More About Music History On This Day

18 Dec 1982
Hall and Oates started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Maneater', the duo's fifth US No.1 and biggest hit in the UK reaching No.6 on the charts.

18 Dec 1982
UK-based Italian tenor and English girl Renee And Renato were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Save Your Love', the duo's only UK Top 40 hit and this years Christmas No.1.

18 Dec 1983
Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards married 27-year-old Patti Hansen on his 40th birthday.

18 Dec 1983
American guitarist Jimmy Nolan, died of a heart attack in Atlanta, Georgia, aged 47. Known for his distinctive ‘chicken scratch’ lead guitar playing, he worked with James Brown from 1965 until his death.

18 Dec 1988
Mike Peters of The Alarm was rushed to hospital after having his eyes burnt by spotlights during a gig in Chester, causing the remaining dates on their UK tour to be cancelled.

18 Dec 1999
The Spice Girls unveiled their waxwork look-alikes at Madame Tussaud's, London. Each model had cost $35,000 to make.

18 Dec 2000
*NSYNC fan Danielle McGuire filed suit against group member Justin Timberlake, alleging that he harassed and verbally assaulted her. McGuire, 15, filed suit in St. Louis, Missouri, charging Timberlake with false imprisonment of a minor.

18 Dec 2000
UK singer, songwriter Kirsty MacColl was killed in a boating accident off the coast of Mexico when a speedboat hit her. MacColl was aged 41. McColl and her sons were diving at the Chankanaab reef, of Cozumel, Mexico in a designated diving area that watercraft were restricted from entering. MacColl saw the boat coming before her sons did; Louis (then 13) was not in the boat's path, but Jamie (then 15) was. She was able to push him out of the way (he sustained minor head and rib injuries) but in doing so, she was hit by the boat and killed instantly.

18 Dec 2001
English singer songwriter Clifford T. Ward died aged 57 after suffering from multiple sclerosis since 1984. His first album, Singer Songwriter, was released in 1972 on Dandelion Records (a label formed by the late disc jockey John Peel). He had the 1973 UK No.8 single 'Gaye'. Working as an English teacher in the late 60’s, one of his pupils was the future wife of Sting, Trudie Styler.

18 Dec 2003
Out on bail, Michael Jackson was formally charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering intoxicating liquor to a minor with the intent of committing a crime. The abuse was claimed to have taken place between 7 February and 10 March 2003 and the alleged victim was identified only as 'John Doe'. Jackson's lawyer said the entertainer was 'unequivocally and absolutely innocent' and would fight the charges 'with every fiber of his soul.'

18 Dec 2003
James Brown and country music star Loretta Lynn were honored for their contributions to US culture. The pair were invited to a gala attended by President George Bush at the Kennedy Arts Centre in Washington.

18 Dec 2004
A guitar played by George Harrison and John Lennon sold for $570,000 at auction in New York. The Gibson SG guitar was used by Harrison from 1966 to 1969, including the recording of Revolver, and by Lennon during The White Album sessions. Other items sold in the Christie's auction included a letter by Kurt Cobain which fetched $19,400, and a schoolbook report by Britney Spears $1,000.

18 Dec 2005
‘Fairytale of New York’ was voted the favorite Christmas song ever in a VH1 poll. The song by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl took the top spot, Mariah Carey's ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’, was voted into 2nd place and Wham's ‘Last Christmas’ came third. Other songs voted into the Top 10 were, ‘Mistletoe and Wine’, Sir Cliff Richard at No.4, ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ by Slade at No.5, ‘I Wish it could be Christmas Everyday’, Wizzard, No.6, ‘Christmas Time’, The Darkness, No.7, ‘Saviour's Day’, Sir Cliff Richard No.8, Do They Know It's Christmas? (1984), Band Aid at No.9 and ‘Lonely This Christmas’ by Mud at No.10.

18 Dec 2005
Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drink or drugs after being stopped by police in east London. Police said the 26-year-old had been driving erratically. Officers sent suspicious substances found in the vehicle for analysis, Doherty was released on bail.

18 Dec 2013
Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins was sentenced to 35 years in jail for a string of child sex offences. Watkins, 36, from Pontypridd, Wales, had pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court last month to 13 child sex offences.

18 Dec 2013
Fazer, best known for being part of the group N-Dubz, was declared bankrupt. The 26-year-old rose to fame alongside N-Dubz bandmates Costadinos Contostavlos (Dappy) and Tulisa Contostavlos. N-Dubz had eight songs in the Official Singles Chart. Their most successful track was the appropriately titled Number 1, which hit the top spot in 2009.

18 Dec 2015
A US medical examiner said Stone Temple Pilots front man Scott Weiland died from a toxic mix of drugs including cocaine, alcohol and ecstasy. Weiland, who was 48, rose to fame with the Stone Temple Pilots was found dead on his tour bus outside a hotel in Bloomington, Minneapolis, on 3 December of this year.

Date & Time

December 18, 2024

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