This Day in Music
In 1948, Columbia Records revolutionized the music industry by introducing the 33 ⅓ RPM vinyl LP. Their first release on the new format was Felix Mendelsson’s Violin Concerto in e minor, conducted by Bruno Walter and performed by the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York. Prior to this, music was only available on 78 RPM shellac records, which allowed for just one song per side. With the mass production of vinyl LPs, music fans could conveniently enjoy an entire album on one disc. This remained the standard format for albums until the late 70s, when the cassette tape took over as a much more convenient (and portable) way to enjoy music.
In 1977, Fleetwood Mac scored their sole No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Dreams.” The song, which appeared on the band’s 11th album, Rumours, would re-enter global charts 43 years later, thanks to its use in a viral video.
In 1976, ABBA took part in a special celebration for Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and his soon-to-be wife, Silvia Sommerlath. The star-studded event, dubbed “Sweden’s Royal Variety Performance,” found the group delivering one of the first performances of their hit “Dancing Queen.”
In 1993, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, who co-founded A&M Records, stepped down as the heads of the legendary label after more than 30 years, following a sale to PolyGram. The storied label released albums by Cat Stevens, Janet Jackson, Carpenters, The Police, and Yellow Magic Orchestra, among many others.
In 1964, 17 lucky female fans celebrated Paul McCartney’s 22nd birthday with The Beatles during an after-show party in Sydney, Australia. Attendees were selected through a competition in the Daily Mirror.
BORN ON JUNE 18
1925: Johnny Pearson (Band Leader)
1942: Richard Perry (Producer)
1942: Paul McCartney
1971: Nathan Morris (Boyz II Men)
1976: Busbee (Songwriter)
1976: Blake Shelton
1988: John Dun (Twenty One Pilots)
1994: Takeoff (Migos)
