What Happened Today In Music

June 18th

1948 - Columbia Records

Columbia Records started the first mass production of the 33-RPM long player. The new format could contain a maximum of 23 minutes of music per side versus the three minutes that could be squeezed on to a 78 RPM disc.

1955 - Jimmy Young

Jimmy Young was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of 'Unchained Melody', (a theme for the obscure prison film Unchained and a hit for the Righteous Brothers in 1965). Young scored another ten Top 40 hit singles and went on to become one of UK's favourite radio DJ's

1964 - The Beatles

Touring Australia The Beatles played at Sydney Stadium in Sydney. This was Paul McCartney 22nd birthday and after the show his guests included 17 girls who were winners of the Daily Mirrors 'Why I would like to be a guest at a Beatles birthday party' competition.

1976 - ABBA

ABBA gave a special live performance in Stockholm for Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Silvia Sommerlath on the eve of their wedding.

1977 - Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Dreams', the group's first and only US No.1, was also a No.24 in the UK. Stevie Nicks has stated she wrote the song at the Record Plant studio in Sausalito, California, in about 10 minutes.

1977 - Johnny Rotten

Johnny Rotten and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols were stabbed and beaten when they were attacked in a car park outside a London pub. They objected to the Pistols' anti-monarchist song 'God Save the Queen'. The next day, another member of the Pistols, Paul Cook, was beaten by a gang armed with iron pipes.

1983 - Yello

Swiss band Yello released the first three- dimensional picture disc, complete with 3-D glasses.

1988 - Timelords

'Doctorin' The Tardis' by The Timelords was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. The Timelords were Scottish duo Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty, who formed KLF. The song was a mash-up of the Doctor Who theme music, Gary Glitter's 'Rock and Roll (Part Two)' with sections from 'Blockbuster!' by Sweet.

1993 - A&M

A&M Records chairman Jerry Moss and vice-chairman Herb Alpert announced they were leaving the company they founded more than 30 years earlier. They had sold A&M in 1990 to Polygram for $500 million. Moss and Alpert started the label in the garage of Alpert's Los Angeles home in 1962. The label was the home to such acts as The Police, Bryan Adams, Joan Baez, Flying Burrito Brothers, The Carpenters, Joe Cocker, Supertramp and Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.

2002 - U2

U2 lost a bid to prevent the demolition of Hanover Quay studio in Dublin.’Over 8,000 fans signed an online petition to preserve the studio, where the group recorded ‘All That You Can't Leave Behind’ and some of their 'Pop' album.

2002 - Jimmy Guizar

The ex-husband of Spice Girl Mel B appeared in court on a charge of assaulting a three year-old boy. Dancer Jimmy Guizar denied assaulting the child in a play area at London Zoo.

2003 - Simon Fuller

Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller became the first British music manager since The Beatles Brian Epstein to hold the top three positions in the US singles chart. Fuller, who steered the Spice Girls and S Club 7 to success, was in charge of bestselling artists Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, together with the American Idol 2 Final 10. During 2003 Fuller sold more than ten million records around the world and has had 96 No.1 singles and 79 top-placed albums in both the US and UK during his career. He was named in the latest Sunday Times Rich List as the 359th wealthiest person in the UK with assets of £90 million ($153 million).

2007 - Tokens

American singer and record producer Hank Medress died of lung cancer at 68. He was the vocalist on The Tokens 1961 US No.1 hit 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight', Medress was also in the vocal quartet The Linc-Tones with Neil Sedaka and produced the hit single 'He's So Fine' by The Chiffons, as well as Tony Orlando's 'Knock Three Times'.

2008 - Phil Spector

A Lost Angeles hotel filed a lawsuit against Phil Spector for failing to pay more than $100,000 (£61,000), in outstanding bills for lawyers and expert witnesses in his murder trial. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel claimed that by the time Spector's trial ended with a hung jury, the defendants owed the hotel more than $104,000 (£63,400).

2010 - The Beatles

John Lennon's handwritten lyrics to The Beatles song 'A Day In The Life' sold for $1.2m (£810,000) at an auction at Sotheby's in New York. The double-sided sheet of paper with notes written in felt marker and blue ink also contained some corrections and other notes penned in red ink.

