Timeline of musical events
This page indexes the individual year in music pages.
2010s
Main article:
2010s in music
- 2012 in music, 2012 in American music
- 2011 in music, 2011 in British music - Death of Gerry Rafferty, Gary Moore, George Shearing, Mike Starr, Ferlin Husky, Gil Scott-Heron, Clarence Clemons, Amy Winehouse, Sylvia Robinson, Bert Jansch
- 2010 in music, 2010 in British music, 2010 in Japanese music - Tour of Jerry Lee Lewis, - Death of Teddy Pendergrass, Ed Thigpen, Kate McGarrigle, Ronnie James Dio, Peter Steele, Paul Gray, Lena Horne, Jimmy Dean, Tuli Kupferberg, Eddie Fisher, Joan Sutherland;
2000s
Main article:
2000s in music
- 2009 in music, 2009 in British music - Deaths of Michael Jackson, James Owen Sullivan, Leon Kirchner, Les Paul, Ali Akbar Khan, Merce Cunningham, Ron Asheton, Henri Pousseur, Mary Travers, Stephen Gately, Alain Bashung; Noel Gallagher departs from Oasis after 18 years. Mariah Carey becomes the only person since the award was established to have two, and consecutive, Songs of the Decade - "One Sweet Day" for the 90's and "We Belong Together" for the 00's - thus makes her the only winner of this award.
- 2008 in music, 2008 in British music - Deaths of Mauricio Kagel, Artie Traum, Wilfrid Mellers, LeRoi Moore, Erik Darling, Isaac Hayes, Bo Diddley, Richard Wright (musician), Nick Reynolds, Mitch Mitchell, Miriam Makeba, Odetta, Eartha Kitt, Freddie Hubbard. Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body" becomes her 18th U.S. chart-topper, setting the record for most U.S. number ones singles by a solo artist - only behind The Beatles with 20 - and most weeks at number one on the Hot 100 chart with a total of 79. Lil Wayne released Tha Carter III and sold 1 million copies in the first week, the album was the best selling album of 2008.
- 2007 in music, 2007 in British music - Deaths of Beverly Sills, Max Roach, Oscar Peterson, Izumi Sakai, Luciano Pavarotti, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Don Arden; Live Earth, Led Zeppelin reunion; Radiohead splits from EMI and independently releases In Rainbows with an online download method of payment that allows the buyer to choose their price; The Mars Volta releases one of the first USB flash drive albums, as part of their The Bedlam in Goliath.
- 2006 in music, 2006 in British music, 2006 in Swiss music - Deaths of James Brown and Syd Barrett.
- 2005 in music, 2005 in British music, 2005 in Swiss music - Mariah Carey releases her 10 million selling "The Emancipation of Mimi", the best-selling album of the year worldwide, alongside the album's second single "We Belong Together", the year's most successful single, and the Song of the Decade 2000-2009. Death of Luther Vandross, John Herald. Pink Floyd reunion for Live 8.
- 2004 in music, 2004 in British music - Death of Ray Charles, Dimebag Darrell; The Grey Album sparks day of electronic disobedience by internet filesharers against EMI.
- 2003 in music, 2003 in British music - Death of Johnny Cash, John Serry, Sr..
- 2002 in music, 2002 in British music - Death of Waylon Jennings, Dave Van Ronk, Layne Staley, Lisa Left-Eye Lopes, Lonnie Donegan and Joe Strummer; Beginning of American Idol (initially titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar) which brings arrival of first winner Kelly Clarkson; Alan Jackson, Drive;
- 2001 in music, 2001 in British music - Duran Duran is reunited with the original five members and goes on tour for the first time since 1985. Michael Jackson's last studio album Invincible released, Napster's popularity peaks; Deaths of Aaliyah, George Harrison, John Lee Hooker, John Phillips, Perry Como; Metallica and Dr. Dre sue Napster over illegal distribution of their music.
- 2000 in music, 2000 in British music - Mariah Carey becomes the Best-Selling Artist of the Millennium according to the World Music Awards. Britney Spears' Oops I Did It Again sells over 23 million copies and becomes the best-selling album by a female artist of the decade.
