History Spotlight:

Today in 2004, Modest Mouse released their fourth studio album, Good News for People Who Love Bad News. The album marked Modest Mouse’s second release on major label Epic Records, and its development fell on the heels of a period of bad news both personally for frontman Isaac Brock and for the world at large. That notwithstanding, Brock challenged himself to write a more optimistic record. Modest Mouse also left their comfort zone of the Pacific Northwest and decamped to Oxford, Mississippi, to record the album with producer Dennis Herring at his Sweet Tea Recording studio. The resulting album proved Modest Mouse’s commercial breakthrough. Good News for People Who Love Bad News features the singles “Float On,” “Ocean Breathes Salty,” and “The World at Large.” The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album, and it went on to be certified double platinum (more than 2 million in sales) by the RIAA in 2024.

Also, Today In:

1956 - Elvis Presley signed a seven-year contract with Paramount Pictures. Through a loan arrangement with Twentieth Century-Fox, Presley would go on to make his big-screen debut in November with the musical western Love Me Tender.

1966 - The first session of what would become The Beatles album Revolver started in the evening at Abbey Road studios in London, with the recording of the basic track of "Tomorrow Never Knows."

1968 - Simon and Garfunkel went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with The Graduate, their soundtrack album to the Mike Nichols film of the same name.

1971 - The Rolling Stones unveiled their new custom record label, Rolling Stones Records, which also features the group's new logo, the infamous tongue-and-lips "pop art" drawing created by London graphic artist John Pasche.

1971 - 4 Way Street by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was released. It was their second album as a group, and their first live album.

1974 - ABBA became European stars overnight when their composition "Waterloo" won the annual Eurovision Song Contest. The single became their first No. 1 hit in several countries, reached the U.S. Top 10, and went on to sell nearly six million copies, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time. At the 50th anniversary celebration of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005, “Waterloo” was chosen as the best song in the competition's history.

1979 - Squeeze released their second studio album, Cool for Cats. It features the singles "Goodbye Girl," "Cool for Cats," "Up the Junction," and "Slap and Tickle."

1979 - Tubeway Army (fronted by Gary Numan) released their second studio album, Replicas. It features “Down in the Park” and “Are ‘Friends’ Electric?”

1981 - The Birthday Party released their debut studio album, Prayers on Fire. It features the single "Nick the Stripper."

1983 - Ronald Reagan's secretary of the Interior, James Watt, canceled an appearance by The Beach Boys at Washington D.C.'s Independence Day festivities, infamously stating that the band would attract "an undesirable element."

1987 - Alison Moyet released her second studio album, Raindancing. It features the singles "Is This Love?," "Weak in the Presence of Beauty," "Ordinary Girl," and "Sleep Like Breathing."

1987 - The Cult released their third studio album, Electric. It features the singles "Love Removal Machine," "Lil' Devil," and "Wild Flower."

1992 - Annie Lennox released her debut solo studio album, Diva. It features the singles "Why," "Precious," "Walking on Broken Glass," "Cold," and "Little Bird."

1993 - Tool released their debut studio album, Undertow. It features the singles "Sober" and "Prison Sex."

1993 - Sugar released their second studio album, Beaster. It features the singles "Tilted" and "JC Auto."

1995 - The Dandy Warhols released their debut studio album, Dandys Rule OK. It features "Ride," "The Dandy Warhols T.V. Theme Song," and "Nothin' to Do."

1998 - Wendy O. Williams, iconic frontwoman of The Plasmatics, died by suicide. She was 48.

1998 - Country singer Tammy Wynette died at age 55. Known as the first lady of country music, Wynette scored 12 hit singles, including "Stand By Your Man", and she sold more than 30 million records worldwide. Wynette had the 1991 hit with The KLF, "Justified and Ancient," which became a No. 1 hit in 18 countries.

1999 - Fountains of Wayne released their second studio album, Utopia Parkway. It features “Denise,” “Red Dragon Tattoo,” and “Troubled Times.”

2000 - An all-star tribute to Joni Mitchell was held at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City featuring performances by Elton John, Bryan Adams, Shawn Colvin, James Taylor, Cyndi Lauper, Richard Thompson, k.d. Lang and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

2004 - Of Montreal released their sixth studio album, Satanic Panic in the Attic. It features “Disconnect the Dots.”

2010 - Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings released their fourth studio album, I Learned the Hard Way.

2010 - Dr. Dog released their sixth album, Shame, Shame. It features “Shadow People” and “Jackie Wants a Black Eye.”

2015 - Young Fathers released their second studio album, White Men Are Black Men Too.

2016 - Merle Haggard died on this day in 2016 (and was born on this day in 1937). Haggard was a country music legend, with 38 No. 1 hits on U.S. Country charts, four Grammys, 19 Academy of Country Music, six Country Music Association awards and well over 100 albums — studio albums, collaborations, gospel albums, Christmas albums, live albums and compilations. Haggard's son said Merle knew he was going to pass away on his birthday, adding, "He loved everything about life and he loved that every one of you gave him a chance with his music. He wasn't just a country singer … he was the best country singer that ever lived."

2016 - Simon & Garfunkel's 1966 chart-topper "The Sound of Silence" (see 1968 highlight, above) peaked at No. 6 on the Hot Rock Songs chart thanks to its appearance in a meme involving Ben Affleck and his botched blockbuster, Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

2019 - American country musician Jim Glaser died at age 81. The Glaser Brothers charted nine singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts and became members of the Grand Ole Opry in the 1960s.

Birthdays:

Jazz pianist and composer Randy Weston was born today in 1926.

Jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, whose compositions include “Walkin’ Shoes” and “Five Brothers,” was born today in 1927.

Merle Haggard was born today in 1937 (and died on this day in 2016).

Singer and actor Billy Dee Williams, whose credits include the role of Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise of films, is 89.

Louis Shelton, member of The Wrecking Crew, is 85.

Tony Connor of Hot Chocolate is 79.

Christopher Franke of Tangerine Dream is 73.

Warren Haynes of Allman Brothers Band and Gov’t Mule is 66.

Jazz guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli is 66.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is 62.

Pixies frontman Black Francis is 61. Also known as solo artist Frank Black, the man born Charles Thompson IV in 1965 led the Pixies during their original stint in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. During that stretch, they released the influential albums Surfer Rosa, Doolittle, and Bossanova. In the 21st century, the reunited Pixies are play bigger stages than ever before, and many bands have recorded work heavily influenced by their heavily melodic, yet satisfyingly unhinged style.

Roy Mayorga of Ministry is 56.

Georg Hólm of Sigur Ros is 50.

Singer-songwriter and violinist Imani Coppola is 48.

Robert Glasper, pianist and record producer, is 48.

Alex Suarez of Cobra Starship is 45.

Max Bemis of Say Anything is 42.

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