The database currently contains 5694 historical events.
No events found for this day.
Unable to load events from the database.
Events for this day
- The first professional recording session in the Nashville area took place. DeFord Bailey recorded eight songs at the Victor Records studios, later RCA; the released recordings came from this first recording session in the area that later became known as Music City, USA.
- Canadian singer, co-founder, and original lead singer of The Diamonds, David Somerville, was born in Guelph, Ontario. The group had 16 Billboard hits in the 1950s and early 1960s, including “Little Darlin'” and “The Stroll.”
- Benny Goodman recorded the song “Flying Home.”
- American blues, rock, and folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist Nick Gravenites was born. He was known for his work with Electric Flag, Janis Joplin, and Mike Bloomfield. He wrote several songs for Joplin, including “Work Me, Lord,” and produced the hit “One Toke Over the Line” for Brewer & Shipley and the album “Right Place, Wrong Time” for Otis Rush, for which he was nominated for a Grammy.
- Lolly Vegas, born Candido Vasquez, guitarist and singer of the group Redbone, was born in Coalinga, California. Redbone were among the most prominent Native American bands. In 1971, they had the British hit “The Witch Queen Of New Orleans” at No. 2, and in 1974 the U.S. hit “Come and Get Your Love” at No. 4. According to the source, Jimi Hendrix named Lolly Vegas as his favorite guitarist and greatest musical influence.
- Ron Meagher, bassist of The Beau Brummels, was born in Oakland, California. In 1965, the group had the U.S. hit “Just A Little,” which reached No. 8.
- American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Don McLean was born in New Rochelle, New York. He became best known for the single “American Pie,” which reached No. 1 in the United States in 1971 and in the United Kingdom in 1972. The song was inspired by the death of Buddy Holly; his other hits include “Vincent” and a cover of Roy Orbison's “Crying.”
- Ten-year-old Elvis Presley made his first public appearance in a talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. He sang “Old Shep” and finished in second place.
- American singer, songwriter, and bassist Richard Hell, a member of The Voidoids, was born. He was involved in several influential early punk rock groups, including Neon Boys, Television, and The Heartbreakers, before forming Richard Hell & the Voidoids. Their 1977 album “Blank Generation” influenced the punk scene.
- English guitarist, bassist, and songwriter Mike Rutherford, co-founder and member of Genesis, was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. Genesis had, among other successes, the U.S. No. 1 hit “Invisible Touch” and six No. 1 albums in the United Kingdom. In 1985, Rutherford founded Mike and the Mechanics, who had the U.S. No. 1 hit “The Living Years” in 1989.
- Sting, born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, was born in Wallsend, Northumberland, England. He got his nickname from a yellow-and-black striped sweater that made him resemble a bee. Before The Police became famous, he worked as a teacher. With The Police, he had, among other successes, the British and U.S. No. 1 hit “Every Breath You Take,” and during his career he won 16 Grammy Awards both as a member of The Police and as a solo musician.
- English guitarist and singer-songwriter John Otway was born. In 1977, he had the British single “Really Free” with Wild Willy Barrett at No. 27, and in 2002 “Bunsen Burner” reached No. 7.
- Don Cornell was at No. 1 on the British singles chart with “Hold My Hand.” The BBC banned the song because of the words “kingdom of heaven.”
- Elvis Presley appeared at his only engagement at the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, where he sang “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” His interpretation of traditional country music was not well received by the audience. Opry talent director Jim Denny reportedly told him that he should return to driving a truck, after which Elvis vowed never to return to the Grand Ole Opry. After the performance, he briefly also appeared on the live radio program Ernest Tubb's Midnight Jamboree at Ernest Tubb Record Shop.
- “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” reached No. 2 on the Memphis chart. After RCA Victor acquired the recording, it became Elvis's first significant national release and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Country and Western chart in February 1956, where it remained for a total of 39 weeks. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Most Played by Jockeys chart and brought him his first significant national publicity.
