EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY DECEMBER 2 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day December 2 in 1957 – Sam Cooke started a two-week run at number one on the US Singles chart with ‘You Send Me’/’Summertime’.
1967 – With ‘Daydream Believer’, The Monkees hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first of four consecutive weeks. They also topped the Billboard 200 on this day with ‘Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.’ which was their third album of the year to reach No.1 in the US.
1972 – The Temptations reached number one on the US Singles chart with ‘Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone’ on this day December 2 in music history.
1978 – Rod Stewart went to number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?’. The song was an international hit and it also topped the singles charts in North America, Australia, Portugal, and Spain.
1978 – With ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers’, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond reached the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on this day December 2.
1982 – American folk music singer-songwriter and guitarist David Cohen better known by his stage name David Blue died of a heart attack at the age of 41.
1989 – With his fourth solo studio LP ‘…But Seriously’, Phil Collins started an eight-week stint at the top of the UK Albums chart on this day December 2. The album was a huge hit worldwide and it topped the music charts in 21 countries.
1995 – Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘One Sweet Day’ for the first of unbelievable sixteen consecutive weeks at the top.
1995 – With his eponymous second studio album, R&B singer R. Kelly reached the top spot on the US Billboard 200 chart on this day December 2.
2000 – American girl group Destiny’s Child reached number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Independent Women Part 1’.
2000 – The Beatles topped the US Albums chart with their greatest hits compilation ‘1’ which features all of their US and UK number one singles. The compilation was a big hit worldwide and it reached No.1 in over 20 countries.
2001 – One third of the sibling vocal group The Jones Girls, Valorie Jones died on this day December 2 at the age of 45.
2006 – After a ten year hiatus, boy band Take That went to number one in the UK with their comeback single ‘Patience’ which topped the Singles chart for four weeks straight.
2006 – Singer Akon featuring rapper Snoop Dogg topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘I Wanna Love You’ on this day December 2 in music history.
2006 – Dutch singer and keyboardist Maria Elizabeth Ender also known professionally as Mariska Veres died at the age of 59. Best remembered as the lead singer of the group Shocking Blue.
2006 – Irish boy band Westlife topped the UK Albums chart with their seventh studio LP ‘The Love Album’ on this day December 2.
2006 – With his second studio album ‘Doctor’s Advocate’, American rapper The Game reached the top spot on the US Billboard 200 chart.
The Game ft. Kanye West – Wouldn’t Get Far
2008 – American singer, guitarist, actress, and activist Odetta Holmes died on this day December 2 at the age of 77. Best known for her hit recording of ‘Take This Hammer’.
2009 – Scottish musician and co-founder of The Alan Parsons Project, Eric Woolfson died on this day December 2, aged 64.
2011 – American soul music singer and songwriter Howard Tate died at the age of 72. Best remembered for songs such as ‘Ain’t Nobody Home’ and ‘Get It While You Can’.
2013 – Jamaican reggae musician Murvin Junior Smith better known as Junior Murvin died on this day December 2 in music history, aged 67. Best remembered for the song ‘Police and Thieves’.
2014 – American saxophonist and session musician Robert “Bobby” Keys died at the age of 70. Best known playing with The Rolling Stones, George Harrison, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many others.
2017 – With her sixth studio album ‘Reputation’, Taylor Swift started a three-week stint at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart on this day December 2.
2021 – With her fourth studio LP ’30’, singer-songwriter Adele hit number one on the UK Albums chart for the first of five consecutive weeks. The album peaked at No.1 in over 20 countries worldwide that year.
BORN ON THIS DAY DECEMBER 2 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1916 – American jazz tenor saxophonist and bandleader Charles Venturo also known as Charlie Ventura was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on this day December 2 in music history.
1931 – American jazz and blues music pianist and composer Wynton Kelly was born on this day in Brooklyn, New York.
1941 – Guitarist, songwriter, and producer Thomas “Tom” McGuinness was born on this day December 2 in London, England. Best known as a member of the bands Manfred Mann and The Blues Band.
1949 – Reggae musician and founding member of the band Black Uhuru, Rudolph “Garth” Dennis was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
1960 – American singer, composer, and actor Sydney Ford also known as Sydney Youngblood was born on this day December 2 in San Antonio, Texas.
1960 – British musician Richard “Rick” Savage was born in Sheffield, England. He came to prominence as the co-founder and bassist of the hard rock band Def Leppard.
1968 – American bass guitarist Nathan “Nate” Mendel was born in Richland, Washington on this day December 2 in music history. Best known as a member of the bands Sunny Day Real Estate and Foo Fighters.
1970 – Rapper and actor Anthony Criss also known by his stage name Treach was born in East Orange, New Jersey. He rose to fame as the lead rapper of the hip hop group Naughty by Nature.
1978 – Canadian singer and songwriter Nelly Furtado was born on this day December 2 in Victoria, British Columbia.
1978 – Co-founder, bassist, and backing vocalist of the band Muse, Christopher “Chris” Wolstenholme was born in Rotherham, England.
1981 – American singer and songwriter Britney Spears was born on this day December 2 in McComb, Mississippi. She’s one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide.
1987 – American R&B and pop music singer and songwriter Teairra Mari Thomas was born on this day in Detroit, Michigan.
1991 – Singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer Charlie Puth was born in Rumson, New Jersey on this day December 2 in music history. He came to prominence with the hit single ‘See You Again’.
1998 – American rapper, songwriter, and singer Jarad Anthony Higgins better known by his stage name Juice Wrld was born in Chicago, Illinois.