This Day in Music
On this day in music, June 22, 1971, Joni Mitchell released her celebrated fourth album, Blue. Written after a break-up with Graham Nash and amid a budding romance with James Taylor, the album explores all of the emotions that come with a relationship and features several of the Canadian singer-songwriter’s most enduring songs, including “California,” “A Case of You,” and “River.” Long regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, Blue was a commercial success upon its release, landing in the Top Ten in the UK and Canada, and peaking at No.15 in the US.
In 1969, actress and singer Judy Garland died at the age of 47. Known most famously for her role as Dorothy Gale in 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, Garland was a multi-hyphenate icon of Hollywood’s Golden Era, appearing in such hit films as Meet Me in St. Louis, Easter Parade, and A Star Is Born. Garland also enjoyed a successful recording career, later becoming the first woman to earn a Grammy Award for Album of the Year for 1961’s Judy at Carnegie Hall.
In 1963, Stevie Wonder (then “Little Stevie Wonder”) made his debut on the Billboard pop chart with “Fingertips Part 1 & 2.” The live recording, which featured Marvin Gaye on drums, eventually topped both the pop and R&B charts, becoming the first non-studio single to do so.
In 2008, Coldplay made UK chart history when their single, “Viva La Vida,” became the first digital-only No.1 hit. The song also marked the British group’s first single to top the charts in both the US and UK. It later earned a Grammy for Song of the Year.
In 2022, Glastonbury history was made when the festival hosted both its youngest and oldest solo headliners to date. The artists in question were 20-year-old Billie Eilish and 80-year-old Paul McCartney. The long-running UK festival – which also featured performances by Diana Ross, Haim, and Lorde – returned after a two-year hiatus, amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 1968, Herb Albert’s “This Guy’s in Love with You” became the bandleader and record executive’s first No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the single also marked the legendary songwriting duo’s first US chart-topper.
In 1985, Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams scored his first No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Heaven. The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the 1983 film A Night in Heaven.
BORN ON JUNE 22
1936: Kris Kristofferson
1944: Peter Asher (Peter & Gordon)
1947: Howard Kaylan (The Turtles)
1948: Todd Rundgren
1953: Cyndi Lauper
1961: Jimmy Somerville (Bronski Beat)
1964: Bobby Gillespie (Primal Scream)
1970: Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies)
