On This Day, August 26 in Music History
EVENTS ON AUGUST 26 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 26 in 1964 – Roy Orbison and the Candy Men released ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’. The song was a commercial success and a big international hit topping the singles charts in eleven countries.
1965 – Husband-and-wife pop duo Sonny & Cher topped the UK Singles chart with ‘I Got You Babe’. It also topped the singles charts in Canada, New Zealand, and the US that year.
1967 – Singer-songwriter Bobbie Gentry started a four-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Ode to Billie Joe’. The song became a chart-topper in Canada as well, and it was nominated for eight Grammy Awards, winning three.
1968 – The Beatles released ‘Hey Jude’ (A-side) and ‘Revolution’ (B-Side) on the Apple Records label. Both songs were immense hits.
1972 – Pop rock band Looking Glass scored their first number one single in the US with ‘Brandy (You’re a Fin Girl)’.
1978 – With the title song to the eponymous musical film ‘Grease’, Frankie Valli went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1981 – American folk singer and songwriter Lee Hays died at the age of 67. Best remembered as the co-founder of the folk music quarter The Weavers.
1995 – American musician Ronald “Ronnie” White died on this day at the age of 56 from leukemia. Best remembered as the co-founder of the vocal group The Miracles.
1995 – British singer-songwriter Seal topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time with his hit single ‘Kiss from a Rose’. The song also won him three Grammy Awards.
1995 – ‘Country House’ by the alternative rock band Blur was at number one on the UK Singles chart on this day August 26 in music history.
1995 – Hootie & the Blowish returned at number one on the US Billboard 200 for the fourth time that year with their debut studio album ‘Cracked Rear View’. The album made another comeback at the top in late September as well.
2000 – Italian electronic music DJ Spiller topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love’. The song features vocals by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
2000 – Janet Jackson started a three-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Doesn’t Really Matter’. The song featured in the film ‘Nutty Professor II: The Klumps’ starring Janet and Eddie Murphy.
2000 – Singer and songwriter Craig David went to number one in the United Kingdom with his debut studio album ‘Born to Do It’.
2000 – American musician and songwriter Allen Woody died at the age of 44 from an apparent heroin overdose. Best remembered for his work as a bassist with The Allman Brothers Band and Gov’t Mule’.
2000 – With his debut studio album ‘Country Grammar’, rapper Nelly started a five-week run at number one in the United States.
2004 – Singer-songwriter and actress Laura Branigan died in her sleep of a brain aneurysm, aged 52. Best remembered for her 1982 hit single ‘Gloria’.
2006 – American rapper Rick Ross topped the Billboard 200 chart with his debut studio album ‘Port of Miami’ on this day August 26.
2006 – American singer Christina Aguilera scored her first number one album in the UK with her fifth studio release ‘Back to Basics’.
2009 – Pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer Eleanor “Ellie” Greenwich died on this day August 26 in music history, aged 68. Best remembered for co-writing hit songs such as ‘Da Doo Ron Ron’, ‘Be My Baby’, ‘Chapel of Love’, ‘Maybe I Know’, and others.
2017 – After a three-week run at No.1 in May, Kendrick Lamar returned at the top of the Billboard 200 chart with his fourth studio album ‘Damn’.
2021 – With their seventh studio album ‘Pressure Machine’, rock band The Killers topped the UK Albums chart on this day August 26.
BORN ON AUGUST 26 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1938 – Founding member and drummer for The Stranglers, Brian John Duffy also known professionally as Jet Black was born in Ilford, England.
1940 – English musician and songwriter Nicholas “Nik” Turner was born on this day August 26 in Oxford. He came to prominence as a member of the rock band Hawkwind.
1941 – English drummer and vocalist Christopher Crummey also known professionally as Chris Curtis was born in Liverpool. He rose to fame as a member of The Searchers in the 1960s.
1942 – American singer and dancer Samuel Mendola also known professionally as Vic Dana was born on this day August 26 in Buffalo, New York.
1944 – American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Maureen “Moe” Tucker was born in Jackson Queens, New York City. Best known as a member of the rock band The Velvet Underground.
1946 – One half of the husband-and-wife songwriting and recording duo Ashford & Simpson, Valerie Simpson was born in New York City on this day August 26 in music history.
1949 – Singer-songwriter and guitar player Dickran Gobalian also known professionally as Leon Redbone was born in Nicosia, Cyprus.
1952 – American musician, composer, arranger, and record producer William “Billy” Rush was born in Deal, New Jersey.
1957 – Founding member, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter of The Undertones, John O’Neil was born on this day August 26 in Derry, Northern Ireland.
1960 – American saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Branford Marsalis was born in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.
1965 – Co-founder and bass guitarist of the band Elastica, Annabel “Annie” Holland was born in London, England on this day August 26 in music history.
1966 – Scottish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shirley Manson was born on this day in Edinburgh. She came to prominence as the lead singer of the alt rock band Garbage.
1966 – American musician Daniel “Dan” Vickrey was born on this day August 26 in Walnut Creek, California. He rose to fame as the lead guitarist of the alt rock band Counting Crows.
1969 – American drummer and songwriter Adrian Young was born in Long Beach, California. Best known as a longtime member of the band No Doubt.
1986 – Rapper and singer Carlos St. John Phillips also known by his stage name Saint Jhn was born on this day August 26 in Brooklyn, New York. Best known for his chart-topping single ‘Roses’.