EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY JUNE 2 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day June 2 in 1957 – Johnny Ray scored his third and last No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Yes Tonight Josephine’. Also a hit in the US where it peaked at No.12.
1962 – With his rendition of Don Gibson‘s song ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’, Ray Charles hit No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the first of five consecutive weeks. Also a chart-topper in Australia, Sweden, and the UK that year.
1966 – Frank Sinatra started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘Strangers in the Night’ on this day June 2 in music history. The song also reached No.1 in the US, Argentina, France, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, and the Philippines that year.
1969 – American jazz multi-instrumentalist Albert Stinson died on this day at the age of 24 of a drug overdose. Best remembered for his work with the likes of Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson, Gerald Wilson, Charles Lloyd, and others.
1972 – Rock band Pink Floyd released their seventh studio album ‘Obscured by Clouds’ on this day June 2 through Harvest Records. The album peaked at No.6 in the UK and it served as the soundtrack for the film ‘La Vallée’.
1973 – Paul McCartney and Wings dominated the US music charts on this day as their second studio album ‘Red Rose Speedway’ topped the Billboard 200 while the single ‘My Love’ hit No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1978 – Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen released his fourth studio album ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’ via Columbia Records on this day June 2. It wasn’t a chart-topper but it went on to sell over 4 million copies worldwide.
1978 – Hard rock band Thin Lizzy released their live double album ‘Live and Dangerous’. The album peaked at No.2 in the UK and sold over half a million copies.
1979 – Donna Summer topped the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Hot Stuff’ on this day June 2 in music history. The song also became a chart-topper in Australia, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland that year.
1984 – Pop duo Wham! scored their first number one single in the UK with ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’. It was a big international hit that year and it topped the Singles charts in several other countries, including the US.
1987 – Spanish virtuoso classical guitarist Andres Segovia Torres died on this day June 2 at the age of 94.
1987 – Whitney Houston released her second studio album ‘Whitney’ through Arista Records. The album became a chart-topper in a dozen countries worldwide and it features four number one singles.
1990 – With their album ‘Volume II: 1990 – A New Decade’, the musical collective Soul II Soul hit No.1 in the UK on this day June 2 for the first of three consecutive weeks.
1997 – American jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader Doc Cheatham died at the age of 91. He is the grandfather of fellow jazz musician Theo Croker as well.
2001 – With their third studio album ‘Lateralus’, rock/metal band Tool topped the US Billboard 200 on this day June 2 in music history.
2001 – Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Pink, and Mya started a five-week stint at No.1 in the US with their rendition of ‘Lady Marmalade’. The song also reached No.1 in thirteen other countries that year, including the UK and Australia.
2001 – Garage music group DJ Pied Piper and the Masters of Ceremonies topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Do You Really Like It’ on this day June 2.
2006 – American keyboardist and singer Vincent Welnick committed suicide at the age of 55. Best known for his work with the bands The Tubes and Grateful Dead.
2007 – Nu metal band Linkin Park reached number one in the United States with their third studio album ‘Minutes to Midnight’ on this day June 2.
Linkin Park – Bleed It Out
2007 – Pop rock band Maroon 5 started a two-week stint at number one on the UK Albums chart with their second studio release ‘It Won’t Be Soon Before Long’.
2008 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist Ellas McDaniel also known as Bo Diddley died on this day June 2 in music history, aged 79.
2011 – American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger Raphael “Ray” Bryant died on this day at the age of 79.
2012 – With his second studio album ‘Trespassing’, singer Adam Lambert went to number one in the US on this day June 2.
2012 – Pop band Fun ft. singer Janelle Monae reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart with ‘We Are Young’.
2016 – American singer Ariana Grande went to number one in the UK on this day June 2 with her third studio album ‘Dangerous Woman’.
2018 – South Korean boy band BTS scored their first No.1 album on the US Billboard 200 chart with their third studio release ‘Love Yourself: Tear’.
2022 – The No.1 album in the United Kingdom on this day June 2 was ‘Harry’s House’ by pop singer Harry Styles. It was his second chart-topper in Britain.
BORN ON THIS DAY JUNE 2 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1904 – American jazz trumpeter and entertainer Valaida Snow nicknamed the “Queen of the Trumpet’ was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on this day June 2 in music history.
1930 – Singer and songwriter James “Jimmy” Jones was born on this day in Birmingham, Alabama. Best known for his 1959 hit single ‘Handy Man’.
1932 – American singer Samuel Black also known as Sammy Turner was born on this day June 2 in Paterson, New Jersey. Best known for his 1959 hit singles ‘Lavender Blue’ and ‘Always’.
1941 – Singer and founding member of Gladys Knight & the Pips, William Guest was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 as a member of the group.
1941 – English drummer Charles “Charlie” Watts was born on this day June 2 in London. He came to prominence as a member of The Rolling Stones.
1944 – American composer and conductor Marvin Hamlisch was born on this day in Los Angeles, California. He’s one of the few artists who have won all four major awards (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony).
1955 – Bass guitarist Michael Steele was born Susan Nancy Thomas in Pasadena, California on this day June 2 in music history. Best known as a founding member of The Runaways and for playing with The Bangles.
1960 – Singer and songwriter Anthony “Tony” Hadley was born in London, England. Best known as the lead singer of the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his solo career.
1970 – American rapper Louis Freese better known by his stage name B-Real was born on this day June 2 in Los Angeles, California. He rose to fame as a founding member of the hip hop group Cypress Hill.
1976 – Keyboardist, vocalist, songwriter and producer Tim Rice Oxley was born in Oxford, England. Best known as a member of the alternative rock band Keane.
1980 – Brazilian-American multi-instrumentalist Fabrizio Moretti was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on this day June 2 in music history. He came to prominence as a founding member of the rock band The Strokes.
1986 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Zsuzsanna Eva Ward also known as ZZ Ward was born on this day in Abington, Pennsylvania.