This Day in Music
On this day in music, January 26, 2020, Billie Eilish achieved a remarkable feat when she swept the board at the 2020 Grammys, winning five major awards, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year (the last artist to have the same success was Christopher Cross in 1981). The 18-year-old also won Album of the Year for her debut, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go.
In 1980, Prince made his debut on American Bandstand. While he delivered confident performances of “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and “Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad,” the shy artist struggled to answer Dick Clark’s questions.
In 2008, singer, songwriter, and pianist, Alicia Keys, broke first-week sales records with her third full-length, As I Am. The album moved more than 742,000 copies in its first week (more than any other LP by a female R&B artist) and would become the artist’s third No.1 album in the US, eventually selling more than five million copies worldwide.
In 1968, Pink Floyd played their first gig without singer and spiritual leader, Syd Barrett, at Southampton University. Supported by Tyrannosaurus Rex, the band would soon achieve greater heights but never forgot their former frontman.
In 1956, Buddy Holly made his first official recordings at Nashville’s Bradley Film and Recording Studios. Working with producer Owen Bradley, he performed “Love Me” and “Blue Days, Black Nights,” both of which would become early staples of the singer-songwriter’s career.
BORN ON JANUARY 26
1943: Thomas Bell (Delfonics, The Spinners)
1951: Andy Hummel (Big Star)
1953: Lucinda Williams
1955: Eddie Van Halen
1958: Anita Baker
1963: Andrew Ridgeley (Wham!)
