EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY OCTOBER 27 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day October 27 in 1956 – Bill Haley & His Comets reached number one in the UK with their first studio album ‘Rock ‘n Roll Stage Show’.
1960 – Ben E. King recorded his now-signature song ‘Stand by Me’. It was released as a single on April 24 the following year and it went on to become one of the highest-earning songs of all time with estimated royalties of over $20 million.
1962 – With their second studio album ‘Out of the Shadows’, instrumental rock band The Shadows went to No.1 in the UK on this day October 27 in music history.
1964 – Female vocal group The Supremes released the single ‘Come See About Me’ which became their third consecutive chart-topper in America.
1966 – American vocal group The Four Tops topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’ on this day October 27.
1972 – Stevie Wonder released his fifteenth studio album ‘Talking Book’ on Motown Records’ subsidiary Tamla. The album earned Stevie his first Grammy Award and it features the hit singles ‘Superstition’ and ‘You Are the Sunshine of My Life’.
1973 – Gladys Knight & the Pips scored their first number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’.
1973 – The number one album in the United Kingdom on this day October 27 was ‘Hello!’ by the rock band Status Quo.
1973 – With the double A-side single ‘Daydreamer’/’The Puppy Song’, David Cassidy started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Singles chart.
1979 – Scottish singer Lena Martell hit number one in the UK on this day October 27 in music history for the first of three consecutive weeks with her rendition of ‘One Day at a Time’.
1980 – English musician and songwriter Steve Peregrin Took died on this day, aged 31. Best remembered for his work with Marc Bolan and his band T. Rex.
1982 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Prince released his fifth studio album ‘1999’ on this day October 27 which became his first Top 10 LP on the Billboard 200 chart.
1984 – Scottish alternative rock band Big Country went to number one in the UK with their second studio album ‘Steeltown’.
1990 – Janet Jackson scored her second number one single of the year in the US with ‘Black Cat’ on this day October 27. She previously topped the Hot 100 for three weeks straight back in March with ‘Escapade’.
1990 – With his eighth solo studio album ‘The Rhythm of the Saints’, Paul Simon took the top spot on the UK Albums chart.
1990 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day October 27 was ‘A Little Time’ by the pop rock band The Beautiful South.
2001 – The first compilation album by the pop group Steps titled ‘Gold: Greatest Hits’ went to number one in the UK on this day October 27 in music history.
2001 – American rapper Afroman started a three-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Because I Got High’. The song was a worldwide hit and it also topped the charts in nine other countries.
Afroman – Because I Got High
2002 – American producer and recording engineer Thomas “Tom” Dowd died on this day October 27, aged 77. Best remembered for innovating the multitrack recording method which revolutionized the music industry.
2006 – Singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse released her second studio album ‘Back to Black’ through Island Records. The album was an international hit topping the music charts in numerous countries, and it features five singles, including the title-track and ‘Rehab’.
2007 – The number one album in the United States on this day October 27 was Kid Rock‘s seventh studio LP ‘Rock n Roll Jesus’.
2007 – Despite the negative reviews and low record sales compared to their previous releases, rock band Stereophonics reached No.1 in the UK with their sixth studio album ‘Pull the Pin’.
2012 – Scottish DJ Calvin Harris featuring singer Florence Welch topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Sweet Nothing’ on this day October 27.
2012 – English singer and songwriter Jake Bugg reached number one on the UK Albums chart with his eponymous debut studio LP.
2013 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band The Velvet Underground, Lewis “Lou” Reed died on this day October 27 in music history, aged 71.
2014 – Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift released her fifth studio album ‘1989’ through Big Machine Records. The album earned her two Grammy Awards and it features three chart-topping singles ‘Blank Space’, ‘Shake It Off’, and ‘Bad Blood’.
2016 – With their seventh studio album ‘Walls’, American rock band Kings of Leon topped the UK Albums chart on this day October 27.
2016 – Girl group Little Mix started a three-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Shout Out to My Ex’.
BORN ON THIS DAY OCTOBER 27 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1924 – Rock and roll pioneer Mary Joan Okum better known by her stage name Bonnie Lou was born in Towanda, Illinois on this day October 27 in music history.
1933 – American pianist Floyd Cramer was born on this day in Shreveport, Louisiana. He is inducted into both the Country and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1942 – Country music singer-songwriter and saxophonist Lee Greenwood was born on this day October 27 in South Gate, California. Best known for the patriotic song ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’.
1949 – American multi-instrumentalist and producer Garry W. Tallent was born in Detroit, Michigan. Best known as a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s backing group E Street Band.
1951 – Guitarist and songwriter Kenneth Keith “K.K.” Downing was born on this day October 27 in West Bromwich, England. He rose to fame as a member of the heavy metal band Judas Priest.
1952 – Pop music singer-songwriter Hazell Dean was born on this day in Great Baddow, England. Best known for hit songs such as ‘Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)’ and ‘Searchin’ (I Gotta Find a Man)’.
1958 – British singer and songwriter Simon Le Bon was born in Bushey, England on this day October 27 in music history. Best known as the frontman of the new wave band Duran Duran.
1967 – American singer-songwriter Scott Weiland was born on this day in San Jose, California. He came to prominence as the frontman of the rock band Stone Temple Pilots.