EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY DECEMBER 18 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day December 18 in 1959 – With their rendition of the 1916 song ‘What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?’, Emile Ford and the Checkmates topped the UK Singles chart.
1961 – Sam Cooke recorded ‘Twstin’ the Night Away’ at RCA Victor studios. The song was released on January 9 and it went on to top the US R&B chart while in the UK and New Zealand it peaked at No.6.
1961 – With their version of ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’, The Tokens hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first of three consecutive weeks on this day December 18 in music history.
1971 – Sly and the Family Stone started a two-week run at No.1 in the US with their fifth studio album ‘There’s a Riot Goin’ On’.
1971 – With their second studio album ‘Electric Warrior’, rock band T.Rex hit number one in the UK on this day December 18 for the first of six consecutive weeks.
1975 – Six years after co-founding the rock group Faces, Rod Stewart announced his departure from the band in order to pursue a solo career.
1982 – With ‘Maneater’, Hall & Oates started a four-week stint at number one on the US Singles chart on this day December 18. The song was an international hit and it made the Top 10 in eleven other countries, including No.1 in Spain.
1982 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day was ‘Save Your Love’ by the vocal duo Renee & Renato. The duo topped the Singles chart for four consecutive weeks.
1984 – Madonna enjoyed the number one spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 on this day December 18 with her first chart-topper ‘Like a Virgin’.
1993 – With ‘Babe’, boy band Take That scored their third consecutive number one single in the United Kingdom on this day.
2000 – British singer and songwriter Kristy MacColl died on this day December 18 while scuba diving in Cozumel, Mexico at the age of 41. Best remembered for her recordings of ‘There’s a Guy Works Down the Chi[ Show Swears He’s Elvis’, ‘They Don’t Know’, and ‘A New England’.
2001 – English singer and songwriter Clifford Thomas Ward died at the age of 57. Best remembered for the hit singles ‘Gaye’ and ‘Scullery’.
Clifford Thomas Ward – Gaye
2004 – The collaborative album ‘Collision Course’ by the American rapper Jay-Z and rock band Linkin Park reached No.1 in the US on this day December 18.
2010 – With ‘Firework’, Katy Perry scored her third number one single of the year in the US. She previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Teenage Dream’ and ‘California Gurls’.
2010 – The Black Eyed Peas topped the UK Singles chart with ‘The Time (Dirty Bit)’ on this day December 18. The song was a hit worldwide and it also became a chart-topper in nineteen other countries.
2010 – Scottish singer Susan Boyle returned to the top spot on the US Billboard 200 with her second studio album ‘The Gift’.
2011 – Record producer, arranger, songwriter, and instrumentalist Ralph MacDonald died on this day December 18, aged 67. Best known for composing the hit songs ‘Where Is the Love’ and ‘Just the Two of Us’.
2020 – Paul McCartney released his 18th solo studio album named ‘McCartney III’. As on ‘McCartney I and ‘II’, Paul also played all the instruments. The album became his first chart-topper in the UK since ‘Flowers in the Dirt’ in 1989. In the US the album peaked at No.2.
BORN ON THIS DAY DECEMBER 18 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1928 – American jazz tenor saxophonist Harold Land was born in Los Angeles, California on this day December 18 in music history.
1938 – Record producer, musician, and manager Bryan “Chas” Chandler was born on this day in Newcastle, England. Best known as a founding member and bassist of The Animals and as the manager of Jimi Hendrix and the rock band Slade.
1941 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and composer Sam Houston Andrew was born on this day December 18 in Taft, California. Best known as a founding member of the band Big Brother and the Holding Company.
1943 – American rock/jazz saxophonist and session musician Robert “Bobby” Keys was born in Franklin, Tennessee.
1943 – Guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and co-founder of The Rolling Stones, Keith Richards was born on this day December 18 in Dratford, England.
1944 – Rock musician Roger Arnold Leonard also known as “Deke” was born on this day in Llanelli, Wales. Best known as a member of the progressive rock band Man and for fronting the band Iceberg.
1948 – British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist William “Bill” Nelson was born in Wakefield, England on this day December 18 in music history. He rose to fame as the founder of the rock band Be-Bop Deluxe.
1950 – American musician Randolph “Randy” Castillo was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Best known for playing drums with Ozzy Osbourne and Mötley Crüe.
1950 – Lead singer and keyboardist of the band Martha and the Muffins, Martha Johnson was born on this day December 18 in Toronto, Canada.
1953 – American guitarist Elliot Easton was born in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as a member of the rock band The Cars with whom he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
1958 – British guitarist Kevin Walker also known by his stage name Geordie Walker was born on this day December 18 in Chester, England. He rose to fame as a member of the punk band Killing Joke.
1959 – Founding member of the band Massive Attack, Grantley Evan Marshall also known professionally as Daddy G was born in Bristol, England.
1970 – American rapper Earl Simmons also known professionally as DMX was born on this day December 18 in Mount Vernon, New York.
1972 – DJ and producer Leor Dimant also known as DJ Lethal was born in Riga, Latvia. Best known as a member of the groups House of Pain and Limp Bizkit.
1975 – Singer and songwriter Sia Furler was born on this day December 18 in Adelaide, Australia. Best known for hit songs such as ‘Chandelier’, ‘Cheap Thrills’, ‘Titanium’, ‘Diamonds’, etc.
1977 – American singer and songwriter Maria Brink was born in New York City. Best known for fronting the rock band In This Moment.
1980 – Singer, songwriter, and actress Christina Aguilera was born in New York City on this day December 18 in music history.
1999 – American rapper Nicholas Alexander Simmons better known by his stage name YBN Nahmir was born in Birmingham, Alabama.
2001 – American singer-songwriter Billie Eilish was born on this day December 18 in Los Angeles, California.