On this day in 1981: The band Motley Crue formed when bass guitarist Nikki Sixx left a band called ‘London’ and began rehearsing with drummer Tommy Lee and vocalist/guitarist Greg Leon, (who later left). Sixx and Lee then added guitarist Bob “Mick Mars” Deal. Vince Neil accepted an offer to join the band (after turning […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 16th
On this day in 1980: Paul McCartney was jailed for nine days in Tokyo for marijuana possession after being found with 219g on his arrival at Narita Airport in Japan. McCartney said in 2004. “This stuff was too good to flush down the toilet, so I thought I’d take it with me.” On this day […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 15th
On this day in 1983: Men At Work started a four week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Down Under’ which was the Australian group’s second U.S. #1 hit. ‘Down Under’ was originally released in 1980 as the B-Side to their first local single titled “Keypunch Operator”, released before the band signed with […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 14th
On this day in 1989: Bobby Brown went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘My Prerogative.” It would spend one week in the top spot. It was released on October 11, 1988, as the second single from his second solo album ‘Don’t Be Cruel.’ After recording sessions for the album were completed, Brown […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 13th
On this day in 1984: BBC Radio 1 announced a ban on ‘Relax’ by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, after DJ Mike Read called it ‘obscene’, a BBC TV ban also followed. The song went on to become a U.K. #1 and spent a total of 48 weeks on the U.K chart. “Relax” is the debut single […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 12th
On this day in 1980: Rupert Holmes returned to the #1 spot on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Escape (The Pina Colada Song)’. The song shot up the U.S. charts, becoming the last #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit of 1979 and of the 1970s decade. “Escape” was knocked out of the top spot but returned […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 11th
On this day in 1985: A Brazilian rock Festival ‘Rock In Rio’ held in Rio de Janeiro, claimed to be the biggest music festival ever staged. An estimated 1,5 million people attended the festival. The festival featured; Queen, Rod Stewart, AC/DC, Whitesnake, Yes and Iron Maiden. On this day in 1986: The Pet Shop Boys […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 10th
On this day in 1981: John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ started a four-week run at #1 on the U.K. singles chart, 10 years after it was recorded. Lennon had two other songs in the Top 5 in the U.K. this week, ‘Happy Christmas, (War Is Over’) and ‘(Just Like) Starting Over.’ ‘Imagine’ was voted by the viewers […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 9th
On this day in 1988: Whitney Houston scored her 6th consecutive #1 song in the U.S. with ‘So Emotional’. It was released as the third single from her second studio album ‘Whitney’ (1987) on October 12, 1987 by Arista Records. The song was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. Billy Steinberg also wrote Madonna’s ‘Like […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 8th
Each year Billboard freezes their weekly charts at the very end of the year/beginning of the new year (including in the 1980s) so there isn’t a lot of “music news” from the 80s to report at the end of the year/very beginning of the year as far as songs/albums going to #1, etc. Today, some […]