List of 10 most sold albums of the 2000s
- The Beatles 1 - 31 million - 2000
- Linkin Park Hybrid Theory - 30 million - 2000
- Backstreet Boys Black & Blue - 24 million[1][2] - 2000
- Britney Spears Oops I Did It Again - 23 million - 2000
- U2 All That You Can't Leave Behind - 22 million - 2000
- Norah Jones Come Away with Me - 22.5 million - 2002
- Usher Confessions - 20 million - 2004
- Shakira Laundry Service - 20 million - 2001
- Eminem The Eminem Show - 19 million - 2002
- Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP - 19 million - 2000
1990s
Main article:
1990s in music
- 1999 in music, 1999 in British music - Mariah Carey becomes the first and only artist to have at least one number one song in each year of a decade. Mariah Carey becomes the Best-Selling Artist of the Decade. Arrival of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson, Slipknot, Muse and Jennifer Lopez; Death of Rick Danko, Curtis Mayfield;
- 1998 in music, 1998 in British music - Death of Frank Sinatra and Hide; Lauryn Hill - the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill; The Offspring - Americana; "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith becomes the first song by a rock band to debut at #1; Insane Clown Posse dropped from Disney record label Hollywood Records in order for Disney to prevent a violent Southern Baptist Church protest due to Disney World's Gay Days events.
- 1997 in music, 1997 in British music - Death of John Denver, Jeff Buckley, Townes Van Zandt, The Notorious B.I.G., Michael Hutchence, and Velvet, Radiohead's OK Computer, Madonna releases her 19 million selling and universally acclaimed album Ray of Light. Mariah Carey releases her 19 million selling compilation album #1's. Mariah Carey extends her lead as the artist with most songs to debut at number one with Honey.
- 1996 in music, 1996 in British music - Death of Ella Fitzgerald, Tupac Shakur, Brad Nowell; Arrival of The Spice Girls. Guns N' Roses break up. Pink Floyd disband.
- 1995 in music, 1995 in British music - Michael Jackson releases HIStory, that began the best selling multiple disc of all time.[3][4] This double album contains "You Are Not Alone" - the first single ever to enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number one.;[5] Death of Jerry Garcia, Dean Martin, Phyllis Hyman, Selena, Burl Ives, Eazy-E. Mariah Carey becomes the first female artist in history to have a song debut at number one with Fantasy, and the first artist to have two singles debut at number one with One Sweet Day. Mariah Carey and band Boyz II Men releases the multiple record holding One Sweet Day, the single with the most weeks at number and the Song of the Decade 1990-1999.
- 1994 in music, 1994 in British music - Death of Dinah Shore, Kurt Cobain; Pink Floyd's last studio album The Division Bell, Blur's Parklife, The Offspring's Smash, Soundgarden's Superunknown, R.E.M.'s Monster, NOFX's gold record Punk in Drublic and debuts by Beck (Mellow Gold), Oasis (Definitely Maybe) and Weezer (Weezer) are released. Mariah Carey releases the best-selling Christmas album of all time Merry Christmas, and its multi-platinum lead single "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which eventually becomes the nineteenth best-selling digital single of the 20th century, the best-selling digital single by a woman on the list, the best-selling holiday digital single of all time, and the best-selling ringtone of all time. The punk band Bad Religion releases Stranger Than Fiction, which they earn their first (and only) US gold record for the first time in its 15-year career.
- 1993 in music, 1993 in British music - Debut albums by Cynic (Focus), Rancid (Rancid), Snoop Doggy Dogg (Doggystyle), Tool (Undertow) and the Wu-Tang Clan (Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)) are released. Death of Frank Zappa, Marian Anderson, Dizzy Gillespie. Mariah Carey releases her 32 million selling Music Box. Bad Religion signs to Atlantic Records, where the band later achieves success.
- 1992 in music, 1992 in British music - Debut albums by Body Count (Body Count), Dr. Dre (The Chronic), Pavement (Slanted and Enchanted), Rage Against the Machine (Rage Against the Machine), Stone Temple Pilots (Core), Sublime (40oz. to Freedom), Therapy? (Nurse) and Ugly Kid Joe (America's Least Wanted) are released. Death of John Cage, Yutaka Ozaki; U2 start the Biggest Concert of The World: Zoo TV Tour, Madonna releases the sexually provocative "SEX" book which was accompanied by the double Platinum album Erotica, Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
- 1991 in music - Debut albums by Blur (Leisure), Cypress Hill (Cypress Hill), EMF (Schubert Dip), the Infectious Grooves (The Plague That Makes Your Booty Move...It's the Infectious Grooves), Kyuss (Wretch), Massive Attack (Blue Lines), Pearl Jam (Ten) and The Smashing Pumpkins (Gish) are released. Death of Miles Davis, Freddie Mercury, Eric Carr, Steve Clark. Nirvana releases the grunge-pioneering album Nevermind. Mariah Carey wins Grammy award for Best New Artist. Mariah Carey becomes the only artist in history to have their first 5 consecutive singles reach number one in the US.
