On This Day, July 15 in Music History
EVENTS ON JULY 15 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day July 15 in 1955 – Alma Cogan topped the UK Singles chart with her rendition of ‘Dreamboat’. It held the top spot for two weeks straight.
1966 – The RIAA awarded Percy Sledge a Gold disc for his hit single ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’. The song topped the charts in Canada, the UK and the US.
1972 – Elton John started a five-week stint at No.1 in the US on this day July 15 in music history with his fifth studio album ‘Honky Chateau’. It was a chart-topper in Spain as well that year, while in the UK it peaked at No.2.
1973 – American guitarist and singer Clarence White died at the age of 29 after being struck by a drunk driver. Best remembered for his work with the rock band The Byrds.
1978 – The Rolling Stones went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with ‘Some Girls’ on this day July 15. The album was a chart-topper in Canada as well and it peaked within the Top 5 in eleven countries worldwide, including the UK where it reached No.2.
1982 – American singer, songwriter, composer and arranger William “Bill” Justis died on this day at the age of 55. Best remembered for his 1957 hit song ‘Raunchy’.
1986 – Run DMC made history on this day July 15 as they became the first hip hop act to receive a Platinum plaque by the RIAA for their third studio album ‘Raising Hell’. The album peaked at No.3 on the Billboard 200 chart and it features the group’s biggest hit ‘Walk This Way’.
1989 – With their rendition of ‘If You Don’t Know Me by Now’, Simply Red went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Also a chart-topper in Australia and New Zealand. In the UK it peaked at No.2.
1989 – Musical collective Soul II Soul reached number one in the UK with their debut album ‘Club Classics Vol. One’ on this day July 15 in music history.
1989 – During their ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour’, Pink Floyd performed for free in front of 200,000 people in Venice, Italy. They played 198 shows in total and it was the band’s first tour without co-founder Roger Waters.
15 Pink Floyd Facts You May Have Not Known
2000 – Sibling pop rock group The Corrs reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart with ‘Breathless’ on this day July 15.
2000 – British singer and songwriter Paul Young died at the age of 53 from a heart attack. Best remembered for his work with the bands Sad Café and Mike + the Mechanics.
2000 – Alternative rock band Vertical Horizon topped the US Singles chart with ‘Everything You Want’ on this day July 15. Also a chart-topper in Canada.
2000 – American rapper Eminem topped the UK Albums chart with his third studio release ‘The Marshall Mathers LP’.
2006 – With her debut single ‘Smile’, Lily Allen reached number one in the United Kingdom on this day July 15 in music history.
2006 – With their fourth studio album ‘Black Holes and Revelations’, rock band Muse started a two-week run at No.1 in the UK. Also a chart-topper in Australia, Austria, Switzerland, and Ireland that year.
2006 – R&B singer India Arie took the top spot on the US Billboard 200 chart on this day July 15 with her third studio album ‘Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship’.
2017 – Record producer and rapper DJ Khaled started a two-week run at number one in the US with his tenth studio album ‘Grateful’.
BORN ON JULY 15 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1919 – Jazz pianist and composer Sadik Hakim was born Forrest Argonne Thornton in Duluth, Minnesota on this day July 15 in music history.
1928 – Jamaican jazz alto saxophonist and composer Joseph “Joe” Harriott was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
1936 – American pianist, producer, songwriter and arranger Hidle Brown Barnum was born on this day July 15 in Houston, Texas.
1944 – R&B and soul singer and songwriter Mildred “Millie” Jackson dubbed the “Mother of Hip-Hop” was born in Thomson, Georgia.
1945 – Guitarist and founding member of the band rock Moby Grape, Peter Lewis was born on this day July 15 in Los Angeles, California.
1946 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer Linda Ronstadt was born in Tucson, Arizona. Best known for her chart-topping single ‘You’re No Good’ and for winning eleven Grammy Awards.
1947 – American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Roger “Roky” Erickson was born in Dallas, Texas on this day July 15 in music history. He rose to fame as a founding member and leader of the rock band The 13th Floor Elevators. He is also a pioneer of the psychedelic rock genre.
1947 – British guitarist Peter Brockbanks better known as Peter Banks was born on this day in London. He came to prominence as a member of progressive rock bands like Yes, Flash, and The Syn.
1948 – American drummer Thomas “Artimus” Pyle was born on this day July 15 in Louisville, Kentucky. Best known as a member of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.
1952 – American drummer Mark Bell also known by his stage name Marky Ramone was born in New York City. He came to prominence as a member of The Ramones.
1952 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band Ambrosia, David Pack was born on this day July 15 in Huntington Park, California.
1953 – Singer and songwriter Alicia Bridges was born on this day in Charlotte, North Carolina. Best known for her 1978 international hit song ‘I Love the Nightlife (Disco ‘Round)’.
1956 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Ian Curtis was born in Stretford, England on this day July 15 in music history. Best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the post-punk band Joy Division.
1956 – American guitarist, songwriter and composer Joseph “Joe” Satriani was born in Westbury, New York. He is one of the best-selling instrumental rock guitarists of all time.
1966 – English drummer and vocalist Jason Bonham was born on this day July 15 in Dudley. He’s the son of Led Zeppelin‘s drummer John Bonham.
1972 – Drummer and songwriter John Dolmayan was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Best known as a member of the heavy metal band System of a Down.
1977 – Founding member and lead guitarist of the band My Chemical Romance, Raymond Toro was born in New Jersey on this day July 15 in music history.