This Day in Music: October 14, 2026

• 2025: Neo-soul singer D'Angelo dies at 51.
  He died of pancreatic cancer. His albums Brown Sugar and Voodoo helped define neo-soul, and “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” won him a Grammy.
• 2023: Madonna kicks off her Celebration Tour in London.
  The career-spanning show opened at the O2 Arena, with three of her children joining her onstage. The tour wrapped the next year with a free concert on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach.
• 2022: Noah Kahan releases his album Stick Season.
  His third album traded indie pop for a folk sound, and its title track became the breakout hit that made the Vermont singer a star.
• 2022: Blink-182 release “Edging,” their first song with Tom DeLonge back in the band.
  The single marked the reunion of the classic lineup of DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker, who followed it with the album One More Time… in 2023.
• 2018: Steppenwolf play their final concert.
  John Kay led the band of “Born to Be Wild” and “Magic Carpet Ride” through its farewell show in Baxter Springs, Kansas.
• 2006: Eric Church is dropped from a Rascal Flatts tour, and Taylor Swift takes his place.
  Church ran past his allotted time opening at Madison Square Garden. The open slot went to a teenage Swift, whose debut album arrived later that month.
• 2006: Tejano and country singer Freddy Fender dies at 69.
  He died of lung cancer in Corpus Christi, Texas. He topped the charts in 1975 with “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” and later sang with the Texas Tornados.
• 1990: Composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein dies at 72.
  He wrote the music for West Side Story and led the New York Philharmonic, bringing classical music to millions through television.
• 1983: Cyndi Lauper releases her debut solo album, She's So Unusual.
  The album produced “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and the number one ballad “Time After Time,” and Lauper won the Grammy for Best New Artist.
• 1977: Bing Crosby dies at 74.
  The crooner suffered a heart attack in Spain just after finishing a round of golf. His recording of “White Christmas” is among the best selling singles ever.
• 1974: Olivia Newton-John is named Female Vocalist of the Year at the CMA Awards.
  Her win over Nashville regulars, on the strength of hits like “If You Love Me (Let Me Know),” angered some country traditionalists.
• 1972: Michael Jackson's “Ben” hits number one.
  The theme from the film Ben, a song about a boy and his pet rat, was Jackson's first number one as a solo artist.
• 1969: The Supremes release their last single with Diana Ross, “Someday We'll Be Together.”
  The song became the final number one hit of the 1960s, and Jean Terrell then stepped in as Ross went solo.
• 1957: The Everly Brothers score their first number one with “Wake Up Little Susie.”
  Written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, the song was banned by some radio stations that found its story of a couple dozing off at a drive-in too racy.
• 1944: Dinah Shore's “I'll Walk Alone” reaches number one.
  The wartime ballad of a woman waiting for her love to come home struck a chord with Americans during World War II.

Born on This Day

• 1978: Usher, American singer
  Turns 48. The R&B superstar behind “Yeah!,” “U Remind Me” and the album Confessions.
• 1975: Shaznay Lewis, English singer (All Saints)
  Turns 51. Co-wrote and sang on the group's late-1990s hit “Never Ever.”
• 1974: Natalie Maines, American singer (The Chicks)
  Turns 52. Lead voice on “Wide Open Spaces,” “Goodbye Earl” and “Not Ready to Make Nice.”
• 1974: Shaggy 2 Dope, American rapper (Insane Clown Posse)
  Turns 52. One half of the Detroit horrorcore duo with a devoted fan base known as Juggalos.
• 1965: Karyn White, American singer
  Turns 61. Known for “Superwoman” and the number one “Romantic,” produced by Minneapolis hitmakers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.
• 1959: A.J. Pero, American drummer (Twisted Sister)
  Pounded the drums on “We're Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock.”
• 1958: Thomas Dolby, English singer and producer
  Turns 68. Best known for the 1983 new wave hit “She Blinded Me with Science.”
• 1948: Marcia Barrett, Jamaican singer (Boney M.)
  Turns 78. Sang on the disco group's hits “Rivers of Babylon” and “Rasputin.”
• 1946: Justin Hayward, English singer and guitarist (The Moody Blues)
  Turns 80. Wrote and sang “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon.”
• 1946: Dan McCafferty, Scottish singer (Nazareth)
  His raspy voice powered the band's 1970s hit cover of “Love Hurts.”
• 1940: Cliff Richard, British singer
  Turns 86. A British pop legend whose American hits include “Devil Woman” and “We Don't Talk Anymore.”
• 1938: Melba Montgomery, American country singer
  Famous for her duets with George Jones and her 1974 number one country hit “No Charge.”
• 1930: Robert Parker, American R&B singer
  The New Orleans singer and saxophonist behind the 1966 dance hit “Barefootin'.”
• 1926: Bill Justis, American musician and producer
  Best known for the 1957 rock and roll instrumental “Raunchy.”