- 1990 in music, 1990 in British music - Debut albums by Alice in Chains (Facelift), Cannibal Corpse (Eaten Back to Life), Mariah Carey (Mariah Carey), Deee-Lite (World Clique), Green Day (39/Smooth), Helmet (Strap It On), Ice Cube (AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted), Primus (Frizzle Fry), Ride (Nowhere) and A Tribe Called Quest (People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm) are released. Death of Sarah Vaughan, Leonard Bernstein, Johnnie Ray, Sammy Davis, Jr.. Milli Vanilli exposed as a music fraud.
List of 10 most sold albums of the 90s
- Whitney Houston / Various artists The Bodyguard - 42 million[6] - 1992
- Backstreet Boys Millennium - 40 million[1][2] - 1999
- Shania Twain Come On Over - 39 million[7] - 1997
- Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill - 33 million[8] - 1995
- Michael Jackson Dangerous - 32 million[9][10] - 1991
- Mariah Carey Music Box - 32 million[11] - 1993
- Celine Dion Falling into You - 32 million[7] - 1996
- Celine Dion Let's Talk About Love - 31 million[7]- 1997
- James Horner Titanic - 30 million[7] - 1997
- Britney Spears Baby One More Time -30 million[12] - 1999
- Backstreet Boys Backstreet's Back - 28 million[2] - 1997
1980s
Main article:
1980s in music
- 1989 in music, 1989 in British music - Debut albums by 3rd Bass (The Cactus Album), De La Soul (3 Feet High and Rising), The D.O.C. (No One Can Do It Better), Morbid Angel (Altars of Madness), Nine Inch Nails (Pretty Hate Machine), Nirvana (Bleach), The Offspring (The Offspring) and The Stone Roses (The Stone Roses) are released; Janet Jackson releases her hit album Rhythm Nation 1814; Mötley Crüe releases Dr. Feelgood, one of the notable hard rock/heavy metal albums to top the Billboard 200. "Weird Al" Yankovic releases the album and film UHF. Ice Cube departs from N.W.A after financial problems and several conflicts with their manager Jerry Heller and the group's founder Eazy-E, and begins a solo career.
- 1988 in music - Debut albums by Biz Markie (Goin' Off), Tracy Chapman (Tracy Chapman), Danzig (Danzig), Eazy-E (Eazy-Duz-It), EPMD (Strictly Business), Jane's Addiction (Nothing's Shocking), Living Colour (Vivid), Morrissey (Viva Hate), N.W.A (Straight Outta Compton), NOFX (Liberal Animation), The Pixies (Surfer Rosa) and Soundgarden (Ultramega OK) are released; Bon Jovi releases New Jersey, which charts five consecutive Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, the most ever for a hard rock album; Bad Religion returns with Suffer; Formation of the Traveling Wilburys, Death of Roy Orbison, Birth of B.o.B
- 1987 in music - Michael Jackson releases the album Bad, which is the first and only album to have 5 consecutive #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.[5] Guns N' Roses release Appetite for Destruction, which becomes one of the best selling debut albums ever, with 28 million copies shift whilst Def Leppard releases Hysteria. U2 releases the mult-platined album The Joshua Tree with the hits: "With or Without You", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "Where the Streets Have No Name". The Beastie Boys' debut Licensed to Ill, released the year before, becomes the first hip hop record to reach number one on the Billboard 200. Death of legendary record producer John H. Hammond.
- 1986 in music - Aerosmith re-records "Walk This Way" with rap group Run-D.M.C. which blends rock and rap music, introduces rap music to a mainstream audience for the first time, and marks the beginning of the resurrection of Aerosmith's career, one of rock's most remarkable comebacks; Bon Jovi releases Slippery When Wet which stays at #1 on the Billboard 200 for 4 weeks; Metallica releases their third album Master of Puppets, Megadeth releases their second album Peace Sells... But Who's Buying; Death of Benny Goodman, Richard Manuel, Cliff Burton, and Janet Jackson releases her breakthrough album Control.
- 1985 in music - Death of Rick Nelson, Live Aid and Farm Aid benefit concerts, Whitney Houston releases her first self-titled album which becomes the most successful female debut album of all time. Duran Duran records A View to a Kill to the James Bond movie of the same name. This single remains the only Bond theme to go to Number 1 on the US charts, and the highest-placed Bond theme on the UK chart where it reached Number 2. The famous hard rock band Guns N' Roses was formed in Los Angeles, influential thrash metal band Megadeth release their debut album Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good!.
- 1984 in music - Duran Duran was the first group ever to utilize a monitor in concert to project their performance. Death of Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson; release of Bob Marley & The Wailers collection Legend, the best-selling reggae album of all time. Akhnaten by Philip Glass premieres in Stuttgart, Prince releases the album and film Purple Rain, Tina Turner comesback with Private Dancer, Van Halen release the Diamond-certified 1984, which contains the #1 single "Jump" and becomes their last studio album to feature David Lee Roth on vocals., R. Murray Schafer's Concerto for flute and orchestra peroformed featuring Robert Aitken on flute.
