On this day in 1981: Dolly Parton started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘9 to 5’, her first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “9 to 5” was written for the 1980 comedy film of the same name. In addition to appearing on the film soundtrack, the song […]
Tag: 1981
This Day In Music, February 14th
Happy Valentine’s Day to all! We hope you enjoy it! On this day in 1981: Kool & The Gang started their second and final week at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Celebration,” It remains the only Kool & The Gang song to ever reach #1 on the Hot 100. It would be ranked […]
This Day In Music, February 8th
On this day in 1981: R,E.M. made their first ever-recording sessions at Bombay Studios in Smyrna, Georgia. Tracks included ‘Gardening At Night’, ‘Radio Free Europe’ and ‘(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville.’ On this day in 1983: Winners at the second annual Brit Awards held in London included Paul McCartney, who won Best British Male Solo Artist, […]
This Day In Music, February 7th
On this day in 1981: Kool & The Gang started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Celebration’ the group’s first (and only) #1 and their 8th top 40 hit at the time. Co-founder Ronald Bell, the group’s saxophonist and musical arranger, explained the origins of the song: “The initial […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 31st
On this day in 1981: Blondie went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘The Tide Is High’, the group’s third U.S. #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would spend one week in the top spot. “The Tide Is High” is a 1967 song written by John Holt, originally produced by Duke Reid […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 24th
On this day in 1981: Adam and the Ants started a 10-week run at #1 on the U.K. album chart with their album ‘Kings Of The Wild Frontier’. ‘Kings of the Wild Frontier’ is the second album by English new wave band Adam and the Ants. It was released in November 1980 by CBS Records International. […]
This Day In 80s Music, January 17th
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 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 Music, December 30th
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. So for […]
This Day In Music, December 26th
On this day in 1981: AC/DC started a three-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart with ‘For Those About To Rock We Salute You’ which was the follow-up to their highly successful album ‘Back In Black’. The name of the album was inspired by a book Angus Young read, entitled ‘For Those About […]