Pick a Day

Music History Events: Milestones

March 4, 1989 Time Inc. and Warner Communications merge into Time Warner, creating the world's largest media company.

January 14, 1989 The soundtrack to the film Dirty Dancing reaches sales of ten million copies, which is now known as Diamond certification. The movie was set in 1963, and the soundtrack contained songs from that era along with new ones like "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," which were written for the film.

August 10, 1987 A Chorus Line, the Broadway smash that had become the longest-running show on Broadway four years earlier, celebrates a historic 5,000th performance.

August 16, 1986 A rap album tops the R&B chart for the first time when Run-DMC's Raising Hell supplants Billy Ocean's Love Zone at the top. Albums by LL Cool J, Public Enemy, De La Soul and Slick Rick go to #1 over the next few years.

June 14, 1986 Patti LaBelle lands her first solo #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with "On My Own," a duet with ex-Doobie Brother Michael McDonald. It holds the top spot for three weeks and also goes to #1 on the R&B chart.

July 29, 1984 Prince becomes the first person to have a #1 song and star in a #1 movie at the same time as Purple Rain tops the box office while "When Doves Cry" stays perched atop the Hot 100 for its fourth consecutive week.

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.