The album’s sound incorporates elements of rock, jazz and new wave. Jackson and his band had recorded the album during sessions in 1977 and 1978, but when a demo found its way into the hands of an A&M Records executive, Jackson was promptly signed to the label and the entire album was re-recorded at Eden Studios in west London. The photo on the album cover is of Jackson’s shoes, captured by photographer Brian Griffin who was enchanted by a shaft of light that was striking the sidewalk in that moment. Jackson didn’t like the cover at first, but it went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package, and it has since landed at No. 22 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 greatest album covers of all time. Look Sharp! features the singles "Is She Really Going Out with Him?" "Sunday Papers," "One More Time," "Fools in Love," and "Look Sharp."

Also, in:

1961 - Bob Dylan met Woody Guthrie at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris Plains, New Jersey. The previous September, Dylan (aka Robert Zimmerman) had been lent Guthrie’s 1943 autobiography by a fellow student at the University of Minnesota. Dylan became obsessed with Guthrie’s story and music, prompting Dylan to drop out of college and move to New York. Five days after arriving, Dylan made his way to the hospital where Guthrie was battling Huntington’s disease; Guthrie gave Dylan a business card that read, “I ain’t dead yet.” Although the two musicians’ meeting is depicted in the film A Complete Unknown with Guthrie appearing quite incapacitated by disease, in reality, Guthrie’s speech had not yet deteriorated completely. The two conversed, and Dylan performed Guthrie’s songs for him, as well as his own original, “Song for Woody.” Guthrie approved of the song, and it went on to become one of only two original compositions to appear on Dylan’s 1962 debut self-titled album.

1967 - Jimi Hendrix and The Who appeared at The Saville Theatre in London. Among the people in the audience was a 20-year-old Brian May, future guitarist for Queen.

1969 - Fleetwood Mac reached No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart for the only time with the instrumental, "Albatross."

1977 - Rose Royce's "Car Wash" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the group's debut single and one of the most notable successes of the 1970s disco era, and it was the theme music for the 1976 movie Car Wash. The song was also covered in 2004 by Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott as a part of the Shark Tale soundtrack.

1977 - Aerosmith reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the second time when "Walk This Way" peaked at No. 10.

1977 - Buzzcocks released their debut EP, Spiral Scratch. It features the tracks "Breakdown," "Time's Up," "Boredom," and "Friends of Mine."

1982 - Huey Lewis and the News released their second studio album, Picture This. It features the singles "Do You Believe in Love," "Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do," "Tattoo (Giving It All Up for Love)," and "Workin' for a Livin'."

1983 - Australian group Men At Work went No. 1 on the British and American singles and album charts simultaneously with "Down Under" and Business As Usual, respectively.

1991 - Divinyls released their fourth studio album, Divinyls. It features the singles "I Touch Myself," "Love School," "Make Out Alright," and "I'm on Your Side."

1992 - American blues singer/guitarist/bassist Willie Dixon died of heart failure. He wrote the classic songs "You Shook Me," "I Can't Quit You Baby," "Hoochie Coochie Man," "I Just Want to Make Love to You" and "Little Red Rooster." Dixon was a major influence on The Rolling Stones, Cream, The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin.

1998 - Prince released the box set Crystal Ball, which includes his 20th studio album, also called Crystal Ball. The set features a three-disc collection of previously bootlegged material, a fourth disc titled The Truth, and, in its limited direct-order edition, a fifth disc titled Kamasutra by The NPG Orchestra. The box set was initially available only via direct order before a retail release followed later.

1998 - Paul Simon's musical The Capeman opened in New York.

2001 - Kings of Convenience released their debut studio album, Quiet Is the New Loud. It features the singles "Winning a Battle, Losing the War" and "Toxic Girl."

2006 - Arctic Monkeys went No. 1 on the U.K. album chart with their debut album Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not.

2007 - Klaxons released their debut studio album, Myths of the Near Future. It features the singles "Magick," "Golden Skans," "Gravity's Rainbow," "It's Not Over Yet," and "As Above, So Below."

2008 - Vampire Weekend released their debut studio album, Vampire Weekend. It features the singles "Mansard Roof," "A-Punk," "Oxford Comma," "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa," and "The Kids Don't Stand a Chance."

