Pick a Day

Music History Events: Awards and Honors

December 13, 2012 Songwriting legend Carole King, whose career dates back to the Brill Building, wins the Library of Congress' Gershwin Prize in recognition of her lifetime achievement. She is the first woman awarded this honor, which fits with her having authored "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman," among many other chart-smashers during her five-decade career.

December 1, 2012 San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders declares "Peaceful Easy Feeling Day" in honor of Jack Tempchin, who wrote the Eagles hit in the city. The ceremony takes place at a hot dog joint called the Wienerschnitzel, where he wrote the last verse while waiting for his order. Tempchin is presented with a golden wiener at the event.

November 18, 2012 At the 2012 American Music Awards (the 40th anniversary of the event), Justin Bieber wins Artist of the Year.

November 14, 2012 Brian Eno is awarded the Royal Designer for Industry (RDI) distinction, established by the British Royal Society for Arts, for "his ground-breaking use of sound in technology and media and long term sustainable thinking." Eno is the only recipient awarded for sound design.

November 5, 2012 The building at 1325 Commmonwealth Avenue in Boston, where the five members of Aerosmith shared an apartment in the '70s, is declared a historic landmark. To celebrate, the band play a free concert outside the building to thousands of fans.

October 22, 2012 Garth Brooks is inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. George Strait, Bob Seger, and James Taylor perform at the ceremony.

October 1, 2012 Chris Thile, the mandolin player known for his work with Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers, wins a Genius grant from the MacArthur Foundation. The foundation typically accepts nominees through anonymous selection, and when Thile receives the congratulatory phone call, he thinks its a political robo-call until his agent looks up the number.

July 10, 2012 Slash, who left Guns N' Roses in 1996, gets his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Charlie Sheen, who is master of ceremonies at the event, comments, "It seems quite fitting that Slash is getting a star on the very street Axl Rose will one day be sleeping on."

February 21, 2012 Adele flips off producers at the Brit Awards when she is ushered off stage before she can finish the acceptance speech for her Album of the Year win.

November 30, 2011 Dubstep artist Skrillex is unexpectedly nominated for five Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist - a first in Grammy history for a DJ.

September 6, 2011 PJ Harvey becomes the first artist to win the Mercury Prize twice when her album Let England Shake earns the prestigious award. Her first win was in 2001 for Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea.

May 27, 2011 A species of Afrotropical spider is named in honor of composer Brian Eno. The creature is called Pseudocorinna brianeno.

April 13, 2011 New American Idol judge Jennifer Lopez is named People magazine's Most Beautiful Person of 2011.

February 15, 2011 A stunned Laura Marling accepts the Brit Award for Best British Female at the O2 Arena in London. In an interview later that year Marling says she was "terrified" at the awards ceremony, clarifying that she's "been around people for whom [winning a Brit] has changed things and it is uncomfortable to watch. I'm not built for that."

February 13, 2011 Arcade Fire's The Suburbs scoops Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, beating Eminem's hotly tipped comeback, Recovery. Many folks have not heard of the Canadian band, prompting the internet meme, "Who Is Arcade Fire?" Esperanza Spalding surprisingly beats out Justin Bieber for Best New Artist, becoming the first jazz artist to win the award.

January 1, 2011 Hugh Laurie, a blues artist and actor best known for his role on the TV drama House, wins the fourth Golden Mouth Organ Award on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Laurie earns the award by playing "Oh! Susanna."

October 21, 2010 In the Five Points district of Columbia, South Carolina, a sculpture in unveiled honoring Hootie & the Blowfish, who formed when they were students at the nearby University of South Carolina.

September 12, 2010 Lady Gaga wears a dress made of raw meat to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, where she wins Video Of The Year for "Bad Romance."More

September 7, 2010 The xx take home the 2010 Mercury Prize.

June 2, 2010 After being awarded the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, Paul McCartney sings "Michelle" to First Lady Michelle Obama at a White House performance.

March 6, 2010 The Golden Raspberry Awards judges decide the Jonas Brothers aren't capable of portraying themselves and bestow the trio with a Razzie for Worst Actor for Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience.

January 31, 2010 The Record Academy honors Leonard Cohen with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. During his acceptance speech, Cohen comments on his surprise at receiving a Grammy, joking that he "was always touched by the modesty of [the Recording Academy's] interest in my work."

May 8, 2009 San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders declares "Adam Lambert Day" after Lambert's performance of "Black Or White" and "Mad World" on American Idol.

April 22, 2009 Liz Phair wins her first ASCAP award as Top Television Composer for her work on the teen drama 90210.

February 8, 2009 Ne-Yo wins the Grammy awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for the Year of the Gentleman single "Miss Independent."

February 8, 2009 Sugarland's track "Stay" scoops two Grammy Awards - Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and Best Country Song.

May 7, 2008 The Jammys Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to Phish. The ceremony takes place in The Theater at Madison Square Garden.

March 10, 2008 Dapperly dressed in a classic black tuxedo, Leonard Cohen appears on stage in New York for his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with Madonna, John Mellencamp, The Dave Clark Five and The Ventures. In his acceptance speech, Cohen paraphrases a famous quote by record producer and current chairman of the Hall's nominating committee, Jon Landau: "I have seen the future of rock & roll, and it is not Leonard Cohen."

February 24, 2008 A statue of departed AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott is unveiled in his hometown of Fremantle, Australia.

February 10, 2008 Famous spaghetti western composer Ennio Morricone and Bruce Springsteen win the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental. Springsteen covered Morricone's classic "Once Upon a Time in the West."