EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY JULY 23 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day July 23 in 1964 – The Beatles started a three-week stint at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Also a chart-topper in ten more countries that year, including the US.
1966 – The number one album in the United States on this day in music history was ‘Strangers in the Night’ by Frank Sinatra.
1969 – With ‘Honky Tonk Women’, The Rolling Stones started a five-week stint at No.1 in the UK on this day July 23 in music history. The song topped the charts in Australia, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the US as well.
1977 – Fleetwood Mac returned for a nineteen-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart with their eleventh studio album ‘Rumours’. As of July 2023, it’s of the best-selling albums of all time with over 40 million copies sold worldwide.
1977 – Barry Manilow reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Looks Like We Made It’ on this day July 23.
1977 – With ‘I Feel Love’, Donna Summer started a four-week run at number one in the UK. The song was also a chart-topper in Australia, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
1980 – Keyboardist and songwriter Keith Godchaux died on this day July 23 in a car accident, aged 32. Best remembered for his work with the rock band Grateful Dead from 1971 until 1979.
1983 – With their fifth and final studio album ‘Synchronicity’, The Police started a seven-week run at No.1 in the US. The album also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, and the UK.
1983 – Synth-pop duo Yazoo topped the UK Albums chart on this day July 23 in music history with their second and final studio release ‘You and Me Both’.
1983 – Paul Young topped the UK Singles chart for the first time with his rendition of ‘Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)’. It held the top spot for three weeks straight
1988 – Pop rock singer Richard Marx reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on this day July 23 with ‘Hold On to the Nights’.
1988 – Def Leppard scored their first number one album on the US Billboard 200 chart with ‘Hysteria’. With over 20 million copies sold, its their best-selling album to date.
1989 – Ringo Starr & his All-Starr Band kicked off their first world tour on this day July 23 with a show at the Park Central Amphitheatre in Dallas, Texas.
1994 – With their 20th British studio album ‘Voodoo Lounge’, The Rolling Stones went to number one in the UK. Also a chart-topper in Australia, Austria, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand and Switzerland. In the US it peaked at No.2.
1996 – English keyboardist Robert “Rob” Collins died in a car crash on this day July 23 in music history, aged 33. Best remembered as a founding member of the rock band The Charlatan.
2005 – With ‘You’re Beautiful’, James Blunt started a five-week stint at number one on the UK Singles chart.
James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
2009 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist Daniel “Danny” McBride died on this day July 23 at the age of 63. Best remembered for his work with the rock and roll group Sha Na Na.
2011 – Boy band The Wanted topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Glad You Came’. The song also peaked at No.1 in Ireland, Japan, and Venezuela.
2011 – English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse died on this day July 23 at the age of 27 from alcohol poisoning. Her album ‘Back to Black’ is one of the best-selling records in the UK.
2015 – Synth-pop trio Years & Years took the top spot on the UK Albums chart with their debut studio release ‘Communion’.
2015 – Girl group Little Mix scored their second No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘Black Magic’ on this day July 23 in music history.
2016 – Rock band Blink-182 scored their second number one album in the US with ‘California’. The album was an international hit and it also topped the charts in the UK, Canada, Scotland, and the Czech Republic.
2020 – With his posthumously released third studio album ‘Legends Never Die’, Juice Wrld went to No.1 in the UK on this day July 23.
BORN ON THIS DAY JULY 23 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1942 – American soul singer Madeline Bell was born in Newark, New Jersey on this day July 23 in music history. Best known for her work with the groups Blue Mink and Bradford Singers.
1943 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist Tony Joe White nicknamed Swamp Fox was born on this day in Oak Grove, Louisiana. Best known for hit songs such as ‘Polk Salad Annie’, ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’, and ‘Steamy Windows’.
1944 – Founding member and drummer of the rock band The Young Rascals, Dino Danelli was born on this day July 23 in Jersey City, New Jersey.
1944 – Multi-instrumentalist and founding member of the art rock group Roxy Music, Andy Mackay was born on this day in Lostwithiel, England.
1946 – Bass guitarist Keith Ferguson was born on this day July 23 in Houston, Texas. He rose to fame as a founding member of the blues rock band The Fabulous Thunderbirds
1947 – English singer, songwriter and actor David Essex was born in Plaistow. Best known for his chart-topping singles ‘Rock On’, ‘Hold Me Close’, and ‘Gonna Make You a Star’.
1950 – Canadian guitarist and songwriter Blair Thornton was born in Vancouver on this day July 23 in music history. Best known as a member of the rock band Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
1952 – Drummer and founding member of the progressive rock band Rush, John Rutsey was born on this day in Toronto, Canada.
1952 – Jazz singer Janis Siegel was born on this day July 23 in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as a member of The Manhattan Transfer.
1961 – Instrumentalist, songwriter, singer, producer and DJ Martin Gore was born in London, England. He came to prominence as the co-founder of the electronic music band Depeche Mode.
1964 – American drummer Nicholas “Nick” Menza was born on this day July 23 in Munich, Germany. Best known as a member of the heavy metal band Megadeth from 1989 until 1998.
1964 – English keyboardist, songwriter and producer Tim Kellett was born in Knaresborough. Best known for his work with the bands Simply Red and Durutti Column.
1965 – British-American guitarist Saul Hudson better known professionally as Slash was born in London on this day July 23 in music history. He rose to fame as the lead guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses.
1965 – Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Robert Dickinson was born in Norwich, England. Best known as a member of the alternative rock band Catherine Wheel.
1971 – American bluegrass-country music singer and multi-instrumentalist Alison Krauss was born on this day July 23 in Decatur, Illinois.
1971 – Singer, rapper and co-founder of the R&B quarter Jodeci, Dalvin DeGrate was born on this day in Charlotte, North Carolina.
1971 – Drummer for the rock bands Live and The Gracious Few, Chad Gracey was born on this day July 23 in York, Pennsylvania.
1973 – Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Francis Healy was born in Stafford, England. Best known as the frontman of the band Travis.
1979 – American singer, songwriter and actress Michelle Williams was born in Rockford, Illinois on this day July 23 in music history. She came to prominence as a member of the girl group Destiny’s Child.
1981 – Drummer and founding member of the rock band Sum 41, Steve Jocz was born on this day in Ajax, Canada.