This Day in Music
On this day in music, February 12, 1961, The Miracles’ “Shop Around” gave Motown Records its first million-selling single. Penned by lead singer Smokey Robinson and Motown founder Berry Gordy, the irresistible track spent eight weeks at the top of Billboard’s R&B chart and peaked at No.2 on the Hot 100 (the first Motown release to land in the Top 5). The song, which also marked Motown’s first release in the UK, was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and has since ranked on numerous lists, including Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.”
In 1977, Pink Floyd released their tenth studio album, Animals. Self-produced in the band’s Britannia Row Studios in London, the record examined the sociopolitical conditions of mid-1970s Britain, drawing influences from George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Although no singles were released from the LP, the band promoted their new work throughout their “In The Flesh” tour, propelling the album to the Top 5 in the US, UK, Australia, and across Europe.
In 2017, Adele became the first artist in Grammy history to win all three general field awards in the same ceremony, twice. After a previous sweep at the 2012 Grammys, where the British singer-songwriter took home Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Album of the Year, she repeated the same feat five years later, winning the above awards for “Hello” and 25, respectively.
In 1970, John Lennon performed “Instant Karma!” on BBC’s Top of The Pops, becoming the first Beatle to appear on the TV show since 1966. One of the fastest-released songs in pop music history, Lennon wrote, recorded, and mixed the single in one session and released it within ten days. “Instant Karma!” became the first solo single by a member of The Beatles to sell a million copies in the US, and was certified Gold in December 1970.
In 2007, Sting confirmed the reunion of The Police during a press conference at West Hollywood’s Whisky a Go Go club. One day earlier, at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards, the band announced their plans by performing their 1978 hit, “Roxanne.” The renowned English rock band would go on to play a best-selling reunion tour, beginning in May 2007.
BORN ON FEBRUARY 12
1939: Ray Manzarek (The Doors)
1952: Michael McDonald
1956: Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy)
1968: Chynna Phillips (Wilson Phillips)
1978: Brian Chase (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
1980: Gucci Mane
1988: Mike Posner
