This Day in Music
On this day in music, January 9, 1976, Queen began a nine-week run at the top of the UK pop chart with their nearly six-minute-long operatic hit, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The single would go on to sell more than one million copies by the end of the month and was later named the UK’s third best-selling single of all time. After frontman Freddie Mercury’s death, the song re-entered the chart – and topped it for five weeks. One year later, in the US, “Bohemian Rhapsody” topped the Billboard Hot 100, thanks to its use in the blockbuster film, Wayne’s World.
In 1997, David Bowie performed a star-studded 50th birthday benefit concert (one day after his birthday) at Madison Square Garden. Joining him on stage was a who’s who of alternative rockers, including the Pixies’ Frank Black, Sonic Youth, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Lou Reed, Dave Grohl, Billy Corgan, and Placebo. Proceeds from the event benefitted Save The Children.
In 2016, heavy metal hero Lemmy Kilmister was laid to rest in Los Angeles’ Forrest Hills Cemetary. The biggest names in rock and metal came out to pay their respects to the Motörhead frontman, including his bandmate, Mikkey Dee, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl, Guns N’ Roses’ Slash, Robert Trujillo, and Lars Ulrich from Metallica, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, and Anthrax frontman Scott Ian, all of whom spoke at the service.
In 1988, Whitney Houston scored her sixth consecutive No.1 hit in the US with “So Emotional.” The song was penned by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, the duo behind chart-topping hits by Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Heart, and The Bangles.
In 1963, drummer Charlie Watts left Blues Incorporated and his job as a graphic designer to join The Rolling Stones. While friends and family members might have questioned the young man’s choices, no one could have predicted the unprecedented job security that laid ahead.
BORN ON JANUARY 9
1941: Joan Baez
1943: Scott Walker
1944: Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
1950: David Johansen (NY Dolls)
1951: Crystal Gayle
1963: Eric Erlandson (Hole)
1978: AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys)
