On This Day, August 21 in Music History
EVENTS ON AUGUST 21 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 21 in 1953 – Frankie Laine topped the UK Singles chart with his rendition of ‘I Believe’.
1961 – With his sixth studio album ‘Something for Everybody’, Elvis Presley started a three-week run at No.1 in the US.
1961 – Girl group The Marvelettes released ‘Please Mr. Postman’, their debut single. The song became a commercial success with over one million copies sold and it topped the Billboard R&B and Hot 100 charts.
1965 – Barry McGuire released his rendition of P.F. Sloan‘s protest song ‘Eve of Destruction’ on this day August 21. The song topped the singles charts in Canada, Norway, and the US, and reached No.3 in the UK.
1965 – With their fourth American studio album ‘Out of Our Heads’, The Rolling Stones started a three-week run at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart
1968 – Pop rock band Tommy James and the Shondells topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Mony Mony’ on this day August 21 in music history.
1971 – Diana Ross started a four-week stint at number one in the UK with ‘I’m Still Waiting’. Also a chart-topper in Ireland.
1987 – Heavy metal band Metallica released their first extended play (EP) ‘The $5.98 E.P. – Garage Days Re-Revisited’. It features covers of popular 1970s and 80s metal and punk rock songs.
1990 – Alternative rock-metal band Jane’s Addiction released their second studio album ‘Ritual de lo Habitual’ on this day August 21. The LP went on to sell over 2 million copies and peaked at No.19 in the US.
1993 – The soundtrack album of the popular romantic comedy-drama film ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan went to No.1 in the US. The album features songs by artists such as Louis Armstrong, Joe Cocker, Carly Simon, Nat King Cole, etc.
1997 – Rock band Oasis released their third studio album ‘Be Here Now’ through Creation Records. The album was an instant commercial success and it reached number one in sixteen countries worldwide.
1999 – Boy band Backstreet Boys returned for a three-week run at number one in the US with their third studio album ‘Millennium’ on this day August 21 in music history.
1999 – With ‘If I Let You Go’, boy band Westlife scored their second number one single in the United Kingdom. Also a chart-topper in Ireland and Norway.
2004 – Garage trio 3 of a Kind went to No.1 in the UK with their first and only released single ‘Baby Cakes’ on this day August 21.
2004 – Singer-songwriter Ashlee Simpson returned to number one on the US Billboard 200 with her debut studio album ‘Autobiography’.
2004 – Pop rock singer Anastacia went to number one in the UK with her self-titled third studio album. The album was a worldwide hit and it topped the charts in eleven other countries as well.
2004 – Hip hop group Terror Squad topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Lean Back’ on this day August 21.
2005 – American engineer, inventor and electronic music pioneer Robert Moog died at the age of 71. Best remembered as the inventor of the first commercial synthesizer which debuted in 1964 and revolutionized the music industry.
2010 – With their third studio album ‘The Suburbs’, indie rock band Arcade Fire went to No.1 in the US on this day August 21 in music history. The album became a chart-topper in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, and the UK as well.
2010 – American rapper Eminem topped the UK Albums chart with his seventh studio release ‘Recovery’. The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards and it went to No.1 in seventeen countries.
2010 – American rapper Flo Rida and French producer David Guetta topped the UK singles chart with ‘Club Can’t Handle Me’.
2012 – Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd released their fourteenth studio album ‘Last of a Dyin’ Breed’.
2021 – One half of the country rock duo The Everly Brothers, Donald “Don” Everly died at the age of 84.
BORN ON AUGUST 21 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1904 – American jazz music pianist, composer, organist, and bandleader William James “Count” Basie was born in Red Bank, New Jersey. Best known as the founder and leader of the Count Basie Orchestra.
1928 – Jazz music trumpeter and flugelhorn player Arthur “Art” Farmer was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
1938 – Country and pop music singer-songwriter and record producer Kenny Rogers was born in Houston, Texas on this day August 21 in music history.
1941 – American singer-songwriter and composer Jackie DeShannon was born Sharon Lee Myers in Hazel, Kentucky. Best known for songs such as ‘What the World Needs Now Is Love’ and ‘Put a Little Love in Your Heart’.
1941 – Multi-instrumentalist and composer Tom Coster was born on this day August 21 in Detroit, Michigan. Best known for his longtime collaboration with Carlos Santana.
1952 – English musician and co-founder of the punk rock band The Clash, John Mellor also known professionally as Joe Strummer was born in Ankara, Turkey.
1951 – Bassist, singer, and songwriter Glenn Hughes was born in Cannock, England. Best known as a member of the bands Trapeze and Deep Purple.
1954 – American drummer Steve Smith was born on this day August 21 in Whitman, Massachusetts. He came to prominence as a member of the rock band Journey.
1962 – Grammy Award-winning American DJ, remixer and record producer David Morales was born in New York City.
1967 – Co-founder and frontman of the heavy metal band System of a Down, Serj Tankian was born in Beirut, Lebanon.
1968 – English singer Geraldine “Dina” Carroll was born on this day August 21 in Newmarket, Suffolk. Best known for hit songs such as ‘Don’t Be a Stranger’, ‘It’s Too Late’, and ‘Escaping’ among others.
1971 – Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer Liam Howlett was born in Braintree, England. Best known as the co-founder and leader of the electronic music group The Prodigy.
1979 – American R&B singer and saxophone player Kelis Rogers-Mora was born in New York City. She rose to fame with her debut studio album ‘Kaleidoscope’ which became an international hit.
1984 – Founding member and singer of the girl group Dream, Melissa Schuman was born in San Clemente, California.
1988 – American country music singer and multi-instrumentalist Kacey Musgraves was born on this day August 21 in Golden, Texas. She’s the recipient of multiple Grammy Awards.