Music History

The Grateful Dead performed at University Arena, also known as “The Pit,” at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Billy Joel's breakthrough album The Stranger entered the Billboard album chart and later reached the Top 10. It contained four U.S. Top 30 singles: “Just the Way You Are” at No. 3, “Movin' Out” at No. 17, “Only the Good Die Young” at No. 24, and “She's Always a Woman” at No. 17. It was also his first album to enter the British album chart, where it reached No. 24.

David Soul reached No. 1 on the British singles chart with “Silver Lady,” his second No. 1 of the year. His previous hit, “Don't Give Up on Us,” had topped the British chart earlier in the year and reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in April. “Silver Lady” also reached No. 1 in Ireland.

Debbie Boone's “You Light Up My Life” began an eight-week run at No. 1 on the Cash Box Best Sellers chart and spent ten weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It reached No. 48 in the UK.

Fleetwood Mac's Rumours reached its 22nd week at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart.

The Paul Simon Special was broadcast on NBC-TV. Art Garfunkel appeared as a guest and sang “Old Friends” with Paul Simon.

Stephen Bishop's biggest hit, “On and On,” reached No. 11 on the Hot 100 during its 28-week chart run. It reached No. 6 in Canada but did not become a hit in the UK.

Aerosmith appeared at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Paul Simon released the song "Slip Slidin' Away."

A spectator threw an M-80 firecracker onto the stage during an Aerosmith concert at The Spectrum in Philadelphia. The explosion injured singer Steven Tyler's cornea and guitarist Joe Perry's hand. The band avoided the venue for a year afterward. When they returned in November 1978, a bottle thrown onto the stage struck Tyler in the face, leading to further tightening of security measures at concert venues.

Kansas released the album Point of Know Return, which became their highest-charting album in the United States and achieved multi-platinum certification.

The Grateful Dead performed at the Lloyd Noble Center on the University of Oklahoma campus.

Grateful Dead play at Manor Hall in Austin, Texas.

Justin Peroff, drummer for Broken Social Scene, was born.

Rush performed at the City Bank Coliseum in Lubbock, Texas.

Singer Shirley Brickley of The Orlons was shot and killed by an intruder in her Philadelphia home at the age of 32. Her murder remains unsolved. The group had five US Top 20 hits in 1962–1963, including “The Wah Watusi,” “Don’t Hang Up,” and “South Street.”