30 JANUARY
In Music History
1984 Kid Cudi is born Scott Mescudi in Cleveland, Ohio. His first two albums take off but send him into a swirl of drug abuse and depression. He becomes one of the first hip-hop stars to openly discuss his struggles with mental health.
1982 Country blues musician Lightnin' Hopkins dies of esophageal cancer at age 69.
1980 New Orleans bluesman Professor Longhair dies of a heart attack at age 61.
1979 Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand's duet "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" becomes the first 12-inch single certified Gold by the RIAA.
1978 Journey release Infinity, their fourth album but first with lead singer Steve Perry. With the singles "Wheel In The Sky" and "Lights," it takes the band away from their progressive rock sound and squarely into pop, where they thrive for the next 10 years.
1971 Neil Young performs "The Needle and the Damage Done" at UCLA's Royce Hall. The song is recorded and released on the Harvest album a year later.
1968 Cilla Black's BBC show Cilla debuts, adding another Britgirl to the UK television lineup. Unlike the shows of Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield, Sandie Shaw, and Lulu, Cilla has longevity, lasting until 1976. This series makes her one of the most popular television personalities in the UK until her death in 2015.
1968 Bobby Goldsboro records "Honey," a song written by Bobby Russell. It becomes one of the biggest hits of 1968, spending five weeks at #1 in the US.
1961 The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" hits #1 in America. It's the first big hit for the songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King.
1961 Songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller announce that they are forming their own independent production company.
1959 Jody Watley is born in Chicago, Illinois.
1956 Elvis Presley records "Blue Suede Shoes," "My Baby Left Me," "One-Sided Love Affair," and "So Glad You're Mine."
1956 Billy Lee Riley records "Red Hot."
1952 Steve Bartek (lead guitarist for Oingo Boingo) is born in Garfield Heights, Ohio.
1951 Marv Ross (guitarist for Quarterflash) is born in Oregon.
Beatles Rock The Rooftop
1969The Beatles stage their famous rooftop concert on the roof of Apple Records in London. After performing a few songs, including "Get Back" and "Don't Let Me Down," the police shut them down as a large crowd gathers. It is The Beatles' last public performance.
Read more30 JANUARY
Featured Events
2016 David Bowie's Blackstar album hits #1 in America, 20 days after his death. It's Bowie's first #1 album in the States.
1999 America is abuzz with Britney Spears, whose debut single "...Baby One More Time" goes to #1 as her album also reaches the top.More
1994 Natalie Cole sings the US national anthem at Superbowl XXVIII in Atlanta, Georgia. Halftime is country, with Clint Black, The Judds and Travis Tritt among the performers.
1973 Kiss play their first concert, performing at the Popcorn Club in Queens, New York. They wear makeup onstage, but not the look they become known for.
1972 British soldiers open fire on 26 unarmed civilians during a peaceful protest march in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in 14 deaths. The incident inspires Paul McCartney to write "Give Ireland Back To The Irish" (Wings' debut single) and gives rise to the U2 song "Sunday Bloody Sunday."
1958 Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" enters the UK chart at #1, the first single ever to do so.
©2026 Songfacts®, LLC