On This Day, February 18 in Music History
EVENTS ON FEBRUARY 18 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day February 18 in 1955 – With his English rendition of the French song ‘Softly, Softly’/'(La tamise et mon jardin)’, Ruby Murray started a three-week run at No.1 in the UK.
1956 – Kay Starr had the best selling single in the United States with ‘Rock and Roll Waltz’. The song also became a chart-topper in the UK on March 30 that year.
1959 – Ray Charles recorded ‘What’d I Say’ on this day February 18 in music history. The song was released in June and it topped the US Billboard R&B chart but it also became his first pop hit reaching No.6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and his first gold record.
1965 – With ‘Tired of Waiting for You’, the Kinks reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart. It also topped the South African singles chart that year while in the US it peaked at No.6.
1967 – The Buckinghams hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two weeks with ‘Kind of a Drag’. The song also became a chart-topper in Canada later that year.
1974 – Rock band Kiss released their eponymous debut studio album through Casablanca Records on this day February 18. The album became a certified gold record in 1977 and it features the band’s first single ‘Nothin’ to Lose’.
1978 – With ‘Take a Chance on Me’, Swedish pop group ABBA went to No.1 on the UK Singles chart for the first of three weeks straight.
1984 – Scottish rock band Simple Minds were at number one in the United Kingdom on this day February 18 in music history with their sixth studio album ‘Sparkle in the Rain’.
1989 – After a one-week break from the top spot, Bobby Brown returned for another three-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 with his second studio album ‘Don’t Be Cruel’.
1989 – With their second and last studio album ‘The Raw & the Cooked’, rock band Fire Young Cannibals reached No.1 in the UK.
1990 – Freddie Mercury made his last public appearance with Queen at the annual BRIT awards held at the Dominion Theatre in London.
1995 – English record producer Dennis “Denny” Cordell died on this day February 18, aged 51 of lymphoma. Best remembered for producing hit singles for the likes of Tom Petty, Joe Cocker, Procol Harum, and The Moody Blues among others.
2006 – Over 1.5 million people attended the free of charge concert that the Rolling Stones organized at the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2006 – With ‘The Greatest Songs of the Fifties’, Barry Manilow topped the US Albums chart on this day February 18 in music history.
2006 – With his remixed rendition of Leo Sayer‘s 1977 hit song ‘Thunder in My Heart’, DJ Meck reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart.
2006 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer William “Bill” Cowsill died on this day February 18, aged 58. Best remembered as the frontman of The Cowsills.
2012 – With ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’, singers Gotye and Kimbra went to number one on the UK singles chart
2012 – The number one single in the United States on this day February 18 was ‘Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)’ by Kelly Clarkson.
Kelly Clarkson – Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)
2016 – Danish soul-pop band Lukas Graham hit No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘7 Years’ for the first of five consecutive weeks.
2016 – Pop rock band Coldplay scored their seventh consecutive chart-topping album in the UK with ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ on this day February 18 in music history.
2017 – American drummer Clyde Stubblefield died at the age of 73 from kidney failure. Best remembered for his work with James Brown.
2017 – With their second studio album ‘Culture’, hip hop group Migos topped the US Billboard 200 on this day February 18.
2017 – After a two-week break from the top spot, Ed Sheeran returned at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Shape of You’ for an eleven-week stint.
2021 – American rapper and producer Mark Morales also known professionally as Prince Markie Dee died on this day February 18, aged 52. Best remembered as a co-founder of the pioneering hip hop trio The Fat Boys.
2021 – The number one album in the United Kingdom on this day was ‘Medicine at Midnight’ by the rock band Foo Fighters.
BORN ON FEBRUARY 18 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1914 – Country music singer-songwriter Julius Kuczynski also known professionally as Pee Wee King was born in Abrams, Wisconsin.
1933 – Japanese singer and multimedia artist Yoko Ono was born in Tokyo. Best known for being John Lennon’s wife.
1934 – American singer-songwriter and bassist Clyde “Skip” Battin was born in Gallipolis, Ohio. Best known as a member of bands such as The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers.
1939 – One half of the singing and songwriting duo Boyce and Hart, Robert Harshman also known professionally as Bobby Hart was born in Phoenix, Arizona.
1941 – Rock and roll pioneer Herman Santiago was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Best known as a member of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers with whom he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1947 – Founding member and frontman of the rock band Styx, Dennis DeYoung was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1948 – American drummer, songwriter, and vocalist Keith Knudsen was born in Le Mars, Iowa. He rose to fame as a member of The Doobie Brothers.
1953 – Canadian drummer Robin “Robbie” Bachman was born in Winnipeg. Best known as a founding member of the bands Brave Belt and Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
1954 – American actor and singer John Travolta was born in Englewood, New Jersey. Besides for his illustrious acting career, he’s also known for hit singles such as ‘Summer Nights’ and ‘You’re the One That I Want’.
1955 – English guitarist Brian Robertson also known professionally as Brian James was born in London. He came to prominence as a founding member the punk rock band The Damned.
1965 – American rapper and record producer Andre Young better known by his stage name Dr. Dre was born in Compton, California. He rose to fame as a member of the hip hop group N.W.A.
1970 – Twin brothers and co-founders of the indie rock band Doves, Jeremy “Jez” Williams and Andrew “Andy” Williams were born in Manchester, England.