History Highlight:

Today in 1994, R.E.M. entered the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 1 with Monster. The album was their ninth and was a stylistic shift from the bands previous two albums-- 1991's Out of Time and 1992's Automatic for the People --with loud, distorted guitar tones and simple arrangements, and included the successful single, "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?"

Also, Today In:

1955 - At a concert in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, a young Buddy Holly opened for a young Elvis Presley. Nashville talent scout Eddie Crandall was in the audience and arranged for Holly to audition and record demos for the Decca label.

1966 - The Four Tops started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Reach Out And I'll Be There," their second No. 1.

1973 - Keith Richards was found guilty of trafficking cannabis by a court in France. Richards was given a one-year suspended sentence, a 5,000-franc fine, and was banned from entering France for two years.

1976 - EMI Records signed the Sex Pistols for a considerable sum, but dropped them the following year.

1977 - Debby Boone started a 10-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "You Light Up My Life."

1979 - ABBA played their first concert in North America when they appeared in Vancouver, B.C.

1988 - Bon Jovi started a four-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with their fourth release, New Jersey. The album produced five Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles, the most top-ten hits to date for a hard-rock album.

1995 - Paul and Linda McCartney were the guest voices on The Simpsons in an episode called "Lisa the Vegetarian." Paul's condition for appearing on the show was that Lisa's decision to become a vegetarian would be a permanent change for her character. Simpsons producer David Mirkin agreed.

2000 - Already a smash in their native Britain, Radiohead landed the No. 1 album slot in the United States with Kid A. This success was credited variously to a unique marketing campaign, the early Internet leak of the album and anticipation after the band's acclaimed 1997 album, OK Computer. The album's songwriting and recording were experimental for Radiohead, as the band had replaced their earlier "anthemic" rock style with a more electronic sound. Several publications have rated Kid A as the best album of the 2000s and among the greatest of all time. To date, the album has sold more than four million copies worldwide.

2013 - Madonna was banned from the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain after being accused of texting during a film. Attending the New York Film Festival screening of 12 Years a Slave, the pop star was reportedly asked to stop texting by an audience member. Tim League, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse, tweeted: "Until she apologizes to movie fans, Madonna is banned from watching movies at Alamo." The chain is famous for its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinema-going etiquette.

2014 - Chuck Berry performed for the last time at the St. Louis club Blueberry Hill. The legendary rocker, who died in 2017, played monthly gigs at the venue starting in 1996.

Birthdays:

Richard Carpenter of the Carpenters is 72.

Ginuwine is 48

Former Wilco guitarist, the late Jay Bennett, was born today in 1963.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.