History Highlight:

On this day in 1985, the first Farm Aid benefit concert was held before a crowd of 80,000 people at the University of Illinois Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. Organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, the event had been inspired by Bob Dylan's comments at Live Aid earlier in the year when Dylan expressed a wish that some of the money would help American farmers who were losing their livelihoods in the midst of the 1980s farm crisis. Farm Aid’s star-studded lineup included Alabama, Hoyt Axton, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, the Charlie Daniels Band, John Denver, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Roger Miller, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Willie Nelson, Charley Pride, Bonnie Raitt and Kenny Rogers. The benefit concert raised more than $9 million ($27 million in 2025 dollars) to help family farmers, and it raised awareness about the challenges faced by U.S. family farms.

Related stories

• From MPR News: 40 years later, and Farm Aid still uses art for change
• From The Current: Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Margo Price, and others make Farm Aid 40 one to remember

Also, Today In: 

1958 - After receiving special permission from the U.S. Army, Elvis Presley gave one last press conference at the Military Ocean Terminal in Brooklyn, New York. He then joined the rest of the Third Armored Division on the U.S.S. General Randall for a voyage to Bremerhaven, Germany. 

1962 - The Springfields (Dusty Springfield, her brother, Tom, and their friend, Tim Field) entered the U.S. top 20 with their song, "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," thereby becoming the first British vocal group to chart that high in America. 

1969 - The Band released their self-titled album, which peaked at No. 9 on the U.S. chart, and included "Rag Mama Rag," "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." In 2009, the album was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry because it was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and reflects life in the United States." 

1976 - Bob Dylan's live album, Hard Rain, was certified Gold (500,000 copies sold) just nine days after its release. 

1978 - Ramones released their fourth studio album, Road to Ruin. It features the singles "Don't Come Close," "Needles and Pins," "I Wanna Be Sedated," and "She's the One."

1978 - Buzzcocks released their second studio album, Love Bites. It features the singles "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)," "Love You More," "Noise Annoys," "Promises," and "Lipstick."

1978 - Funkadelic released their tenth studio album, One Nation Under a Groove. It features the singles "One Nation Under a Groove," "Cholly (Funk Getting Ready to Roll!)," and "Groovallegiance."

1978 - Tom Waits makes his film debut in Paradise Alley, written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, playing a bar-dwelling piano player named Mumbles. 

1980 - Geffen Records is formed. 

1981 - Composer Harry Warren died at age 88. Warren wrote more than 800 songs, including "I Only Have Eyes For You," (a hit for The Flamingos and for Art Garfunkel), "That's Amore" and "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Warren's songs have been featured in more than 300 films. 

1984 - John Waite went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Missing You." 

1986 - Billy Bragg released his third studio album, Talking with the Taxman About Poetry. It features the singles "Levi Stubbs' Tears" and "Greetings to the New Brunette."

1990 - After parting with original drummer Chad Channing, Nirvana plays their one and only show with Dan Peters of Mudhoney on drums (at the Motor Sports International Garage in Seattle). He is replaced by Dave Grohl, who mans the kit henceforth. 

1990 - The N.W.A. EP 100 Miles and Runnin' (their first release without Ice Cube, who left the group several months earlier to pursue a successful solo career) debuted at No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. 

1992 - Blind Melon released their debut studio album, Blind Melon. It features the singles "Tones of Home," "No Rain," "I Wonder," and "Change."

1992 - Nine Inch Nails released their first extended play, Broken. It features the singles "Wish," "Happiness in Slavery," "Help Me I Am in Hell," "Gave Up," and "Pinion."

1992 - Vice President Dan Quayle says that Tupac Shakur's 2Pacalypse Now album "has no place in our society" and calls on record stores to stop selling it. Quayle has beef with Tupac's lyrics about "dropping a cop," as heard in the track "Soulja's Story." Many of the rapper's songs deal with police racism and brutality. 

1994 - The TV series Friends debuts on NBC, accompanied by a catchy theme song by The Rembrandts that becomes an unexpected hit. 

1995 - Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting System agree to a $7.5 million merger. 

1997 - Björk released her third studio album, Homogenic. It features the singles "Jóga," "Bachelorette," "Hunter," "Alarm Call," and "All Is Full of Love."

1997 - Stereolab released their fifth studio album, Dots and Loops. It features the single "Miss Modular."

1998 - The Goo Goo Dolls released their smash album Dizzy Up The Girl, which includes the singles "Iris," "Slide," and "Black Balloon." 

1998 - Cat Power released her fourth studio album, Moon Pix. It features the tracks "No Sense," "Say," "Metal Heart," "You May Know Him," and "Cross Bones Style."

1998 - Queens of the Stone Age released their debut studio album, Queens of the Stone Age. It features the tracks "Regular John," "Avon," "If Only," "Walkin' on the Sidewalks," "You Would Know," "How to Handle a Rope," and "I Was a Teenage Hand Model."

