On This Day, September 11 in Music History
EVENTS ON SEPTEMBER 11 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day September 11 in 1953 – Guy Mitchell started a six-week run at No.1 on the UK Singles chart with ‘Look at That Girl’.
1958 – Singer-songwriter Lloyd Price recorded his version of the popular American folk song ‘Stagger Lee’. The single became a chart-topper in the US and it peaked at No.7 in the UK.
1959 – Craig Douglas went to number one in the UK on this day September 11 with his rendition of Sam Cooke‘s hit song ‘Only Sixteen’.
1965 – With their fifth studio album ‘Help!’, The Beatles started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It also topped the charts in Australia, Finland, and the UK that year.
1968 – Three years later on this day September 11 in music history, The Beatles went to number one in the UK with ‘Hey Jude’ which also set the record at the time for the longest chart-topper at 7:12 minutes in length.
1971 – Danny Osmond went to number one on the US Singles chart with his rendition of the Gerry Goffin and Carole King penned song ‘Go Away Little Girl’.
1971 – With ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’, the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel were at number one on the UK Albums chart.
1973 – A significant date for Art Garfunkel as he released his debut solo studio album ‘Angel Clare’ through Columbia Records on this day September 11. The album peaked at No.5 in the US and reached No.14 in the UK.
1976 – Peter Frampton returned for a five-week run at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with his double live album ‘Frampton Comes Alive!’. He originally topped the chart on April 10 and it was his third comeback at No.1 with the LP. The album was also a chart-topper in Australia, Canada, and Portugal.
1976 – KC and the Sunshine Band topped the US Singles chart with ‘(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty’.
1982 – Singer-songwriter John Mellencamp also known as John Cougar hit No.1 in the US for the first of nine consecutive weeks with his fifth studio album ‘American Fool’.
1982 – The power ballad ‘Hard to Say I’m Sorry’ by the rock group Chicago was at No.1 in the US on this day September 11. It also reached number one in Canada, Ireland, Italy, and Switzerland that year.
1987 – Jamaican reggae music multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Winston Hubert McIntosh, better known as Peter Tosh died at the age of 42. Best known as a founding member of band The Wailers.
1993 – Mariah Carey started an eight-week stint at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Dreamlover’. The song became a chart-topper in Canada and Panama as well. She also went to No.1 on the UK Albums chart with ‘Music Box’ on this day.
1999 – With her self-titled debut studio album, Christina Aguilera went to number one in the US on this day September 11 in music history. The album features three chart-topping singles, including ‘Genie in a Bottle’, and it earned her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
1999 – Shania Twain started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK Albums chart with ‘Come On Over’. The album was a massive international hit and it sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling album by a solo female artist.
2004 – Country music singer and songwriter Tim McGraw topped the US Billboard 200 with his eighth studio album ‘Live Like You Were Dying’.
2004 – Rapper Nelly and R&B singer Jaheim went to number one on the UK singles chart with ‘My Place’. It reached No.1 in Australia and New Zealand as well, while in North America it peaked at No.4.
2004 – With their self-titled second studio album, indie rock band The Libertines scored their first number one album in the UK on this day September 11.
2004 – Singer Ciara and rapper Petey Pablo started a seven-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Goodies’.
2007 – American keyboardist, singer, songwriter, and record producer Wilson Turbinton also known as Willie Tee died at the age of 63.
2009 – American author, poet and punk musician James “Jim” Carrol died at the age of 60 of a heart attack.
2010 – The number one album in the US and the UK on this day September 11 in music history was ‘Teenage Dream’ by Katy Perry.
2010 – Olly Murs went to number one in the United Kingdom with his debut single ‘Please Don’t Let Me Go’.
Olly Murs – Please Don’t Let Me Go
2014 – American songwriter, singer, record producer, and dancer Robert “Bob” Crewe died at the age of 83. Best remembered for writing songs such as ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, ‘Walk Like a Man’, ‘Rag Doll’, ‘Silhouettes’, etc.
2014 – American studio owner and recording engineer Cosimo Matassa died on this day September 11 at the age of 88.
2019 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Daniel Johnston died on this day at the age of 58 from a heart attack.
2020 – Jamaican singer and songwriter Frederick Nathaniel “Toots” Hibbert died at the age of 77. Best remembered as the frontman of the reggae and ska band Toots and the Maytals.
2021 – Kanye West went to number one in the United States with his tenth studio album ‘Donda’. The album was an international hit and it topped the charts in 17 other countries worldwide.
BORN ON SEPTEMBER 11 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1943 – American percussionist Michael Hartman also known professionally as Mickey Hart was born in Brooklyn, New York on this day September 11 in music history. He rose to fame as a member of the rock band Grateful Dead.
1943 – Co-founder of the garage rock band The Kingsmen, Jack Ely was born in Portland, Oregon.
1946 – American singer Dennis Tufano was born on this day September 11 in Chicago, Illinois. He came to prominence as the lead singer of The Buckinghams in the 1960s before embarking on a solo career.
1948 – British singer-songwriter and guitarist John Martyn was born as Ian David McGeachy in New Maiden, England.
1953 – American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Tommy Shaw was born in Montgomery, Alabama. Best known as the frontman of the rock band Styx.
1957 – English musician Jonathan “Jon” Moss was born in South London on this day September 11 in music history. Best known for playing drums with the bands Culture Club, The Damned, Adam and the Ants, and others.
1958 – Keyboardist, vocalist and co-founder of the band The Style Council, Michael “Mick” Talbot was born in London, England.
1965 – American singer, songwriter and record producer Richard Melville Hall also known professionally as Moby was born on this day September 11 in New York City.
1967 – American singer, composer, and pianist Harry Connick Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1971 – Founding member and frontman of the rock band The Verve, Richard Ashcroft was born on this day September 11 in Wigan, England.
1977 – Co-founder and lead guitarist of the rock band Coldplay, Jonathan “Jonny” Buckland was born in London, England.
1977 – American rapper and actor Christopher Brian Bridges better known by his stage name Ludacris was born in Champaign, Illinois on this day September 11 in music history.
1981 – Founding member and lead singer of the country music trio Lady A, Charles Kelley was born in Augusta, Georgia.