- 1983 in music - Death of Muddy Waters, New Order release "Blue Monday"; Def Leppard releases Pyromania, The Police's Synchronicity tour starts, Metallica releases their first album Kill 'Em All. Madonna releases her 5x Platinum self-titled debut album.
- 1982 in music - Death of Thelonious Monk, Lightnin' Hopkins, Glenn Gould, Randy Rhoads; Michael Jackson releases Thriller, the best-selling album of all time;[13] Blondie disband; The compact disc is introduced.
- 1981 in music - MTV first airs; Death of Bob Marley.
- 1980 in music - Joy Division singer Ian Curtis commits suicide, Bon Scott dies, John Lennon is murdered outside the Dakota Building in New York City, accidental death of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Death of Tim Hardin, Death of Vinicius de Moraes. U2 releases their first album Boy. Bryan Adams release his first album Bryan Adams. AC/DC releases Back in Black.
1970s
Main article:
1970s in music
- 1979 in music - Death of Richard Rodgers, Charles Mingus; Birth of Norah Jones; Sony Walkman goes on sale; The Clash - London Calling, Pink Floyd's The Wall, Michael Jackson's Off the Wall, death of Sid Vicious. Official birth of Rap music with rap group Sugarhill Gang's release of "Rapper's Delight".
- 1978 in music - The Who release Who Are You, Blondie release Parallel Lines, Death of Keith Moon, Arrival of Prince, Arrival of Dire Straits, Van Halen release Van Halen (album)
- 1977 in music - Sex Pistols release Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols; Death of Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby, Marc Bolan; Fleetwood Mac releases Rumours; Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever; Lynyrd Skynyrd Convair 240 plane crash; Steve Hackett leaves Genesis.
- 1976 in music - Death of Paul Robeson, Phil Ochs, Howlin' Wolf; The Eagles release Hotel California, The Ramones release their debut self titled album; The Band has a final concert called The Last Waltz
- 1975 in music - Death of Dmitri Shostakovich, Tim Buckley; Bob Dylan begins Rolling Thunder Revue; Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run; Bob Dylan - Blood on the Tracks; Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti; Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic; Patti Smith – Horses; Release of Donna Summer's Love to Love You Baby; Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis.
- 1974 in music - Death of Duke Ellington, Nick Drake; Release of Genesis's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
- 1973 in music - Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon, Death of Bobby Darin, Gram Parsons; Birth of Ferry Corsten; The Who's Quadrophenia Released; Buffalo, Volcanic Rock
- 1972 in music - Birth of The Notorious B.I.G., The Rolling Stones - Exile on Main St. Birth of Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20, Rob Thomas) Birth of Eminem
- 1971 in music - Birth of Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg; Death of Igor Stravinsky, Duane Allman, Louis Armstrong, Jim Morrison, Carl Ruggles; Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV, Marvin Gaye - What's Going On, The Who's Who's Next released
- 1970 in music - Birth of Mariah Carey. The Beatles disband; Death of Jimi Hendrix, Death of Janis Joplin; John Lennon - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band; Diana Ross departs from The Supremes; Black Sabbath releases debut album, George Harrison's All things must pass.
1960s
Main article:
1960s in music
- 1969 in music - Death of Brian Jones; - Death of Judy Garland; Woodstock music festival held in Bethel, New York; Birth of Tiësto and Jennifer Lopez; The Beatles - Abbey Road, Bob Dylan - Nashville Skyline, The Who's Tommy released, Jackson 5 appearance on Ed Sullivan
- 1968 in music - Birth of Toni Braxton; - Van Morrison - Astral Weeks, The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet, The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland, Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin, The Beatles - The Beatles (AKA The White Album), Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison, The Band - Music from Big Pink; Birth of John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting) and Thom Yorke
- 1967 in music - Birth of Kurt Cobain; Death of Woody Guthrie, John Coltrane, Otis Redding; The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour, The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico, The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold as Love, Pink Floyd - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, The Doors - The Doors (with the hit single, "Light My Fire"), Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding, The 13th Floor Elevators - Easter Everywhere; Monterey Pop Festival
- 1966 in music - The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds, Cream - Fresh Cream, The Beatles - Revolver, Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde, The 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
- 1965 in music - The Beatles - Help!, The Beatles - Rubber Soul, Bob Dylan - Bringing It All Back Home and Highway 61 Revisited (with the single "Like a Rolling Stone"), The Rolling Stones - Out of Our Heads (with the single "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"), Herman's Hermits debut; Death of Edgard Varèse, Nat King Cole.
