On This Day, July 25 in Music History
EVENTS ON JULY 25 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day July 25 in 1964 – The Beatles started a fourteen-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart with the soundtrack album ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ while in the UK the album started a 21-week run at number one today. Also a chart-topper in Australia, Germany, and Finland that year.
1966 – Vocal girl group The Supremes released ‘You Can’t Hurry Love’ as a single on Motown Records. The song became a chart-topper in the US, Canada, and the UK.
1966 – Pop rock band The Monkees recorded ‘Last Train to Clarksville’ on this day July 25 in music history. It was released as their debut single on August 16 and it peaked at No.1 in the US and Canada.
1969 – Progressive rock band Yes released their self-titled debut studio album through Atlantic Records. The album received positive reviews but it failed to chart on both sides of the Atlantic.
1970 – Sibling pop duo The Carpenters started a four-week stint at No.1 in the US on this day July 25 with ‘(They Long to Be) Close to You’.
1980 – Hard rock band AC/DC released their seventh studio album ‘Back in Black’. It reached No.1 in the UK, France, Australia, and Canada, and it’s the first album to feature lead singer Brian Johnson.
1981 – With their tenth studio album ‘Long Distance Voyager’, The Moody Blues started a three-week run at No.1 in the US on this day July 25.
1983 – Heavy metal band Metallica released their debut studio album ‘Kill ‘Em All’ on Megaforce Records. As of July 2024, the LP has been certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA.
Watch: Metallica play in front of 1 million people
1981 – Soft rock duo Air Supply went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘The One That You Love’ on this day July 25 in music history.
1984 – American singer and songwriter Willie Mar Thornton better known as Big Mama Thornton died at the age of 57. Best remembered as the first artist to record ‘Hound Dog’ which was also her biggest hit. It reached No.1 in the US and sold two million copies.
1987 – American singer-songwriter Terence Trent D’Arby went to No.1 in the UK on this day July 25 with his debut studio album ‘Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby’.
1987 – Madonna reached number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Who’s That Girl’ which was the theme song to the film of the same name in which she starred.
1989 – Hip hop group Beastie Boys released their second studio album ‘Paul’s Boutique’ through Capitol Records. The LP went on to sell over 2 million copies and peaked at No.14 in the US.
1992 – Neil Diamond started a three-week stint at No.1 in the UK with his compilation album ‘The Greatest Hits: 1966-1992’. It features songs such as ‘Solitary Man’, ‘Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon’, ‘Sweet Caroline’, etc.
1995 – Hip hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony released their second studio album ‘E. 1999 Eternal’ on this day July 25 in music history. The album topped the US Billboard 200 and sold over 4 million copies.
1995 – Country music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Rich died at the age of 62. Best remembered for the hit songs ‘The Most Beautiful Girl’ and ‘Behind Closed Doors’.
1998 – Funk and acid jazz band Jamiroquai topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Deeper Underground’ on this day July 25. The song featured in the popular monster film Godzilla which boosted its popularity.
Jamiroquai – Deeper Underground
1998 – American jazz guitarist Talmage “Tal” Farlow nicknamed the Octopus died on this day at the age of 77.
1998 – With her self-titled debut studio album, British singer Jane McDonald hit number one in the UK for the first of three consecutive weeks on this day July 25.
2003 – American guitarist and vocalist Erik Brann died of a cardiac arrest, aged 52. Best remembered as a member of the rock band Iron Butterfly during the 1960s and 70s.
2009 – Singer and songwriter Maxwell topped the US Billboard 200 chart with his fourth album ‘BLACKsummer’snight’ on this day July 25 in music history.
2009 – Boy band JLS topped the UK Singles chart with their debut single ‘Beat Again’. The song reached No.1 in Romania and Scotland as well.
2015 – Jamaican singer Omi started a four-week run at number one in the US with ‘Cheerleader’ on this day July 25. The song went to No.1 in 20 countries worldwide, including the UK, Canada and Australia.
2019 – Ed Sheeran and Khalid topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Beautiful People’. Ed Sheeran also topped the UK Albums chart on this day with the collaborative album ‘No.6 Collaborations Project’ which features artists such as Eminem, Justin Bieber, 50 Cent, Bruno Mars, and Camila Cabello among others.
2020 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist and founder of Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green died on this day July 25 at the age of 73.
2020 – With the posthumously released studio album ‘Legends Never Die’, Juice Wrld went to number one on the US Billboard 200. The album topped the charts in eight other countries that year, including the UK and Canada.
BORN ON JULY 25 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1907 – American songwriter and drummer Benny Benjamin was born in Birmingham, Alabama on this day July 25 in music history. Best known for writing hit songs such as ‘I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire’, ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’, and ‘Wheel of Fortune’.
1930 – Jazz singer and actress Annie Ross was born on this day in Surrey, England. She rose to fame as one third of the vocal trio Lambert, Hendrics & Ross.
1934 – Jazz trumpeter, drummer, composer and bandleader Donald “Don” Ellis was born on this day July 25 in Los Angeles, California.
1941 – Lead guitarist and founding member of the rock band Nazareth, Manuel “Manny” Charlton was born on this day in La Linea, Spain.
1942 – Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist Bruce Woodley was born on this day July 25 in Melbourne. Best known as a founding member of the folk-pop group The Seekers.
1943 – English drummer James “Jim” McCarty was born in Liverpool. He came to prominence as a member of the bands Renaissance and Yardbirds.
1946 – Multi-instrumentalist Jose “Chepito” Areas was born in Leon, Nicaragua on this day July 25 in music history Best known as a longtime member of the Latin rock group Santana.
1948 – Folk and country music singer-songwriter Steven Goodman was born in Chicago, Illinois. Best known for the songs ‘City of New Orleans’ and ‘Go Cubs Go’.
1950 – English bass guitarist and singer Mark Clarke was born on this day July 25 in Liverpool. Best known as a member of the bands Colosseum, Uriah Heep, Mountain, and Rainbow.
1951 – Bass guitarist and founding member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, Verdine White was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1958 – Co-founder, vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Sonic Youth, Thurston Moore was born on this day July 25 in Coral Gables, Florida.
1966 – American bassist and writer Maureen Herman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She rose to fame as a member of the alternative rock band Babes in Toyland.
1974 – English record producer, songwriter and musician Paul Epworth was born in Bishop’s Stortford on this day July 25 in music history. Best known for his work with the likes of Adele and Rihanna, and for winning seven Grammy Awards and one Academy Award.