On This Day, October 30 in Music History
EVENTS ON OCTOBER 30 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day October 30 in 1959 – Cliff Richard & The Shadows started a five-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Travellin’ Light’.
1968 – Marvin Gaye released his version of ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ through Motown Records’ subsidiary label Tamla. It went on to top the singles charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
1968 – American musician Malcolm Hale died at the age of 27 from pneumonia. Best remembered as the lead guitarist, trombonist, and vocalist of the sunshine pop band Spanky and Our Gang.
1970 – DJM Records released Elton John‘s third studio album ‘Tumbleweed Connection’ in the United Kingdom where it peaked at No.2. In the United States it was released in January 1971 and it reached No.5 on the Billboard 200.
1971 – Pink Floyd released their sixth studio album ‘Meddle’ through Harvest Records.
1971 – With his second studio album ‘Imagine’, John Lennon went to No.1 in the UK and the US. The album also reached No.1 in Australia, the Netherlands, Japan, and Norway.
1982 – Australian pop rock band Men at Work topped the US Singles chart with ‘Who Can It Be Now?’.
1987 – George Michael released his debut solo studio album ‘Faith’ through Columbia and Epic Records. The album became a chart-topper in Canada, the Netherlands, Spain, the US and the UK, and it features four No.1 singles ‘Father Figure’, ‘One More Try’, ‘Faith’, and ‘Monkey’. It also won him a Grammy for Album of the Year.
1993 – The number one album in the US on this day was ‘Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell’ by Meat Loaf. The LP also reached No.1 in nine other countries and it features the worldwide hit single ‘I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)’ which peaked at No.1 in 28 countries.
1999 – Rock band Santana started a three-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 with their eighteenth studio album ‘Supernatural’. It became a chart-topper in sixteen other countries and it features the hit singles ‘Smooth’ and ‘Maria Maria’.
1999 – Irish boy band Westlife scored their third consecutive number one single in the UK with ‘Flying Without Wings’.
2002 – Co-founder of the hip hop group Run-DMC, Jason Mizell also known by his stage name Jam Master Jay was murdered while working in his recording studio, aged 37.
2004 – Robbie Williams went to number one in the UK with his compilation album ‘Greatest Hits’. The album became a chart-topper in 10 other countries that year as well.
2004 – With ‘My Boo’, Usher and Alicia Keys hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first of six consecutive weeks.
2007 – Grammy Award-winning singer Robert Goulet died at the age of 73. Best remembered for the hit song ‘My Love, Forgive Me’.
2007 – Twenty-eight years since the release of their last studio album ‘The Long Run’, rock band the Eagles released their seventh studio album ‘Long Road Out of Eden’. It went on to top the album charts in Australia, the Netherlands, Greece, New Zealand, Norway, the UK, and the US.
2008 – American saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and arranger Andrew “Mike” Terry died at age 68.
2010 – While in prison, rapper Lil Wayne topped the US Billboard 200 chart with his eighth studio album ‘I Am Not a Human Being’.
2010 – Hip hop group Fast East Movement featuring The Cataracs and Dev topped the US Singles chart with ‘Like a G6’.
2010 – American rock band Kings of Leon topped the UK Albums chart with their fifth studio LP ‘Come Around Sundown’. The album reached No.1 in nine other countries and it peaked at No.2 in the US.
2013 – Guitarist, singer, and film score composer Peter Haycock died aged 62. Best known as a founding member of the Climax Blues Band.
2017 – Country and pop music singer Thomas Rhett went to number one in the US with his third studio LP ‘Life Changes’.
2021 – Adele hit number one in the United States with ‘Easy on Me’ for the first of four consecutive weeks. The song was a worldwide hit and it topped the singles charts in over twenty-five countries.
2021 – With his second studio album ‘Punk’, rapper Young Thug went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.
BORN ON OCTOBER 30 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1922 – American jazz tenor saxophonist Jean-Baptiste “Illinois” Jacquet was born in Broussard, Louisiana.
1939 – American singer, songwriter, and producer Edward “Eddie” Holland was born in Detroit, Michigan. Best known as one third of Motown Records’ songwriting and production team Holland-Dozier-Holland.
1939 – Singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and painter Grace Slick was born Grace Barnett Wing in Highland Park, Illinois. Best known as a member of the bands Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.
1941 – Singer and founding member of the vocal group The Temptations, Otis Williams was born in Texarkana, Texas.
1946 – Rock drummer Christopher “Chris” Slade was born in Cardiff, Wales. Best known for his work with AC/DC.
1947 – American bass guitarist, singer, and songwriter Timothy B. Schmit was born in Oakland, California. Best known for his work with the bands Poco and the Eagles.
1965 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band Bush, Gavin Rossdale was born in London, England.
1969 – Rapper and singer Darrin Kenneth O’Brien better known by his stage name Snow was born in Toronto, Canada. Best known for his worldwide chart-topping hit single ‘Informer’.
1989 – Singer Vanessa White was born in Yeovil, England. She came to prominence as a member of the girl group The Saturdays.