- 1964 in music - Death of Sam Cooke, Milton Babbitt; The Beatles appear on The Ed Sullivan Show; The Beatles - A Hard Day's Night, Ensembles For Synthesizer, Bill Lear invents 8-track tape cartridge; Bob Dylan - The Times They Are a-Changin', British Invasion begins, Beatlemania invades America and becomes international, The Righteous Brothers become the first white act signed to Phil Spector’s Philles label. The Beach Boys - I Get Around released and hits No. 1.
- 1963 in music - First cassette tapes made by Philips, The Beatles - Please Please Me, Birth of Paul Oakenfold, Birth of Whitney Houston; Death of Patsy Cline, Édith Piaf; Bob Dylan - The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, The Righteous Brothers "Little Latin Lupe Lu" is released on the Moonglow label.
- 1962 in music - "Love Me Do" released as a single by The Beatles; Bob Dylan is the debut album from the highly influential American artist of the same name. It was released on March 19, 1962 on Columbia Records, when Dylan was 20 years old. Birth of Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Jon Bon Jovi, Axl Rose; Death of Marilyn Monroe
- 1961 in music - Death of Cisco Houston, Moss Hart
- 1960 in music - Birth of Bono; Death of Oscar Hammerstein II
1950s
Main article:
1950s in music
- 1959 in music - Death of Billie Holiday, Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Brazilian composer and guitarist, Motown Records created; Motown's first hit (Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)"); Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um; My Eyes Have Seen is the third influential album by American folk singer Odetta who was an important voice of the folk music revival movement in the early 1960s, birth of 1980s pop-star Pete Burns (from Dead or Alive). Bobby Darin's Mack the Knife hits No. 1 and remains there for nine weeks.
- 1958 in music Cannonball Adderley records Somethin' Else; Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Moanin'; Bruce Dickinson, Nikki Sixx, Prince, Madonna and Michael Jackson are born. Born Bossa Nova a Brazilian kind of music. Carl Ruggles, Exhaltation in honour of his late wife, Charlotte. Cliff Richard and The Drifters release Move It, considered Britain's first rock and roll hit single. Little Richard enters seminary.
- 1957 in music - That'll Be the Day" by Buddy Holly and The Crickets becomes a US #1 hit; Harry Belafonte has a big hit that reached number five on the Billboard charts with the calypso song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)"; At the Gate of Horn is the second solo album by American folk singer Odetta who was a seminal influence on the folksingers of the 1960s. John Lennon and Paul McCartney meet in Liverpool.
- 1956 in music - The first Eurovision Song Contest is held on 24 May, Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show; Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues is the influential debut solo album by American folk singer Odetta.
- 1955 in music - Death of Charlie Parker, "Rock Around the Clock" becomes first worldwide #1 rock and roll record; Little Richard records Tutti-Frutti, one of the first rock and roll songs; Birth of Yo-Yo Ma, Harry James signs with Capital releasing Harry James in Hi-Fi, Lonnie Donegan released "Rock Island Line".
- 1954 in music - Elvis Presley releases "That's Alright Mama" on Sun Records; First Fender Stratocaster produced
- 1953 in music - Death of Hank Williams, Death of Sergei Prokofiev, Soviet composer and pianist
- 1952 in music, 1952 in music (UK) - Birth of Joe Strummer, Johnny Thunders, The official UK singles chart is launched; Recording Industry Association of America (or RIAA) established
- 1951 in music - "Rocket 88" is recorded by Ike Turner and hailed as the first rock 'n' roll song; The Rake's Progress by Igor Stravinsky premieres in Venice
- 1950 in music - Death of Kurt Weill, Al Jolson, Vaslav Nijinsky
1940s
- 1949 in music - Birth of Bruce Springsteen, Valery Leontiev, Paul Rodgers, Billy Joel, Mark Knopfler, Roger Taylor, RCA Victor introduces 45 RPM records
- 1948 in music - Columbia Records introduces 331/3 RPM (LP) records. Birth of James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Steven Tyler, Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Ozzy Osbourne, Robert Plant, John Bonham (both of Led Zeppelin), Kenny Loggins, Olivia Newton-John, and Donna Summer.
