History Highlight:

Born on August 11, 1976, Ben Gibbard is 50. Best-known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of Death Cab for Cutie, he's also one half of the Postal Service, released a solo album in 2012, and released a collaborative album with Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt's Jay Farrar. In 2023, Gibbard fronted both the Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie in a combined tour celebrating the shared 20th anniversary of the Postal Service’s sole album Give Up and Death Cab’s Transatlanticism release. The tour included a show at the Armory in Minneapolis on Sept. 24, 2023. Death Cab for Cutie’s most recent album is I Built You a Tower, which released on June 5 of this year and was previewed in full on The Current’s album listening party the night before its release.

Also, Today In:

1956 - Elvis Presley's double-sided hit "Don't Be Cruel / Hound Dog" was released. The single went to No. 1 on the U.S. chart, where it stayed for 11 weeks — a record that would not be broken until 1992's Boyz II Men hit "End of the Road."

1962 - Neil Sedaka started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," his first U.S. No. 1 as an artist.

1969 - Motown Records introduced its new signing, The Jackson 5, to tastemakers and industry types at a party in Beverly Hills, California, hosted by Diana Ross. The group lived up to the hype, becoming one of the top acts of 1970.

1973 - The first big oldies revival kicked off in earnest as George Lucas' new film, American Graffiti, opened in theaters. Set in 1962, the film created a wave of nostalgia for songs from the 1950s and early '60s.

1978 - Chic released their second studio album, C’est Chic. It features “Le Freak.”

1979 - The Knack started a five-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Get The Knack, which included the hit single, "My Sharona."

1979 - Led Zeppelin played their last-ever U.K. show when they appeared at Knebworth Festival at the country manor Knebworth House in Stevenage, England, about 30 miles north of London.

1982 - Vanity 6 released their self-titled debut album. It features “Nasty Girl.”

1984 - Ray Parker Jr. started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with the theme from the film Ghostbusters. Parker, who had been a session guitarist for Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, was accused of plagiarizing the melody from Huey Lewis and the News' song "I Want a New Drug," resulting in Lewis suing Parker. The pair settled out of court in 1985. The music video for the song featured clips from the film, as well as a dancing sequence with the cast, plus cameos by Melissa Gilbert, George Wendt, Al Franken, Danny DeVito, Teri Garr, Carly Simon, Chevy Chase and others.

1985 - Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran was air-lifted to safety when his sailboat, Drum, overturned while racing off the English coast. Le Bon was trapped in an air pocket under the hull with five other crew members until they were all rescued by the Royal Navy. Petty Officer Aircrewman Laurence Slater was awarded the George Medal for his bravery in rescuing the people stranded on the boat.

1992 - Babes in Toyland released their second studio album, Fontanelle. It features “Bruise Violet.”

1992 - The Flaming Lips released their fifth studio album, Hit to Death in the Future Head.

1992 - The Mall of America opened in Bloomington, Minnesota, with Ray Charles performing "America The Beautiful."

1995 - Dangerous Minds, starring Michelle Pfeiffer as an inner-city schoolteacher, debuted in U.S. theaters. The movie's soundtrack tops the Billboard 200 albums chart thanks to its lead single, Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise."

1999 - Kiss arrived on Hollywood Boulevard to unveil their star on The Walk Of Fame. The band had released more than 30 albums and sold more than 80 million records worldwide.

2002 - Bruce Springsteen started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with The Rising, the singer’s fifth U.S. No. 1. The album was also No. 1 in the U.K.

2008 - Canadian singer Feist appeared on Sesame Street, where she turned her song "1234" into a lesson in counting. It became one of the most popular music segments on the show.

2011 - American group the Go-Go's received the 2,444th star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

2014 - Sinéad O'Connor released her 10th studio album, I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss.

2016 - For the second year, U.S. President Barack Obama released two summer playlists on Spotify. It was his last year in office, which might be why "So Very Hard To Go" is on the list.

2017 - Billie Eilish released her debut EP, Don’t Smile at Me. It features “Ocean Eyes” and “Idontwannabeyouanymore.”

Birthdays:

Singer and talk show host Mike Douglas was born today in 1920.

Rockabilly star Ronnie “The Blond Bomber” Dawson was born today in 1939.

John Ellison, who wrote the song “Some Kind of Wonderful,” is 85.

Mike Hugg of Manfred Mann is 84.

Jim Kale of the Guess Who is 83.

Denis Payton of the Dave Clark Five was born today in 1943.

Singer Eric Carmen of The Raspberries (whose solo hits include "All By Myself," "Hungry Eyes," "Make Me Lose Control") was born today in 1949.

Eric Braunn, guitarist for Iron Butterfly, was born in 1950.

Bob “Bob 1” Mothersbaugh — lead guitarist for Devo, and brother of lead singer Mark — is 74.

Hulk Hogan was born in 1953.

Joe Jackson, English musician and singer-songwriter, is 72.

Bryan Bassett, guitar and vocals from Wild Cherry (“Play That Funky Music”) is 72.

Jah Wobble, bassist for Public Image Ltd and solo artist, is 68.

Bragi Ólafsson, bassist for The Sugarcubes, is 64.

Charlie Sexton, guitarist in Bob Dylan’s band, is 58.

DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest is 56.

Asher Roth is 41.

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