2008 - Thao & the Get Down Stay Down released their debut studio album, We Brave Bee Stings and All. It features the singles "Bag of Hammers" and "Swimming Pools."

2009 - Mark Olson and Gary Louris released their collaborative studio album, Ready for the Flood. It features the songs "Rose Society," "Bicycle," "Turn Your Pretty Name Around," "Saturday Morning on Sunday Street," and "Chamberlain, SD."

2013 - Tegan and Sara released their seventh studio album, Heartthrob. It features the singles "Closer," "I Was a Fool," and "Goodbye, Goodbye."

2013 - Local Natives released their second studio album, Hummingbird. It features the singles "Breakers" and "Heavy Feet."

2014 - More than 100,000 people signed a petition to deport Canadian citizen Justin Bieber from the United States. The campaign followed his arrest earlier in the month for drunk driving and driving without a valid license.

2014 - Taylor Swift was seeking to trademark phrases including "this sick beat" and "cause we never go out of style" in the United States. Other phrases she wanted to protect included "nice to meet you, where you been" and "party like it's 1989." Although those applications were unsuccessful, since that time, Swift has secured dozens of trademarked words and expressions, including “Lover,” “Swiftie,” “Taymoji,” and “Christmas Tree Farm.”

2019 - Singer-songwriter James Ingram died after a long battle with brain cancer at age 66. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and charted eight Top 40 hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. He had two No. 1 singles, the first, a duet with fellow R&B artist Patti Austin, 1982's "Baby, Come to Me" and "I Don't Have the Heart", which became his second No. 1 in 1990. He also recorded the song "Somewhere Out There" with Linda Ronstadt for the animated film An American Tail.

2021 - Arlo Parks released her debut studio album, Collapsed in Sunbeams. It features the singles "Eugene," "Black Dog," "Hurt," "Green Eyes," "Caroline," "Hope," and "Too Good."

2021 - Weezer released their 14th studio album, OK Human. It features the singles "All My Favorite Songs" and "Grapes of Wrath."

Birthdays:

French singer and guitarist Sacha Distel, who had a No. 10 hit in France in 1970 with his French-language cover of “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head,” was born today in 1933. Distel’s English-language cover of the song also was a No. 10 hit in the U.K.

James Jamerson, bassist with The Funk Brothers, was born today in 1936.

Vernon “Geater” Davis, soul singer and songwriter, was born today in 1946.

David Byron of Uriah Heep was born on this day in 1947.

Tommy Ramone (born Thomas Erdelyi), the drummer from the Ramones, was born today in 1949. He was active in the band for the first four years of the band's existence (1974 to 1978), and was the last surviving original member of the Ramones. He played on and co-produced their first three albums, Ramones, Leave Home, Rocket to Russia, and the live album It's Alive. His final show as a Ramones drummer was at the Johnny Blitz benefit event at CBGB's in New York in 1978. He died on July 11, 2014, at age 65.

Charlie “Uncle Charlie” Wilson, solo singer and former lead vocalist of the Gap Band, is 73.

Louie Perez of Los Lobos is 73.

Peter Baumann of Tangerine Dream is 73.

Amii Stewart, disco singer with the No. 1 hit “Knock on Wood,” is 70.

Roddy Frame, singer and founder of the post-punk and new wave band Aztec Camera, is 62. Frame was born on Jan. 29, 1964, in Scotland. Aztec Camera formed in 1980, and Frame is the only consistent member throughout the band’s history. The group’s debut, High Land, Hard Rain, arrived in 1983. It featured the U.K. hits “Oblivious,” “Walk Out to Winter,” and “Pillar to Post.” Later triumphs included “Somewhere in My Heart” off 1988’s Love album, and 1990 singles “The Crying Scene” and “Good Morning Britain” feat. Mick Jones from Stray. Frame launched a solo career in 1995, and has released four albums under his own name.

Jonny Lang is 45.

Adam Lambert, lead singer of Queen, is 44.

Rag'n'Bone Man (born Rory Charles Graham) is 41.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts, The Guardian, Far Out Magazine, Esquire Trademarks, and Wikipedia.