- 1947 in music - Birth of David Bowie, Elton John, Bob Weir, Carlos Santana, Emmylou Harris, Arlo Guthrie, Tracy Nelson, Paul Brady, Tim Buckley, Jim Messina, Mick Fleetwood, Organum
- 1946 in music - Birth of John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin bassist), Dolly Parton, Bon Scott, Donovan, Linda Ronstadt, Marianne Faithfull, Cher, Freddie Mercury, Gram Parsons, Patti Smith, Toquinho
- 1945 in music - Birth of Bob Marley, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Deborah Harry, Neil Young, Carly Simon, John Fogerty, Itzhak Perlman; Death of Jerome Kern; Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten premieres in London
- 1944 in music - Birth of Diana Ross, Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin guitarist), Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Townes Van Zandt, Marvin Hamlisch; Disappearance of Glenn Miller, borns Chico Buarque a Brazilian composer.
- 1943 in music - Birth of George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jim Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, Robbie Robertson, John Denver, Richard Manuel, Gavin Bryars; Death of Lorenz Hart, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Formation of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Carl Ruggles, Evocations; The original Broadway production of Oklahoma! opened on March 31, 1943 at the St. James Theatre in New York City.
- 1942 in music - Births of Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Brian Jones, Jerry Garcia, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Carole King, Rick Danko, Lou Reed, Paul Butterfield, Jerry Jeff Walker, John P. Hammond; Death of George M. Cohan
- 1941 in music - Les Paul builds one of the first solid-body electric guitars; Birth of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, Hank Marvin, Aaron Neville, Charlie Watts, Neil Diamond, Richie Havens, Wilson Pickett and Ritchie Valens
- 1940 in music - Birth of Frank Zappa, Cliff Richard, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Phil Ochs, Levon Helm, Smokey Robinson, Rick Nelson, Tim Hardin, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Hatfield, Bill Medley, (both of the Righteous Brothers)
1930s
- 1939 in music - Birth of Judy Collins, Marvin Gaye, Ginger Baker, Ray Manzarek, Tina Turner, Grace Slick
- 1938 in music - Birth of Peter Yarrow, Gordon Lightfoot, Ben E. King, Death of Robert Johnson, Benny Goodman presents a jazz concert in Carnegie Hall; Death of Dan W. Quinn
- 1937 in music - Death of George Gershwin, Birth of Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Garth Hudson, Tom Paxton, Philip Glass, Dame Shirley Bassey
- 1936 in music - Birth of Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Kris Kristofferson, Bill Wyman, Dave Van Ronk, Steve Reich, Billboard publishes first U.S. music chart
- 1935 in music - Birth of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Luciano Pavarotti, Ronnie Hawkins, Johnnie Mathis, John Phillips, Lou Rawls, La Monte Young, Terry Riley; Audiovox produce first electric bass guitar; Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin premieres in New York
- 1934 in music - Birth of Leonard Cohen, Jackie Wilson; Tammy Grimes, Bob Shane, King Curtis, Florence Henderson, Renata Scotto, Shirley Jones, Otis Rush, Frankie Valli, Pat Boone, André Prévost, Freddie King, Brian Epstein, Dave Guard, Del Shannon; Deaths of Edward Elgar and Gustav Holst
- 1933 in music - Birth of James Brown, Quincy Jones, Willie Nelson, Nina Simone, Yoko Ono, Nick Reynolds
- 1932 in music - Birth of Johnny Cash, Petula Clark, Patsy Cline, Glenn Gould, Loretta Lynn, Miriam Makeba Carl Perkins, Little Richard, and John Williams; Death of John Philip Sousa; Adolph Rickenbacker produces first electric guitar; Bell Labs creates first stereophonic sound recordings
- 1931 in music - Birth of Teresa Brewer, Sam Cooke, João Gilberto, George Jones and Phyllis McGuire; Death of Anna Pavlova
- 1930 in music - Birth of Ray Charles, Herbie Mann, Odetta, Sonny Rollins, Stephen Sondheim, and The Big Bopper
1920s
- 1929 in music - Birth of Beverly Sills, Bill Evans, Dick Clark, Berry Gordy, Henri Pousseur
- 1928 in music - Birth of Bo Diddley and Karlheinz Stockhausen;Fats Domino The Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht (libretto) premieres in Berlin
- 1927 in music - Birth of Harry Belafonte, Birth of Tom Jobim, Brazilian composer
- 1926 in music - Birth of Marilyn Monroe, Joan Sutherland, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, Tony Bennett, Big Mama Thornton; Turandot by Giacomo Puccini premieres in Milan
- 1925 in music - Birth of B.B. King and Pierre Boulez, Big record labels begin using electric microphones for recording; 78 RPM adopted as standard for records; BBC makes first radio broadcast in stereo; Wozzeck by Alban Berg premieres in Berlin, Carl Ruggles, Portals. Debut of the Grand Ole Opry.
- 1924 in music - Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue premieres in New York, Death of Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini, Italian opera composer, Carl Ruggles. Men and Mountains. Debut of the National Barn Dance, the first radio program devoted to country music.
