Pick a Day

Music History Events: Births

October 2, 1988 Brittany Howard is born in Athens, Alabama, where she forms Alabama Shakes with her high school friend Zac Cockrell. Their 2012 debut album, Boys & Girls, includes the hit "Hold On" and earns them a raft of accolades. Howard launches a solo career in 2018 when the band goes on hiatus.

September 14, 1988 Muni Long (pronounced "money long") is born Priscilla Renea Hamilton in Gifford, Florida. She writes hits for Fifth Harmony ("Worth It") and Rihanna ("California King Bed") before breaking through as an artist with the song "Hrs And Hrs" in 2022.

May 24, 1988 Country singer Billy Gilman, known for his hit debut "One Voice" at just 11 years old, is born in Westerly, Rhode Island.

May 5, 1988 Singer and TV personality Brooke Hogan is born Brooke Ellen Bollea in Tampa, Florida. Dad is professional wrestler Hulk Hogan.

March 8, 1988 Producer Benny Blanco is born Benjamin Levin in Reston, Virginia. He works on some of the biggest hits for Kesha ("TiK ToK"), Maroon 5 ("Moves Like Jagger"), and Selena Gomez ("Same Old Love"), whom he marries in 2025.

December 7, 1987 Aaron Carter is born in Tampa, Florida, to a family that includes brother Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys. Aaron will release his self-titled debut album by the time he's 10.

November 5, 1987 Kevin Jonas, the oldest of the Jonas Brothers, is born in Teaneck, New Jersey.

September 28, 1987 Hilary Duff is born in Houston, Texas.

September 8, 1987 Rapper Wiz Khalifa is born Cameron Thomaz in Minot, North Dakota, where his parents are serving in the Air Force ("Khalifa" is arabic for "successor"). He settles in Pittsburgh and in 2010 has a #1 hit with "Black and Yellow," a tribute to that city.

July 14, 1987 Imagine Dragons lead singer Dan Reynolds is born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Raised Mormon, he attends BYU, where he forms the band with fellow student Wayne Sermon in 2008.

June 17, 1987 Rod Stewart becomes the proud parent of his fourth child, daughter Ruby, from his girlfriend, model Kelly Emberg.

June 16, 1987 Diana DeGarmo, runner-up on Season 3 of American Idol, is born in Birmingham, Alabama.

May 3, 1987 Michael Kiwanuka is born in the Muswell Hill area of North London, where he's raised by his Ugandan parents. After touring as Adele's opening act, he wins the BBC Sound Of 2012 poll (over Frank Ocean and Azealia Banks) and releases his debut album, Home Again. In 2016 he goes to #1 in the UK with his second album, Love & Hate.

April 11, 1987 Soul singer-songwriter Joss Stone is born Joscelyn Eve Stoker in Dover, Kent, England.

April 9, 1987 Jesse McCartney is born in Ardsley, New York. At 17, while starring in the TV series Summerland, he releases his first single, "Beautiful Soul," a hit with his fanbase of teenage girls.

March 31, 1987 Georg Listing (bassist for Tokio Hotel) is born in Halle, Germany.

March 9, 1987 Shad Moss, known as Lil' Bow Wow and later, Bow Wow, is born Columbus, Ohio.

January 8, 1987 Musical theater star Cynthia Erivo is born in London. She leaps to fame playing Elphaba in the 2024 film adaptation of Wicked opposite Ariana Grande.

August 27, 1986 R&B singer Mario is born Mario Dewar Barrett in Baltimore, Maryland.

August 21, 1986 Eric Clapton's son Conor is born. Four years later, Conor dies in a tragic accident, prompting Clapton to write "Tears In Heaven."

July 2, 1986 Lindsay Lohan is born in New York City. She's best known as an actress, but in 2003 she launches a singing career with the song "Ultimate" from her film Freaky Friday. She releases albums in 2004 and 2005 and has a few minor hits, but acting takes priority later in her career.

May 2, 1986 Country singer-songwriter Rose Falcon is born in New York.

March 22, 1986 Amy Studt is born in Hammersmith, London, England.

March 3, 1986 Christian singer Stacie Orrico is born in Seattle, Washington.

February 21, 1986 Charlotte Church is born in Cardiff, Wales.

January 20, 1986 Kevin Parker (Tame Impala) is born in Sydney, Australia, raised in Perth. His parents are both from Africa, where impalas (a spry kind of antelope) are found - the name reflects the wild but controlled nature of his music. Outside of Tame Impala, he does production work for many artists, including Lady Gaga ("Perfect Illusion"), Gorillaz ("New Gold") and Dua Lipa ("Houdini").

January 17, 1986 Olivia Newton-John gives birth to her daughter, Chloe. The father is her husband Matt Lattanzi, who co-starred with Olivia in Xanadu.

January 6, 1986 Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner is born in Sheffield, England.

November 26, 1985 Rapper Lil' Fizz (of B2K) is born Dreux Pierre Frédéric in New Orleans, Louisiana.

October 25, 1985 R&B singer Ciara is born Ciara Princess Harris in Austin, Texas, but is raised throughout the US and Germany thanks to her Army dad.