On December 11, 2020, Taylor Swift surprised fans by releasing her ninth studio album, *evermore*. This came just five months after her previous album, *folklore*. As expected, *evermore* topped the Billboard 200 chart for weeks, with tracks like “willow” making it into the Top 40 on the Hot 100.
December 11 has seen many significant cultural moments in music history:
– 1954: Jermaine Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana. He later joined The Jackson 5, alongside his brother Michael and other siblings. The group had several Top 40 hits, including “I’ll Be There” and “ABC.” Jermaine also found success as a solo artist with songs like “Do What You Do.”
– 1960: Aretha Franklin performed live for the first time at the Village Vanguard in New York City at just 18 years old. A year later, she scored her first Top 40 hit with “Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody.” She went on to have many more hits, including the No. 1 single “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” with George Michael.
– 1972: Genesis played their first U.S. concert at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, gearing up for a bigger show at Philharmonic Hall in New York City.
However, December 11 has also seen its share of challenges in the music industry:
– 1964: Sam Cooke, known for hits like “Wonderful World,” was tragically shot and killed at 33. His death sparked mourning among fans in Chicago and Los Angeles.
– 1972: James Brown was arrested in Knoxville, Tennessee, but claimed he was only discussing drugs and education with kids. His lawyers threatened to sue, leading to his release.
– 1973: Bobby Darin, famous for “Mack The Knife,” underwent open-heart surgery after struggling with health issues.
