On This Day, August 18 in Music History
EVENTS ON AUGUST 18 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 18 in 1958 – Italian singer Domenico Modugno topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu)’.
1966 – The Beatles started a four-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with the double A-side single ‘Yellow Submarine’/’Elanor Rigby’.
1969 – After three full days and nights of incessant partying and rocking, the Woodstock music festival concluded with a performance by Jimi Hendrix early in the morning on this day August 18.
1973 – British rock band Jethro Tull went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with their sixth studio album ‘A Passion Play’. The album reached No.1 in Canada as well, while in the UK it peaked at No.16.
1973 – With ‘Touch Me in the Morning’, Diana Ross scored her second solo number one single in the US on this day August 18 in music history.
1973 – Vocal duo Peters and Lee scored their first and only number one album in the United Kingdom with ‘We Can Make It’.
1979 – R&B band Chic scored their second number one single in the United States with ‘Good Times’. As of August 2024, it’s one of the most sampled songs in music history.
1984 – George Michael started a three-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Careless Whisper’ on this day August 18.
1986 – Rock band Bon Jovi released their third studio album ‘Slippery When Wet’ through Mercury and Vertigo Records. The album went on to sell over 17 million copies and reached number one in Australia, Canada, the US, Finland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Norway.
2001 – Garage and hip hop collective So Solid Crew scored their first number one single in the UK with ’21 Seconds’.
2001 – With ‘Fallin’, Alicia Keys started a three-week run at number one in the US on this day August 18 in music history. Also a chart-topper in Belgium and the Netherlands. In the UK it peaked at No.3.
2001 – Pop girl group Atomic Kitten topped the UK Albums chart with their debut studio release ‘Right Now’.
2001 – The seventh edition of the US Now! series ‘Now That’s What I Call Music! 7’ topped the US albums chart. It’s a compilation album released by Virgin Records and it features various artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Destiny’s Child, Janet Jackson, Nelly, Aerosmith, etc.
2003 – English singer and bass guitarist Anthony “Tony” Jackson died on this day August 18 at the age of 65. Best remembered as a member of the band The Searchers.
2004 – Academy Award-winning composer and conductor Elmer Bernstein died at the age of 82. Best remembered for composing and arranging film scores for over 100 movies, including ‘The Magnificent Seven’, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie’, ‘Airplane!’, ‘The Blues Brothers’, and ‘Ghostbusters’ among many others.
2007 – With her debut studio album ‘Made of Bricks’, singer-songwriter Kate Nash went to number one in the UK on this day August 18.
2007 – Rapper Rashid Lynn also known professionally as Common topped the US Billboard 200 with his seventh studio album ‘Finding Forever’.
2007 – The Swedish collaboration between producer Kleerup and singer-songwriter Robyn resulted in a No.1 single in the UK with ‘With Every Heartbeat’.
Robyn with Kleerup – With Every Heartbeat
2008 – Singer and founding member of The Spinners, Pervis Jackson died on this day August 18 at the age of 70.
2012 – With his fifth studio album ‘God Forgives, I Don’t’, rapper Rick Ross went to number one in the US on this day August 18.
2012 – American singer and songwriter Philip Blondheim also known professionally as Scott McKenzie died at the age of 73. Best remembered for his hit single ‘San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers In Your Hair)’.
2012 – Rihanna topped the UK Albums chart with ‘Talk That Talk’. The album reached No.1 on the main LP charts in New Zealand and Switzerland as well, while in the US it peaked at No.3.
2016 – With their self-titled debut studio album, rock band Blossoms went to number one in the United Kingdom on this day August 18 in music history.
2018 – Rapper Travis Scott started a two-week run at number one in the United States with his third studio album ‘Astroworld’.
2020 – American guitarist Jack Sherman died at the age of 64. Best remembered for his work with Red Hot Chili Peppers.
BORN ON AUGUST 18 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1928 – American singer Earlington Carl Tilghman also known professionally as Sonny Til was born on this day August 18 in music history. Best known as the lead singer of the vocal group The Orioles.
1939 – Rock and roll singer Johnny Preston was born on this day in Port Arthur, Texas. Best known for his chart-topping hit single ‘Running Bear’.
1939 – American soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Maxine Brown was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. She rose to fame in 1960 with her hit singles ‘All in My Mind’ and ‘Funny’.
1943 – English singer and actor Carl Wayne was born on this day August 18 in Birmingham. Best known as the lead singer of the rock band The Move.
1945 – American singer and actress Sarah Dash was born in Trenton, New Jersey. She came to prominence as a member of the popular vocal group Labelle.
1950 – Founding member and drummer of the rock band Foreigner, Dennis Elliott was born on this day in London, England.
1953 – Bass guitarist Marvin Isley was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on this day August 18 in music history. Best known as a member of the family musical group The Isley Brothers.
1956 – American bassist and keyboards player Tony Garnier was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Best known for his longtime collaboration with Bob Dylan.
1957 – Co-founder and lead guitarist of the band Men at Work, Ronald “Ron” Strykert was born in Korumburra, Australia.
1960 – Multi-instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter Stuart Matthewman was born in Hull, England on this day August 18 in music history. He rose to fame as a member of the band Sade.
1967 – Founding member and drummer of the rock band Mudhoney, Daniel Peters was born on this day in Seattle, Washington.
1969 – Rapper, singer, songwriter, and guitar player Erik Francis Schrody also known as Everlast was born on Long Island, New York. He came to prominence as the frontman of the hip hop group House of Pain.
1971 – Electronic music composer, multi-instrumentalist and DJ Richard David James also known professionally as Aphex Twin was born on this day August 18 in Limerick, Ireland.
1983 – British singer-songwriter and pianist Michael Penniman also known by his stage name Mika was born in Beirut, Lebanon.