2015 - Song Writers Hall Of Fame

Van Morrison, Cyndi Lauper and Toby Keith were among the inductees into the Song Writers Hall Of Fame at a star-studded gala in New York City. The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia was also inducted posthumously alongside the band's lyricist Robert Hunter.

2016 - Adele

Adele was named songwriter of the year at the prestigious Ivor Novello Awards, which recognise achievement in songwriting. The singer was honoured for her multi-million selling album, 25, which emerged last year after a long struggle with writer's block.

2020 - Hux Brown 

Jamaican guitarist Hux Brown died in Oakland, California, aged 75. He featured on many successful rocksteady and reggae records in the 60s and 70s, and was later a member of Toots and the Maytals.

2020 - Vera Lynn

English singer, songwriter and entertainer Vera Lynn died at her home in East Sussex aged 103. She was popular during the Second World War and was widely referred to as the "Forces' Sweetheart" giving outdoor concerts for the British troops overseas. The songs most associated with her are 'We'll Meet Again', and '(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover'. On their 1979 album The Wall, Pink Floyd released a song titled "Vera", referencing Vera Lynn and the song 'We'll Meet Again'. 

Born Today In Music

June 18th

1942 - Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney, The Beatles Wings, solo. The most successful rock composer of all time. McCartney first met John Lennon on July 6th 1957, who was impressed that Paul could tune a guitar. With The Beatles he scored 21 US No.1 & 17 UK No.1 singles plus McCartney has scored over 30 US & UK solo Top 40 hit singles. He has written and co-written 188 charted records, of which 91 reached the Top 10 and 33 made it to No.1 totalling 1,662 weeks on the chart.

1942 - Carl Radle

Carl Radle, bassist with Derek and the Dominoes, who had the 1972 UK No.7 single 'Layla'. He died of kidney failure June 30th 1980, aged 38. Also worked with George Harrison and Delaney And Bonnie.

1942 - Richard Perry

Richard Perry, US producer. Member of The Legends during the 60s. Worked with Carly Simon, Barbra Streisand, Ringo Starr, Captain Beefheart, Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, The Pointer Sisters.

1952 - Ricky Gazda

Ricky Gazda, from the Jersey Shore group Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes who had the 1978 album Hearts Of Stone and have released over ten other albums.

1953 - Jerome Smith

Jerome Smith, guitarist, with American disco and funk group KC and the Sunshine Band who had the 1975 US No.1 single 'That's The Way, I Like It', and the 1983 UK No.1 single 'Give It Up'. He died on August 2nd 2000 after being crushed by a bulldozer he was operating.

1961 - Alison Moyet

English singer, songwriter Alison Moyet, who with Yazoo had the 1982 UK No.2 single 'Only You' and solo hits in 1985 with the UK No.2 single 'That Ole Devil Called Love'.

1963 - Dizzy Reed

American musician Dizzy Reed, best known as the keyboardist for Guns N' Roses. with whom he has played, toured, and recorded since 1990.

1969 - Simon Rowbottom

Simon Rowbottom, guitarist with English alternative rock band The Boo Radleys who had the 1995 UK No.9 single 'Wake Up Boo'.

1971 - Nathan Morris

Nathan Morris, from American R&B vocal group Boyz II Men, who had the 1992 US & UK No.1 single 'End Of The Road' which set a new record for longevity, staying at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks, breaking the decades-old record held by Elvis Presley. 

1973 - Gary Stringer

Gary Stringer, vocals, with English band Reef who had the 1996 UK No. 6 single ‘Place Your Hands’ and the 1997 UK No.1 album ‘Glow'.

1976 - Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton, American country music singer and television personality. Blake Shelton has charted over 20 country singles, including 11 No.1's. He is the husband of country singer Miranda Lambert.

1988 - Josh Dun

Josh Dun American drummer for the musical duo Twenty One Pilots. Their second album the 2015 Blurryface peaked at No.1 on the US chart.