EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY JULY 13 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day July 13 in 1956 – Elvis Presley released his rendition of Jerry Liber and Mike Stoller‘s song ‘Hound Dog’. The song topped several charts and brought mainstream fame to the ‘King of Rock and Roll”.
1959 – Paul Anka started a four-week stint at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Lonely Boy’. It was his first song to top the chart.
1964 – The Beatles released ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ as a single in the US on this day July 13 in music history on Capital Records. The song featured on the soundtrack album of the same name and it topped a dozen charts around the world that year.
1973 – Bob Dylan released his twelfth studio and first soundtrack album ‘Pat Garret & Billy the Kid’ through Columbia Records.
1974 – Elton John topped both the US and UK Albums charts with his eighth studio LP ‘Caribou’ on this day July 13. The album was also a chart-topper in Australia, Canada, and Denmark that year.
1974 – With his debut single ‘Rock Your Baby’, George McCrae topped the US Singles chart. The song was an international hit that year and it topped the charts in ten other countries around the world, including the UK and Canada.
1985 – Duran Duran went to number one in the US with ‘A View to a Kill’ on this day July 13. It was the theme track of the eponymous James Bond film starring Roger Moore. The song was a chart-topper in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Poland, and Sweden as well, while in the UK it peaked at No.2.
1985 – The Live Aid benefit concert organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure was held in London and Philadelphia. Music acts such as Queen, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Elton John, The Who, Beach Boys, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Black Sabbath Mick Jagger, Dire Straits, etc. performed at the event.
1985 – With their second studio album ‘Songs from the Big Chair’, pop rock band Tears for Fears hit No.1 in the US for the first of four consecutive weeks on this day July 13 in music history.
1991 – Bryan Adams started a sixteen-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘(Everything I Do) I Do it For You’ which is the longest uninterrupted run on the chart as of July 2023.
1996 – With their rendition of ‘Killing Me Softly’, the Fugees reached number one on the UK Singles chart on this day July 13.
1996 – 2Pac, Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman topped the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘How Do U Want It’ / ‘California Love’. Also a chart-topper in Sweden, New Zealand, Italy, and Canada.
2Pac ft. Dr. Dre – California Love
2002 – Rapper and singer Nelly topped the US Billboard 200 chart with his second studio album ‘Nellyville’ on this day July 13. It held the top spot for three weeks straight.
2002 – With their fifth studio album ‘Heathen Chemistry’, Oasis went to number one in the UK. Also a chart-topper in Ireland and Switzerland. In the US it peaked at No.23.
2004 – American bass guitarist Arthur Kane died on this day July 13 in music history at the age of 55. Best remembered as a founding member of the glam rock band the New York Dolls.
2013 – Rock band Mumford & Suns scored their second number one album in the UK with ‘Babel’. Also a chart-topper in seven other countries, including the US.
2013 – American rapper Wale went to number one in the US with his third studio album ‘The Gifted’ on this day July 13.
2013 – John Newman scored his first number one single in the United Kingdom. with ‘Love Me Again’ on this day July 13.
2019 – The number one album in the United States on this day was ‘Indigo’ by the R&B artist Chris Brown.
BORN ON THIS DAY JULY 13 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1935 – American percussionist Peter Michael Escovedo was born in Pittsburg, California on this day July 13 in music history. Best known as the founder of the Escovedo Bros Latin Jazz Sextet.
1928 – Bassist Albert Floyd Piccirilli also known as Al Rex was born in Black Horse, Pennsylvania. He rose to fame as a member of the rock and roll band Bill Haley & His Comets.
1941 – English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer and record producer Steve Gibbons was born on this day July 13 in Birmingham.
1942 – American singer, songwriter and guitarist James Roger McGuinn was born on this day in Chicago, Illinois. Best known as a founding member and frontman of the rock band The Byrds. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 as a member of the band.
1949 – Canadian blues-rock singer and guitarist David Wilcox was born on this day July 13 in Montreal, Quebec.
1954 – Country music singer Louise Mandrell was born on this day in Corpus Christi, Texas. She’s the sister of fellow musicians Barbara and Irlene Mandrell.
1956 – Bassist Mark Glickman also known as Mark “The Animal” Mendoza was born in West Hempstead, New York on this day July 13 in music history. He came to prominence as a member of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister.
1966 – R&B and soul singer-songwriter and producer Gerald Levert was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Best known as a member of the vocal group LeVert. He’s also the son of musician Eddie Levert.
1969 – English singer Andrew “Barney” Greenway was born on this day July 13 in Birmingham. Best known for fronting metal bands such as Napalm Death, Benediction, and Extreme Noise Terror.
1974 – Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress Deborah Cox was born in Toronto, Ontario. Best known for the hit songs ‘Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here’ and ‘We Can’t Be Friends’.
1988 – English singer and songwriter Tula “Tulisa” Contostavlos was born on this day July 13 in London. She rose to fame as a member of the R&B trio N-Dubz.
1989 – Singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and producer Michael “Leon” Bridges was born in Atlanta, Georgia on this day July 13 in music history.