History Highlight:

On this day in 2019, Claire Elizabeth Cottrill — who performs as Clairo — released her debut studio album, Immunity. It features the single “Bags,” a sad, but catchy lo-fi song about the complexities of a situationship — before that word existed — with another girl. In addition to the song receiving rave reviews, Immunity was named one of the best albums of 2019 by Billboard, Pitchfork, NME, and more. Clairo’s third album, Charm, arrived in July.

Also, Today In: 

1961 - The Beatles began what would be a two-year stint as headliners at Liverpool's Cavern Club. 

1962 - An obscure folk singer named Robert Zimmerman had his name legally changed to Bob Dylan. 

1962 - Aretha Franklin, the "First Lady of Soul", made her television debut, singing "Don't Cry Baby" and "Try A Little Tenderness" on ABC's American Bandstand. Franklin has won a total of 18 Grammy Awards and is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. She started her career singing in her dad's church in the 40s and 50s and her career is still going strong well into her 70s. Here she is singing at the Kennedy Center, honoring Carole King. 

1964 - The Beatles appeared at the Gaumont Cinema in Bournemouth. One of the supporting acts, billed as a "new and unknown London group", was The Kinks. 

1968 - The Doors started a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Hello I Love You', the group's second US No.1. The Doors scored 8 top 40 US hits from 67-71. 

1969 - Bob Dylan left his 10-year reunion at Hibbing High School in Hibbing, Minnesota, when a drunken former classmate picked a fight with him. 

1973 - The Mamas and the Papas filed a lawsuit against their record label Dunhill alleging over $60 million in unpaid royalties. 

1978 - Boston release their second album, Don't Look Back. 

1980 - Olivia Newton-John's "Magic," from the Xanadu soundtrack, hits #1 in America. 

1980 - The Clash released their single 'Bank Robber' after it been available as an import only. The band's record company CBS didn't want to release the record saying it was not commercial enough. 

1983 - James Jamerson died at age 47. As one of The Funk Brothers, he was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s including songs by Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops and The Supremes. He performed on nearly 30 No. 1 pop hits. 

1985 - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force released their debut studio album, Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force. It features the singles "I Wonder If I Take You Home," "Can You Feel the Beat," and "All Cried Out."

1988 - Salt and Pepa released their second studio album, A Salt with a Deadly Pepa. It features "Shake Your Thang."

1994 - Stereolab released their third studio album, Mars Audiac Quintet. It features the singles “Ping Pong” and “Wow and Flutter.”

1994 - Sponge released their debut studio album, Rotting Piñata. It features “Plowed” and "Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)."

1997 - Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti died from complications brought on by AIDS at 58 years old. Kuti has been hailed as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers," and he released two dozen albums over 30 years. 

1998 - Beastie Boys started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with "Hello Nasty", the band's third U.S. No. 1 album. 

2001 - New Orleans International Airport was re-named Louis Armstrong Airport in honor of the New Orleans born trumpet player, singer and bandleader. 

2004 - Eric Clapton bought a 50% share in Cordings to save the historic gentleman's outfitters from closure. The store, based in London since 1839 had run into financial difficulties. The guitarist said he had been fond of the shop since a window display caught his eye when he was 16 and had become a regular shopper there. Cordings was the originator of the Covert coat and the Tattersall shirt and made riding boots for the Queen Mother and the Duke of Windsor. 

2014 - Weird Al Yankovic's Mandatory Fun went to No. 1, giving the parody master his first chart-topping album. 

2019 - Ed Sheeran broke U2's tour record when his Divide tour became the biggest, most attended and highest grossing tour of all time. By the time the tour ended he would have spent 893 days on the road, compared to the 760 days U2 toured.

2019 - Tyler Childers released his third studio album, Ford Country Squire.

2020 - Guitarist Steve Holland a founding member and the last surviving original member of American Southern rock band Molly Hatchet died age 66. 

Birthdays:  

Hank Cochran — co-writer of “I Fall to Pieces” — was born today in 1935.

Garth Hudson, keys and saxophone player in The Band, was born today in 1937. He died on Jan. 21, 2025. 

Doris Coley of The Shirelles was born today in 1941. She passed away in 2000. 

Kathy Lennon of The Lennon Sisters is 82. 

Jim Capaldi, drummer for Traffic, was born today in 1944. He passed away in 2005. 

Andy Fairweather-Low, Welsh singer and session guitarist for artists like Bob Dylan and Sheryl Crow, is 76.  

Ted Turner of Wishbone Ash is 75.

Andrew Gold — “Lonely Boy,” “Thank You for Being a Friend” from The Golden Girls, and the Mad About You theme — was born today in 1951.

Joe Lynn Turner of Deep Purple is 74. 

Bryan David "Butch" Vig was born today in 1955, making him 70 today. A native of Wisconsin, he produced Nirvana's Nevermind, and is also co-producer and drummer of Garbage. The band's self-titled debut album was released in August of 1995, and in the 20-plus years since then, they have featured the same lineup — Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, Duke Erikson and Steve Marker. Manson has said, "I think the reason we've stayed together is we've treated each other with respect, and we all understand that we need each other. Nobody in the band thinks they can do it on their own." 

Johnny Kemp (“Just Got Paid”) was born today in 1959.

Apollonia Kotero, Prince’s co-star in Purple Rain and lead singer of Apollonia 6, is 66.

David Yow, lead singer for Scratch Acid and the Jesus Lizard, is 65.

Pete de Freitas of Echo & the Bunnymen was born today in 1961. He passed away in 1989. 

Lee Mavers, frontman of The La's, is 63. 

Zelma Davis of C&C Music Factory is 55. 

Charlie XCX is 33.  

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.