EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY AUGUST 25 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 25 in 1956 – Frank Sinatra was at number one in the UK with his tenth studio album ‘Songs for Swingin’ Lovers!’. In USA the album peaked at No.2.
1958 – Doo-wop vocal group The Elegants went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Little Star’. It was the group’s first and last single to make the charts.
1960 – Instrumental rock band The Shadows started a five-week run at No.1 in the UK with their version of Jerry Lordan‘s song ‘Apache’ on this day August 25 in music history.
1962 – With her rendition of the Gerry Goffin and Carole King song ‘The Loco-Motion’, Little Eva topped the US Singles chart. The song was also a No.1 hit for Grand Funk Railroad in 1974.
1967 – After a two-year hiatus due to anxiety and stage fright, Brian Wilson returned to playing live with the Beach Boys.
1970 – Elton John made his live debut in the United states at a show he co-headlined in West Hollywood, California.
1973 – Pop rock band Stories went to No.1 in the US with their version of the Hot Chocolate song ‘Brother Louie’ on this day August 25 in music history.
1973 – Donny Osmond started a four-week run at number one in the UK with his version of the 1956 popular song ‘Young Love’.
1973 – Rock band Chicago returned to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with their fifth studio album ‘Chicago VI’.
1975 – Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen released his third studio album ‘Born to Run’ through Columbia Records on this day August 25. It was his breakthrough album and it sold over six million copies.
1976 – Progressive rock band Boston released their self-titled debut studio album through Epic Records. The album was an instant hit and it became the best-selling debut album at the time.
1979 – With ‘My Sharona’, The Knack started a six-week run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single also reached No.1 in Australia and Canada, and was the biggest song in the US for that year.
1979 – Cliff Richard scored his tenth number one single in the United Kingdom with ‘We Don’t Talk Anymore’ on this day August 25.
1979 – American pop and jazz music bandleader, pianist, composer, and arranger Stanley “Stan” Kenton died at the age of 67.
1995 – American musician Douglas “Doug” Stegmeyer committed suicide at the age of 43. Best remembered for playing bass with the likes of Billy Joel, Hall & Oates, and Debbie Gibson.
1998 – Rapper, singer, and songwriter Lauryn Hill released her debut solo studio album ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’. It topped the album charts in Canada, Ireland, and the US, while in the UK it peaked at No.2.
2000 – American musician, record producer, songwriter and composer Jack Nitzsche died on this day August 25, aged 63. Best remembered for his work with Neil Young, Phil Spector, and The Rolling Stones. Also known for winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song with ‘Up Where We Belong’.
2001 – British boy band Five scored their third and final number one single in the UK with ‘Let’s Dance’.
2001 – American R&B singer and actress Aaliyah Haughton died in an airplane accident in the Bahamas at the age of 22. Best remembered for hit songs such as ‘Try Again’, ‘Back & Forth’, ‘If Your Girl Only Knew’, etc.
2001 – Folk singer-songwriter David Gray topped the UK Albums chart with ‘White Ladder’ on this day August 25 in music history.
2007 – ‘Evlis the King’ – a compilation album with eighteen of Elvis Presley‘s best singles reached the top spot in the UK.
2007 – With the Grammy Award-winning song ‘Stronger’, rapper Kanye West went to number one on the UK Singles chart.
Kanye West – Stronger
2007 – Hip hop duo UGK topped the US Billboard 200 chart with their fifth studio album ‘Underground Kingz’ on this day August 25.
2008 – Alternative rock band The Verve released their fourth and final studio album ‘Forth’. It reached number one on the UK albums chart and peaked at No.23 in the US.
2009 – Christian rock band Skillet released their seventh studio album ‘Awake’ on this day August 25. The album peaked at No.2 on the Billboard 200 chart and it features their hit singles ‘Hero’ and ‘Monster’.
2012 – Scottish singer and songwriter Emeli Sande went to number one in the UK with her debut studio album ‘Our Version of Events’.
2012 – With her debut solo single ‘How We Do (Party)’, singer Rita Ora topped the UK singles chart. It also reached No.1 in Ireland and on the Euro Digital Songs chart.
2012 – Rapper Flo Rida stopped Carly Rae Jepsen‘s nine-week reign at No.1 on the US Singles chart with ‘Whistle’ on this day August 25 in music history. The song was an international hit and it topped the charts in over twenty countries worldwide.
BORN ON THIS DAY AUGUST 25 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1933 – American jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter was born in Newark, New Jersey. Best known for his work with Art Blakey and Miles Davis, and for co-founding the jazz fusion band Weather Report.
1943 – Founding member of the R&B group The O’Jays, Walter Lee Williams was born on this day August 25 in music history.
1949 – Israeli-American musician Chaim Witz also known professionally as Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel. He came to prominence as the co-founder, bassist, and co-lead singer of the rock band Kiss.
1950 – American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist William Borsey also known professionally as Willy DeVille was born on this day August 25 in Stamford, Connecticut.
1951 – English singer and songwriter Robert “Rob” Halford was born in Walsall. Best known as the frontman of the heavy metal band Judas Priest.
1952 – Keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer Geoffrey Downes was born on this day in Stockport, England. Best known for his work with the bands The Buggles, Yes, and Asia.
1954 – English singer-songwriter and producer Declan Patrick MacManus also known professionally as Elvis Costello was born in London on this day August 25 in music history.
1961 – American country music singer-songwriter and actor Billy Ray Cyrus was born on this day in Flatwoods, Kentucky.
1962 – Northern Irish guitarist Vivian Campbell was born in Lisburn. Best known as a member of the bands Dio and Def Leppard.
1966 – American DJ Norman Rogers also known by his stage name Terminator X was born on this day August 25 in New York. He came to prominence as a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy.
1967 – Co-founder and frontman of the alternative rock band Wilco, Jeffrey “Jeff” Tweedy was born in Belleville, Illinois.
1970 – Country music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jo Dee Messina was born in Framingham, Massachusetts.
1985 – R&B singer and songwriter Diana Gordon also known as Wynter Gordon was born in New York City on this day August 25 in music history.
1987 – Scottish singer-songwriter and guitar player Amy Macdonald was born on this day August 25 in Bishopbriggs.