- Philip Oakey, singer and songwriter of The Human League, was born in Oadby, Leicestershire, England. The band, formed in Sheffield in 1977, achieved major commercial success with the 1981 album Dare and the hit “Don't You Want Me,” which reached No. 1 in both the United Kingdom and the United States.
- Chicago radio station WAIT began a 12-hour marathon of Elvis recordings at 7 a.m., repeatedly broadcasting 33 of his songs. Listeners called the station, and some postponed dentist appointments, laundry, hanging clothes, or even work because of the broadcast. The mother of a six-month-old child said that her otherwise restless baby peacefully fell asleep while listening to Elvis sing.
- Soul and R&B singer Freddie Jackson was born in Harlem, New York. He began his professional career in the late 1970s with the California funk group Mystic Merlin. He became known for the hits “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake),” “Have You Ever Loved Somebody,” and “Jam Tonight.”
- After a heated argument with her father, Connie Francis reluctantly recorded the 34-year-old standard “Who's Sorry Now” in two attempts at Brunswick Studios in New York. She did not like the song herself, but listeners embraced it, and the following March it became her first major hit, reaching No. 4 in the United States and No. 1 in the United Kingdom.
- Elvis Presley watched a special screening of the film Jailhouse Rock with his parents.
- During an official U.S. Army press conference at Ray Kaserne barracks in Friedberg, West Germany, 23-year-old Elvis Presley was asked by reporters whether he feared that fans would forget him during his two-year military service. Presley admitted that it was possible but said that he had already achieved success. Meanwhile, his management arranged for pre-recorded singles to be released regularly, keeping him on the charts during his service.
- American pop singer and songwriter Robbie Nevil was born on October 2, 1958, in Los Angeles. He became known for the hits “C'est la Vie,” “Dominoes,” and “Wot's It to Ya” and later worked as a songwriter and producer of music for Disney projects such as The Cheetah Girls, High School Musical, and Hannah Montana.
- In communist East Germany, 15 teenagers were imprisoned in Leipzig after marching through the streets, chanting “Long live Elvis Presley,” and mocking officially approved local music. Authorities described their rock 'n' roll demonstration as capitalist subversion and sentenced them to terms ranging from six months to more than four years in prison; one source gives the upper limit as four and a half years.
- The television series The Twilight Zone premiered on CBS-TV. The original orchestral opening used during the first season was composed by Bernard Herrmann; it was later replaced by the now-iconic theme by French composer Marius Constant.
- Al Connelly, a member of the Canadian rock band Glass Tiger, was born. In 1986, the group had a No. 1 hit in Canada and reached No. 2 in the United States with “Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone.” The song featured backing vocals by Bryan Adams.
- “Stay” by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on October 2, 1960, and climbed to No. 1 on November 21, 1960. At 1:38, it became the shortest song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; various sources also give its length as 1:36–1:37.
- The television series Ben Casey, featuring future singer Vince Everett, premiered on ABC-TV. The series ran for five seasons.
- “Take Good Care of My Baby” by Bobby Vee spent its third week at No. 1. Dick & DeeDee were at No. 2, Roy Orbison moved up with “Crying,” and Ray Charles moved from No. 13 to No. 4 with “Hit the Road, Jack.” Elvis Presley also moved upward with “Little Sister.”
- “Michael” by the Highwaymen spent its fifth consecutive week at No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart.
- Joan Baez released the album Volume Two and the single “Banks of the Ohio.”
- Ray Charles reached No. 1 on the R&B chart with “Hit the Road, Jack.”
- Phil Spector and Lester Sill released the first single on their new Philles Records label, “Oh Yeah Maybe Baby” by The Crystals. A little more than a year later, their No. 1 hit “He's a Rebel” followed, along with other well-known recordings such as “Da Doo Ron Ron” and “Then He Kissed Me.”
- Elvis Presley released the single “Return to Sender,” backed by the song “Where Do You Come From.”
- Sigtryggur Baldursson, drummer of the Icelandic alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, was born in Norway to Icelandic parents. The band's 1988 debut album Life's Too Good achieved unexpected international success and included their signature song “Birthday.”
