History highlight:

On this day in 1983, David Bowie released his 15th studio album, Let’s Dance to massive commercial success, reaching number one in numerous countries. After the release of Scary Monsters (1980), Bowie began a period of numerous musical collaborations and film appearances. By 1982, he left RCA Records out of dissatisfaction and signed with EMI America. Wanting a fresh start, he chose Nile Rodgers of the band Chic to co-produce his next record. Let’s Dance remains Bowie's best-selling album.

Also, today in:

1955 - Fats Domino's "Ain't That A Shame" was released. Pat Boone would later enjoy much greater success with a cover version of the tune, although he had to be dissuaded from changing it to "Isn't That a Shame." Cheap Trick would later have a hit with the tune as well.

1965 - The Beatles changed the name of their second movie from Eight Arms To Hold You to Help!

1971 - The Illinois Crime Commission came out with a list of drug-oriented tunes. The songs of infamy included "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane, "Let's Go Get Stoned" by Ray Charles, "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" by the Beatles, and "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum.

1972 - David Bowie released "Starman" and "Suffragette City," the advance single from his acclaimed conceptual The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars. Ziggy would remain on the album chart for more than a year.

1975 - Following many rumors and much speculation that Jimmy Page, Chris Spedding, Jeff Beck or even Eric Clapton would replace Mick Taylor in the Rolling Stones, it was announced that Faces guitarist Ron Wood would fill his shoes.

1976 - Motown Records and Stevie Wonder announced the largest contract renewal to date, worth $13 million.

1979 - The Doobie Brothers went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "What A Fool Believes," the group's second U.S. No. 1.

1980 - A New Jersey State assemblyman introduced a resolution to make Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" the official state song of New Jersey. The resolution passed the assembly but not the state Senate.

1988 - Public Enemy's sophomore album, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, was released. Often cited as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, the album spawned such classics as "Don't Believe the Hype," "Night of the Living Baseheads," and "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos," as well as the original version of "Bring the Noise."

1989 - Minneapolis band Soul Asylum released the EP Clam Dip & Other Delights. The title and cover art are both parodies of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass's album Whipped Cream & Other Delights. It was a humorous nod to their new record label, A&M (the "A" standing for "Alpert"). Bassist Karl Mueller sat in as the model for hours in a foul-smelling combination of sour cream, paint, whipped cream and seafood. The album also makes fun of the A&M logo being under the title of the album, incorporating the Twin/Tone Records logo instead.

1995 - Radiohead released The Bends, featuring "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees." Thanks to Radiohead’s opening slot on R.E.M.’s Monster Tour, The Bends achieved Gold status in the U.S. by early '96.

1998 - The very first VH1 Divas special debuts on the music channel as a benefit concert for VH1's Save The Music Foundation. Headliners are Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, and Shania Twain, with a guest appearance by Carole King.

2009 - Former Beatle George Harrison was honored with a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. Sir Paul McCartney attended the unveiling outside the landmark Capitol Records building, joining Harrison's widow Olivia and son Dhani. Tom Petty, along with actors Eric Idle and Tom Hanks, also attended the ceremony.

2013 - Justin Bieber caused outrage after writing a message in a guest book at the Anne Frank Museum, which stated he hoped the Holocaust victim would have been a fan. The 19-year-old wrote: "Truly inspiring to be able to come here. Anne was a great girl. Hopefully she would have been a belieber." It provoked fierce online criticism of the Canadian singer, who was in Amsterdam as part of a tour.

2014 - Jazz percussionist Armando Peraza died of pneumonia at the age of 89. He was a member of Santana from 1972 until the early ‘90s, appearing on over 15 of the group's albums. Born in Lawton Batista, Havana, Cuba, Pereza played congas, bongos, and timbales.

2015 - Today in 2015, American R&B and soul singer Percy Sledge died of liver cancer at his home in Baton Rouge at age 73. The inspiration behind his 1966 U.S. No. 1 hit "When a Man Loves a Woman" came when Sledge's girlfriend left him for a modelling career after he was laid off from a construction job in late 1965.

2016 - At the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Prince plays his last concert, as he dies a week later. His last song is "Purple Rain."

2018 - Beyoncé, who had to cancel the previous year because of her pregnancy, headlines Coachella in lavish fashion, with over 70 performers and a reunion of Destiny's Child. She becomes the first black woman to headline the festival.

2023 - Mark Sheehan, guitarist for the Script, died at the age of 46.

Birthdays:

Gospel singer Inez Andrews (“Mary Don’t You Weep” with the Caravans) was born today in 1929.

Country legend Loretta Lynn was born today in 1932

Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple is 79.

Kenny Aaronson — bassist for Bob Dylan, Rick Derringer, Billy Idol, Joan Jett, and more — is 72.

Barrett Martin — drummer for Screaming Trees and Mad Season — is 57.

Martyn LeNoble — bassist for Porno for Pyros — is 55.

Britt Daniel, frontman for Spoon, is 53.

Da Brat is 50.

JD McPherson is 47.

Win Butler of Arcade Fire is 44.

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