This Day In Music History

1960, Eddie Cochran was at No.1 in the UK with the single 'Three Steps To Heaven'. The American singer had been killed 3 months earlier in a car crash while touring the UK.

1962, Ray Charles started a 14-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music'.

1962, The film soundtrack to 'West Side Story' went to No.1 on the UK charts for the first time. It spent a total of 13 weeks at No.1 on seven different occasions.

1966, The Beatles had their tenth consecutive UK No.1 single with 'Paperback Writer' / 'Rain'. The track is marked by the boosted bass guitar sound throughout, partly in response to John Lennon demanding to know why the bass on a certain Wilson Pickett record far exceeded the bass on any Beatles records. It was also cut louder than any other Beatles record, due to a new piece of equipment used in the mastering process.

1970, Cubby Checker was arrested in Niagara Falls after police discovered marijuana and other drugs in his car.

1973, 10cc were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Rubber Bullets', the first of three UK No.1's for the band, (who also had a No.1 as Hotlegs).

1973, George Harrison started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Living In The Material World', his second US No.1.

1984, Duran Duran started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'The Reflex', the group's first US No.1, also a UK No.1.

1990, Elton John had his first UK solo No.1 single with 'Sacrifice / Healing Hands' after achieving over 50 previous UK hits and 6 chart toppers in the US.

1996, Bryan Adams went to No.1 on the UK album chart with '18-Till I Die'. Metallica went to No.1 on the US album chart with their sixth studio album 'Load'. The album has now sold over five million copies in America alone.

2002, The top pop earners from US sales during 2001 were listed by Rolling Stone magazine as: Madonna at No.5 with £29.1 million ($49.5 million); Dave Matthews Band at No.4 with £31 million ($52.7 million); The Beatles at No.3 with £34.2 million ($58 million); Dr. Dre at No.2 with £37.1 million ($63 million) and, top of the list, U2 with £44.2 million ($75 million).

1940, Born on this day, Adam Faith, singer and actor, (1959 UK No.1 single 'What Do You Want', plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles), acting roles include the TV series 'Love Hurts.' Faith died on March 8th 2003.

1940, Born on this day, Stuart Sutcliffe, original bassist of The Beatles for eighteen months (January 1960 - June 1961). Sutcliffe was living in Hamburg, Germany at the time of his death, he died of a brain haemorrhage in an ambulance on the way to hospital on April 10th 1962, aged 22.

1957, Born on this day, Lee John, Imagination, (1982 UK No.2 single 'Just An Illusion').

1962, Born on this day, Richard Coles, Communards, (1986 UK No.1 single 'Don't Leave Me This Way').

1965, Born on this day, Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs, guitar, Oasis, (first single 'Supersonic' 1994 UK No.31, 1996 UK No.1 single 'Don't Look Back In Anger', 1994 UK No.1 album 'Definitely Maybe' fastest selling UK debut album ever'). Quit the band in Aug 1999.

1984, Born on this day, Aimee Anne Duffy, (Duffy) Welsh singer-songwriter, (2008 UK No.1 single ‘Mercy’).