More About Music History On This Day
9 Dec 1988
According to a poll released in the US, the music of Neil Diamond was favored as the best background music for sex, Beethoven was the second choice and Luther Vandross was voted third.
9 Dec 1989
Billy Joel started a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Its lyrics are made up from rapid-fire brief allusions to over a hundred headline events between 1949 (Joel was born on May 9 of that year) and 1989, when the song was released on his album Storm Front.
9 Dec 1991
During their Use Your Illusion Tour, Guns N' Roses played the first of three nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
9 Dec 1992
George Harrison was the recipient of the first Century Award, presented by Tom Petty at the third Billboard Music Awards in Universal City, California.
9 Dec 1995
Michael Jackson scored his 6th solo UK No.1 single when 'Earth Song' started a 6-week run at the top of the charts. It gave Jackson the UK Christmas No.1 of 1995 and his best-selling UK single ever. The song kept the first single released by The Beatles in 25 years, 'Free as a Bird', off the No.1 position.
9 Dec 2000
U2 made their first-ever appearance on the long-running NBC program 'Saturday Night Live.' The band played ‘Beautiful Day’ and ‘Elevation.’
9 Dec 2001
Winners at The Smash Hits awards included Atomic Kitten, Best single for 'Whole Again', Westlife won Best band and Best album for 'World Of Our Own', and Blue won Best newcomer, Steps won Best live act, Shaggy won Best male act, Britney Spears won Best Female Act, Destiny's Child won Best R&B act, S Club 7's Rachel Stevens won Most Fanciable Female and Best Video went to Gorillaz, 'Clint Eastwood.'
9 Dec 2003
Ozzy Osbourne was admitted to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, Berkshire after being injured in a quad bike accident at his UK home. The 55 year-old singer broke his collarbone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck. News of Osbourne's accident reached the House of Commons, where the government sent a goodwill message.
9 Dec 2005
A man charged with stealing more than $300,000 worth of Elvis Presley's jewelry from the Elvis-A-Rama museum appeared in a Las Vegas court. 30 year old Eliab Aguilar was arrested on November 3rd after police said he approached a retired Elvis impersonator and offered to sell him several items including Presley's 1953 class ring from Humes High School worth $32,000, a 41 carat ruby and diamond ring worth $77,000 and a gold-plated Smith & Wesson .38 special.
9 Dec 2005
Joss Stone, Lemar and Ms. Dynamite backed by the African Children's Choir and 1,200 school children set a new world record for the most children singing simultaneously. The ‘Big Sing’ was held at The Royal Albert Hall, London. The singers led a performance of ‘Lean On Me’ which was broadcast to more than half a million people.
9 Dec 2006
Mariah Carey threatened legal action against porn star Mary Carey in an attempt to stop her trademarking her similar-sounding stage name. The singer believed fans could get the two performers confused if the adult film actress Mary Carey's trademark application was successful.
9 Dec 2010
Eric Clapton announced he was to sell off part of his extensive guitar collection to raise money for his Crossroads rehab Centre in Antigua. Highlights of the sale would include a guitar Clapton played at the Cream reunion shows in 2005, estimated to sell for more than $13,000. The sale to be held by Bonhams in New York would also feature a vast collection of amps and speakers, including a pair of Marshall speaker cabinets.
9 Dec 2013
Recipients honored at the 36th annual national John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts were pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer Herbie Hancock; singer and songwriter Billy Joel and guitarist and songwriter Carlos Santana.
9 Dec 2016
The Rolling Stones topped the UK chart with their latest album Blue & Lonesome, the bands first original studio album to reach No.1 for 22 years and the 12th album by The Rolling Stones to reach the top of the charts.
9 Dec 2019
Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson died aged 61 following a 17-yearlong battle with cancer. The Swedish duo achieved their biggest success when their 1987 single 'It Must Have Been Love' was featured on the Pretty Woman soundtrack in 1990. It topped the charts in more than 10 countries, and gave the band their biggest UK hit, reaching No.3.
9 Dec 2019
The widow of Chris Cornell filed a complaint in a Florida federal court in a row over unpaid Soundgarden royalties. Court documents claimed that Cornell’s former bandmates were attempting to “strong-arm Chris’ Estate into turning over certain audio recordings created by Chris before he passed away.”
9 Dec 2020
American record producer, songwriter and musician Jason Slater died age 49. He was bassist and backup vocalist for the American rock band Third Eye Blind and Slater went on to produce many projects, including four albums by progressive rock band Queensryche.
9 Dec 2021
David Lasley American recording artist, singer and songwriter died age 74. He was known for his contributions as a background singer and songwriter for such artists as Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Chic, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield and Boz Scaggs.
