This Day in Music

In 1990, legendary conductor, composer, and pianist Leonard Bernstein died at the age of 72. The Kennedy Center Honoree and multiple Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winner was considered to be one of the most important figures in 20th-century music and was the first American conductor to find success internationally. In addition to serving as the long-running music director of the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein composed a multitude of works, including operas and symphonies, and scored some of the era’s biggest Broadway musicals and films, including West Side Story, Candide, On the Waterfront, and On the Town. He also brought classical music to children around the world as the host of the highly-influential TV show, Young People’s Concerts.

In 1988, Def Leppard became the first band in chart history to sell seven million copies of two consecutive albums (1983’s Pyromania and 1987’s Hysteria). The latter title, which includes six hit singles, remains their best-selling album to date, with more than 20 million sales worldwide.

In 1972, Michael Jackson (then a member of The Jackson 5 with his brothers) topped the Billboard Hot 100 with his first solo single, “Ben.”

In 1977, David Bowie released Heroes, his 12th studio album and the second chapter in his experimental “Berlin Trilogy” with Brian Eno. Produced by Bowie’s longtime collaborator, Tony Visconti, the album also featured contributions from King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp.

In 1957, the Everly Brothers scored their first No.1 on the Billboard pop chart with “Wake Up Little Susie.” The song, which peaked at No.2 in the UK, was banned by some American radio stations for its suggestive lyrics.

In 1968, the Jackson 5 made their national TV debut in the US on The Hollywood Palace.

BORN ON OCTOBER 14

1940: Cliff Richard
1945: Colin Hodgkinson (Whitesnake)
1946: Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues)
1948: Marcia Barrett (Boney M)
1974: Natalie Maines (The Chicks)
1975: Shaznay Lewis (All Saints)
1978: Usher