- The Cookies released the song “Chains.”
- The Kinks released their debut album The Kinks.
- “Everybody Loves a Clown” by Gary Lewis & the Playboys rose sharply from No. 85 to No. 42 on the U.S. chart.
- James Brown remained at No. 1 on the R&B chart with “Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.”
- Manfred Mann performed on October 2 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, and according to the source became the first Western band to perform on a stage behind the Iron Curtain.
- Peter, Paul and Mary performed at the Winter Gardens concert hall in Bournemouth, England.
- The McCoys reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard singles chart with “Hang On Sloopy,” replacing Barry McGuire's “Eve of Destruction.” In the United Kingdom, the song reached No. 5. The song had originally been released by The Vibrations under the title “My Girl Sloopy”; their version reached No. 26.
- The McCoys released the single “Hang on Sloopy,” which became their biggest hit and reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart.
- The ABC-TV program Shindig! featured The Who's first U.S. television appearance. The same program also featured The Four Tops and Gerry and the Pacemakers; according to one version, Billie Joe Royal and Ray Peterson also appeared.
- Drummer Bud Gaugh was born Floyd I. Gaugh IV in Long Beach, California. In 1988, he founded the band Sublime with singer Brad Nowell and bassist Eric Wilson. After Nowell's death in 1996, he continued making music with Wilson, but they could not use the name Sublime until 2023, when Nowell's son Jakob joined them.
- Gillian Welch was born in New York and grew up in Los Angeles with her adoptive parents, Ken and Mitzie Welch, who wrote music for The Carol Burnett Show. She later performed with her musical partner, guitarist David Rawlings. In 2020, they released the album All the Good Times (Are Past & Gone), which won the Grammy for Best Folk Album, and in 2024 the album Woodland, which received the same award in 2025.
- California narcotics agents raided the Grateful Dead's communal house at 710 Ashbury Street in San Francisco. A total of 11 people were arrested, but among the Grateful Dead members themselves, only Bob Weir and Ron “Pigpen” McKernan were present and arrested. Jerry Garcia and the other band members were not at the house at the time of the raid. The other nine people arrested included business managers Rock Scully and Danny Rifkin, equipment manager Bob Matthews, and six visitors or friends. Police seized approximately one pound of marijuana. Sensational headlines at the time about the “arrest of a rock band” later led to claims that the entire Grateful Dead had been arrested.
- Motown Records filed a $4 million lawsuit against songwriting trio Holland-Dozier-Holland after they had refused to write new material during the previous year because of a dispute over royalties and profit shares. The trio was subsequently released from Motown, founded the Detroit labels Invictus and Hot Wax, and released new songs under pseudonyms because of the legal dispute. The series of lawsuits and countersuits lasted nearly ten years and was privately settled in 1977.
- English indie singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Badly Drawn Boy, born Damon Gough, was born. In 2002, he had the British single “You Were Right” at No. 9 and the album Have You Fed The Fish? at No. 10.
- Bobby Darin appeared on the ABC musical program This Is Tom Jones. During this period, he also used the name “Bob Darin” as part of his change in image and musical direction. On the program, he performed his original folk-rock song “Distractions” and then joined Tom Jones for a medley of “A Worried Man,” “Aquarius,” and “Let the Sunshine In.”
- R&B singer Dion Allen of Az Yet was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is known for the song “Last Night” and the cover version of Chicago's “Hard to Say I'm Sorry.”
- Chicago performed at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia.
- Pink Floyd released the album “Atom Heart Mother” through Harvest Records in the United Kingdom, and it became their first album to reach No. 1 on the British chart. In the United States, it reached No. 55 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape and later received RIAA gold certification. The experimental recording represented a transition between their early psychedelic period and their later distinctive sound. The original cover contained no text and showed only a cow in a pasture; photographer Storm Thorgerson said he photographed the first cow he found in the countryside near Potters Bar. Its owner said her name was Lulubelle III.
- “Peace Train” by Cat Stevens moved up from No. 88 to No. 50 on the U.S. chart.
