On This Day, December 24 in Music History
EVENTS ON DECEMBER 24 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day December 24 in 1972 – After a noise complaint by the neighbors, the police cut off the electricity at a Manfred Mann concert which caused a riot in the audience. The situation escalated and the band had to hide in the dressing room.
1977 – With ‘How Deep is Your Love‘, the Bee Gees hit No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the first of three consecutive weeks. The song was a worldwide hit and a chart-topper in five other countries.
1983 – Michael Jackson returned for the third time at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 with his sixth studio album ‘Thriller’ on this day December 24 in music history. He held the top spot for seventeen consecutive weeks, same as the first stint (February 26 – June 18). The other two runs were in July and September.
1988 – British singer Cliff Richard took the top spot on the UK Albums chart with his greatest hits compilation ‘Private Collection: 1979-1988’.
1988 – With ‘Every Rose Has Its Thorn’, glam metal band Poison hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on this day December 24 for the first of three consecutive weeks.
1988 – The number one album in the United States on this day was ‘Giving You the Best That I Got’ by Anita Baker. This was her first and only chart-topper and it held the top spot for four weeks straight.
1988 – After a forced six month hiatus due to financial reasons, Nirvana continued recording their debut studio album ‘Bleach’ on this day December 24 in music history when a friend of the band loaned them $600 for the studio sessions.
1992 – American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and singer Robert “Bobby” LaKind died on this day at the age of 47 from colon cancer.
1994 – With their third studio album ‘Vitalogy’, Pearl Jam went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album also peaked at No.1 in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden.
1999 – Singer and founding member of the doo-wop group The Flamingos, Ezekiel “Zeke” Carey died on this day at the age of 66.
2000 – Co-founder, bassist, and vocalist for The Four Seasons, Nick Massi died on this day December 24 at the age of 73.
2005 – The alternative folk music duo Nizlopi hit number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘JCB Song’ on this day December 24.
2011 – With his first holiday and seventh overall studio album ‘Christmas’, Canadian singer Michael Bublé reached No.1 in the UK. The album was a big hit worldwide and it peaked at No.1 in fourteen other countries.
2011 – British girl group Little Mix topped the UK Singles chart on this day December 24 in music history with their rendition of the Damien Rice song ‘Cannonball’.
2016 – English singer, songwriter, and guitarist Richard “Rick” Parfitt died at the age of 68. Best remembered for playing with the rock band Status Quo for nearly five decades.
2016 – The cast of the Broadway musical Hamilton topped the US Billboard 200 chart with their mixtape album ‘The Hamilton Mixtape’ on this day December 24.
2020 – Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift went to number one on the UK Albums chart with her ninth studio release ‘Evermore’. The LP was also a chart-topper in nine other countries, including the US and Canada.
BORN ON DECEMBER 24 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1918 – American trumpeter, bandleader, producer, arranger, and composer Dave Bartholomew was born in Edgard, Louisiana.
1924 – Pop and R&B singer Lee Dorsey was born on this day in New Orleans, Louisiana. Best known for the hit songs ‘Working in the Coal Mine’ and ‘Ya Ya’.
1931 – American jazz music pianist, arranger, and composer Raphael “Ray” Bryan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1943 – Guitarist, composer, and founding member of the United Jazz + Rock Ensemble, Volker Kriegel was born in Darmstadt, Germany.
1944 – Influential jazz trumpeter, composer, and bandleader Woody Herman Shaw was born in Laurinburg, North Carolina.
1945 – Founder and frontman of the band Motörhead, Ian Fraser ‘Lemmy’ Kilmister was born in Stoke, England.
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1946 – Dutch multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer Jan Akkerman was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He came to prominence as the co-founder of the band Focus.
1951 – American multi-instrumentalist Tom “T-Bone” Wolk was born in New York City. Best known for his work with the pop rock duo Hall & Oates.
1957 – British bassist and keyboardist Ian Burden was born in Newark-on-Trent, England. He rose to fame as a member of the synth-pop band The Human League.
1962 – British keyboardist, singer and songwriter Darren Wharton was born in Failsworth, England. Best known as a member of Thin Lizzy and for fronting the band Dare.
1963 – Heavy metal vocalist Neil Turbin was born in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as the frontman of the metal bands Anthrax and DeathRiders.
1963 – Singer, violinist, and one half of the folk rock duo John & Mary, Mary Ramsey was born in Washington, D.C. She’s also known for her work with the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs.
1965 – American bassist, songwriter and record producer Millard Powers was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.
1968 – Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer Doyle Bramhall II was born in Dallas, Texas. Best known for his work with musicians such as Roger Waters and Eric Clapton.
1971 – Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Ricky Martin nicknamed the ‘King of Latin Pop’ was born Enrique Martín Morales in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Best known for songs such as ‘Livin’ la Vida Loca’, ‘Maria’, and ‘La Copa de la Vida’.
1991 – British singer and songwriter Louis Tomlinson was born Louis Troy Austin in Doncaster, England. He came to prominence as a member of the boy band One Direction before establishing himself as a solo artist.