January 16 in music history

On This Day, January 16 in Music History

EVENTS ON JANUARY 16 IN MUSIC HISTORY

On this day January 16 in 1953 – With his rendition of ‘You Belong to Me’Jo Staffod became the second artist to top the newly formed UK Singles chart.

1957 – The legendary Cavern Club opened in Liverpool. Many famous acts such as The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen, and The Who among others played their early gigs at this club.

1964 – Rock and roll band the Dave Clark Five scored their first number one single in the UK with ‘Glad All Over’ on this day January 16 in music history.

1967 – American rock band Blue Cheer released their debut album ‘Vincebus Eruptum’ through Philips Records. It peaked at No.11 on the Billboard 200 chart and is considered one of the first heavy metal albums.

1972 – Singer-songwriter and record producer Ross Bagdasarian also known professionally as David Seville died at the age of 52. Best remembered for the chart-topping hits ‘Witch Doctor’ and ‘The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)’.

1973 –  American gospel singer Clara Ward died on this day January 16, aged 48 after suffering a series of strokes. Best remembered as the leader of The Famous Ward Singers.

1975 – American electronic music pioneer Paul Beaver died on this day January 16 at the age of 49. Best remembered as one half of the musical duo Beaver & Krause.

1980 – Japanese customs officers found marijuana in Paul McCartney‘s luggage and arrested him. The former Beatle spent 9 days in a Tokyo jail before being released.

1982 – Pop rock band Bucks Fizz went to number one in the UK on this day January 16 in music history with ‘The Land of Make Believe’ for the first of two weeks.

1982 – Rock band Foreigner returned for a three-week stint at number one on the US Billboard 200 with their fourth studio album ‘4’. The LP topped the chart for 10 non-consecutive weeks on three separate occasions.

1988 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day January 16 was ‘Heaven Is a Place on Earth’ by Belinda Carlisle.

1988 – With his version of ‘Got My Mind Set on You’George Harrison reached the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Also a chart-topper in Australia, Belgium, Canada, and Ireland, and a No.2 hit in the UK that year.

1988 – The Scottish pop rock band Wet Wet Wet went to number one in the UK on this day January 16 with their debut studio album ‘Popped in Souled Out’.

1988 – George Michael topped the US Billboard 200 chart with his debut studio album ‘Faith’. The album was a big hit that year and it features four US No.1 singles.

1990 – American boy band New Kids on the Block started a two-week stint at the top of the UK Singles chart with ‘Hangin’ Tough’ on this day January 16.

1991 – The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees for this year’s class were The Byrds, John Lee Hooker, Ike & Tina Turner, LaVern Baker, Wilson Pickett, The Impressions, and Jimmy Reed.

May Interest You: Metal Bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

1992 – Eric Clapton recorded the ‘Unplugged’ album in front of a live audience on this day January 16 in music history. It went on to become one of the bestselling live albums of all time with more than 26 million copies sold worldwide. The album also earned Clapton six Grammy Awards.

1999 – British DJ and record producer Fatboy Slim had the number one single in the United Kingdom with ‘Praise You’.

Fatboy Slim – Praise You

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1999 – The number one single in the United States on this day January 16 was ‘Have You Ever?’ by the R&B singer Brandy.

2005 – With their seventh studio album ‘American Idiot’Green Day went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. The LP was a big international hit and it also reached No.1 in the UK, Australia, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, and Sweden.

2010 – British singer and songwriter Keidran Jones also known by his stage name Iyaz topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Replay’ on this day January 16.

2017 – American musician Steve Wright died of a heart attack at the age of 67. Best known for his work as bass guitarist with The Greg Kihn Band.

2020 – With his second studio album ‘Heavy Is the Head’, rapper Stormzy reached number one in the UK on this day January 16.

2021 – Jewish-American songwriter, record producer and convicted murderer Phil Spector died in prison at the age of 81. He was one of the most successful and most influential pop music producers of the 1960s.

BORN ON JANUARY 16 IN MUSIC HISTORY

1934 – Founding member and guitarist for the instrumental rock band The Ventures – Robert “Bob” Bogle was born in Wagoner, Oklahoma. In 2008 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

1942 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist Barbara Lynn was born in Beaumont, Texas. Best known for her No.1 R&B hit single ‘You’ll Lose a Good Thing’.

1943 – American country music singer and pianist Ronnie Lee Milsap was born in Robbinsville, North Carolina. Best known as one of the first prominent blind country musicians.

1950 – American guitarist and record producer Robert “Bob” Kulick was born in New York City. Best known for his collaborations with artists such as Alice Cooper, Kiss, Lou Reed, and Meat Loaf among others.

1950 – Japanese singer based in Germany Kenji Suzuki also known as Damo Suzuki was born. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the krautrock band Can.

1959 – Singer and songwriter Helen Folasade Adu better known by her stage name Sade was born in Ibadan, Nigeria.

1962 – English musician Paul Webb also known professionally as Rustin Man was born in Southend, Essex. Best known as the bassist of the rock band Talk Talk from 1981 until 1988.

1962 – Singer and founding member of the vocal group En Vogue – Maxine Jones was born in Oakland, California.

1979 – R&B and pop singer Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in New York City. Best known for her chart-topping hits ‘More Than a Woman’ and ‘Try Again’.

1981 – Guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and co-founder of the pop rock group The Strokes, Nicholas “Nick” Valensi was born in New York City, US.

1989 – Singer and multi-instrumentalist Kiesa Ellestad also known as Kiesza was born in Calgary, Canada. She rose to fame with the 2014 chart-topping hit ‘Hideaway’.

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