- Thirteen-year-old Donny Osmond reached No. 1 on the Cashbox Best Sellers chart with his cover of “Go Away Little Girl” by Steve Lawrence, originally released in 1963. A few days later, the recording was certified gold by the RIAA for one million copies shipped.
- Elvis Presley's album Almost in Love reached No. 38 on the British album chart.
- Elvis Presley bought six pistols, two derringer pistols, and ammunition at Frontier Gun Shop in Palm Springs.
- Joan Baez spent her fifth week at No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart with “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.”
- John Lennon's album “Imagine” entered the U.S. album chart at No. 155 and climbed to No. 1 during October. The first copies of the album included a postcard featuring Lennon holding a pig as a reference to the photograph of Paul McCartney with a sheep on the cover of the album “Ram.”
- “Maggie May” / “Reason to Believe” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Rod Stewart his first solo No. 1 hit in the United States. “Maggie May” was inspired by his first sexual experience in 1961 and in 2004 was ranked No. 130 on Rolling Stone's list.
- The album “Every Picture Tells a Story” reached No. 1 on the U.S. album chart. At the same time, Rod Stewart reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Maggie May” and “Reason to Believe.”
- The weekly television program Soul Train, focused on contemporary R&B performers, premiered nationally in the United States. The show was created and hosted by Don Cornelius. The first national broadcast featured Gladys Knight and the Pips, former Temptations member Eddie Kendricks, and the group Honey Cone. The program later ran for an astonishing 35 years.
- The Allman Brothers Band performed at the Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles.
- Led Zeppelin began a six-concert tour of Japan at Budokan Hall in Tokyo. The setlist included “Rock and Roll,” “Over the Hills and Far Away,” “Black Dog,” “Misty Mountain Hop,” “Since I've Been Loving You,” “Dancing Days,” “Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp,” “The Song Remains the Same,” “The Rain Song,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Stairway to Heaven,” “Whole Lotta Love” with a medley, “Heartbreaker,” “Immigrant Song,” and “Communication Breakdown.”
- LaTocha Scott, singer of the group Xscape, was born in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Lene Grawford Nystrom, singer of the Danish Eurodance group Aqua, was born on October 2, 1973, in Tønsberg, Norway. In 1997, Aqua reached No. 1 on the British singles chart with “Barbie Girl” and, according to the source, sold approximately 33 million albums and singles.
- Lene Grawford Nystrom, singer of the group Aqua, was born in Tønsberg, Norway.
- The Rolling Stones performed at Ernst Merck Halle in Hamburg, Germany.
- Elvis Presley performed on October 2 at the Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. The concert began at 8:30 p.m., was attended by 17,163 people, and Elvis performed in the Peacock jumpsuit. The setlist began with the “2001” theme, followed by “C. C. Rider,” “I Got a Woman,” “Love Me,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Hound Dog,” “Hawaiian Wedding Song,” and the unfinished “Can't Help Falling in Love.”
- Eric Clapton performed at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario.
- Canadian rock singer and songwriter Sam Roberts was born. His debut EP The Inhuman Condition entered the Canadian chart in 2002. With his band, he was nominated for 15 Juno Awards and won six, including two Artist of the Year awards and one Album of the Year award.
- Frank Zappa released the album Bongo Fury, recorded with Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band.
- Helen Reddy scored her 15th hit on the Easy Listening chart. Fourteen of her first fifteen hits reached the Top 10, including eleven consecutive entries; eight reached No. 1 and three reached No. 2.
- ZZ Top performed at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
- 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.
- The remains of Elvis Presley and his mother Gladys were moved from Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis to the Meditation Garden at his Graceland estate for security reasons. The family took this step after an attempted theft of the singer's body for ransom was uncovered in August. The transfer took place after dark under police supervision.
- Grateful Dead played the second of two concerts at the Paramount Theater in Portland, Oregon.
- AC/DC performed at the Sports Arena in Toledo, Ohio.
- Gene Simmons received a platinum award for his self-titled solo album, one of four solo albums released simultaneously by members of KISS. Simmons's album was the most successful of the four in the United States, reaching No. 22.
