EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY JULY 8 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day July 8 in 1958 – The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded the soundtrack of the 1955 film Oklahoma! the first-ever Gold Disc for selling over 1 million copies.
1966 – The Beatles released their twelfth extended play (EP) ‘Nowhere Man’. It features four songs – ‘Nowhere Man’, ‘Drive My Car’, ‘Michelle’, and ‘You Won’t See Me’.
1972 – Bill Withers started a four-week stint at number one on the US Singles chart with ‘Lean on Me’ on this day July 8 in music history. In the UK the song peaked at No.18.
1972 – With his rendition of Paul Anka‘s song ‘Puppy Love’, Donny Osmond hit No.1 on the UK Singles chart for the first of five consecutive weeks.
1978 – With his second studio album ‘City to City’, Gerry Rafferty topped the US Billboard 200 chart on this day July 8 and ended the Bee Gees‘ amazing run of 24 weeks at No.1.
1981 – New wave band the Go-Go’s released their debut studio album ‘Beauty and the Beat’ through I.R.S. records. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
1989 – With their second studio album ‘Velveteen’, rock band Transvision Vamp went to number one in the UK on this day July 8.
1989 – Pop rock band Fire Young Cannibals (FYC) scored their second No.1 single of the year in the US with ‘Good Thing’. They previously topped the Hot 100 with ‘She Drives Me Crazy’ on April 15.
1995 – Hip house duo The Outhere Brothers topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Boom Boom Boom’ on this day July 8 in music history. It held the top spot for four weeks straight.
1995 – Girl group TLC started a seven-week run at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Waterfalls’. The song was an international hit that year and it topped the singles charts in Switzerland, New Zealand, and Zimbabwe as well.
1995 – The No.1 album in the US on this day July 8 was ‘HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I’ by the “King of Pop” – Michael Jackson.
2000 – Singer-songwriter Richard Ashcroft reached number one in the UK with his debut solo studio album ‘Alone with Everybody’.
2000 – American rapper Eminem topped the UK Singles chart with ‘The Real Slim Shady’ on this day July 8. The song was a worldwide hit and reached the Top 10 in over twenty countries.
2006 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day was ‘Hips Don’t Lie’, by Shakira and Wyclef Jean.
2006 – Nelly Furtado hit number one on the US Billboard 200 with her third studio album ‘Loose’. She also started a six-week run at No.1 on the the Billboard 100 chart with ‘Promiscuous’ on this day July 8 in music history.
Nelly Furtado ft. Timbaland – Promiscuous
2006 – Welsh alternative rock band Lostprophets scored their first number one album in the UK with their third studio release ‘Liberation Transmission’.
2017 – With her second studio album ‘Melodrama’, singer-songwriter Lorde topped the US Billboard 200 chart on this day July 8. Also a chart-topper in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand that year.
2018 – American actor and singer Tab Hunter died on this day at the age of 86. Best remembered for his 1957 chart-topping single ‘Young Love’.
2021 – With his seventh studio album ‘Europiana’, singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti topped the UK Albums chart on this day July 8.
2021 – Ed Sheeran started an eleven-week stint at No.1 in the UK with ‘Bad Habits’. The song was an international hit that year and it topped the charts in 28 countries around the world.
BORN ON THIS DAY JULY 8 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1908 – American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and bandleader Louis Jordan was born in Brinkley, Arkansas on this day July 8 in music history. He was nicknamed “The King of the Jukebox” and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
1914 – American jazz and pop music singer and bandleader William “Billy” Eckstine was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 for his contribution to music.
1930 – American soul keyboardist Ear Van Dyke was born on this day July 8 in Detroit, Michigan. Best known as a member Motown’s in-house band the Funk Brothers in the 1960s and 70s. His work can be heard on some of the biggest hits of The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and The Four Tops.
1930 – Singer and actor Gennaro Louis Vitaliano also known professionally as Jerry Vale was born in The Bronx, New York. Best known for his hit renditions of ‘You Don’t Know Me’ and ‘Have You Looked into Your Heart’.
1935 – Singer and actor Sidney Liebowitz also known professionally as Steve Lawrence was born in New York City on this day July 8 in music history.. Best known as one half of the husband-and-wife pop duo Steve and Eydie.
1944 – American drummer John Lee Johnson also known as Jaimoe was born in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He gained popularity as a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band.
1961 – English keyboardist and DJ Andrew “Andy” Fletcher also known as Fletch was born on this day July 8 in Nottingham. He rose to fame as a founding member of the electronic band Depeche Mode.
1961 – American country music singer-songwriter, guitarist and record producer Toby Keith was born on this day July 8 in Clinton, Oklahoma. Best known for scoring 20 number one singles.
1962 – Singer and songwriter Joan Osborne was born in Anchorage, Kentucky. Best known for her debut studio album ‘Relish’ which was an international hit and sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
1970 – Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer Beck David Hansen was born on this day July 8 in Los Angeles, California.
1985 – Keyboardist, guitarist and backing vocalist, Jamie Cook was born in West Kirby, England. Best known as a founding member of the rock group Arctic Monkeys.
1992 – American singer, songwriter and actress Sky Ferreira was born in Los Angeles, California on this day July 8 in music history.