On This Day, June 26 in Music History
EVENTS ON JUNE 26 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day June 26 in 1953 – Eddie Fisher and Sally Sweetland went to No.1 in the UK with ‘I’m Walking Behind You’. With this, Fisher became the first artist to score two chart-toppers on the newly formed UK Singles chart. His first song to top the chart was ‘Outside of Heaven’ earlier that year on January 30.
1961 – Garry U.S. Bonds hit No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Quarter to Three’ for the first of two weeks. In the UK the song peaked at No.7 on September 2.
1965 – With their rendition of Bob Dylan‘s song ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’, The Byrds topped the US Billboard Hot 100 on this day June 26 in music history. Also chart-topper in Ireland, South Africa, and the UK that year.
1971 – Progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer reached number one in the UK with their second studio album ‘Tarkus’.
1976 – Soul and disco group Real Thing hit number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘You to Me Are Everything’ for the first of three weeks straight on this day June 26.
1977 – Elvis Presley performed for the last time in front of a crowd at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. The King of Rock And Roll died two months later on August 16, aged 42.
1982 – The No.1 single in the United Kingdom on this day June 26 was ‘I’ve Never Been to Me’ by the American pop singer Charlene.
1990 – Rock group Nelson released their debut studio album ‘After the Rain’ on DGC Records. The album peaked at No.17 on the US Billboard 200 and it features the No.1 hit ‘(Can’t Live Without Your) Love and Affection’.
1993 – Singer and songwriter Gabrielle started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘Dreams’ on this day June 26 in music history. Also a chart-topper in Canada.
1993 – With their debut studio album ‘Emergency on Planet Earth’, funk/acid jazz band Jamiroquai started a three-week stay at No.1 in the UK.
1999 – Six years later on the same day June 26, funk & acid jazz band Jamiroquai also topped the UK Albums chart but this time with their fourth studio release ‘Synkronized’.
1999 – Dutch Eurodance group Vengaboys reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart with ‘Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!’.
2004 – With their debut studio album ‘Contraband’, hard rock band Velvet Revolver went to number one in the US on this day June 26. Also a chart-topper in Canada that year.
2004 – Britney Spears scored her second number one single of the year in the UK with ‘Everytime’. She previously topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Toxic’ on March 13.
2010 – The cast of the musical TV series Glee scored their third number one album of the year in the United States on this day June 26 in music history with ‘Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals’. They previously were at No.1 on May 8 with ‘Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna’ and with ‘Glee: The Music, Volume 3 Showstoppers’ on June 5 for two weeks.
2010 – The No.1 album in the United Kingdom on this day was the greatest hits compilation ‘Time Flies 1994-2009’ by the rock band Oasis.
2020 – With his 39th studio album ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’, Bob Dylan went to number one in the UK on this day June 26. The album was a chart-topper in nine other countries around the world, and it peaked at No.2 in the US.
2020 – American soul singer Gloria Jean Brown better known professionally as Tami Lynn died at the age of 81. Best remembered for her hit song ‘I’m Gonna Run Away From You’.
2021 – American rapper Polo G topped the US Billboard 200 chart for the first time with his third studio album ‘Hall of Fame’ on this day June 26.
2021 – American singer Johnny Solinger died at the age of 55 from liver failure. Best remembered as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Skid Row from 1999 until 2015.
BORN ON JUNE 26 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1909 – Musical entrepreneur Cornelis van Kuijk also known as Thomas Andrew “Colonel” Parker was born in Breda, the Netherlands. Best known as the manager of Elvis Presley.
1934 – Keyboardist, bandleader film score composer, producer and arranger Dave Grusin was born in Littleton, Colorado.
1938 – American singer Billy Davis Jr. was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He rose to fame as a member of the vocal group The 5th Dimension.
1942 – American bass guitarist Lawrence “Larry” Taylor was born in New York City. Best known as a member of the blues rock band Canned Heat and for his work with The Monkees.
1943 – R&B and jazz keyboardist and singer Clive Powell also known professionally as Georgie Fame was born in Leigh, England.
1946 – Singer and songwriter Brenda Holloway was born in Atascadero, California. Best known for hit songs such as ‘You’ve Made Me So Very Happy’, ‘When I’m Gone’, and ‘Every Little Bit Hurts’.
1955 – British guitarist, singer, and songwriter Michael “Mick” Jones was born in London. Best known as the co-founder of the punk rock bands The Clash and Big Audio Dynamite.
1955 – Guitarist, singer and songwriter Ivan Julian was born in Washington, DC. He came to prominence as a founding member of the band Richard Hell and the Voidoids.
1956 – Singer, songwriter and guitarist Christopher Isaak was born in Stockton, California. Best known for the songs ‘Wicked Game’ and ‘Somebody’s Crying’.
1957 – American singer and songwriter Patricia “Patty” Smyth was born in New York City. She rose to fame as a member of the rock band Scandal before embarking on a solo career.
1961 – Singer and actress Terri Nunn was born in Baldwin Hills, California. Best known as the lead vocalist of the new wave band Berlin.
1969 – English bass guitarist Colin Greenwood was born in Oxford. He rose to fame as a founding member of the alternative rock band Radiohead.
1972 – Finnish guitarist Jussi Sydanmaa also known by his stage name Amen was born in Espoo. He rose to fame as a member of the hard rock band Lordi.
1973 – Country music singer, songwriter and guitar player Gretchen Wilson was born in Pocahontas, Illinois. Best known for her chart-topping debut single ‘Redneck Woman’.
1979 – Singer, songwriter and frontman of the pop rock band OneRepublic, Ryan Tedder was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
1993 – American singer, songwriter and actress Ariana Grande was born in Boca Raton, Florida.