On This Date In Music

1959 - 22 year old Buddy Holly, J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson and Ritchie Valens, aged 17, died in a crash shortly after take-off from Clear Lake, Iowa, the pilot of the single-engined Beechcraft Bonanza plane was also killed. Don McLean would call it "The Day the Music Died" in his 1971 hit "American Pie."

 

   

1970 - Led Zeppelin II was in the Top 20 on both the US & UK album charts after peaking at No. 1. The album went on to spend 138 weeks on the UK chart. The album is now recognized by writers and music critics as one of the greatest and most influential rock albums ever recorded.

1973 - Elton John started a three-week run at No. 1 on the US singles chart with 'Crocodile Rock' giving him his first chart-topper in America.

1979 - The Blues Brothers' album Briefcase Full of Blues hits No. 1 in the US, not bad for two comedians (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) who formed the duo for Saturday Night Live.

1989 - ”Wild Thing" by Tone Loc becomes the first rap single certified Platinum.