1 January

Pick a Day

Music History Events: Publicity Stunts

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November 26, 2016 Joe Corré, the son of The Sex Pistols' manager Malcolm McLaren, sets fire to punk memorabilia from a boat on the River Thames to protest the mainstream appropriation of the genre.More

July 15, 2016 As he's done since 1972, Alice Cooper announces he's running for president, this time with the campaign slogan "A Troubled Man for Troubled Times." His platform includes "Adding Lemmy to Mount Rushmore" and "Getting Brian Johnson back in AC/DC." He loses to Donald Trump, but gains more exposure for his song "Elected."More

November 18, 1994 The Rolling Stones become the first major act to stream a live concert on the Internet, webcasting 20 minutes of their show at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. It's really for publicity to promote their upcoming pay-per-view concert, as very few computers can receive the webcast.

August 23, 1994 For no apparent reason the British duo The KLF burn £1 million on the Isle of Jura in Scotland.More

October 8, 1990 The Go-Go's pose for the first "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" poster for PETA.More

July 12, 1979 It's "Disco Demolition Night" at Comiskey Park, where the White Sox and Tigers are playing a doubleheader. The plan is to blow up a bunch of disco albums between games, but it goes horribly wrong when fans become unruly and rush the field, forcing the White Sox to forfeit the second game.More

July 11, 1979 The space station Skylab crashes to Earth after six years in space. Leading up to the event, Electric Light Orchestra take out ads in trade magazines dedicating their new single, "Don't Bring Me Down," to Skylab.

May 26, 1977 Rock sensations and serial marketers Kiss provide Marvel Comics with a vial of their blood to be mixed with the red ink used to print their upcoming comic book. The photo op takes place at the printing plant in Depew, New York, where the comic will be made.

February 21, 1977 At a concert stop at the Nassau Coliseum, every member of Kiss has some blood drawn. It's not for the Red Cross: the blood will be mixed with ink used to print the first Kiss comic book, which appears in June. The process from bloodletting to print is notarized for authenticity.

April 24, 1976 With rumors of a Beatles reunion swirling, Saturday Night Live executive producer Lorne Michaels goes on camera to offer the guys $3,000 (union scale) to reunite on the show. Paul McCartney and John Lennon are watching at Lennon's New York City apartment and consider showing up on a lark, but pass up the opportunity.

November 7, 1970 MGM Records president Mike Curb announces that his label is dumping 18 acts that "exploit and promote hard drugs through music."More

December 2, 1957 Al Priddy, a disc jockey at the Portland, Oregon, radio station KEX, is fired for playing the Elvis Presley version of "White Christmas," which the station has banned, their program manager saying it "desecrates the Spirit of Christmas and transgresses the composer's intent." The story makes national news, but it turns out to be a brilliant publicity stunt - Priddy is back on the air two weeks later, with the station claiming letters were pouring in to support the DJ. As part of the stunt, Priddy recorded the GM calling in to "fire" him for playing the song and played the conversation on his show before he left.

September 27, 2022 Lizzo plays a few notes from a crystal flute once owned by US President James Madison at her concert in Washington, DC. The instrument, made in 1813, is on loan from the Library of Congress, which is drawing attention to their flute collection, the largest in the world. "It's like playing out of a wine glass," Lizzo says.

March 2, 2014 Arby's buys the hat Pharrell Williams wore to the Grammys on eBay for $44,100. The fast-food chain donates the hat (which resembles their logo) to the Newseum in Washington, DC. Money from the auction goes to the From One Hand to Another charity.

May 7, 2002 The Rolling Stones make a big entrance, arriving by blimp to announce their Licks tour in New York's Van Cortland Park.

July 14, 1988 At the height of "Elvis is Alive" mania, Nashville radio station WYHY offers a million dollars to anyone who shows up at the studios with the King.

May 24, 1979 The three remaining members of Genesis give the fans a thrill by manning the box office and selling their own tickets to the upcoming show at the Roxy in Los Angeles.

December 31, 1975 Casablanca Records' single release party for Donna Summer's debut single, "Love To Love You Baby," features a life-size cake in the shape of the singer, flown in all the way from Los Angeles to New York (it's also Summer's 23rd birthday).

May 1, 1975 The Rolling Stones announce their Tour Of The Americas by rolling down 5th Avenue in New York City playing "Brown Sugar" from the back of a flatbed truck.

March 15, 1972 As a publicity stunt, the Los Angeles radio station KHJ plays Donny Osmond's "Puppy Love" for 90 minutes straight. Concerned listeners call the police, who show up at the station to find no laws - except good taste - are being broken.

December 5, 1968 The Rolling Stones hold a "Beggar's Banquet" at Elizabeth Rooms, London, to promote their release of the new album with the same name. The "banquet" ends with a pie fight.

June 22, 2020 The day after Spain lifted a 3-month coronavirus lockdown, the Liceu opera in Barcelona opens its season with an unusual performance: Each of the 2,292 seats is occupied by a houseplant.More

March 1, 2020 Public Enemy kick Flavor Flav out of the group, claiming he often missed live gigs and recording sessions. "He always chose to party over work," the statement reads. On April 1, the band releases a new song with Flav and claims kicking him out was a hoax.

February 19, 2020 In a promotion for Buffalo Wild Wings, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony announce they have changed their name to Boneless Thugs-N-Harmony because they love the restaurant's boneless wings.

December 16, 2018 With some radio stations pulling "Baby It's Cold Outside" from their holiday playlists in response to the #MeToo movement, WAKY in Louisville, Kentucky plays the song continuously for two hours. Response from listeners is overwhelmingly positive.

August 21, 2017 During a historic solar eclipse, Bonnie Tyler sings "Total Eclipse Of The Heart," while Ozzy Osbourne performs "Bark At The Moon."More

August 18, 2017 Taylor Swift wipes clean her social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, personal YouTube). Three days later, she begins posting video of a snake to tease her scathing song "Look What You Made Me Do," which is released on August 25.

August 16, 2014 To announce Syro, his first Aphex Twin album in 13 years, Richard James arranges for a blimp to fly over London with his iconic logo on one side and the year on the other. The same logo is also spraypainted on New York sidewalks.

January 28, 2014 At a press conference, all four members of Mötley Crüe sign a "cessation of touring agreement" preventing them from ever touring again after 2015. It prevents nothing: they kick off their next tour in 2022.

June 28, 2012 The Flaming Lips break the Guinness World Record for the most live shows performed in multiple cities within 24 hours. The feat is part of MTV's O Music Awards which honors achievements in the digital music realm.More

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