- 1923 in music - Birth of Hank Williams, First recordings by Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, and many other African-American artists, Carl Ruggles, Vox clamans in deserto
- 1922 in music - Birth of Ali Akbar Khan, The first commercial radio station in the United States begins broadcasting
- 1921 in music - Death of Enrico Caruso, Carl Ruggles Angels
- 1920 in music - Birth of Charlie Parker, Ravi Shankar, Isaac Stern; Death of Alberto Nepomuceno, Brazilian composer, pianist, organist and conductor
1910s
- 1919 in music - Birth of Pete Seeger, Merce Cunningham, Carl Ruggles, Toys
- 1918 in music - Phonograph cylinders become obsolete; the Society for Private Musical Performances is founded in Vienna by Arnold Schoenberg; Death of Claude Debussy
- 1917 in music - Birth of Lou Harrison, John Lee Hooker, Dinu Lipatti, Isang Yun; First hit jazz recordings by Original Dixieland Jass Band, Death of Scott Joplin
- 1916 in music -Birth of Milton Babbitt, Henri Dutilleux, Alberto Ginastera, Betty Grable, Harry James, Dinah Shore,
- 1915 in music - Birth of Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, John Serry, Sr.; Tom Brown starts billing his group as a "Jass Band"
- 1914 in music - "St. Louis Blues" published; first calypso music recordings
- 1913 in music - Birth of Muddy Waters, Igor Stravinsky's, Vinicius de Moraes. The Rite of Spring is premiered in Paris.
- 1912 in music - Birth of Woody Guthrie, Lightnin' Hopkins, John Cage
- 1911 in music - Birth of Robert Johnson, Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss premieres in Dresden, Death of Gustav Mahler, Austrian composer and conductor
- 1910 in music - Birth of Howlin' Wolf, Artie Shaw, John H. Hammond, Django Reinhardt
1900s
- 1909 in music - Elektra by Richard Strauss premieres in Dresden; Birth of Benny Goodman
- 1908 in music The two first atonal pieces are composed, first by Béla Bartók and then by Arnold Schoenberg.
- 1907 in music - Death of Edvard Grieg, Norwegian composer (b. 1843); Birth of Gene Autry, Cab Calloway, Benny Carter, Kate Smith
- 1906 in music - Dmitri Shostakowich, soviet composer and pianist, Victor begins selling the Victrola phonograph player for $15.00; Len Spencer, I Am The Edison Phonograph --- earliest recorded advert played in Phonograph shops to sell the devices.
- 1905 in music - The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár premieres in Vienna; Salome by Richard Strauss premieres in Dresden
- 1904 in music - Death of Antonín Dvořák, Czech composer, Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini premieres in Milan
- 1903 in music - Birth of Bing Crosby and Vladimir Horowitz
- 1902 in music - Birth of Richard Rodgers, Pelléas et Mélisande by Claude Debussy premieres in Paris
- 1901 in music - Birth of Louis Armstrong, Death of Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer
- 1900 in music - Tosca by Giacomo Puccini premieres in Rome
1890s
1880s
- 1889 in music - Birth of Vaslav Nijinsky, - Ballet dancer (d. 1950); Effie Stewart records first serious classical music at Edison's Menlo Park; First Phonograph Parlor opens in San Francisco
- 1888 in music - Birth of Lead Belly, Death of Charles-Valentin Alkan, French composer and ultra virtuoso pianist, Wax phonograph cylinders commercially marketed; Emile Berliner invents lateral-cut disc records
- 1887 in music - Birth of Heitor Villa-Lobos, Brazilian composer, cellist, and guitarist
- 1886 in music - Birth of Marcel Dupré, Al Jolson, Paul Paray, Othmar Schoeck; death of Franz Liszt
- 1885 in music - Birth of Jerome Kern
- 1884 in music - Birth of Sophie Tucker
- 1883 in music - Birth of Edgard Varèse, Death of Richard Wagner, German composer
- 1882 in music - Birth of Igor Stravinsky, Russian composer, Parsifal by Richard Wagner premieres in Bayreuth; Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture premiere
1870s
1860s
- 1869 in music - Death of Hector Berlioz, French composer, Das Rheingold by Richard Wagner premieres in Munich
- 1868 in music - Death of Gioachino Rossini, Italian composer, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner premières in Munich; Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms premières in Bremen; Wiegenlied by Brahms (Brahms' Lullaby)
- 1867 in music Birth of Scott Joplin, famous ragtime composer
- 1866 in music - Birth of French composer Erik Satie.