- The Police released their second album “Regatta de Blanc.” It was even more successful than their debut and earned the group its first Grammy Award in 1980. The French title can loosely be translated as “White Reggae.”
- Van Halen performed at the Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona.
- Members of First Assembly Church of God in Ankeny, Iowa, burned various books and music albums they considered satanic and works promoting premarital sex, homosexuality, and immorality. Among the recordings burned were the soundtrack to the film Woodstock and albums by Peter Frampton and The Beatles.
- Leaveil Degree of the soul group The Whispers began serving a two-year prison sentence in Boron, California, for his involvement in a diamond robbery.
- Yes performed at the San Diego Sports Arena in San Diego, California.
- The Police reached No. 1 on the British album chart with “Ghost in the Machine.” It was their third album to top the British chart. The album included the singles “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “Invisible Sun,” and “Spirits in the Material World.”
- The Police released their fourth album “Ghost in the Machine,” the last in their series of four consecutive autumn albums. The title comes from a psychological book by Arthur Koestler, and the album reached No. 2 in the United States. It included the hit “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.”
- Accept released their fourth studio album, “Restless and Wild.” The album was self-produced by the band and included, among other songs, “Fast as a Shark,” which many consider one of the recordings that helped give rise to speed metal.
- Dire Straits began a four-week run at No. 1 on the British album chart with Love Over Gold.
- Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett reunited with their former Genesis bandmates for a one-off benefit concert at the Bowl in Milton Keynes, England. The concert raised funds for Gabriel's financially troubled World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) project.
- The word “jobsworth” first appeared in the London Times. The expression was popularized, or according to the source possibly coined, by singer-songwriter Jeremy Taylor.
- Jethro Tull performed at The Centrum in Worcester, Massachusetts.
- John Cougar reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Jack & Diane.” “Hurts So Good” remained at No. 10, while the album “American Fool” was at No. 1 on the album chart. According to the source, this combination made him the first male solo artist to have an album at No. 1 and two songs in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.
- Musical Youth reached No. 1 on the British singles chart with “Pass The Dutchie.” The group consisted of boys from Birmingham aged 11 to 16. The song was a cover of “Pass The Kutchie” by The Mighty Diamonds, with the reference to a cannabis pipe changed so that the group could avoid a ban because of the drug reference.
- Peter Gabriel and Steve Hackett reunited with their former Genesis bandmates for a one-off benefit concert at Milton Keynes Bowl in Buckinghamshire, England. Gabriel performed with Genesis for the first time since leaving the group in 1975 and, according to the source, this was the only occasion on which he sang Genesis songs on stage after his departure. The concert was intended to raise money for Gabriel's WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) project, or to repay debts incurred during his WOMAD tour.
- Agnetha Fältskog of ABBA was involved in a car accident in Skåne, Sweden. She suffered a concussion but soon recovered.
- Bonnie Tyler reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” written and produced by Jim Steinman. She became the first Welsh female artist to reach No. 1 on the chart.
- Bruce Springsteen concluded the “Born in the USA” tour with the last of four concerts at Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. This brought his highly successful “Born in the USA” tour to an end.
- Brittany Howard, an American musician, singer, and guitarist, was born in Athens, Alabama. She later formed the band Alabama Shakes with her high-school friend Zac Cockrell, serving as its lead singer and guitarist; she is also known as a member of Thunderbitch. Alabama Shakes' 2012 debut album “Boys & Girls” included the hit “Hold On” and earned the group numerous awards. Their second album, “Sound & Color,” released in 2015, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and won four Grammy Awards. Howard began her solo career in 2018, when Alabama Shakes went on hiatus.
- Neil Young released the album “Freedom,” his 17th studio album, which according to the source marked a return to form after years of poorly received work. After leaving Geffen Records because of longstanding problems, he recorded for his original label, Reprise. The album opened and closed with different versions of “Rockin' in the Free World,” which reflected the social and political atmosphere of the late 1980s and became his highest-charting hit at the time on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. It also included “Don't Cry,” “Eldorado,” and “On Broadway,” which had first been released on the EP “Eldorado.”
