Happy New Year! While many of us take it easy on January 1st, some of our favorite artists were hard at work. Here are key music events that happened on this day.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
– 1966: Simon & Garfunkel’s iconic song “The Sound of Silence” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for two weeks. The version that topped the charts featured electric guitar and drums, even though the original was recorded two years earlier.
– 2005: Mario’s hit “Let Me Love You” climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, holding the spot for nine weeks. This was Ne-Yo’s first number one as a songwriter, co-written with Scott Storch and Kameron Houff.
Cultural Milestones
– 1962: The Beatles auditioned for Decca Records in London but were rejected by Dick Rowe, who thought guitar groups were fading. This decision is now seen as one of the biggest blunders in music history.
– 2013: Patti Page passed away at 85. She had four number one hits in the US and was the first pop singer to overdub her own song in 1947 during an artist strike.
Notable Recordings and Performances
– 1967: The Doors made their first live TV appearance on KTLA’s Shebang, lip-syncing their debut single “Break On Through (To the Other Side).”
– 1982: ABBA performed their last live show in Sweden on The Late Late Breakfast Show. They reunited for a private performance in 2016, but this remains their last official appearance.
Industry Changes
– 1964: The British show Top of the Pops aired for the first time on the BBC, becoming the longest-running weekly music show until 2006.
– 1968: Billboard Magazine reported that albums outsold singles in the US for the first time, pushing artists to focus on their entire albums, not just hit singles.
From chart-topping hits to unforgettable performances, January 1st has seen its share of music history!
