History Highlight:

Today in 1955, Mick Jones was born, making him 70. The British singer, songwriter, and record producer is best known for co-founding and playing guitar in The Clash. When he was 21, he and Paul Simonon were introduced to Joe Strummer, and the band soon started rehearsing in a former railway warehouse in Camden Town. Throughout the decades, he played a role in shaping the punk rock movement and its subsequent evolution. After his time with The Clash, Jones went on to form Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts, and collaborate with a range of other bands, including Carbon/Silicon and performing as part of Gorillaz live band in 2010.  

Also, Today In: 

1961 - Gary U.S. Bonds started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. charts with 'Quarter To Three." This is often covered by Bruce Springsteen, who is a big fan.  

1963 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney composed the super successful "She Loves You" in a hotel room in Newcastle, England, while on tour there. The single surpassed several sales records in the U.K. charts and set a record in the U.S. as one of the five Beatles songs that held the top five positions in the charts simultaneously, on April 4, 1964. It is their best-selling single and the best-selling single of the 1960s in the U.K. 

1964 - The American version of The Beatles' third studio album A Hard Day's Night was released. 

1965 - The Byrds went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with their version of Bob Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man."  

1972 - During sessions at Olympic Studios, London, England, David Bowie recorded 'John, I'm Only Dancing', with Mick Ronson on lead guitar and Lou Reed on rhythm guitar. The track which was released and became a hit single in the U.K. in September of this year was not released in America, being judged too risqué by RCA Records. 

1974 - Cher divorced Sonny Bono after 10 years of marriage. 

1975 - Bob Dylan and the Band released The Basement Tapes.

1976 - TV talent show winners from Liverpool The Real Thing were at No.1 on the U.K. singles chart with 'You To Me Are Everything', the group's only No.1 hit. It was the first single by a Black British band to top the U.K. charts 

1977 - Elvis Presley made his last ever live stage appearance when he appeared at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. 

1979 - The Village People became the first disco act to play Madison Square Garden. 

1982 - American singer and one hit wonder Charlene was at No.1 on the U.K. singles chart with 'I've Never Been To Me'. The song was recorded in 1976 and was reissued by Motown Records in 1982 by which time Charlene had moved to England and was working in a sweet shop in Ilford, east London 

1988 - Despite missing 75 days of school her senior year so she could tour, Debbie Gibson graduated from Calhoun High School in Merrick, Long Island, with honors. The previous day, her song "Foolish Beat" went to No. 1 in America. 

1990 - Nelson released their debut album After the Rain, which sold over 2 million copies thanks to the No. 1 single "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection". Nelson is the duo of Gunnar and Matthew, the twin sons of Rick Nelson. 

1990 - Sonic Youth released Goo. With songs like "Kool Thing," the album was a seminal landmark in alternative rock. 

1999 - Pearl Jam's cover of "Last Kiss" went No. 2 in America, the band's highest-charting song. 

2000 - Badly Drawn Boy released their debut studio album, The Hour of Bewilderbeast. It features “One Around the Block.”

2000 - Britney Spears’ hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana, announced that a new museum would include a section including fan mail, platinum records and items of the singer's clothing. 

2004 - Defying predictions of musical and personal implosion, Velvet Revolver, fronted by Scott Weiland and with three ex-Guns N' Roses members in the lineup, debuts at No. 1 in America with their first album, Contraband. 

2007 - Metric released their third studio album, Grow Up and Blow Away.

2010 - Gary Clark, Jr., little known outside of Austin, Texas, performed at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival. The performance earned rave reviews and led to a deal with Warner Bros. Records. 

2012 - DIIV released their debut studio album, Oshin.

2012 - Hundreds of fans were forced to miss the Stone Roses' reunion concerts in Manchester, after websites took their money but failed to deliver tickets. 

2013 - Run the Jewels released their self-titled debut album. It features “36” Chain.”

2015 - President Barack Obama sang "Amazing Grace" at the funeral for Rev. Clementa Pinckney, who was killed along with eight others when a gunman opened fire during a Bible study at his church in Charleston, South Carolina. 

2015 - Florence + the Machine become the first female-fronted band to headline the Glastonbury festival since Shakespear's Sister in 1992. 

2016 - An electric guitar owned by Prince and a lock of David Bowie's hair sold at auction in the U.S. for a total of more than $150,000 (£110,000). The Yellow Cloud guitar, said to be one of Prince's favourites, was bought for $137,500. Bowie's hair, which sold for $18,750, came from a former employee of Madame Tussauds in London who had used it to recreate the music icon's 1983 hairdo. 

2018 - Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees was knighted by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace. 

2020 - Haim released their third studio album, Women in Music, Pt. III. It features "Summer Girl," “The Steps,” "Now I'm in It," and "Hallelujah."

2020 - Khruangbin released their third studio album, Mordechai.

2020 - Jesse Ware released her fourth studio album, What’s Your Pleasure?

2020 - Remo Drive released their third studio album, A Portrait of an Ugly Man. It features “Star Worship.”

2020 - American soul singer Tami Lynn died. She scored a Top Ten hit on the U.K. Singles Chart in 1971 with "I'm Gonna Run Away From You". She sang on all Dr. John's albums as well performing backing vocals on the Rolling Stones album Exile on Main St, and worked with Wilson Pickett, Sonny & Cher and Miles Davis 

2020 - At 79, Bob Dylan became the oldest artist to top the U.K. albums chart with an album of original songs when Rough And Rowdy Ways hit the top spot. 

2021 - American singer-songwriter Johnny Solinger died one month after he revealed that he was suffering from liver failure. He was 55 years old. He was best known for being the lead vocalist of Skid Row from 1999 to 2015. 

2021 - Bruce Springsteen performs Springsteen On Broadway at the St. James Theater, becoming the first person to perform a full-length show on Broadway since the pandemic hit in 2020. The audience is required to show proof of vaccination. 

Birthdays: 

Big Bill Broonzy was born today in 1903.

Elvis Presley's manager, Col. Tom Parker, was born on this day in 1909.

Dave Grusin — Oscar- and Grammy-winning composer of music for The Graduate, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Tootsie, Heaven Can Wait, and many more — is 91. 

Jazz bassist Reggie Workman is 88.

Billy Davis Jr. of the 5th Dimension is 87.

Gilberto Gil is 83.

Larry Taylor, bassist with rock band Canned Heat, was born in 1942.  

Chris Isaak is 69.

Patty Smyth of Scandal is 68.

Terri Nunn of Berlin is 64.

Harriet Wheeler, of English alternative rock band The Sundays, is 62. 

Colin Greenwood, bass player for Radiohead, is 56. 

Paul Thomas Anderson — film director who has also directed music videos for Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Haim, Joanna Newsom, and Aimee Mann, is 55.

Irv Gotti — producer for Jay-Z, DMX, Ashanti, Ja Rule, and many more — was born today in 1970. He died on Feb. 5, 2025.

Country singer Gretchen Wilson is 52. 

Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He is 46, and the eldest member of his family band. He, his brothers Caleb and Jared, and cousin Matthew formed Kings of Leon in 1999. The name comes from their grandfather, Leon. Kings of Leon have released nine studio albums, including 2024’s Can We Please Have Fun.

Ryan Tedder, U.S. singer, songwriter with OneRepublic who has worked with Madonna, U2, Beyoncé, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift and others, is 46. 

Actor Jason Schwartzman, formerly the drummer and a songwriter of the band Phantom Planet, is 45.

Pokey LaFarge is 42.

Ariana Grande is 32. 

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