Ringo Starr officially joined The Beatles on August 18, 1962, replacing original drummer Pete Best. This was the first time John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Starr played together as a band.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several hits from the 1970s and 1980s still shape pop music today. On August 18:
– 1971: John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was certified Gold in the U.S. In 2014, it became one of West Virginia’s official state anthems.
– 1973: Diana Ross scored her second No. 1 hit with “Touch Me In The Morning” on the Billboard Hot 100.
– 1979: CHIC’s “Good Times” topped the Billboard Hot 100. This eight-minute disco classic is ranked 68th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Cultural Milestones
Some events on August 18 have left a mark beyond music:
– 1977: Elvis Presley’s private funeral took place at Graceland, with thousands of fans outside paying their respects.
– 1982: Liverpool named four streets after The Beatles, honoring the band’s roots.
– 1997: The Rolling Stones drove a 1955 Cadillac across the Brooklyn Bridge for a press conference about their Bridges to Babylon tour.
– 2017: Taylor Swift wiped her social media clean to promote her upcoming single, later posting a video of a snake for “Look What You Made Me Do.”
Notable Recordings and Performances
On August 18:
– 1984: The Red Hot Chili Peppers released their debut album.
– 1986: Bon Jovi dropped their third album, Slippery When Wet, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
– 2023: Addison Rae released her debut EP, AR, featuring Charli XCX.
– 2023: Hozier launched his third album, Unreal, Unearth, and performed in Brooklyn that same day.
