The database currently contains 4611 historical events.
- Peter Frampton played the first of three sold-out concerts at Madison Square Garden.
- Alice Hovartar and Juanita Johnson, both 19 years old, died after a car crashed into a crowd of mourners outside Graceland following Elvis Presley's death. Their funerals were held on this day.
- Rush performed at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.
- Waylon Jennings was arrested by federal agents at American Sound Studio in Nashville and charged with conspiracy and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Shortly before, he had been named honorary police chief of Nashville. The monitored shipment contained 27 grams of cocaine and had been sent to Jennings in Nashville. The charges were later dropped because of procedural defects in the arrest and search warrants; before the agents could correct the error, drummer Richie Albright flushed most of the cocaine down the toilet. The incident later inspired Jennings's song „Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand“.
- California Governor Jerry Brown appointed singer and longtime environmental activist Helen Reddy to the state Parks Commission.
- KISS played the first of three concerts at The Forum in Inglewood, California. These concerts were used for the album “Alive II”, released in October.
- At the 17th edition of the three-day Reading Festival in England, performers included Uriah Heep, Thin Lizzy, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Golden Earring, Aerosmith, The Doobie Brothers, Hawkwind, Racing Cars, John Miles, Graham Parker, The Enid, No Dice and Frankie Miller’s Full House. A three-day ticket cost £7.95.
- Ten of Elvis Presley's albums reappeared on the charts. Fleetwood Mac's album “Rumours” was at No. 1 on the US album chart for the third time, and “Float On” by The Floaters reached No. 8 on the singles chart.
- Jackson Browne performed at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. His performances of “Running On Empty” and “The Load Out/Stay” from this concert were later released on the album “Running on Empty”.
- Thirty-year-old Jimmy Buffett married his second wife, twenty-six-year-old Jane Slagsvol from Columbia, South Carolina. Slagsvol helped write Buffett's songs “Something So Feminine About A Mandolin” and “Kick It In Second Wind”. They later separated for nine years but subsequently reunited.
- Styx released the album “The Grand Illusion”, which became their breakthrough album and included the song “Come Sail Away”.
- The Floaters reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Float On”. In the USA, the song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. For the Detroit soul-funk group, it was their only UK hit, making them a one-hit wonder.
- Donna Summer released “I Feel Love” in the United States.
- Yes performed at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, near Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby is held.
- AC/DC performed at the famous Whisky A Go-Go club in Los Angeles.
- Three men were arrested in Memphis while attempting to steal Elvis Presley's body from his mausoleum at Forest Hills Cemetery and demand a ransom for it. Police were waiting for them after receiving a tip about the planned break-in. The city of Memphis subsequently approved Vernon Presley's request to change the use of the land at Graceland and establish Presley Family Cemetery. Elvis's remains were then moved to the Meditation Garden at Graceland, where they were placed in safety.
- Canadian progressive rock band Rush released their fifth studio album "A Farewell to Kings".
- Jun Matsumoto, Japanese singer and actor from the group Arashi, was born.
- Co-founder and frontman of alternative rock band The Vines, Craig Nicholls was born in Sydney, Australia.
- American musician and songwriter Derek Gruen, known as Del Marquis, was born in New York City. He became known as a member of pop-rock band Scissor Sisters.
- Yes performed at Dane County Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin.
- Blondie signed their first contract with a major record label, Chrysalis Records. The group had been signed to the independent label Private Stock Records, which released their self-titled debut album in late 1976. Chrysalis Records bought out their existing contract with Private Stock and acquired the rights to the original recordings.
- Cabaret and music performer Clinton Leupp, known as Coco Peru, was born.
- Generation X released their debut single “Your Generation.”
- Despite sharp disputes over the group's artistic direction and financial management, The Beach Boys played a free concert in New York's Central Park before an estimated audience of more than 150,000 people. Despite the tension backstage, they delivered an energetic concert featuring hits such as “California Girls,” “In My Room,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.” and “Help Me, Rhonda.”
- Lyricist and composer René Goscinny died at the age of 51.
- The Commodores remained at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart with “Three Times A Lady”.
- Thin Lizzy released the album “Bad Reputation”. The group appeared as a three-piece on the recording after guitarist Brian Robertson left during the recording sessions. The album included the songs “Dancing in the Moonlight”, “Dear Lord” and “Killer Without a Cause”.