EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY FEBRUARY 3 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day February 3 in 1959 – Rock and roll pioneers Buddy Holly, JP Richardson, and Ritchie Valens lost their lives in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.
1968 – At Abbey Road Studios in London, The Beatles recorded ‘Lady Madonna’, a song written by Paul McCartney and inspired by Fats Domino. It was released on March 15 and it became a chart-topper in eight countries worldwide.
1968 – With the title track to their debut studio album ‘Green Tambourine’, the Lemon Pipers hit No.1 in the US on this day February 3 in music history. It also became a chart-topper in Canada while in the UK it peaked at No.7.
1973 – Elton John scored his first number one single in the United States with ‘Crocodile Rock’ which held the top spot for three weeks straight. The song also peaked at No.1 in Canada, Italy, New Zealand, and Switzerland, while in the UK it reached No.5.
1976 – David Bowie shocked the music world during his US tour on this day February 3 when the rockstar introduced a new controversial stage persona The Thin White Duke. This was a fascist character with Aryan-like features born on the foundation of heavy substance abuse.
Read more: Thin White Duke – David Bowie’s Fascist Alter Ego
1979 – With their debut album ‘Briefcase Full of Blues’, The Blues Brothers went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.
1979 – New wave band Blondie hit number one on the UK Singles chart on this day February 3 with ‘Heart of Glass’ for the first of four consecutive weeks.
1983 – Rock band Toto went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Africa’. Also a chart-topper in Canada, and a Top 5 hit in the UK, Australia, and the Netherlands.
1990 – After a one-week break from the top spot, Phil Collins returned at No.1 in the UK on this day February 3 for a seven-week stint with his fifth solo studio album ‘…But Seriously’.
1990 – With her debut studio album ‘Forever Your Girl’, Paula Abdul hit number one on the US Billboard 200 for the first of nine consecutive weeks.
1990 – Irish singer Sinead O’Connor started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK Singles chart on this day February 3 with her rendition of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, a song written and composed by Prince.
1997 – David Bowie released his 21st studio album ‘Earthling’. The album reached the Top 10 in several countries worldwide, including No.6 in the UK.
10 Interesting David Bowie Facts
1999 – American singer-songwriter and pianist Gwendolyn “Gwen” Guthrie died on this day February 3 at the age of 48 from cancer. Best remembered for her 1986 chart-topping hit ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ on But the Rent’.
2001 – Reggae musician Shaggy featuring Rik Rok reached the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘It Wasn’t Me’. The song was an international hit that year and it became a chart-topper in nine other countries, including the UK and Australia.
Shaggy ft. Rik Rok – It Wasn’t Me
2001 – Rap metal band Limp Bizkit hit No.1 in the UK on this day February 3 with their third studio album ‘Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavoured Water’.
2007 – Scottish indie rock band The View reached the top spot on the UK Albums chart with their debut studio release ‘Hats Off to the Buskers’.
2007 – The number one album in the United States on this day February 3 was the eponymous debut studio album by the rock band Daughtry.
2018 – With ‘God’s Plan’, Canadian rapper Drake started an impressive eleven-week stint at the top of the US Singles chart.
2018 – Rock band Fall Out Boy scored their fourth number one album on the US Billboard 200 with ‘Mania’ on this day February 3.
2021 – Pop and country music singer-songwriter James Weatherly died at the age of 77. Best remembered for writing the hit songs ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ and ‘The Need to Be’.
2022 – With his third studio album ‘Night Call’, singer Olly Alexander and leader of the project Years & Years reached No.1 in the UK on this day February 3.
BORN ON THIS DAY FEBRUARY 3 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1928 – English singer and actor Frankie Vaughan was born in Liverpool on this day February 3 in music history. Best known for his chart-topping singles ‘The Garden of Eden’ and ‘Tower of Strength’.
1933 – American jazz singer and multi-instrumentalist John Richard Handy III was born on this day in Dallas, Texas.
1935 – American instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Johnny “Guitar” Watson was born on this day February 3 in Houston, Texas.
1940 – Singer and founding member of the doo-wop group The Belmonts, Angelo D’Aleo was born in The Bronx, New York.
1943 – Soul and R&B singer Dennis Edwards was born on this day February 3 in Fairfield, Alabama. He rose to fame as the frontman of the vocal group The Temptations.
1943 – American folk rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Shawn Phillips was born on this day in Fort Worth, Texas.
1945 – Singer, songwriter, and producer John Blair also known professionally as Johnny Cymbal was born in Ochiltree, Scotland on this day February 3 in music history.
1946 – English musician Stanley “Stan” Webb was born in London. Best known as the lead guitarist and frontman of the blues band Chicken Shack.
1947 – American singer-songwriter Melanie Safka was born on this day February 3 in New York City. Best known for her 1971 chart-topping hit single ‘Brand New Key’.
1947 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist David Davies was born on this day in London, England. Best known as the co-founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of the rock band The Kinks.
1949 – Founding member and bass guitarist of the glam rock band New York Dolls, Arthur Kane was born on this day February 3 in The Bronx, New York City
1956 – American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Lee Mark Ranaldo was born in Glen Cove, New York. He came to prominence as the co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth.
1959 – Founding member, drummer, and keyboardist of The Cure, Laurence “Lol” Tolhurst was born in Hortley, England on this day February 3 in music history.
1990 – Singer-songwriter and rapper Kisean Anderson better known professionally as Sean Kingston was born in Miami, Florida. He rose to fame with hit songs such as ‘Beautiful Girls’, ‘Eenie Meenie’, and ‘Fire Burning’.