The database currently contains 7367 historical events.
- The Grateful Dead performed at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.
- Peter Frampton's live double album Frampton Comes Alive! spent its ninth week at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart.
- Joe Cocker appeared on Saturday Night Live performing “Feelin' Alright.” During the performance, Jon Belushi joined him and delivered his famous exaggerated imitation of Cocker's distinctive singing style. Cocker took the joke in good humor and later joked that Belushi portrayed Joe Cocker better than he did himself.
- Rod Stewart released the single “Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright),” which later became his second U.S. No. 1 hit. In the United Kingdom, it reached No. 5 despite being boycotted by British radio stations because of its suggestive lyrics. The recording featured whispered French vocals by his then-girlfriend, actress Britt Ekland.
- Marvin Gaye performed the first of several concerts at London's Palladium. The concerts were recorded and later released on the 1977 album Live at the London Palladium.
- AC/DC performed at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany.
- At around 3:30 a.m., Elvis Presley arrived on a Harley-Davidson at the Vickers gas station on Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis. He stopped to refuel and spent nearly an hour with a large crowd of fans, talking, signing autographs, showing a rare black diamond ring, and joking with those present. He paid exactly 83 cents for the gasoline by credit card and then rode away on his Harley-Davidson.
- AC/DC performed at Stadthalle in Bern, Switzerland.
- Elvis flew to Los Angeles to stay with Linda Thompson at her new apartment. In Hollywood, he also picked up a new Ferrari that he had ordered.
- Hall & Oates' second album Abandoned Luncheonette, containing the hit “She's Gone,” received gold certification just three weeks after its release.
- Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots received a gold record for the novelty hit “Disco Duck.” In December 1976, the song became only the fourth single in history to receive platinum certification. Dees was fired from Memphis radio station WMPS after mentioning on air that his song was nearly No. 1 and that the station refused to play it. A competing Memphis station soon hired him, and he was later inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
- Salsoul Orchestra recorded “Christmas Medley.”
- Dennis Edwards announced his departure from The Temptations; four years later, he returned to the group and contributed to the successful album Power.
- American soul singer and songwriter Taylor Hicks was born. In 2006, he won American Idol, and his single “Do I Make You Proud” reached No. 1 in the US.
- The Who performed at the Sports Arena in San Diego. Mother's Finest was the opening act.
- AC/DC performed at the Jahrhunderthalle in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Sex Pistols received a £40,000 signing bonus after signing a recording contract with EMI Records.
- Stevie Wonder's album Songs in the Key of Life debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart, becoming only the third album in history to do so. It was his first release after signing a $13 million contract with Motown. The double album was certified platinum and produced the hits “Sir Duke,” “I Wish,” and “Isn't She Lovely.”
- Dr. Feelgood's live album "Stupidity" reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the band's only UK No. 1 album and the first live album to debut at No. 1. Some of the album was recorded at The Kursaal in Southend-on-Sea.
- The Sex Pistols signed with EMI Records for £40,000 (about $68,000). Three months later EMI terminated the contract, stopped production of "Anarchy in the U.K." and deleted it from its catalogue, saying the volume of adverse publicity surrounding the band made it impossible to promote their records.
- The Who and The Grateful Dead played the second of two consecutive concerts at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland Stadium) in Oakland, California. Although they were two of the biggest concert acts in rock history and the event received massive promotion, neither of the stadium concerts sold out.
- ABBA released their fourth studio album, Arrival, featuring the hits "Dancing Queen," "Money, Money, Money" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You." The album reached No. 1 on the UK album chart and No. 20 in the United States. "Dancing Queen" topped both the US and UK charts. "Money, Money, Money" reached No. 56 in the United States and No. 3 in the UK, while "Knowing Me, Knowing You" reached No. 14 in the United States and No. 1 in Britain. Arrival became the UK's best-selling album of 1977, received RIAA gold certification and was added to the US National Recording Registry in 2024.
- Scottish bassist and songwriter Dominic Aitchison, best known as the bassist and a founding member of the post-rock band Mogwai, was born. The band's tenth album, As the Love Continues, reached No. 1 on the UK chart in February 2021.
- Casablanca Records released Donna Summer's fourth studio album, Four Seasons of Love, a concept album depicting the four seasons of a romantic relationship. It contained five tracks, with two on the first side and three on the second. The album reached No. 29 on the US album chart and received RIAA gold certification for sales of 500,000 copies.
- Elvis Presley returned to Memphis with Linda Thompson, arriving home at approximately 4:00 a.m. Later that day, Red West called from California, but Charlie Hodge told him that Elvis was asleep. West did not believe him and suspected that Elvis was listening to their conversation on another telephone.
- Dutch group Pussycat began a four-week run at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with "Mississippi." They became the first Dutch group to top the British chart.
- Rush performed at the Memorial Centre in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
- Aerosmith performed at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, England.
- The Who performed at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon.