History Highlight:

Today in 1984, Frankie Goes to Hollywood released their debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome. The record was produced by the highly influential Trevor Horn, and it features the hit songs “Relax,” “Two Tribes,” “The Power of Love,” and the title track. Much like the Bronski Beat, Frankie Goes to Hollywood were one of pop music’s first openly gay bands, and they proudly brought their sexuality and LGBTQIA+ advocacy into their music.

Also, Today In:

1966 - Question Mark and the Mysterians went to No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "96 Tears." Although he closely guarded his true identity at the time, Rudy Martinez is the real name of the man known as Question Mark. 

1970 - Neil Diamond received a gold record for "Cracklin' Rosie," his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and his third to sell a million copies.

1977 - The Belgian travel service issued a summons against The Sex Pistols claiming the sleeve to the bands single "Holidays In The Sun" infringed copyright of one of its brochures.

1983 - The Dark Side Of The Moon album by Pink Floyd won the distinction of remaining on the album chart for the longest period in history when it reached a record total of 491 weeks on Billboard. The Dark Side of the Moon produced two singles: "Money" and "Us and Them" and ended up remaining on the chart for 741 weeks from 1973 to 1988. With estimated sales of over 45 million, it is Pink Floyd's best-selling album and one of the best-selling worldwide.  

1983 - "Islands In The Stream" gave Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers a No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart. The song was written by The Bee Gees and co-produced by Barry Gibb. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, giving both Rogers and Parton their second pop No. 1 hit (after Rogers' "Lady" in 1980 and Parton's "9 to 5" in 1981). Rogers and Parton went on to record a Christmas album together, and had an additional hit with their 1985 duet "Real Love".

1984 - Frankie Goes to Hollywood released their debut album, Welcome to the Pleasuredome. It features “Relax,” “Two Tribes,” “The Power of Love,” and the title track.

1991 - Memphis City Council named a section of Interstate 55 "The B.B. King Freeway."

1993 - Tim Burton's animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas hits U.S. theaters. The film features music composed by Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo; Elfman also sings the vocal parts of protagonist Jack Skellington.

1996 - The Stone Roses split up. Singer Ian Brown said "having spent the last 10 years in the filthiest business in the universe, it's a pleasure to announce the end of The Stone Roses."

1996 - Axl Rose announces that Slash is no longer a member of Guns N' Roses. Slash forms Slash's Snakepit and Velvet Revolver, while Axl keeps GnR going with a variety of new faces.

2000 - Limp Bizkit started a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with Chocolate Starfish.

2001 - U2 performed for the first time on The Late Show with David Letterman.

2003 - Researchers in Ohio found that songs get stuck in our heads because they create a "brain itch" that can only be scratched by repeating a tune over and over. Songs such as the Village People's "YMCA" and the Baha Men's "Who Let The Dogs Out" owe their success to their ability to create a "cognitive itch", according to Professor James Kellaris, of the University of Cincinnati College of Business Administration.

2007 - Bon Iver signed to Jagjaguwar Records.

2014 - Phil Collins handed over his large collection of Alamo memorabilia to a Texas museum, calling the donation the end of a six-decade "journey". "I'm 64," he said of his fascination with the 1836 battle. "When I was five or six years old, this thing began." Collins' collection included a fringed leather pouch used by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie's legendary knife.

2018 - Singer, songwriter and musician James Edwin Farrar died due to heart failure, at the age of 67. He was the original lead singer of the Raw Energy band and the second lead singer of the American Southern Rock band Molly Hatchet from 1980 to 1982, and in more recent years, Gator Country.

Birthdays:

Saxophonist Zoot Sims was born today in 1925.

Sonny Osborne of the Osborne Brothers was born today in 1937.

Country songwriter Lee Clayton (“Ladies Love Outlaws”) was born today in 1942.

Denny Laine of The Moody Blues was born today in 1944. He died in 2023.

Rob Van Leeuwen of Shocking Blue is 80.

Mick Gallagher of Ian Dury and the Blockheads (and contributor to the Clash) is 79.

Melba Moore is 79.

Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac was born on this day in 1946. He passed away in 2020.

David Paton — lead singer of Pilot (“Magic”), member of the Alan Parsons Project, and collaborator with Kate Bush and Elton John — is 75.

James Williamson of the Stooges is 75.

Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow was born today in 1955. He passed away in 2007.

Roger O'Donnell of The Cure is 69.

Randy Jackson of the Jacksons is 63. 

Einar Orn of The Sugarcubes is 62.

Peter Timmins of Cowboy Junkies is 59.

Toby Smith of Jamiroquai was born today in 1970.  He passed away in 2017. 

Mark Sheehan of The Script is 48.

Bassist Chris Baio of Vampire Weekend is 40.

Tove Lo is 37. 

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.