History Highlight:

On this day in 1994, Beck released his third studio album, Mellow Gold. The single “Loser” became a defining song for the ‘90s, and made him a rising star. Critics noted the album's hybrid of various styles including rock, hip-hop, folk, blues, psychedelia, and country, as well as ironic, witty lyrics. Its decidedly anti-commercial attitude led to it becoming an unexpected commercial success, peaking at number 13 in the United States and eventually being certified platinum.

Also, Today In:

1966 - Gene Clark of The Byrds announced he was leaving the group due to his fear of flying.

1967 - Working at Abbey Road studios, London, The Beatles started recording a new John Lennon song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". The song was inspired by a drawing his 3 year-old son Julian returned home from school with one day. The picture, which was of a little girl with lots of stars, was his classmate - Lucy O'Donnell.

1968 - Johnny Cash marries June Carter of the gospel stars The Carter Family.

1969 - Jim Morrison of The Doors is arrested on stage at a Miami show after allegedly exposing himself to the audience.

1973 - Pink Floyd released their eighth studio album, Dark Side of the Moon. The band developed the album during live performances, and performed an early version several months before recording began. It was conceived as a concept album that would explore themes such as conflict, greed, time, death and mental illness. The album debuted at an inauspicious #95 on the US Albums chart but eventually became the album with the most weeks on the tally, thanks in large part to a run from 1977-1988 when it never left. In 2012, it was selected for preservation in the US National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

1974 - Rush release their debut self-titled album.

1975 - The Eagles went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Best Of My Love", the first of five U.S. No. 1's for the band.

1979 - Sparks released their eighth studio album, No. 1 in Heaven. It features the singles "La Dolce Vita," "The Number One Song in Heaven," "Tryouts for the Human Race," and "Beat the Clock."

1980 - Blondie were at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart with"'Atomic" the group's third U.K. No. 1 single from their album Eat To The Beat.

1981 - NBC aired Elvis And The Beauty Queen, starring Don Johnson as Elvis Presley. The TV special tells the story of his last years and his affair with Linda Thompson.

1984 - Prince recorded "When Doves Cry" from the album Purple Rain. It was a worldwide hit, and his first American No. 1 single, topping the charts for five weeks.

1985 - Ford licenses The Beatles "Help!" for a commercial, marking the first time one of their songs is used in a TV ad.

1986 - Mr. Mister's "Kyrie" hit No. 1 in America. The refrain "Kyrie eleison" is Greek for "Lord, have mercy."

1989 - Madonna started a $5 million sponsorship deal with Pepsi Cola.

1990 - Janet Jackson played the first night on her 120-date "Rhythm Nation" world tour at the Miami Arena in Florida. As part of the show, Jackson had a live panther on stage, but after concerns were raised over safety of the crowds and several incidents of the panther urinating on the stage, Jackson got rid of the cat in the summer leg of the tour.

1991 - Frank Smith from Air Supply died of pneumonia in Melbourne, Australia.

1991 - Director Oliver Stone's biopic The Doors, starring Val Kilmer, opens in Los Angeles.

1993 - The Cranberries release their debut studio album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? It features “Dreams” and “Linger.”

1994 - Nirvana played their final ever concert when they appeared at The Terminal Einz in Munich, Germany. Three days later, in Rome, Cobain's wife Courtney Love found him unconscious in their hotel room and he was rushed to the hospital. A month later, Cobain was found dead of a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head at his home in Seattle. Though the band only released three full-length albums throughout the seven years they were together, they are thought of as one of the most influential and important alternative bands in the history of music.

1994 - The Bodyguard soundtrack won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, with "I Will Always Love You" taking Record of the Year. The album's first side (in its original LP and cassette formats) features songs recorded by Whitney Houston, who starred in the film, while side two features the work of various artists. Two fun facts: 1. Kevin Costner, the film's co-star, thought of the idea to record "I Will Always Love You", originally released by Dolly Parton, and 2. While recording the album, Houston insisted on using her touring band as opposed to a studio band.

1994 - Luna released their second album, Bewitched.

1995 - The Cardigans released their second studio album, Life. It features “Carnival” and “Sick & Tired.”

1995 - Bruce Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia" won three Grammys for Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song.

1995 - During a gig at the Patinoire Auditorium in Lausanne, Switzerland, R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry collapsed on stage from a ruptured brain aneurysm. He recovered and later re-joined the band.

1997 - "Bowie Bonds" were issued on the U.S. Stock Exchange. Linked to David Bowie's back catalogue albums with money earned on the bonds via interest from royalties, investors could expect to make an 8 percent profit in about 10 years.

1999 - Underworld released their fifth album, Beaucoup Fish.

2005 - Jack Johnson releases his third studio album, In Between Dreams. The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics. However, the album achieved considerable commercial success.

2005 - Kathleen Edwards released her second studio album, Back to Me.

2016 - 76-year-old Ginger Baker posted on his blog that he had canceled all of his scheduled shows for the year and was going into immediate retirement. The former drummer for Cream and Blind Faith revealed that his doctor had just diagnosed him with serious heart problems, causing him to announce "No more gigs for this old drummer."

2019 - English blues and rock singer and musician Paul Williams died at age 78. He joined Zoot Money's Big Roll Band on bass and vocals, alongside the guitarist Andy Summers. He then replaced John McVie in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. He later worked with the progressive rock group Tempest.

2019 - Country Music Hall of Fame member Fred Foster died at age 87. He is credited as producer behind all of Roy Orbison's biggest hits including 'Oh, Pretty Woman', 'Only the Lonely', and 'Crying' and also produced major hits for Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Ray Stevens and Kris Kristofferson.

2019 - After a six-year hiatus, the Jonas Brothers announce their reunion, dropping a new song called "Sucker."

2019 - Hozier released his second studio album, Wasteland, Baby!, featuring “Nina Cried Power” and “Movement.”

2019 - Solange released her fourth studio album, When I Get Home.

Birthdays:

Musician, arranger, composer, and bandleader Glenn Miller was born on this day in 1904. Miller's recordings include 'In the Mood', 'Moonlight Serenade', 'Pennsylvania 6-5000', and 'Chattanooga Choo Choo'.

Dinah Shore was born today in 1917.

Harry Belafonte was born today in 1927. He died in 2023.

Jerry Fisher of Blood, Sweat & Tears is 83.

Mike D'Abo of Manfred Mann is 81.

Roger Daltrey of The Who is 81.

Nik Kershaw is 67.

Christina Bergmark of The Wannadies is 56.

Kesha Rose Sebert (Kesha) is 38.

Justin Bieber is 31.

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