Music History

Jerome Smith of KC and the Sunshine Band died after being crushed by a bulldozer while working. He was a member of the group, which had the U.S. No. 1 hits “Get Down Tonight” and “That's the Way (I Like It).”

Madonna’s “Music” music video premiered.

Liverpool music retailer Rushworth and Dreaper closed after approximately 150 years in business. The store became renowned for supplying musical instruments to The Beatles and other Liverpool bands.

Maurice Kinn, founder and publisher of the British music magazine New Musical Express, died in London at the age of 76.

Pearl Jam played the first show of the North American leg of their Binaural Tour in Virginia Beach.

Craig David scored his second UK No. 1 hit with “7 Days.”

The film “Coyote Ugly” premiered in U.S. theaters.

Craig David scored his second consecutive UK No. 1 hit with “7 Days.”

The fourth installment of the U.S. “Now That's What I Call Music! 4” series reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart. The compilation included tracks by artists such as Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez, Blink-182 and Lenny Kravitz.

Police were called to Gary Glitter's home in west London after a crowd gathered outside and began shouting at him.

It was announced that Ice-T would play a detective in the television series “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

James Brown's head of security was arrested in connection with a fire in Augusta, Georgia, that destroyed Brown's offices.

Attorneys general from 28 U.S. states filed a class-action lawsuit against major record companies over alleged efforts to keep CD prices high and penalize retailers that sold them below the minimum price set by the labels. The case was later settled for $143 million, and millions of customers who purchased CDs between 1995 and 2000 received compensation.

English singer-songwriter Arlo Parks was born.

Madonna gave birth to her second child, son Rocco Ritchie, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills. His father was British director Guy Ritchie.

Former Spice Girls member Melanie C reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “I Turn to You”.

Nineteen-year-old Craig David released his debut album Born To Do It, which debuted at number one on the UK album chart and became the fastest-selling debut album by a British solo artist.

They played a free protest concert in Los Angeles across the street from Staples Center, where the Democratic National Convention was being held. After the concert, police used pepper spray and rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of 9,000 people after the event turned violent.

David Bowie and his wife Iman celebrated the birth of their first daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones.

Alan Caddy, guitarist for The Tornados on their American and British hit "Telstar", died at the age of 60. He was also an original member of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, played on their hit "Shakin' All Over", and worked as a session musician and arranger.

Coldplay reached the top of the UK best-selling albums chart with their debut album, Parachutes.

Alan Caddy, guitarist with The Tornados, who had the 1962 hit “Telstar”, died. He also contributed to early British rock arrangements.

Melanie C scored her second UK number one single with “I Turn to You”. The song topped the singles charts in Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden and also reached number one on the US Dance Club Songs chart.

Richard Ashcroft, Paul Weller, James, Toploader, Barenaked Ladies, Moby, Beth Orton, Joe Strummer, Feeder, Dandy Warhols and Coldplay performed at the V2000 festival in Staffordshire, England.

Bon Jovi played the final concert at the historic Wembley Stadium before its demolition.

Coldplay, Barenaked Ladies, Moby and Cypress Hill performed on the final day of the V2000 festival in Staffordshire, England.

Janet Jackson reached No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with “Doesn't Really Matter”. At the same time, Nelly began a five-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with “Country Grammar”.

Spiller reached No. 1 on the British singles chart with “Groovejet”. The Italian DJ and producer used the basis of Carol Williams' earlier song “Love Is You” and added new vocals by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Survivor filed a lawsuit against TVT Records after the label released a soundtrack to the television show “Survivor”. Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan said it was unfortunate that, after 23 years of building, promoting and protecting the group's name, someone could come along and release a recording using it.

Kenny Loggins received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. The event was timed to coincide with the home video release of Disney's “Tigger: The Movie”, for which Loggins wrote and sang the song “Your Heart Will Lead You Home”.

Oscar-winning composer, arranger, producer and musician Jack Nitzsche died at the age of 63 at Queen of Angels Hospital in Hollywood from cardiac arrest caused by a recurring bronchial infection. He was known for his work with Phil Spector, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and The Walker Brothers; with The Rolling Stones he also worked as an arranger and keyboardist. He contributed music to the films “The Exorcist” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and co-wrote the Oscar-winning song “Up Where We Belong” with Buffy Sainte-Marie and Will Jennings for the 1982 film “An Officer and a Gentleman”.

At the Carling Weekend Reading and Leeds festival in England, performers included Oasis, Primal Scream, Foo Fighters, The Bluetones, Muse, Eminem, Beck, Stereophonics, Blink 182, Slipknot, Placebo, Pulp, Rage Against The Machine, Gomez, Limp Bizkit, Embrace and The Wannadies.

American musician and songwriter Allen Woody, former bassist of The Allman Brothers Band and co-founder of Gov't Mule, died at the age of 44 in New York City. When he was found dead in a hotel room in Queens, initial reports listed the cause of death as undetermined; a later toxicology examination linked it to an apparent heroin overdose.

Craig David reached No. 1 on the UK album chart with his debut studio album “Born to Do It”.

De La Soul released “Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump”, their first album in four years. The album debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

Janet Jackson began a three-week run at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with “Doesn’t Really Matter”. The song appeared in the film “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps”, starring Janet Jackson and Eddie Murphy.

Nelly began a five-week run at No. 1 on the US album chart with his debut studio album “Country Grammar”.

Italian electronic DJ Spiller reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)”. The song features vocals by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

Radiohead announced that their new album “Kid A” would be released exclusively online before its physical distribution.

PJ Harvey released the album "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea", which had been shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize.

Slipknot caused chaos at the Kerrang! Awards. Band members smashed glasses, set their table on fire, knocked a monitor off the stage, and destroyed a microphone. The band won three awards, including Best Single and Best Live Band.