1926 : The Radio Corporation of America, later known as RCA, launches its new radio network, the National Broadcasting Company (later known as NBC).

1954 : Elvis played at the opening of the Lamar-Airways Shopping Center in Memphis Tennessee. Johnny Cash was in the audience and after the show met Elvis for the first time.

1955 : Seeburg introduces their latest jukebox, which not only holds a record 100 singles but is also capable of playing the same number of EPs.

1956 : Elvis Presley makes the first of three contracted appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sullivan had previously announced he would never have such an act on, but ratings prevailed and Sullivan offered Elvis a record $50,000 for the three shows. Charles Laughton hosts, filling in for an ailing Sullivan as Elvis performs Don’t Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Ready Teddy and Hound Dog but is shot from the waist up only to avoid scandal. The show draws a staggering 54 million viewers.

1957 : Paul Anka’s “Diana” hits #1.

1963 : The Beatles were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘She Loves You.’ ‘Please Please Me’ was at No.1 on the UK album chart. ‘She Loves You’ became The Beatles’ best-selling single in the United Kingdom, and was the best selling single in Britain in 1963.

1965 : US newspaper The Hollywood reporter ran the following advertisement; ‘Madness folk & roll musicians, singers wanted for acting roles in new TV show. Parts for 4 insane boys. The Monkees were born. Read the full story

1965 : The Rolling Stones were at No.1 in the UK with (‘I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, giving the band their 4th UK No.1 single. Keith Richards recorded a rough version of the riff in a Florida hotel room. He ran through it once before falling asleep. He said when he listened back to it in the morning, there was about two minutes of acoustic guitar before you could hear him drop the pick and “then me snoring for the next forty minutes”.

1968 : Working at Abbey Road studios The Beatles recorded ‘Helter Skelter’. John Lennon played bass and honked on a saxophone, roadie Mal Evans tried his best at playing trumpet. Paul McCartney recorded his lead vocal and George Harrison ran about the studio holding a flaming ashtray above his head.

1972 : Jim Croce’s LP “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” hits #1.

1972 : Slade were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Mama Weer All Crazee Now’, the group’s third UK No.1. Taken from their album ‘Slayed?’

1973 : Following up on his plan to use the concert audience for the background vocals on the left stereo channel for his song “Sons Of 1984,” Todd Rundgren records the crowd at a show in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, which is disrupted because of a pot bust. The right channel vocals came from a show in New York.

1975 : Paul McCartney and Wings begin their historic 13-month world tour, US dates of which will be captured on record as the double LP Wings Over America. The group plays to over two million fans total during the course of the tour.

1977 : David Bowie appeared on Marc Bolan’s ITV show, Marc, singing ‘Heroes’ as well as a duet with Bolan, ‘Standing Next To You’, which is prematurely terminated when Bolan fell from the stage, much to Bowie’s amusement. After the show the pair recorded demos together which were never finished because Bolan was killed in a car crash a week later.

1978 : The Who’s LP “Who Are You” enters the charts.

1978 : A Taste Of Honey started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Boogie Oogie Oogie’, it made No.3 in the UK.

1978 : Released on this day, The Rolling Stones – “Beast Of Burden”

1982 : The Broadway musical Your Arms Too Short To Box With God, which is based on the Book of Matthew, is revived at the Alvin Theatre in New York with Al Green and Patti Labelle in the cast.

1992 : During a performance at the MTV Video Music Awards, Nirvana plays “Lithium, which culminates in bassist Krist Novoselic tossing his instrument high into the air. But when he tries to catch it, he misses and the bass whacks him in the head. Still, it’s a pretty awesome performance.

2003 : Simon & Garfunkel make it official, announcing plans to reunite and tour for the first time in 20 years. They get more per ticket than any other tour that year: $136.90, and donate $1 million to The Children’s Health Fund at the end.

2003 : John Mayer releases his second studio album, Heavier Things. The disc’s title is a response to some critics who believed his previous songs were too soft. The album debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.

2004 : US guitar maker Ernie Ball opened the first music store in thll died after a long illness. In the late 50’s Bae USA in Tarzana, California to sell guitars exclusively. He developed the guitar strings called ‘Slinkys’ specifically designed for rock and roll electric guitar.

2005 : Terry Howard a studio engineer who had been accused of stealing recordings belonging to late soul singer Ray Charles was cleared of all charges in a Los Angeles court. Howard who had worked for Charles for 20 years had been arrested in February after dozens of recordings belonging to Ray Charles Enterprises were seized from his home.

2005 : Liverpool City Council confirmed it was to demolish Ringo Starr’s birthplace because it had “no historical significance.” The house in Dingle, was one of 460 properties to be demolished for a regeneration project. The council said Madryn Street had no significance because Ringo had spent only three months of his life there.

2005 : An international conference devoted to the life, work, and influence of Bruce Springsteen was held at Monmouth University, New Jersey. The festivities included various live acts, as well as keynote addresses by rock critics and figures from the music industry. More than 150 papers were presented to the course including Springsteen and : American Folklore, Springsteen and Dylan’s American Dreamscapes, Springsteen’s Musical Legacy, Born to Run at 30-Years-Old, Springsteen and New Jersey and the Boss and the Bible.

2006 : 50 Cent was stopped by police for alleged unsafe driving in New York and received citations for an unsafe lane change, driving with an expired permit, driving without insurance and driving without vehicle registration. A crowd gathered, taking photos, cheering the superstar and jeering the police after he was pulled over in his silver open-topped Lamborghini.

2006 : The Beijing Pop Festival was held in Chaoyang Park featuring rock bands from China as well as from overseas. Both Supergrass and Placebo appeared at the festival.

2008 : A man was charged with assault after an attack on Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher during the band’s set at the V Festival in Canada. Gallagher was admitted to hospital after a man ran on stage and pushed him over while he played guitar. Toronto police said Daniel Sullivan, 47, had been charged over the incident. A band statement said the guitarist “fell heavily on to his monitor speakers”.