According to a poll released in the US, the music of Neil Diamond was favored as the best background music for sex, Beethoven was the second choice and Luther Vandross was voted third.
9 Dec 1989
Billy Joel started a two-week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'We Didn't Start the Fire'. Its lyrics are made up from rapid-fire brief allusions to over a hundred headline events between 1949 (Joel was born on May 9 of that year) and 1989, when the song was released on his album Storm Front.
9 Dec 1991
During their Use Your Illusion Tour, Guns N' Roses played the first of three nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.
9 Dec 1992
George Harrison was the recipient of the first Century Award, presented by Tom Petty at the third Billboard Music Awards in Universal City, California.
9 Dec 1995
Michael Jackson scored his 6th solo UK No.1 single when 'Earth Song' started a 6-week run at the top of the charts. It gave Jackson the UK Christmas No.1 of 1995 and his best-selling UK single ever. The song kept the first single released by The Beatles in 25 years, 'Free as a Bird', off the No.1 position.
9 Dec 2000
U2 made their first-ever appearance on the long-running NBC program 'Saturday Night Live.' The band played ‘Beautiful Day’ and ‘Elevation.’
9 Dec 2001
Winners at The Smash Hits awards included Atomic Kitten, Best single for 'Whole Again', Westlife won Best band and Best album for 'World Of Our Own', and Blue won Best newcomer, Steps won Best live act, Shaggy won Best male act, Britney Spears won Best Female Act, Destiny's Child won Best R&B act, S Club 7's Rachel Stevens won Most Fanciable Female and Best Video went to Gorillaz, 'Clint Eastwood.'
9 Dec 2003
Ozzy Osbourne was admitted to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, Berkshire after being injured in a quad bike accident at his UK home. The 55 year-old singer broke his collarbone, eight ribs and a vertebra in his neck. News of Osbourne's accident reached the House of Commons, where the government sent a goodwill message.
9 Dec 2005
A man charged with stealing more than $300,000 worth of Elvis Presley's jewelry from the Elvis-A-Rama museum appeared in a Las Vegas court. 30 year old Eliab Aguilar was arrested on November 3rd after police said he approached a retired Elvis impersonator and offered to sell him several items including Presley's 1953 class ring from Humes High School worth $32,000, a 41 carat ruby and diamond ring worth $77,000 and a gold-plated Smith & Wesson .38 special.
9 Dec 2005
Joss Stone, Lemar and Ms. Dynamite backed by the African Children's Choir and 1,200 school children set a new world record for the most children singing simultaneously. The ‘Big Sing’ was held at The Royal Albert Hall, London. The singers led a performance of ‘Lean On Me’ which was broadcast to more than half a million people.
9 Dec 2006
Mariah Carey threatened legal action against porn star Mary Carey in an attempt to stop her trademarking her similar-sounding stage name. The singer believed fans could get the two performers confused if the adult film actress Mary Carey's trademark application was successful.
9 Dec 2010
Eric Clapton announced he was to sell off part of his extensive guitar collection to raise money for his Crossroads rehab Centre in Antigua. Highlights of the sale would include a guitar Clapton played at the Cream reunion shows in 2005, estimated to sell for more than $13,000. The sale to be held by Bonhams in New York would also feature a vast collection of amps and speakers, including a pair of Marshall speaker cabinets.
9 Dec 2013
Recipients honored at the 36th annual national John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts were pianist, keyboardist, bandleader and composer Herbie Hancock; singer and songwriter Billy Joel and guitarist and songwriter Carlos Santana.
9 Dec 2016
The Rolling Stones topped the UK chart with their latest album Blue & Lonesome, the bands first original studio album to reach No.1 for 22 years and the 12th album by The Rolling Stones to reach the top of the charts.
9 Dec 2019
Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson died aged 61 following a 17-yearlong battle with cancer. The Swedish duo achieved their biggest success when their 1987 single 'It Must Have Been Love' was featured on the Pretty Woman soundtrack in 1990. It topped the charts in more than 10 countries, and gave the band their biggest UK hit, reaching No.3.
9 Dec 2019
The widow of Chris Cornell filed a complaint in a Florida federal court in a row over unpaid Soundgarden royalties. Court documents claimed that Cornell’s former bandmates were attempting to “strong-arm Chris’ Estate into turning over certain audio recordings created by Chris before he passed away.”
9 Dec 2020
American record producer, songwriter and musician Jason Slater died age 49. He was bassist and backup vocalist for the American rock band Third Eye Blind and Slater went on to produce many projects, including four albums by progressive rock band Queensryche.
9 Dec 2021
David Lasley American recording artist, singer and songwriter died age 74. He was known for his contributions as a background singer and songwriter for such artists as Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Chic, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield and Boz Scaggs.
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