1955: The Platters’ first charting single, “Only You (And You Alone)” became their first #1 single on the Billboard R&B chart.

1961: Chubby Checker performed a medley of “The Twist” and “Let’s Twist Again” on The Ed Sullivan Show. Both songs received renewed radio airplay despite having previously been hits and, “The Twist” managed to climb back to #1 at the beginning of 1962, making it the only song to top the chart a second time with the exact same version.

1964: Mod rockers The High Numbers failed their audition with EMI Records, but within a year, the group found success on the Brunswick label as The Who.

1965: “Get Off of My Cloud” by the Rolling Stones was released in the UK by Decca Records. Two weeks later it became their fifth #1 in Britain.

1965: Donovan second album, Fairytale, was released in the UK. The LP was issued in the US in November with a slightly different set of songs.

1966: Simon & Garfunkel released “A Hazy Shade of Winter,” which later peaked at #13 on Billboard Hot 100. Recorded in September during sessions for their third album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, it was not included on an album until their next LP, Bookends, in 1968.

1966: The Supremes became the first all-female group to have a #1 album on the Billboard pop chart when their ninth studio album, The Supremes A’ Go-Go, knocked the Beatles’ Revolver LP out of the top spot.

1969: Led Zeppelin’s second studio album, Led Zeppelin II, was released. The album became the band’s first to reach #1 on both the US and UK charts.

1976: Bob Seger’s ninth studio album and first with the Silver Bullet Band, Night Movies, was released. It became Seger’s breakthrough album, reaching #8 on the Billboard chart, and sold over five million copies.

1976: Elton John released Blue Moves, his eleventh studio album, second double album, and first released on his own label, Rocket Records.

1982: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released “You Got Lucky,” the lead single from their fifth studio album, Long After Dark.

1983: Culture Club’s second album, Colour by Numbers, became the group’s first and only #1 on the UK chart. It was also their biggest hit in the US, where it reached #2.

1984: Paul McCartney released Give My Regards to Broad Street, his fifth solo studio album and the soundtrack to his 1984 film of the same name.

1988: U2 scored their fourth #1 LP in the UK with Rattle and Hum. The album reached the top of the Billboard chart in the US three weeks later.

1988: Elton John sold out his upcoming show at Madison Square Garden, during his Reg Strikes Back tour, setting a venue record with 26 straight sold out shows.

1988: Phil Collins had his fifth solo US #1 single with “A Groovy Kind of Love.” The song was featured in the soundtrack to the British film Buster, in which Collins also starred.

1990: Pearl Jam made their live debut at the Off Ramp Cafe in Seattle, Washington.

1990: Pet Shop Boys released their fourth studio album, Behaviour.

1991: Matthew Sweet released his third studio album, Girlfriend. It was Sweet’s first LP to chart in the US, reaching #100.

1991: Neil Young and Crazy Horse released Weld, a live album comprising performances recorded during their tour promoting their last album, Ragged Glory.

1991: Polydor Records released Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin, a tribute album features covers by artists such as Eric Clapton, Kate Bush, Sting, The Who, The Beach Boys, Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, and Phil Collins.

1991: Bonnie Raitt released “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” the second single from her eleventh studio album, Luck of the Draw.

1993: Sarah McLachlan released her third studio album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy.

1999: Blondie released “No Exit,” the third single and title track from their seventh studio album.

2001: The Cranberries released their fifth studio album, Wake Up and Smell the Coffee.

2002: Santana released their nineteenth studio album, Shaman.

2007: Ray Davies released his third studio album, Working Man’s Café.

Birthdays Today

Timothy Leary, psychologist and writer best known for advocating the exploration and therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs, who is considered to be one of the most prominent figures of the 1960s counterculture movement and was described by President Nixon as “the most dangerous man in America,” was born in Springfield, MA in 1920.

Ray Jones, bassist with Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, was born in Manchester, England in 1939.

Bobby Fuller, singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was born in Baytown, TX in 1942.

Eddie Brigati, singer and songwriter for the Rascals and Joey Dee and the Starliters, was born in Garfield, NJ in 1945.

Leslie West, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and founding member of Mountain, was born Leslie Weinstein in New York City in 1945.

Greg Hawkes, musician best known as the keyboardist for the Cars, was born in Fulton, MD in 1952.

Cris Kirkwood, singer, songwriter, bassist, and founding member of the Meat Puppets, was born in 1960.

John Wesley Harding, singer-songwriter, was born Wesley Stace in Hasting, East Sussex, England in 1965.

Shelby Lynne, singer and songwriter, was born in Quantico, VA in 1968.