1998 - Mudhoney released their fifth studio album, Tomorrow Hit Today. It features the single "Night of the Hunted."

1998 - In Europe, Nada Surf released their second studio album, The Proximity Effect. It features the singles "Hyperspace," "Amateur," "Why Are You So Mean to Me?," and "80 Windows." It was released in North America in August of 2000.

1999 - Diana Ross was arrested on the Concorde aircraft after an incident at Heathrow Airport. The singer claimed that a female security guard had touched her breasts while Ross was being frisked; Ross retaliated by rubbing her hands down the security guard. 

2003 - Muse released their third studio album, Absolution. It features the singles "Stockholm Syndrome," "Time Is Running Out," "Hysteria," "Sing for Absolution," "Apocalypse Please," and "Butterflies and Hurricanes."

2004 - Cat Stevens, who now goes by the name of Yusuf Islam, was escorted from a diverted transatlantic flight and refused entry into the United States by FBI agents. The singer's name showed up on a U.S. watch list after the plane he was on had taken off from London. The flight landed in Maine where Islam, who was traveling with his 21-year-old daughter, was detained and questioned. 

2008 - Mogwai released their sixth studio album, The Hawk Is Howling. It features the single "Batcat."

2009 - Girls released their debut, Album. It features “Hellhole Ratrace,” “Lust for Life,” “Laura,” and “Morning Light.”

2009 - Monsters of Folk (Jim James, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, and Mike Mogis) released their self-titled debut album.

2009 - Miike Snow released their debut studio album, Miike Snow. It features the singles "Animal," "Black & Blue," and "Silvia."

2010 - Eddie Fisher, one of the biggest pop stars of the 1950s, dies of complications from hip surgery in Berkeley, California, at age 82. 

2012 - Taylor Swift's single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" notches its third week at No. 1 on the Hot 100. Swift is still considered a country artist (the song also hits No. 1 on the Country chart), which puts her in company with Kenny Rogers in terms of crossover appeal; the last country song to spend at least three weeks at No. 1 was Rogers' "Lady" back in 1980. 

2014 - alt-J released their second studio album, This Is All Yours. It features “Hunger of the Pine,” “Left Hand Free,” and “Every Other Freckle.”

2015 - A U.S. District Judge ruled that the original copyright to "Happy Birthday" was invalid and the song would now be entirely in the public domain. The copyright was obtained by the Clayton F. Summy Co. from the song's writers, sisters Mildred and Patty Hill, and bought for $15 million in 1988 by Warner / Chappell Music Inc. 

2017 - The Killers released their fifth studio album, Wonderful Wonderful. It features the singles "The Man," "Run for Cover," and "Rut."

2017 - Phoebe Bridgers released her debut studio album, Stranger in the Alps. It features the singles "Killer," "Smoke Signals," "Motion Sickness," and "Funeral."

2018 - Chas Hodges of Chas & Dave dies at 74. 

2018 - Paul McCartney's album Egypt Station hits No. 1 in America, his first chart-topper on that tally since Tug of War in 1982. 

2020 - Fleet Foxes released their fourth studio album, Shore.

Birthdays: 

Joni James (“Why Don’t You Believe Me?”) was born today in 1930.

Soul singer Marlena Shaw (“California Soul,” “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” “Touch Me in the Morning”) was born today in 1939. She died at the age of 84 on January 19, 2024.

Toni Basil (“Mickey”) is 82.

Nigerian musician King Sunny Adé, one of the first African pop musicians to gain international success, is 79.

Deep Purple and Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale is 74.

Richard Fairbrass, lead singer of Right Said Fred (“I’m Too Sexy”), is 72.

Doug Wimbish of Living Colour and session musician (Sugarhill Gang, the Rolling Stones) is 69. 

Debby Boone (“You Light Up My Life”) is 69. 

Nick Cave is 68. 

Johnette Napolitano, singer for Concrete Blonde, is 68.

Andrea Bocelli is 67. 

Joan Jett is 67. Born Joan Marie Larkin in the Philadelphia suburb of Wynnewood, Pa., Jett is a guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and occasional actress, best known for her work with the Runaways and with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. Among Jett's best-known tracks are the Runaways' single "Cherry Bomb" and the Blackhearts' hits "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," "I Hate Myself for Loving You," "Do You Wanna Touch Me", "Light of Day" and "Bad Reputation." She has three albums that have been certified Platinum or Gold, and has played an important role as a feminist icon throughout her career. In 2015, Jett was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Matt Sharp of Weezer and the Rentals is 56.

Mystikal is 55.

Christian Wargo, guitarist for Fleet Foxes, is 49.

Ross Jarman of the Cribs is 41.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts, the University of Illinois Spurlock Museum, Illinois Public Media, NPR, and Wikipedia.