5 DECEMBER
In Music History
2020 BTS hit #1 in America with "Life Goes On." Most of the lyric is Korean, making it the first chart-topper since "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco with lyrics predominantly in a language other than Spanish or English.
2017 French music star Johnny Hallyday dies of lung cancer at 74.
2016 Boy George appears on the reality show The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when it's revealed that he's the regular houseguest of newest housewife Dorit Hemsley and her talent manager husband PK.
2015 Soul singer Leon Bridges is the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, singing "Smooth Sailin'" and "River" from his debut album Coming Home.
2012 Jazz pianist Dave Brubeck dies one day before his 92nd birthday.
2012 Alicia Keys scores her fifth #1 on the Billboard albums chart with Girl On Fire.
2011 The reality show T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle debuts on VH1, chronicling the life of rapper T.I., his wife Tameka "Tiny" Cottle of Xscape, and their six children. It runs for six seasons.
2010 The cast of the show Glee performs on the reality competition show The X Factor.
2010 Porn director-turned-blues musician John Leslie dies of a stroke at age 65.
2004 In Washington D.C., Elton John receives a Kennedy Center honor.
2002 Elton John guest stars on Will and Grace, one of the first shows featuring a lead character who is gay.
2001 David Crosby and Don Henley headline a benefit concert that raises $300,000 for children of the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
1997 At the KROQ Christmas concert in Los Angeles, Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro uses his own blood to write an encouraging message to Fiona Apple on her dressing room wall: "Fiona, have fun. Love, DN" He insists it's not creepy. "Fiona courageously shares with the world what comes from the beauty and pain that flows from within her heart," Navarro explains. "I simply chose to thank her for her honesty by leaving her a little note that comes from the beauty and pain that flows from my heart... literally."
1991 In Worcester, Massachusetts, Soundgarden begin opening a string of arena shows in North America for Guns N' Roses, who are supporting their Use Your Illusion albums. The tour also includes a three-night stand at Madison Square Garden, the only time Soundgarden play the venue.
1984 Beverly Hills Cop, an action comedy starring Eddie Murphy, debuts in theaters. Its hit soundtrack, which goes on to win a Grammy Award, features tunes from Patti LaBelle ("New Attitude," "Stir It Up"), The Pointer Sisters ("Neutron Dance"), Glenn Frey ("The Heat Is On"), and Harold Faltermeyer ("Axel F"), among others.
Beyonce Channels Etta James In Cadillac Records
2008The musical biopic Cadillac Records premieres in US theaters, with Beyoncé in a starring role as soul legend Etta James.
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Featured Events
2003 Coldplay frontman Chris Martin marries actress Gwyneth Paltrow a year after meeting her backstage at one of his concerts. They divorce in 2016 after consciously uncoupling.
1998 Billboard changes the way they calculate the Hot 100, finally accounting for airplay. Previously, if a song wasn't available for purchase as a single, it couldn't chart. As labels withheld singles to goose album sales, popular songs like "Don't Speak" and "One Headlight" were conspicuously absent from the chart, prompting the change.
1993 Onetime Gin Blossoms guitarist Doug Hopkins commits suicide at age 32. Hopkins was fired from the group before the release of their debut album, New Miserable Experience, but the biggest hits from that album, "Hey Jealousy" and "Found Out About You," were songs he wrote.
1980 Speaking with Rolling Stone's Jonathan Cott, John Lennon gives his last print interview; he is killed three days later.
1932 Richard Wayne Penniman, who will become known as Little Richard, is born in Macon, Georgia.
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