- At the age of 42, John Mellencamp confirmed that he had recently suffered a mild heart attack, which he attributed to his then consumption of approximately 80 cigarettes a day and a cholesterol level of 300. Following the event, he withdrew from musical activity for nearly 18 months, changed his diet, began exercising regularly, and reduced his smoking to three or four cigarettes a day.
- After performing at the Bridge School benefit concert in Mountain View, California, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers parted ways with their original drummer Stan Lynch. Petty said that Lynch had lost all loyalty to the group and was trying to play with other bands, and that he felt Lynch was staying only for the money. Lynch was replaced by Average White Band drummer Steve Ferrone.
- Alanis Morissette's album Jagged Little Pill reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in its 15th week. For Maverick, the record label founded by Madonna, it was the first album to reach the top of the chart. According to the source, Morissette was the third female singer of the 1990s whose debut album reached No. 1.
- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Kylie Minogue released their joint duet “Where the Wild Roses Grow.” The song later won three ARIA Awards in 1996: Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Release.
- Oasis released their second album “(What's the Story?) Morning Glory,” which entered the British album chart at No. 1 and, according to the source, turned the British band into global stars. It sold more than 18 million copies worldwide and in 2010 received the award for Best British Album of the Last 30 Years at the BRIT Awards. The epic song “Champagne Supernova,” released as a single only in the United States, reached No. 1 on the Modern Rock chart.
- A Pearl Jam concert in Hartford, Connecticut, ended in disturbances when mass fights broke out among approximately 30,000 attendees.
- Fan Juanita L. Evans filed a lawsuit against Wu-Tang Clan members RZA and Method Man, rapper Redman, the University of Pennsylvania, and the student government after Method Man landed on her during a concert and knocked her unconscious. She claimed that Redman distracted her and that she did not see Method Man when he jumped from the stage. Concerns about similar lawsuits subsequently contributed to some bands limiting stage diving.
- Gene Autry, American singer, actor, and famous “singing cowboy,” died at the age of 91. During his career, he had 25 consecutive Top 10 country hits. According to the source, his fortune was estimated at $320 million in 1995.
- Paul McCartney anonymously took part in an online question-and-answer session as part of The Fireman project. On the official website of his ambient duo, he provided anonymous answers and promoted the new album “Rushes.”
- David Bowie offered a virtual guided tour of the controversial exhibition “Sensation: Young British Artists From The Saatchi Collection” on his official website. The exhibition included, among other works, Damien Hirst's shark suspended in formaldehyde, “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living,” and Tracey Emin's tent, “Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963–1995.”
- Twenty-year-old Eve reached No. 1 in the United States with her debut album “Ruff Ryders' First Lady.” For the Ruff Ryders label, it was the third No. 1 album in 1999, following DMX's “Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood” and the joint project “Ruff Ryders Ryde or Die Vol. 1.” The next female rapper to reach No. 1 was Nicki Minaj in 2012 with “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded.”
- Rob Thomas, singer of Matchbox Twenty, married Puerto Rican American model Marisol Maldonado at a ranch in California. Maldonado appeared with Thomas in the music video for Santana's “Smooth.” The wedding was broadcast on ABC in the program “Celebrity Weddings In Style.”
- Coldplay began their first headline concert tour with a performance at Cambridge Junction in England.
- Sources report that divorce proceedings were filed between Paul Anka and his wife Anne de Zogheb, a former model, after 37 years of marriage. Some sources state that Anne Anka filed, while others say Paul Anka filed. One source states that the couple had been married since 1963 and had five daughters.
- Radiohead released their fourth album “Kid A.”
- The High Court of Justice in England ruled that Robbie Williams's song “Jesus in a Camper Van” used lyrics from Woody Guthrie's song “I Am the Way,” which had been adapted for parody purposes by Loudon Wainwright III. In 2001, it was decided that no punitive damages would be awarded, but the authors were entitled to 25% of royalties and 25% of legal costs.
