History Highlight:

Today in 1980, Blondie released their fifth studio album, Autoamerican. The album represented a much broader sonic exploration by the band as they performed several different styles of music, from the orchestral arrangements of the first track, “Europa,” to the Jamaican-inflected cover “The Tide Is High,” to the hip-hop influenced “Rapture.” Notably, “Rapture” became the first rap song to reach No. 1 in the U.S. singles charts.

Also, Today In:

1958 - Johnny Cash, made his debut on the U.S. country chart when "Cry! Cry! Cry!" made it to No. 14. His next seven singles would all make the Country Top 10, with "I Walk the Line" and "There You Go" both hitting No. 1.

1962 - The Beatles recorded their second single "Please Please Me" in 18 takes, and "Ask Me Why" for the flipside, at EMI studios in London. When released in the U.S. on the Vee-Jay label, the first pressings featured a typographical error — the band's name was spelled "The Beattles".

1967 - The "promotional film" (i.e. video) of The Beatles’ "Hello, Goodbye" aired on The Ed Sullivan Show in the U.S.

1968 - Cream played their farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Also on the bill were Yes and Taste.

1976 - The Sex Pistols released their incendiary "Anarchy In The U.K." single. It was the only Sex Pistols recording released by EMI before the label dropped the group after the band used profanity during a live television broadcast. Nevertheless, "Anarchy in the U.K." is No. 56 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

1982 - Led Zeppelin released their ninth and final studio album, Coda. It features the singles "Poor Tom" and "We're Gonna Groove."

1982 - Trumpeter Miles Davis married for the third time, tying the knot with actress Cicely Tyson (1991’s Fried Green Tomatoes among her many credits). Although the marriage ended in 1988, Davis credited Tyson for helping him overcome his cocaine addiction, ultimately saving his life.

1988 - Russian cosmonauts aboard Soyuz 7 took into space a cassette copy (minus the cassette box for weight reasons) of the latest Pink Floyd album Delicate Sound Of Thunder and played it in orbit, making Pink Floyd the first rock band to be played in space. David Gilmour and Nick Mason both attended the launch of the spacecraft.

1994 - Boyz II Men started their 14th and final week at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "I'll Make Love To You".

1994 - The Eagles started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Hell Freezes Over. The album name is in reference to a quote by Don Henley after the band's breakup in 1980; he commented that the band would play together again "when Hell freezes over."

2000 - The Beatles went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Beatles 1. The album features virtually every No. 1 single released from 1962 to 1970. Issued on the 30th anniversary of the band's breakup, it was their first compilation available on one CD.

2002 - The Roots released their fifth studio album, Phrenology. It features the singles "Break You Off" and "The Seed (2.0)."

2010 - Willie Nelson was arrested for possession of six ounces of marijuana found in his tour bus while traveling from Los Angeles to Texas. He was released after paying bail of $2,500. Prosecutor Kit Bramblett supported not sentencing Nelson to jail due to the amount of marijuana being small, but suggested instead a $100 fine and told Nelson that he would have him sing "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" for the court.

2016 - Punk memorabilia said to be worth $6 million was set on fire in the middle of the River Thames in London. Joe Corre, the son of Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren and fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood, burned the items on the 40th anniversary of the Sex Pistols’ debut single. The 48-year-old told the crowd that "punk was never meant to be nostalgic."

2021 - Stephen Sondheim died at the age of 91 in Roxbury, Connecticut.

Birthdays:

Nesuhi Ertegun — brother of Ahmet, Atlantic Records executive — was born today in 1917.

Singer and actor Robert Goulet was born today in 1933.

Bob Babbitt, bassist for the Funk Brothers and MFSB, was born today in 1937.

Anna Mae Bullock — better known as Tina Turner — was born today in 1939. She became famous as one half of a duo with her then-husband Ike Turner before reinventing herself as a solo performer. She was one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, and was often referred to as The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, and sold more than 200 million records worldwide. She died at the age of 83 in Switzerland on May 24, 2023.

Jean Terrell, singer who replaced Diana Ross in the Supremes in 1970, is 81.

John McVie, bass player for Fleetwood Mac, is 80.

Michael Omartian — producer for Whitney Houston, Rod Stewart, Steely Dan, Donna Summer, and many others — is 80.

Raymond Louis Kennedy — who penned hits for the Beach Boys and the Babys — was born today in 1946.

John Stirratt, bassist for Wilco (and the only remaining original member besides Jeff Tweedy) is 58.

DJ Khaled is 50.

Natasha Bedingfield is 44.

Rita Ora 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.