History Highlight:

Today in 1962, Bob Dylan's self-titled debut album was released in the United States. Initially, poor sales led the record to be known around Columbia Records as "Hammond's Folly" (John Hammond was producer of Dylan's early recordings and the man responsible for signing Dylan to the label). The album was praised by Village Voice as an "explosive country blues debut," but it featured only two Dylan original compositions, "Talkin' New York" and "Song To Woody," the rest being old folk standards.

Also, Today In:

1955 - The film Blackboard Jungle opened, with "Rock Around the Clock" under the opening credits. The song's inclusion in the film marked a turning point for rock 'n' roll, transforming the genre from a musical niche to a wide-ranging cultural phenomenon.

1974 - Jefferson Airplane renamed the group Jefferson Starship.

1981 - The J Geils Band were at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Centerfold."

1995 - Bruce Springsteen started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with his Greatest Hits.

1996 - Volume Two of The Beatles' Anthology series was released. It featured the song "Real Love," an old John Lennon demo track that the surviving members of the Fab Four had embellished.

2006 - Shakira became the first pop star to release a single as a mobile download only. Her release, "Hips Don't Lie," would not be issued as a CD or Internet download, but was available only to Verizon phone customers.

Birthdays:

Ruth Pointer of The Pointer Sisters is 69.

Bay City Rollers drummer Derek Longmuir is 63.

Actor and singer Bruce Willis is 60.

Terry Hall, lead singer of The Specials, is 56.