History Highlight:

Today in 2021, The War on Drugs released their fifth studio album, I Don't Live Here Anymore. Work on the album began in March of 2018; two years later, the project was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recording resumed in October 2020 and continued well into the following year. Given the nearly three-year process of making the record, all of the songs had been rewritten and rearranged several times by The War on Drugs frontman Adam Granduciel. The meticulous work proved worthwhile; after its release, I Don’t Live Here Anymore was universally acclaimed by critics. The album features the title track (which includes backing vocals by Lucius) along with two other singles "Living Proof” and "Change," plus “Harmonia’s Dream,” a song that would be nominated for Best Rock Song at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards in 2023.

Also, Today In:

1966 - Question Mark and the Mysterians went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "96 Tears." Although he closely guarded his true identity at the time, Rudy Martinez is the real name of the man known as Question Mark. 

1970 - Neil Diamond received a gold record for "Cracklin' Rosie," his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and his third to sell a million copies.

1977 - The Belgian travel service issued a summons against The Sex Pistols claiming the sleeve to the bands single "Holidays In The Sun" infringed copyright of one of its brochures.

1981 - Depeche Mode released their debut album, Speak & Spell. It features “Just Can’t Get Enough.”

1982 - Pat Benatar released her fourth studio album, Get Nervous. It features the singles "Shadows of the Night," "Little Too Late," "Looking for a Stranger," and "Anxiety (Get Nervous)."

1983 - The Dark Side Of The Moon album by Pink Floyd won the distinction of remaining on the album chart for the longest period in history when it reached a record total of 491 weeks on Billboard. The Dark Side of the Moon produced two singles: "Money" and "Us and Them" and ended up remaining on the chart for 741 weeks from 1973 to 1988. With estimated sales of over 45 million, it is Pink Floyd's best-selling album and one of the best-selling worldwide.  

1983 - "Islands In The Stream" gave Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers a No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart. The song was written by The Bee Gees and co-produced by Barry Gibb. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, giving both Rogers and Parton their second pop No. 1 hit (after Rogers' "Lady" in 1980 and Parton's "9 to 5" in 1981). Rogers and Parton went on to record a Christmas album together, and had an additional hit with their 1985 duet "Real Love".

1984 - Frankie Goes to Hollywood released their debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome. The record was produced by the highly influential Trevor Horn, and it features the hit songs “Relax,” “Two Tribes,” “The Power of Love,” and the title track. Much like the Bronski Beat, Frankie Goes to Hollywood were one of pop music’s first openly gay bands, and they proudly brought their sexuality and LGBTQIA+ advocacy into their music.

1991 - Hammer released his fourth studio album, Too Legit to Quit. It features the singles "2 Legit 2 Quit," "Addams Groove," "Do Not Pass Me By," and "This Is the Way We Roll."

1991 - Memphis City Council named a section of Interstate 55 "The B.B. King Freeway."

1993 - Tim Burton's animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas hits U.S. theaters. The film features music composed by Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo; Elfman also sings the vocal parts of protagonist Jack Skellington.

1996 - Wilco released their second studio album, Being There. It features the singles "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" and "Monday."

1996 - Luscious Jackson released their second studio album, Fever In Fever Out. It features the singles "Naked Eye" and "Under Your Skin."

1996 - Mazzy Star released their third studio album, Among My Swan. It features the singles "Flowers in December," "Disappear," "Happy," and "I've Been Let Down."

1996 - The Stone Roses split up. Singer Ian Brown said "having spent the last 10 years in the filthiest business in the universe, it's a pleasure to announce the end of The Stone Roses."

1996 - Axl Rose announces that Slash is no longer a member of Guns N' Roses. Slash forms Slash's Snakepit and Velvet Revolver, while Axl keeps GnR going with a variety of new faces.

2000 - Limp Bizkit started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Chocolate Starfish.

2001 - U2 performed for the first time on The Late Show with David Letterman.

2002 - Nirvana released the compilation album Nirvana. It features the single "You Know You're Right."

2003 - Researchers in Ohio found that songs get stuck in our heads because they create a "brain itch" that can only be scratched by repeating a tune over and over. Songs such as the Village People's "YMCA" and the Baha Men's "Who Let The Dogs Out" owe their success to their ability to create a "cognitive itch", according to Professor James Kellaris, of the University of Cincinnati College of Business Administration.

2007 - Bon Iver signed to Jagjaguwar Records.

2010 - Mumford & Sons played a sold-out show at First Avenue in Minneapolis. The concert was recorded live by The Current, and you can hear the audience singing along to every song.

2014 - Phil Collins handed over his large collection of Alamo memorabilia to a Texas museum, calling the donation the end of a six-decade "journey". "I'm 64," he said of his fascination with the 1836 battle. "When I was five or six years old, this thing began." Collins' collection included a fringed leather pouch used by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie's legendary knife.

2018 - Singer, songwriter and musician James Edwin Farrar died due to heart failure, at the age of 67. He was the original lead singer of the Raw Energy band and the second lead singer of the American Southern Rock band Molly Hatchet from 1980 to 1982, and in more recent years, Gator Country. 

Birthdays:

Jazz saxophonist Zoot Sims was born today in 1925. The Muppets’ saxophonist Zoot was named after Sims.

Sonny Osborne of bluegrass band the Osborne Brothers, best known for their version of “Rocky Top,” was born today in 1937.

Country songwriter Lee Clayton, who wrote songs for Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker and for the Highwaymen (Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson), was born today in 1942. Among the songs Clayton wrote for The Highwaymen was “Silver Stallion,” a song that Cat Power would cover on her 2008 album, Jukebox.

Denny Laine of The Moody Blues was born today in 1944. He died in 2023.

Rob Van Leeuwen of Shocking Blue is 81.

Mick Gallagher of Ian Dury and the Blockheads (and contributor to the Clash) is 80.

Melba Moore is 80.

Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac was born on this day in 1946. He passed away in 2020.

David Paton — lead singer of Pilot (“Magic”), member of the Alan Parsons Project, and collaborator with Kate Bush and Elton John — is 76.

James Williamson of the Stooges is 76.

Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow was born today in 1955. He passed away in 2007.

Roger O'Donnell of The Cure is 70.

Randy Jackson of the Jacksons is 64. 

Einar Orn of The Sugarcubes is 63.

Peter Timmins of Cowboy Junkies is 60.

Toby Smith of Jamiroquai was born today in 1970.  He passed away in 2017. 

Mark Sheehan of The Script is 49.

Bassist Chris Baio of Vampire Weekend is 41.

Tove Lo is 38. 

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