On This Day, January 31 in Music History
EVENTS ON JANUARY 31 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day January 31 in 1963 – Jet Harris and Tony Meehan started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Singles chart with the instrumental ‘Diamonds’.
1968 – With their rendition of the song ‘Everlasting Love’, pop rock band Love Affair reached number one in the UK.
1970 – Led Zeppelin achieved their highest ranking on the US Billboard 100 chart when ‘Whole Lotta Love’ peaked at No.4 on this day January 31 in music history. Despite the band’s immense popularity, Led Zeppelin never scored a number one single in America because they refused to shorten their songs for radio plays.
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1970 – With their debut single ‘I Want You Back’, the Jackson 5 went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Also a big hit in the UK and Canada that year where it peaked at No.2.
1970 – American blues musician James Isaac Moore better known by his stage name Slim Harpo died on this day January 31, aged 46. Best remembered for the hit songs ‘Baby Scratch My Back’, ‘Rainin’ in My Heart’, and ‘I’m a King Bee’.
1970 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day was ‘Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)’ by the pop band Edison Lighthouse. They topped the chart for five weeks straight.
1976 – The funk and R&B band Ohio Players went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Love Rollercoaster’ on this day January 31.
1976 – With his seventh greatest hits compilation ‘The Best of Roy Orbison’, Roy Orbison reached No.1 on the UK Albums chart.
1976 – Swedish pop group ABBA was at number one in the UK on this day January 31 in music history with ‘Mamma Mia’. The song was a hit worldwide and it also reached No.1 in Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, and West Germany.
1981 – With their rendition of John Holt‘s 1967 song ‘The Tide is High’, Blondie topped the US Billboard Hot 100. It also became a chart-topper in the UK, Canada, and New Zealand that year.
1987 – Paul Simon hit number one in the UK on this day January 31 with his seventh solo studio album ‘Graceland’ for the first of three weeks in a row. The album became his most successful solo work and it also won him a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
1998 – With ‘Together Again’, Janet Jackson started a two-week stint at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1998 – American R&B singer Usher went to number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘You Make Me Wanna…’ on this day January 31.
2004 – Jazz and blues singer Katie Melua started a three-week stint at No.1 in the UK with her debut studio album ‘Call Off the Search’.
2009 – Canadian musician Dwayne Midkiff also known professionally as Dewey Martin died on this day January 31, aged 68. Best remembered as the drummer of the rock band Buffalo Springfield.
2009 – With their debut studio album ‘To Lose My Life…’, indie rock band White Lies reached number one in the UK on this day January 31 in music history.
2010 – Aged 19, Taylor Swift won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year with her second studio album ‘Fearless’. However, the highlight of the ceremony was Beyonce who set a new record by winning 6 Grammy Awards at one event.
2015 – American singer and songwriter Donald Randolph also known professionally as Don Covay died on this day January 31, aged 78. Best remembered for recording and writing songs such as ‘Mercy, Mercy’, ‘Pony Time’, ‘See-Saw’, ‘Chain of Fools’, etc.
2015 – With her debut studio album for a major-label ‘Title’, singer and songwriter Meghan Trainor went to number one on the US Billboard 200.
2015 – English record producer Mark Ronson took the top spot on the UK Albums chart on this day January 31 in music history with his fourth studio release ‘Uptown Special’.
2017 – Welsh musician Roger “Deke” Leonard died on this day at the age of 72. Best known for his work with the prog rock band Man.
2019 – With ‘7 Rings’, Ariana Grande scored her fourth number one single in the UK on this day January 31. She topped the chart for three consecutive weeks and four in total.
BORN ON JANUARY 31 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1921 – American tenor and actor Mario Lanza was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known for his million-selling hit singles ‘Be My Love’ and ‘Because You’re Mine’.
1926 – R&B and blues singer-songwriter Harold “Chuck” Willis was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Best known for this chart-topping singles ‘What Am I Living For’ and ‘C.C. Rider’.
1930 – American session musician, record producer, and conductor Alfred De Lory was born in Los Angeles, California.
1941 – Bass guitarist Jerry Scheff was born in Denver, Colorado. Best known as a founding member of Elvis Presley’s support group the TCB Band from 1969 until 1977.
1944 – Bandleader and electric blues harmonica player Charles Musselwhite was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi.
1946 – American musician and songwriter Terry Kath was born in Chicago, Illinois. He rose to fame as a founding member, guitarist, and vocalist of the rock band Chicago.
1951 – Harry Wayne Casey also known professionally as K.C. was born in Opa-locka, Florida. He’s the founder of the disco and funk group KC and the Sunshine Band.
1951 – English musician and record producer Phillip Targett-Adams also known by his stage name Phil Manzanera was born in London. Best known as the lead guitarist of bands such as Roxy Music, Quiet Sun, and 801.
1956 – Lead singer of the punk band Sex Pistols, John Lydon better known by his stage name Johnny Rotten was born in London.
1964 – American musician Jeffrey “Jeff” Hanneman was born in Long Beach, California. He came to prominence as the co-founder and co-lead guitarist of the thrash metal band Slayer.
1967 – Drummer and founding member of the grunge band Nirvana, Chad Channing was born in Santa Rosa, California.
1981 – American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor Justin Timberlake was born in Memphis, Tennessee.