This Day in Music
On August 8, 1988, N.W.A released their genre-defining debut, Straight Outta Compton. Featuring boundary-pushing songs like “F__k tha Police,” “Gangsta Gangsta,” “Express Yourself,” and the title track, Straight Outta Compton was instrumental in establishing West Coast Hip-Hop and soon became the first gangsta rap album to go platinum. In 2016, it was the first rap album to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and, a year later, it was selected for preservation into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress.
In 1969, The Beatles shot their iconic Abbey Road cover photo at the street crossing outside of Abbey Road Studios. While a policeman held up traffic, photographer Iain McMillan set up a stepladder in the middle of the road and hastily snapped six images of the band.
In 1981, just one week after its launch, MTV broadcast its first-ever stereo concert, capturing REO Speedwagon live in Denver, CO during their Hi Infidelity tour. Interestingly, MTV execs had previously approached REO Speedwagon’s frontman, Kevin Cronin, about becoming a VJ on the fledgling network (he declined).
In 1966, the South African Broadcasting Corporation banned all Beatles records, in response to John Lennon’s remark about the band being “bigger than Jesus.” On the same day, the Beatles’ seventh studio album, Revolver, was released in the US.
In 1970, Janis Joplin purchased a headstone for the grave of blues icon Bessie Smith, who was one of her greatest influences. While Smith died in 1937 at the age of 43, following injuries from a car accident, her estranged husband refused to purchase a headstone (despite offers and donations from fans). Today, visitors can visit Smith’s memorial at Philadephia’s Mount Lawn Cemetary.
And in 2017, singer, songwriter, and guitarist Glen Campbell died, following complications from Alzheimer’s Disease. The prolific artist released more than 70 studio albums and sold 45 million records worldwide. Among his hits were “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Galveston,” and “Wichita Lineman.”
BORN ON AUGUST 8
1950: Liberty DeVitto (drummer for Billy Joel, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, and Meat Loaf, among others)
1958: Christopher Foreman (Madness)
1959: Rikki Rockett (Posion)
1961: The Edge (aka Dave Evans, of U2)
1973: Scott Stapp (Creed)
1976: JC Chasez (*NSYNC)
1981: Bradley McIntosh (S Club 7)
1998: Shawn Mendes
