EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY AUGUST 31 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 31 in 1957 – Tommy Steele was an number one in the UK with the soundtrack album to ‘The Tommy Steele Story’ film that follows his rise to fame.
1961 – John Leyton started a three-week run at number one on the UK singles chart with ‘Johnny Remember Me’. The song was later banned by the BBC due to its eerie sound and morbid lyrics.
1963 – Girl group The Angels started a three-week run at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘My Boyfriend’s Back’ on this day August 31. Also a chart-topper in New Zealand that year.
1963 – Song parodist Allan Sherman started an eight-week at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart with his third studio album ‘My Son, the Nut’.
1968 – The first Isle of Wight Festival was held on this day at Hells Field near Godshill. It featured performances by the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Arthur Brown, Fairport Convention, The Move, and others.
1970 – The Beach Boys released their sixteenth studio album ‘Sunflower’ through Reprise Records on this day August 31 in music history.
1973 – The Rolling Stones released their thirteenth studio album ‘Goats Head Soup’ on their own record label. The album became a chart-topper in eight countries and it features the hit single ‘Angie’ which also reached No.1 in several countries worldwide.
1974 – With their version of Johnny Bristol‘s song ‘Love Me for a Reason’, The Osmonds topped the UK Singles chart on this day August 31.
1985 – UB40 and Chrissie Hynde went to No.1 in the UK with their rendition of Sonny & Cher‘s 1965 hit single ‘I Got You Babe’.
1991 – Heavy metal band Metallica started a four-week run at number one in the US with their self-titled fifth studio album also known as ‘The Black Album’ on this day August 31 in music history.
2002 – Rapper and singer Nelly returned to number one in the US with his second studio album ‘Nellyville’, on this day August 31.
2002 – With their rendition of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony‘s 1996 hit single ‘The Crossroads’, hip hop group Blazin’ Squad reached No.1 in the UK.
2002 – Eva Cassidy went to number one in the UK with her third studio album ‘Imagine’. The album was posthumously released after her untimely death in 1996. It features 10 cover versions of popular songs by artists such as John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, Paul Anka, and others.
2004 – English singer and actor Carl Wayne died on this day August 31 at the age of 61 from cancer. Best remembered as the lead singer of the rock band The Move.
2010 – Rock band Papa Roach released their first live album ‘Time for Annihilation: On the Record & On the Road’. It peaked at No.23 on the Billboard 200.
2013 – Country music singer-songwriter Luke Bryan topped the US Billboard 200 chart for the first time with his fourth studio album ‘Crash My Party’.
2019 – Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Senorita’ on this day August 31 in music history. The song was a massive international hit and it topped over 50 charts worldwide.
Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello – Senorita
2019 – American rapper Young Thug went to number one in the United States with his debut studio album ‘So Much Fun’.
BORN ON THIS DAY AUGUST 31 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1931 – American musician Jerry Allison was born on this day August 31 in Hillsboro, Texas. He rose to fame as the drummer for The Crickets.
1940 – Saxophone and bass player Wilton Felder was born in Houston, Texas. Best known as a founding member of the jazz group The Crusaders.
1945 – American musician Robert “Bob” Welch was born on this day in Hollywood, California. He came to prominence as a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1971 until 1974 and later established himself as a solo artist with hit songs such as ‘Ebony Eyes’, ‘Sentimental Lady’, and ‘Hypnotized’.
1945 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Van Morrison was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on this day August 31 in music history.
1948 – Founder and guitarist of the hard rock band Scorpions, Rudolf Schenker was born on this day in Hildesheim, Germany.
1948 – Guitarist and founding member of the rock band Flamin’ Groovies, Cyril Jordan was born in San Francisco, California.
1955 – Multi-instrumentalist Anthony “Anto” Thistlethwaite was born on this day August 31 in Lutterworth, England. Best known as a member of the bands The Waterboys and The Saw Doctors.
1957 – Singer and multi-instrumentalist Regina “Gina” Schock was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She came to prominence as the drummer of the band The Go-Go’s.
1957 – English singer-songwriter and guitarist Glenn Tilbrook was born on this day in London. Best known as the frontman of the new wave band Squeeze.
1959 – Frontman of The DeFranco Family group, Tony DeFranco was born in Port Colborne, Canada on this day August 31 in music history.
1969 – Guitarist, composer, songwriter, vocalist, and co-founder of the rock band Tonic, Jeff Russo was born on this day August 31 in music history.
1970 – American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer Deborah “Debbie” Gibson was born on Long Island, New York. Best known for her chart-topping singles ‘Foolish Beat’ and ‘Lost in Your Eyes’.
1977 – American musician and songwriter Derek Gruen also known professionally as Del Marquis was born in New York City. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock band Scissor Sisters.
1977 – Co-founder and frontman of the alternative rock band The Vines, Craig Nicholls was born on this day August 31 in Sydney, Australia.