History highlight:

Today in 1973, David Bowie’s sixth studio album, Aladdin Sane, was released the follow-up to his breakthrough album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Recorded in London and New York City between legs of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, the record was Bowie's final album with the full Spiders from Mars lineup. Bowie described the album's title character, a pun on "A Lad Insane", as "Ziggy Stardust goes to America". The lyrics reflect the pros of Bowie's newfound stardom and the cons of touring and contain images of urban decay, drugs, sex, violence and death.

There is some debate about the release date. The official release date was April 20, but because this was Good Friday (a public holiday in the U.K.), the album was made available in the U.K. on April 19.

Also, today in:

1957 - Elvis Presley started an eight-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "All Shook Up." It went on to be the biggest single of 1957, selling more than two million copies.

1968 - Deep Purple made their live debut at a gig in Taastrup, Denmark.

1971 - Five friends at San Rafael High School in California coined the term "4:20" as a euphemism for smoking pot. April 20 became a popular time to spark one up, as did 4:20 p.m. Note that the Boston song "Smokin'" clocks in at four minutes and 20 seconds, and if you multiply the title numbers in Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women" (No. 12 and No. 35), you get 420, dude!

1974 - MFSB (Mother, Father, Sister, Brother) and the Three Degrees started a two-week run at No. 1 on the US singles chart with "TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia)," featuring a lush blend of strings and horns in the Philadelphia soul style. The song, considered the first disco song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, was written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff as the theme for TV's Soul Train.

1980 - At age 84, actor and comedian George Burns became the oldest person to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. His song "I Wish I Was 18 Again" peaked at No. 49.

1987 - A record store in Callaway, Fla., was forced to close down and a part-time clerk was arrested after selling a copy of 2 Live Is What We Are by 2 Live Crew to a 14-year-old boy. Officials had deemed the recording obscene because of its explicit lyrics.

1990 - Janet Jackson was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at the start of "Janet Jackson Week" in Los Angeles.

1992 - "A Concert For Life" took place at Wembley Stadium in London to honor Queen singer Freddie Mercury and raise AIDS awareness. Acts included Elton John, Roger Daltrey, Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), David Bowie, Mick Ronson, James Hetfield, George Michael, Seal, Paul Young, Annie Lennox, Lisa Stansfield, Robert Plant, Joe Elliott and Phil Collen of Def Leppard, and Axl Rose and Slash of Guns n' Roses.

1993 - Aerosmith released their 11th studio album, Get A Grip, which would become their best-selling album to date with sales of more than 20 million.

1998 - Mezzanine, the third studio album from Massive Attack, is released.

2000 - Robert Plant appeared at Disney's Theatre of the Stars in Orlando, Fla., to leave his handprints outside the theater.

2010 - The stage adaptation of Green Day's American Idiot rock opera officially opened on Broadway, a year after its debut at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. Though it's fun to picture the band playing roles in the show, Green Day did not officially appear in the production, aside from Billie Joe Armstrong occasionally stepping in as the role of "St. Jimmy" throughout the run. The musical was nominated for Best Musical in the Tonys, and won two 2010 Tony Awards: Best Scenic Design of a Musical and Best Lighting Design of a Musical. In 2011, the Broadway cast recording won a Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.

2011 - Gerard Smith of TV On The Radio lost his battle with lung cancer. He was only 36.

2018 - Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer Avicii died aged 28. He was nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance Recording with “Levels” at the 2013 Grammy Awards. His biggest single was 2013's “Wake Me Up.” He recorded with Wyclef Jean, Robbie Williams, Rita Ora, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA, and Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.

Birthdays:

Lionel Hampton — vibraphonist who worked with Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, and Quincy Jones — was born today in 1908.

Legendary American mambo master Ernesto Antonio "Tito" Puente was born on this day in 1923. He is often credited as "The Musical Pope" and "The King Of Latin Music."

Johnny Tillotson (“Poetry in Motion”) is 85.

Craig Frost of Grand Funk Railroad is 76.

Luther Vandross was born on this day in 1951.

James Chance — of Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, James Chance and the Contortions — was born today in 1953.

Crispin Glover is 60.

Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh was born today in 1971.

Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater is 57.

Carmen Electra is 52.

Stephen Marley of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers is 52.

Killer Mike is 49.

Clay Cook of Zac Brown Band is 46.

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