- The film Clambake starring Elvis Presley was released on DVD.
- The concert Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Performers included Dave Matthews Band, Alanis Morissette, Stone Temple Pilots, and Moby; the host was Kevin Spacey.
- Kevin Spacey hosted the evening “Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music” at Radio City Music Hall in New York. Performers included Marc Anthony, Alanis Morissette, Moby, Stone Temple Pilots, and Dave Matthews Band. The evening concluded with a group performance of “Give Peace A Chance.”
- Jazz baritone saxophonist, composer, arranger, and conductor Manny Albam died of cancer at the age of 79 in Croton-on-Hudson, New York.
- Adam Ant avoided a prison sentence after a judge ruled that an incident in which he threatened patrons at a London pub with a replica gun was the result of mental illness. Following the incident, he voluntarily attended psychiatric treatment.
- Elvis Presley's album “Elv1s 30 No. 1 Hits” reached No. 1 in 17 countries, including the United States, 25 years after Elvis's death. The album debuted at No. 1.
- Robbie Williams signed an £80 million deal with EMI Records, which at the time was described as the most lucrative or highest-value British recording contract in history.
- Police were called in the early morning hours over a suspected break-in at the Los Angeles home of Jim Barber, Courtney Love's former boyfriend and manager. Love was found in the street outside the house and arrested; shortly after her arrest, she was taken to a hospital because of a suspected drug overdose.
- Del McCoury Band received the major awards at the 14th annual International Bluegrass Music Awards in Louisville, Kentucky. The group won Entertainer of the Year for the eighth time, while members Mike Bub and Jason Carter won Bassist of the Year and Fiddler of the Year.
- Trousers worn by Freddie Mercury in 1984 were sold at a Christie's auction in London to Hard Rock Cafe for £4,230. A wooden cabinet sculpture designed by John Lennon sold for £28,200, and hundreds of items associated with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and, according to one source, Madonna were also offered at the auction.
- John Mellencamp received the Woody Guthrie Award, presented to artists who honor the legacy of the late singer Woody Guthrie.
- Radiohead won the “Best Act in the World Today” award at the Q Awards in London for the third consecutive time. Q magazine had criticized their album “Hail to the Thief,” and the band did not attend the ceremony.
- Billy Joel, then 55, married 23-year-old culinary student Katie Lee on October 2 at his estate on Centre Island in New York. It was Joel's third marriage. During their marriage, Katie Lee became a writer and television personality. The couple later announced their separation in June 2009, with one record specifying June 17, 2009.
- Katie Melua entered the Guinness Book of Records with a concert performed 303 meters below sea level on the Norwegian Statoil Troll A platform in the North Sea. Before the performance, she and her band underwent extensive medical examinations and survival training in Norway.
- Snoop Dogg guest-starred in an episode of the Showtime series Weeds, where he helped Mary-Louise Parker get her marijuana-growing business off the ground with a large order and an improvised rap on the subject.
- A judge in Los Angeles ordered Britney Spears to turn over her two young children to her former husband, Kevin Federline. Federline was granted temporary custody of Sean Preston and Jayden James. The court also ordered Spears to undergo random drug and alcohol tests twice a week as part of the ongoing custody dispute.
- The state of Connecticut proclaimed “Bruce Springsteen Day,” a decision announced by Governor Jodi Rell.
- Pink reached No. 1 on the British album chart with Funhouse, her fourth studio album. The album's original working title was “Heartbreak is a Motherfucker.”
- The British Daily Telegraph published a report claiming that 17-year-old Benjamin Keough, Elvis Presley's grandson, had been offered a $5 million contract by Universal Records to record up to five albums. Universal Music Group subsequently officially declared the report completely false. Keough never released any commercial music during his lifetime.
- British newspaper Daily Telegraph reported that Universal Records had offered Elvis Presley's 17-year-old grandson Benjamin Keough $5 million for up to five albums. Universal Music Group quickly declared the widely repeated report completely false, and Keough never released commercial music during his lifetime.
