On July 20, 1999, after a huge year on the road, The Rolling Stones reported $377 million in gross income. They had spent almost two years touring, played for over five million fans, and only 20 shows weren’t sold out.
Breakthrough hits and milestones on July 20:
– 1965: The Lovin’ Spoonful released a U.S. single that hit No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Shaun Cassidy later took a cover into the Top 40 in 1978.
– 1965: Bob Dylan released a long, influential folk single that reached No. 2 on the Hot 100.
– 1981: Journey released Escape, featuring the massive hit that helped make it their most popular album.
Cultural moments tied to mid‑July:
– 1940: Billboard published its first singles chart, adding separate listings to better track song popularity.
– 1961: The Beatles, then called The Beat Brothers, signed their first recording contract.
– 1965: Frank Sinatra left his handprint at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
– 1966: Stone Gossard was born in Seattle. He helped shape the grunge scene with bands like Mother Love Bone and Pearl Jam, which scored Top 40 hits and entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
– 1964: Chris Cornell was born in Seattle. He fronted Soundgarden and Audioslave, had a strong solo career, and placed several songs high on rock charts.
– 1999: Pop Smoke was born in Brooklyn. He rose quickly with hits before his tragic death at age 20 after a home invasion.
Notable performances:
– 1975: Bruce Springsteen kicked off the Born to Run tour, delivering the kind of live show fans still talk about today.