- 1865 in music - Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner premieres in Munich, marking the beginning of the end for traditional tonality
- 1864 in music Birth of Richard Strauss, German composer, Alberto Nepomuceno, Brazilian composer, pianist, organist and conductor
- 1863 in music – Birth of Ernesto Nazareth
- 1862 in music - Birth of Claude Debussy
- 1861 in music - Birth of Anton Arensky
- 1860 in music - Birth of Gustav Mahler, Austrian composer and conductor
1850s
- 1858 in music - Birth of Medardo Rosso and Giacomo Puccini, Italian opera composer, Orphée aux enfers by Jacques Offenbach, the first operetta, premieres in Paris; Hector Berlioz writes Les Troyens
- 1857 in music - First public performance of Franz Liszt's Piano Sonata in B Minor
- 1856 in music - Death of Robert Schuman, German composer and pianist; Richard Wagner, German composer, concludes Die Walküre
- 1855 in music – Birth of Ernest Chausson
- 1854 in music - Richard Wagner, German composer, concludes Das Rheingold
- 1853 in music - Il trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi premieres in Rome; La traviata by Verdi premieres in Venice
- 1852 in music – Births of Charles Villiers Stanford and Francisco Tárrega
- 1851 in music - Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi premieres in Venice
- 1850 in music - Lohengrin by Richard Wagner premieres in Weimar; Foster's Plantation Melodies by Stephen Foster, including "Camptown Races"
1840s
1830s
1820s
1810s
- 1819 in music - April 16, The publication of Muzio Clementi’s Gradus ad Parnassum Volume II is entered at Stationer’s Hall, London. September 13, Birth of Clara Schumann, German pianist and composer.
- 1818 in music - Hammerklavier sonate by Ludwig van Beethoven; "Silent Night" written by Josef Mohr and composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, - The first performance of Silent Night on December 25, (Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria).
- 1817 in music - March 1, Muzio Clementi’s Gradus ad Parnassum Volume I is published simultaneously in London, Paris and Leipzig.
- 1816 in music - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) by Gioachino Rossini, premieres in Rome
- 1815 in music
- 1814 in music
- 1813 in music Birth of Charles-Valentin Alkan, French composer and ultra virtuoso pianist, Richard Wagner, German composer and Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer
- 1812 in music
- 1811 in music - Franz Liszt born
- 1810 in music - Birth of Frédéric Chopin and Robert Schumann, Fifth Piano Concerto Emperor by Ludwig van Beethoven
1800s
1790s
1780s
1770s
1760s
1750s
1740s
1730s
1720s
1710s
1700s
1690s
1680s
1670s
1660s
1650s
1640s
1630s
1620s
1610s
1600s
1590s
1580s
1570s
1560s
1550s
1540s
1530s
1520s
1510s
1500s
Early history
References
- ^ a b "The boys are back". Windsor Star. 2008-08-07. http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2008/10/143_17992.html. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
- ^ a b c "Taking It Back". Daily Record. 26 Oct 2007. http://hwww.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/music/music-news/2007/10/26/taking-it-back-86908-20012113/. Retrieved 21 Nov 2008.
- ^ Putti, Laura (2001-08-24). "Il nuovo Michael Jackson fa un tuffo nel passato". La Repubblica. http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/2001/08/24/il-nuovo-michael-jackson-fa-un-tuffo.html. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
- ^ Michael Jackson
- ^ a b MTV - Michael Jackson Biography
- ^ "Whitney Houston". Music Fix, MSN. http://music.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=345798. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
- ^ a b c d "Record-Breakers and Trivia - Albums". Everyhit.com. http://www.everyhit.com/recordalb.html. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
- ^ "Glen Ballard: Biography". Glen Ballard Official Site. http://www.glenballard.com/bio.html. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
- ^ Bidasio, Claudia (2008-05-19). "Gli imperdibili di Michel Jackson". MenStyle.it. http://www.menstyle.it/cont/musica/musica-r/0805/1900/dangerous-8.asp#. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
- ^ "Michael Jackson sulla sedia a rotelle". Affari Italiani. 2008-07-11. http://www.affaritaliani.it/entertainment/micheal-jackson110708.html. Retrieved 2009-05-10.
- ^ Cashmere, Paul (24 April 2008). "Mariah Carey Has the Right Energy in E=MC2". Undercover Pty., Ltd.. http://www.undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=4687. Retrieved 2008-05-08.
- ^ 1999 in music
- ^ Keylock, Myles. "Michael Jackson - Thriller". Channel 24. http://www.channel24.co.za/Content/Music/AlbumReviews/ClassicAlbum/649/51173c76279e4f0db107db8b0c160cab//Michael_Jackson_-_Thriller. Retrieved 2009-02-17.
External links
- Music Timeline A Chronology Of Music From Prehistory To The Present Day.