History Highlight:

Today in 2009, Yeah Yeah Yeahs released their third studio album, It’s Blitz!, featuring the singles “Zero,” “Heads Will Roll,” and “Skeletons.”

Also, Today In:

1965 - History was made when the Smokey Robinson-written "My Girl" made The Temptations the first male Motown act to score a No. 1 single.

1970 - The Beatles' compilation album Hey Jude went Gold.

1975 - Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti album is certified Gold.

1976 - The Miracles scored their biggest hit when "Love Machine (Part 1)" reached No. 1 in America.

1982 - The Go-Go's started a six-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Beauty And The Beat, containing the hits "Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got The Beat." The album sold in excess of three million copies and reached triple-platinum status, making it one of the most successful debut albums of all time. It is now widely considered one of the cornerstone albums of 1980s new wave music. It was the first album entirely written and performed by an all-female band to top the charts.

1998 - Oasis singer Liam Gallagher appeared handcuffed in a Brisbane court on charges of head butting a fan during a gig in Australia. Gallagher was released on bail.

2000 - Eric Clapton was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, making him the first person inducted three times. He was also inducted as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream.

2001 - Michael "Smitty" Smith, drummer for Paul Revere & the Raiders, died in Hawaii at age 58.

2004 - Peggy DeCastro (of The DeCastro Sisters) dies of lung cancer in Las Vegas, Nevada, at age 82.

2006 - African musician Ali Farka Toure dies of bone cancer at age 66.

2006 - New Orleans soul singer King Floyd died from complications of stroke and diabetes at age 61.

2006 - Pearl Jam made their new single "World Wide Suicide" available as a free download after making a 15-second clip available on the Internet. The song topped the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, where it spent a total of three weeks at No. 1. Jonathan Cohen of Billboard said in his review of the song that "atop a propulsive beat and a thick, three-guitar attack, Vedder personalizes his anger that the U.S. occupation of Iraq has reached the three-year mark." He added, "Rock radio should jump on this despite the delicate subject matter."

2009 - Thousands of Phish fans descended upon Hampton, Virginia, to see Page McConnell, John Fishman, Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon return to the stage for their first show since 2004. They opened with "Fluffhead," a song they haven't played since 2000.

2010 - Mark Linkous, frontman of Sparklehorse, committed suicide in Knoxville, Tenn.

2013 - English guitarist, singer, Alvin Lee died at age 68. Lee's performance at the Woodstock Festival in 1969 was captured on film in the documentary of the event, and his 'lightning-fast' playing helped catapult him to stardom.

2020 - The South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, becomes the first major American festival canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Other tours and festivals around the world are called off soon after in efforts to limit the outbreak.

Birthdays:

Bob Wills, “King of Western Swing,” was born today in 1905.

Wes Montgomery was born today in 1923.

Mary Wilson, founding member of the Supremes, was born today in 1944.

David Gilmour, lead singer of Pink Floyd, is 78.

Kiki Dee is 77.

Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) is 76.

Phil Alvin, leader of the Blasters, is 71.

Shaquille O’Neal is 52.

Jaret Reddick, frontman for Bowling for Soup, is 52.

Guy Garvey, singer for Elbow, is 50.

Beanie Sigel is 50.

Chris Tomson, drummer from Vampire Weekend, is 40.

Rap producer Lex Luger is 33.

Tyler, the Creator is 33.

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