30 November

Pick a Day

30 NOVEMBER

In Music History

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2023 Shane MacGowan of The Pogues dies of pneumonia at 65. He was known for his pithy lyrics, Celtic influence, and a lifelong drinking problem that took a severe toll on his health.

2022 Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac dies from a stroke at 79.

2019 Slayer call it a career, playing their final show at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The last song is "Angel Of Death."

2017 Westbury New Road, where Rihanna grew up in Barbados, is renamed Rihanna Drive in her honor.More

2012 At the Uptown Theatre in Napa, California, 76-year-old Glen Campbell plays his final concert. It's the last stop on his Goodbye Tour, which began in September 2011 after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. The tour runs much longer than expected, but when Campbell becomes disoriented during the show and struggles to get through eight songs, it becomes clear he can no longer perform.

2011 J. Blackfoot (of The Soul Children) dies of pancreatic cancer at age 65.

2011 Dubstep artist Skrillex is unexpectedly nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist - a first in Grammy history for a DJ.

2011 Robin Thicke's dad, actor Alan Thicke, publishes an article in The Huffington Post titled "Boomerology 101: Gangster Father," where he discusses Robin's success despite his "life as the son of a White Canadian Sitcom Dad, aka 'Street Cred Death.'"

2010 Seven months after being released from jail after serving three years for tax evasion, Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers releases the album Mr. I, with contributions from Lauryn Hill and T.I.

2004 Linkin Park and Jay-Z release the collaborative EP Collision Course, which features mash-ups of the artists' songs. "Numb," from the nu-metal band's sophomore album, Meteora, is mixed with the rapper's Black Album track "Encore." The result, "Numb/Encore," wins the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 2006 ceremony.

2004 Kelly Clarkson releases her second album, Breakaway. With a string of hits ("Since U Been Gone," "Behind These Hazel Eyes," "Because Of You"), it cements her as superstar and proves American Idol voters were right in choosing her over Justin Guarini.

2004 Rapper T.I. releases his third album, Urban Legend. It's his first of seven consecutive albums to hit #1 on the R&B chart.

1998 Grant Gee's documentary Meeting People Is Easy, which follows Radiohead on their OK Computer tour, is released. The title is an ironic reference to the misanthropic nature of the band.

1997 The X-Files episode "The Post-Modern Prometheus" includes a Cher storyline and culminates in the main characters attending her concert. Cher couldn't appear in the episode (a lookalike was used), but three of her songs are featured: "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)," "Walking in Memphis" and "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves."

1996 "Tiptoe Through The Tulips" singer Tiny Tim (real name: Herbert B. Khaury) dies of a heart attack at age 64.

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Michael Jackson Releases Thriller

1982

Michael Jackson releases Thriller, which becomes, by far, the best selling album worldwide.


Jackson worked on the album with Quincy Jones, who produced his 1979 breakthrough solo album, Off The Wall. Recording didn't start in earnest until July 1982, and the schedule was tight: Jones' previous gig working on Donna Summer's self-titled album ran long, so they had just eight weeks to cobble together Thriller. The lead single, "The Girl Is Mine," a lightweight duet with Paul McCartney, was done, but the next eight tracks were recorded at a furious pace. Jones brought back the same gang that made Off The Wall so successful, including engineer Bruce Swedien, bass player Louis Johnson (of The Brothers Johnson), keyboard man Greg Phillinganes and horn player Jerry Hey. Members of the band Toto were also enlisted, as was Rod Temperton, who wrote three songs on Off The Wall, including "Rock With You" and the title track. Jones and his crew used any means necessary to create a stunning sound, often with three rooms going at once at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles. For "Billie Jean," Jackson recorded some of his vocals through cardboard tubes; for "Beat It," Jones purloined Eddie Van Halen for the guitar solo. The title track featured another unexpected guest star: master of horror Vincent Price, who brought the "hounds of hell" to the proceedings and added the maniacal laugh. Jackson wrote four of the tracks: "The Girl Is Mine," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," and album opener "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." Rod Temperton added three - "The Lady in My Life," "Baby Be Mine" and "Thriller" - Steve Porcaro added "Human Nature," and Jones wrote "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" with James Ingram. Seven of these tracks are released as singles, starting with "The Girl Is Mine" to feed off of McCartney's star power. All of them make the Top 10 in America. The album cost about $750,000 to make and earned Jackson at least $100 million. Its success is stunning. In America, it spends 37 weeks at #1 and becomes the best selling album of all time. Worldwide sales are impossible to tally with any accuracy, but nothing else is even close. It also breaks the color barrier on MTV, as Jackson becomes the network's biggest star.

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