Pick a Day

Music History Events: Milestones

July 23, 1980 Billy Joel gets his first Gold record, for "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me."

April 13, 1980 The musical Grease closes on Broadway after a record 3,883 performances.

February 15, 1979 Barry Manilow wins his first and only Grammy Award when "Copacabana (At The Copa)" is named Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 21st Annual Grammy Awards.

February 1, 1979 Blondie hits #1 in the UK with "Heart Of Glass," the first of their six #1 hits in Britain. Three months later, the song tops the US chart.

March 17, 1978 The Irish high school band U2, which just recently changed their name from The Hype, win the Limerick Civic Week Pop '78 talent competition, earning about $1,000 and a chance to record a demo for CBS Records.

December 31, 1975 Elvis Presley sets a new single-show solo record at a concert in Pontiac, Michigan, which earns $800,000.

June 4, 1975 The Rolling Stones become the first rock band to receive royalties for sales of their records in Russia.

October 25, 1974 The Pointer Sisters become the first Black female group to play the Grand Ole Opry. They earn their invite from their song "Fairytale," which goes on to win a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group.

October 5, 1974 Olivia Newton-John's "I Honestly Love You" hits #1 for the first of two weeks, making it her first chart-topper in the US.

May 10, 1974 The Who sell out Madison Square Garden in a record eight hours.

February 14, 1972 The '50s tribute musical Grease opens off-Broadway at New York City's Eden Theatre, featuring Barry Bostwick and Adrienne Barbeau. The play is an instant hit, moving to Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre for a record 3,388 performances, and, not incidentally, spawning one of the most popular movies of all time.

December 21, 1970 Traffic's John Barleycorn Must Die, Judy Collins' In My Life, and the original British cast recording of Jesus Christ Superstar are all certified gold.

December 14, 1970 John Lennon's "Instant Karma!" is certified Gold.

September 26, 1970 Motown Records announces The Jackson 5 have sold 10 million records in nine months.

May 11, 1970 The Chairmen Of The Board's "Give Me Just a Little More Time" is certified gold.

February 9, 1970 Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" is certified Gold.

January 29, 1970 Johnny Cash's album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash is certified Gold.

January 24, 1970 Dr. Robert Moog unveils the "minimoog" synthesizer, one of the first portable synth keyboards, at a price of $2,000. The American Federation of Musicians at first opposes the instrument, fearing its "realistic" settings will put horn and string sections out of work. The minimoog becomes the first synth to go on tour with rock bands.

January 19, 1970 The Easy Rider soundtrack, featuring "Born To Be Wild," "If 6 Was 9" and "Ballad of Easy Rider," is certified Gold.

December 30, 1969 Peter, Paul and Mary's "Leaving On A Jet Plane" is certified Gold.

December 17, 1969 Thanks to play on freeform FM radio stations, Chicago Transit Authority's self-titled debut album goes Gold, eight months after its release. For their next album, the band shortens their name to Chicago.

December 12, 1969 Isaac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul album is certified gold.

November 26, 1969 The Band's eponymous second album is certified Gold.

October 7, 1969 The Youngbloods' "Get Together" is certified gold.

August 20, 1969 Andy Williams' LP Happy Heart is certified gold.

July 22, 1969 Elvis Presley's NBC-TV Special soundtrack (a/k/a "The '68 Comeback Special") is certified gold.

February 13, 1969 The Doors' "Touch Me" is certified gold.

December 14, 1968 Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" is certified Gold.

November 18, 1968 Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "Gentle On My Mind" are certified gold.

October 11, 1968 Aretha Franklin's "I Say a Little Prayer" is certified gold.