- Esquire magazine named Kate Beckinsale its Sexiest Woman Alive and published a video featuring the actress accompanied by Jet's song “Goodbye Hollywood.”
- Mumford & Sons released their debut album “Sigh No More” in the United Kingdom. The album included the singles “Little Lion Man” and “The Cave.” In February 2011, after 72 weeks on the chart and following its win in the Album of the Year category at the 2011 BRIT Awards, it reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and was the third most-downloaded album of 2011, with 761,000 copies sold. The group attracted attention in 2011 with a performance of “The Cave” at the Grammy Awards.
- In the seventh series of the British competition The X Factor, One Direction performed together for the first time. Before judge Simon Cowell at his villa in Marbella, Spain, they sang “Torn.” The members had originally been eliminated as solo contestants and were then given the opportunity to continue as a group. They eventually finished the competition in third place.
- Louis Tomlinson of One Direction sent his bandmate Harry Styles a tweet that, according to the source, became the second most retweeted post in history.
- British session guitarist Big Jim Sullivan, born James George Tomkins, died at the age of 71. He began his career in 1959 as a member of Marty Wilde's band, who bought him a Gibson Les Paul, reportedly the first example of that type in Britain. Sullivan taught future Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore to play guitar and also helped Steve Howe of Yes and Asia on the road to success. He played on 55 songs that reached No. 1 and worked with, among others, George Harrison, Frank Zappa, Thunderclap Newman, Love Affair, Long John Baldry, Marmalade, and The Tremeloes. During Jimmy Page's studio career, he was known as “Little Jim” to distinguish him from Page.
- The Mumford & Sons single “Babel” became, according to the source, officially the best-selling debut single of the year, with sales of 600,000 copies.
- According to American media reports, Little Richard suffered a heart attack at home on September 30 in the presence of his family. According to the source, he had not performed since nearly collapsing during a concert in Washington, D.C., in the summer of 2012.
- Michael Jackson's family lost a lawsuit against concert promoters AEG Live over alleged negligence related to his death. A 12-member jury concluded that the doctor responsible for Jackson's care before the planned concert tour was not unfit for the job, and therefore AEG Live was not negligent in hiring him.
- Singer Priscilla Coolidge, 73, sister of musician Rita Coolidge, was found dead at her home in Thousand Oaks, California. An investigation confirmed that she had been murdered by her husband, Michael Seibert, 66, who subsequently committed suicide. Priscilla was married to Booker T. Jones, leader of Booker T. & the MG's, from 1969 to 1979, and performed with her daughter Laura Satterfield and sister Rita in the Native American music trio Walela.
- Graceland announced that during October the estate would be illuminated in pink to support breast cancer awareness. The pink lighting was scheduled to begin on October 2 and continue throughout the month.
- MTV revived TRL, the iconic music video countdown show that aired from 1998 to 2008. The new version underwent major changes: it had no traditional chart and was not exclusively focused on music, instead combining music with various pop-culture topics and featuring five hosts, including Vine star DC Young Fly.
- Tom Petty died on October 2, 2017, at the age of 66. He was found unconscious at home in Malibu and died after being taken to UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. From 1978 to 1995, he had 16 singles in the Billboard Top 40, including “Don't Do Me Like That,” “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around” with Stevie Nicks, and “Free Fallin'.”
- Graceland announced that during the first week of October the estate would be illuminated in pink as part of breast cancer awareness efforts.
- At the age of 72, Geoff Emerick died of a heart attack. He was a prominent sound engineer who worked on major recordings by The Beatles, including the albums “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Abbey Road.”
- Barrie Masters, singer of Eddie & The Hot Rods, died at the age of 63. The band was formed in Canvey Island, Essex, in 1975 and was part of the pub rock scene. Their greatest success came in 1977 with the hit “Do Anything You Wanna Do,” which reached the Top 10.
- Kim Shattuck, singer, guitarist, and songwriter of The Muffs and former bassist of Pixies, died at the age of 56 after a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Her bandmates remembered her as a brilliant songwriter, great guitarist, and exceptional singer and “screamer.”