EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY SEPTEMBER 23 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day September 23 in 1957 – The Crickets lead by Buddy Holly were at number one in the US with ‘That’ll Be the Day’. It was the group’s only chart-topper.
1961 – With their self-titled debut studio album, instrumental rock group The Shadows went to number one in the UK.
1965 – The Walker Brothers topped the UK Singles chart with their rendition of the Hal David and Burt Bacharach penned song ‘Make It Easy on Yourself’.
1967 – The Doors released ‘People Are Strange’ through Elektra Records on this day September 23 in music history. The single became a chart-topper in Canada and reached No.12 in the US.
1967 – Rock band The Box Tops hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘The Letter’ for the first of four consecutive weeks.
1972 – Country and pop music singer-songwriter Mac Davis topped the US Singles chart with ‘Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me’ on this day September 23.
1974 – Founding member and drummer of the Average White Band, Robbie McIntosh died of an accidental overdose, aged 24.
1974 – John Lennon released ‘Whatever Gets You thru the Night’ on this day September 23 which later became his first solo No.1 single in the US. The song also features Elton John on piano and vocals.
1977 – The Rolling Stones released the double live album ‘Love You Live’. The album features multiple live performances recorded from 1975 until 1977 and it became a Top 5 hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
1977 – David Bowie released his now-signature song ‘Heroes’ on this day September 23 in music history through RCA Records. The single received little attention at first and it even failed to chart on the Hot 100, but as the years went by, it aged like fine wine and became one of Bowie‘s most loved and revered songs.
10 Interesting David Bowie Facts
1978 – The soundtrack album to the musical romantic comedy film of the same name ‘Grease‘ returned to No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Just like the film, the album was also an international hit and it topped the charts in twelve other countries, including the UK, Australia and Canada.
1978 – The number one single in the UK on this day September 23 was ‘Dreadlock Holiday’ by 10 C.C. The song was a chart-topper in Belgium, the Netherlands, and New Zealand as well that year.
1980 – A show at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh turned out to be Bob Marley‘s last ever live performance. The reggae legend collapsed on stage while performing and was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
1989 – British pop duo Eurythmics reached number one in the UK with their seventh studio album ‘We Too Are One’. Also a chart-topper in Belgium, Denmark and Sweden that year.
1989 – German R&B duo Milli Vanilli went to number one on the US albums chart with their North American debut ‘Girl You Know It’s True’. Also a chart-topper in Canada. They also topped the Billboard Hot 100 on this day September 23 with ”Girl I’m Gonna Miss You’.
1995 – American multi-genre pianist and singer Lawrence “Booker T.” Laury died on this day September 23, aged 81.
1995 – With their fourth studio album ‘The Great Escape’, rock band Blur topped the UK Albums chart. The album features the band’s first chart-topping single ‘Country House’.
1995 – Jamaican singer Shaggy went to number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Boombastic’ on this day September 23 in music history.
Shaggy – Boombastic
2004 – American country music singer-songwriter and record producer Roy Drusky died on this day September 23, aged 74. Best remembered for his chart-topping duet ‘Yes, Mr. Peters’ with Priscilla Mitchell.
2005 – American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake was at number one in the UK with his second studio album ‘FutureSex/LoveSounds’.
2006 – Beyonce scored her second number one album on the US Billboard 200 chart with ‘B’Day’. The album also earned her a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.
2017 – The number one album in the US on this day September 23 in music history was ‘American Dream’ by the rock band LCD Soundsystem. The album also reached No.1 in Canada and Portugal that year.
2019 – American lyricist and singer-songwriter Robert Hunter died at the age of 78. Best remembered for his work with the band Grateful Dead.
2021 – Alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers went to number one in the UK with their fourteenth studio album ‘The Ultra Vivid Lament’ on this day September 23.
2021 – After eleven consecutive weeks at No.1 in the UK with ‘Bad Habits’, Ed Sheeran extended his run at the top for four more weeks, but this time with ‘Shivers’.
BORN ON THIS DAY SEPTEMBER 23 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1926 – Influential jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, North Carolina on this day September 23 in music history.
1930 – American singer, songwriter, pianist, and saxophonist Ray Charles was born on this day in Albany, Georgia. He’s a pioneer of the soul music genre and one of the most influential singers of all time.
1935 – American jazz pianist and vocalist Leslie “Les” McCann was born on this day September 23 in Lexington, Kentucky.
1939 – Blues guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Leroy “Roy” Buchanan was born in Ozark, Arkansas. Best known as a pioneer of the Telecaster electric guitar sound.
1939 – American musician Jerald Edward Kolbrak better known professionally as Jerry Cole was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
1940 – American singer and songwriter Tim Rose was born on this day September 23 in New York. Best known for penning and recording the rock standards ‘Hey Joe’ and ‘Morning Dew’.
1941 – Drummer and graphic artist Ron Bushy was born in Washington, D.C. Best known for his work with the rock band Iron Butterfly, he’s the only member to appear on all of the band’s studio albums.
1943 – Spanish singer and songwriter Julio Iglesias was born on this day in Madrid, Spain. He’s one of the best-selling music artists of all time with over 100 million records sold worldwide.
1947 – American drummer Neal Smith was born in Akron, Ohio on this day September 23 in music history. Best known as a member of Alice Cooper from 1967 until 1974.
1947 – American jazz pianist, producer, and composer Don Grolnick was born in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as a member of the bands Dreams and Steps Ahead.
1947 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band Sugarloaf, Jerry Corbetta was born on this day September 23 in Denver, Colorado.
1948 – American guitarist “Dangerous” Dan Toler was born in Connersville, Indiana. He rose to fame as a member of Dickey Betts & Great Southern.
1949 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch, New Jersey on this day September 23 in music history. He’s the recipient of numerous awards and is one of the best-selling musicians of all time with over 150 million records sold worldwide.
1970 – Folk and alternative rock singer-songwriter Angela “Ani” DiFranco was born on this day in Buffalo, New York.