EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY JULY 24 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day July 24 in 1954 – The Four Aces topped the US singles chart with their rendition of ‘Three Coins in the Fountain’.
1964 – Marvin Gaye recorded ‘How Sweet It Is (To Be Love by You)’ at Motown’s “Hitsville U.S.A” studio. The song featured on his fifth studio album of the same name and it peaked at No.6 in the US.
1968 – American musician Jimmy Drake also known professionally as Nervous Norvus died on this day July 24 in music history at the age of 56 from cirrhosis.
1968 – With the Barry Mason and Les Reed penned song ‘I Pretend’, Des O’Connor went to No.1 on the UK and Irish singles charts.
1971 – Rock band T. Rex started a four-week stint at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Get It On’ on this day July 24.
1971 – The Raiders topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with their rendition of ‘Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)’.
1976 – R&B vocal group The Manhattans topped the US Singles chart with ‘Kiss and Say Goodbye’ on this day July 24. The song also topped the charts in Belgium, New Zealand and the Netherlands that year.
1976 – Peter Frampton returned to No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart with his double live album ‘Frampton Comes Alive!. It also became a chart-topper in Australia, Canada, and Portugal.
1976 – The Beach Boys started a consecutive ten-week stint at No.1 in the UK on this day July 24 in music history with their greatest hits album ’20 Golden Years’.
1976 – With ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’, Elton John & Kiki Dee hit No.1 in the UK for the first of six consecutive weeks. The song was an international hit that year and it topped the charts in Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the US as well.
1982 – Survivor started a six-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Eye of the Tiger’ on this day July 24. The song featured in the iconic sports drama film ‘Rocky III’ starring Sylvester Stallone.
1993 – UB40 started a seven-week stint at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with their rendition of ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’. The song became an international hit that year and it went to No.1 on fifteen charts worldwide. They also topped the UK Albums chart on this day with their tenth studio release ‘Promises and Lies’ which held the top spot for 7 weeks.
1993 – With their eighth studio album ‘Zooropa’, U2 reached number one in the US on this day July 24. The album also topped the charts in ten other countries worldwide, including the UK, Canada, and Australia.
1999 – Will Smith featuring Dru Hill & Kool Moe Dee topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Wild Wild West’. The song featured in the film of the same name in which Smith starred.
2004 – R&B singer Usher replaced his song ‘Burn’ with ‘Confessions Part II’ at number one on the US Singles chart on this day July 24 in music history.
2004 – British house duo The Shapeshifters topped the UK Singles chart with their debut single ‘Lola’s Theme’. It also peaked at No.1 in Australia and Ireland.
The Shapeshifters – Lola’s Theme
2010 – Rapper Eminem returned for a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Albums chart with his seventh studio LP ‘Recovery’ on this day July 24.
2010 – Rapper B.o.B. featuring singer Hayley Williams topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Airplanes’. This was the rapper’s second No.1 of the year in the UK as he previously topped the chart with ‘Nothin’ on You’ on May 25.
2011 – American vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Daniel “Dan” Peek died on this day July 24 at the age of 60. Best remembered as a founding member of the folk rock band America.
2012 – Co-founder, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist of the pop rock band Orleans, Larry Hoppen, committed suicide at the age of 61.
2016 – American soprano and ghost singer Margaret Nixon McEathron also known as Marni Nixon died on this day July 24 in music history, aged 86.
2020 – Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her eight studio album ‘Folklore’ on Republic Recrods. The record earned her a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and it went to No.1 in sixteen countries around the world.
2021 – South Korean boy band BTS interrupted their own seven-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Butter’ when the B-side track ‘Permission to Dance’ reached the top spot on this day July 24.
BORN ON THIS DAY JULY 24 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1916 – Jazz and big band singer Robert “Bob” Eberle was born in Mechanicville, New York on this day July 24 in music history.
1921 – American jazz pianist, composer, educator and broadcaster Billy Taylor was born on this day in Greenville, North Carolina.
1934 – American jazz drummer Rudy Collins was born on this day July 24 in New York City. Best known for playing with the likes of Cab Calloway, Cootie Williams, Hot Lips Page, Carmen McRae, etc.
1935 – English songwriter, arranger, and light-orchestra leader Leslie Reed was born in Woking. Best known for writing over sixty charting songs, including hits such as ‘Delilah’, ‘It’s Not Unusual’, and ‘Marching On Together’.
1942 – German-British bassist and singer Heinz Burt was born on this day July 24 in Detmold, Germany. He rose to fame as a member of the group The Tornados.
1944 – Northern Irish guitarist James “Jim” Armstrong was born in Belfast Best known for playing with the likes of Them, Jim Morrison, Captain Beefheart, and Frank Zappa among others.
1949 – English-Canadian drummer Graham Lear was born in Plymouth, UK on this day July 24 in music history. Best known for his work with REO Speedwagon, Santana, and Gino Vannelli.
1951 – Jamaican-British musician Lynval Golding was born in Saint Catherine, Jamaica. He rose to fame as the rhythm guitarist and vocalist of the band The Specials.
1953 – American guitarist and vocalist Garry Shider was born in Plainfield, New Jersey on this day July 24. Best known as a member and musical director of the music collective Parliament-Funkadelic.
1957 – Country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer Pamela Tillis was born on this day in Plant City, Florida.
1958 – Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Andonis Michaelides also known as Mick Karn was born on this day July 24 in Nicosia, Cyprus. He rose to fame as a member of the new wave band Japan.
1961 – Co-founder and drummer of the rock band Extreme, Paul Geary was born in Medford, Massachusetts.
1969 – American singer, actress and dancer Jennifer Lopez was born in New York City on this day July 24 in music history. Best known for hit singles such as ‘On The Floor’, ‘All I Have’, ‘If You Had My Love’, ‘Ain’t It Funny’, etc.
1984 – Co-founder and frontman of the indie rock band The Wombats, Matthew Murphy was born on this day in Liverpool, England.