History highlight:

Sam Smith was born today in 1992, making them 32 today. Sam has won four Grammy awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album, for In the Lonely Hour and Song of the Year for "Stay with Me." They also co-wrote and performed "Writing's on the Wall," the theme song to Spectre, the 24th James Bond film. Though Smith hasn't been on this Earth as long as most of our artists featured in history highlights, they've garnered mega-success on the U.K. and U.S. charts. Fun fact: Smith is the third cousin of singer Lily Allen and actor Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy of Game of Thrones). 

Also, today in: 

1962 - Less than three months before her death, Marilyn Monroe made one of her last public appearances at President John F. Kennedy's 45th birthday celebration, where she famously sang "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" in his honor. 

1969 - The Beatles' single "Get Back" was certified Gold by the RIAA. Selling more than a million copies, "Get Back" hit No. 1 in the U.S. within a week of its release. 

1973 - Stevie Wonder went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life," a song inspired by his wife (and sometimes co-writer) Syreeta Wright. The song earned Wonder a Grammy award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. 

1973 - "Kodachrome," a big hit for Paul Simon, was released. 

1976 - Keith Richards smashed his Bentley into a highway divider in Newton Pagnell, England, a town about 50 miles north of London. Police discovered a few substances in his vehicle, and Richards was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana. 

1978 - Dire Straits released their first major label single, "Sultans Of Swing," recorded on a £120 budget — about $180. 

1979 - Supertramp went to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Breakfast In America, the group's only U.S. No. 1. It featured three Billboard hit singles: "The Logical Song," "Goodbye Stranger" and "Take the Long Way Home." 

1988 - James Brown was arrested for the fifth time in 12 months, following a car chase near his home. Brown was charged with assault, resisting arrest and being in charge of illegal weapons, and was given a six-year jail sentence. 

1990 - Madonna started a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Vogue.” Originally planned as a B-side, it became the singer's eighth U.S. No. 1 and seventh U.K. No. 1 hit. 

1997 - Backstreet Boys released "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," their breakthrough single in the U.S. 

1998 - Sonny and Cher got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For Sonny, who died January 5, 1998, it was a posthumous honor. 

2001 - Mike Sammes, founder of the Mike Sammes Singers, died at age 73. He worked with Tom Jones, Cliff Richard and featured on The Beatles’ “I Am The Walrus” and “The Long And Winding Road.” 

2007 - At Porter Wagoner's 50th anniversary celebration at the Grand Ole Opry, Dolly Parton sings "I Will Always Love You" to Wagoner, whom she wrote the song about in 1974. 

2009 - The first episode of the TV series Glee aired, featuring the glee club’s performance of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin,'" which brought the song back to the charts. The Glee version landed at No. 4, five spots higher than Journey's original. 

2010 - David Guetta's "Gettin' Over You" becomes the billionth track to be Shazamed. 

2016 - John Berry, a founding member of the Beastie Boys, died at the age of 52. In 1978, Berry originally formed the four-piece hardcore punk band, the Young Aborigines, who later became the Beastie Boys. 

2018 - Reggie Lucas died aged 65. Lucas is best-known for having produced the majority of Madonna's 1983 self-titled debut album, and for playing with Billy Paul and Miles Davis's electric band in the first half of the 1970s. 

2023 - The Smiths’ bassist Andy Rourke died at the age of 59 in New York City.

Birthdays: 

Herbie Flowers, bassist in T. Rex and session musician, was born today in 1938. He died in 2024.

Mickey Newbury, who wrote the Kenny Rogers and the First Edition hit "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)," was born today in 1940.

Pete Townshend is 79.

Grace Jones is 76.

Dusty Hill of ZZ Top was born today in 1949. 

Joey Ramone was born today in 1951. 

AC/DC drummer Philip Rudd is 70.

Martyn Ware of Human League and Heaven 17 is 78.

Stuart Cable, drummer for Stereophonics, was born today in 1970. 

Jenny Berggren of Ace of Base is 52. 

Shooter Jennings is 45.

Yo Gotti is 43.

Michael Angelakos, frontman of Passion Pit, is 37.

Marshmello is 32.

Jojo Siwa is 21.

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