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- American jazz singer and pianist Jeri Southern, born Genevieve Lillian Hering, was born in Royal, Nebraska.
- Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist Airto Moreira was born in Itaiópolis, Brazil. He became known as a member of Quarteto Novo and also worked with Miles Davis and Return to Forever.
- Country singer and songwriter Sammi Smith, born Jewel Faye Smith, was born in Orange County, California.
- Greg Leskiw, guitarist for The Guess Who, was born in Manitoba, Canada.
- Guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of The McCoys Rick Derringer, born Richard Zehringer, was born in Fort Recovery, Ohio.
- American bassist and session musician Willie Weeks was born in Salemburg, North Carolina.
- Samantha Sang, born Cheryl Lau Sang, was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Irish music manager Louis Walsh, known for his work with Westlife, Boyzone and Girls Aloud, was born in Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Ireland.
- Elvis Presley performed at the eighth annual Country Music Jamboree at Overton Park Shell in Memphis. Others appearing included Webb Pierce, Sonny James, Johnny Cash and Wanda Jackson. The concert drew more than 4,000 people.
- Doris Day was at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera).” It was her second UK No. 1 hit.
- Elvis Presley performed twice at Fort Homer Hesterly Armory in Tampa, Florida.
- American Bandstand made its national debut on ABC with Dick Clark as host. The show had previously aired locally in Philadelphia from 1952. The Chordettes were the first guests, and the first record played was “That'll Be the Day” by Buddy Holly.
- The Coasters remained at No. 1 on the R&B chart for an eleventh week with “Searchin'.”
- Pat Smear, born Georg Albert Ruthenberg, co-founder and lead guitarist of the punk band The Germs and later a member of Nirvana and Foo Fighters, was born in Los Angeles, California.
- Frankie Avalon released the single “Just Ask Your Heart.”
- Pete Burns, born Peter Burns, founder and frontman of Dead or Alive, was born in Port Sunlight, England.
- The Isley Brothers recorded “Shout” at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World in Manhattan, New York City.
- Stuart Croxford Neale, a member of Kajagoogoo, was born.
- Chuck Berry's second wife, Themetta Suggs, gave birth to their second child, Chuck Berry Jr.
- Marilyn Monroe died in Brentwood, Los Angeles, at the age of 36 from a barbiturate overdose.
- Mike Nocito, bassist for Johnny Hates Jazz, was born in Wiesbaden, Germany.
- Adam Yauch, also known as MCA, rapper, bassist and founding member of the Beastie Boys, was born in New York City.
- The Beach Boys recorded “When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)” at United Western Studios in Hollywood. The song later reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 7 on the Cashbox chart and No. 1 on the Canadian singles chart.
- The Beatles began a three-week run at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Help!” It was their eighth consecutive UK No. 1 hit, and the song reached No. 1 on charts in eleven countries that year.
- Jeff Coffin, a three-time Grammy Award winner, American saxophonist and composer and member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and the Dave Matthews Band, was born in Massachusetts.
- During the filming of “Easy Come, Easy Go,” a freight train collided with a flatcar carrying filmmakers and actors due to faulty signaling. Jan Berry was thrown from the impact and suffered a complicated fracture of his left leg. Director Barry Shear was also seriously injured, and at least 12 to 17 people were injured in total. Paramount Pictures subsequently canceled the project, and the film was never completed.
- Jan Berry broke his leg on the first day of filming “Easy Come, Easy Go,” and several other people were injured. Paramount subsequently canceled the film.
- Jennifer Finch, an American musician and photographer best known as the bassist of the punk rock band L7, was born in Los Angeles, California.
- The Beatles released their seventh studio album, “Revolver,” in the UK on Parlophone. The album reached No. 1 on the UK Record Retailer chart and later topped the U.S. Billboard Top LPs, where it spent six weeks at No. 1. It topped the UK chart for seven weeks. The U.S. release followed three days later.
- Pink Floyd released their debut album, “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.” Most of the songs were written by Syd Barrett, and the album was regarded as a landmark psychedelic rock album.
- The Monkees performed at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri.
- Luther Perkins, Johnny Cash's guitarist and longtime member of his backing group The Tennessee Three, died at the age of 40, two days after a fire at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, from injuries sustained in the fire.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released “Green River,” their third studio album and the second of three albums they released in 1969. The album was a major artistic and commercial success for the group.
- Elvis Presley performed both an evening and midnight show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas.
- George Harrison brought his new Moog synthesizer to the studio, which The Beatles used while completing the “Abbey Road” album. Two Moog overdubs were recorded for “Because.” Harrison was among the first musicians in Britain to use the new instrument.
- The Stooges released their self-titled debut album. Its raw sound and distorted guitars later became a major influence on a number of punk bands.
- Wayne Newton reached No. 1 on the Cashbox chart with “Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast,” where it spent one week. The song reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
- After performing at Max's Kansas City in New York City, Aerosmith signed a recording contract with Clive Davis at Columbia Records (CBS Records) worth $125,000.
- Elvis Presley performed both an evening and midnight show at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas.
- A rock and roll revival concert was held at Wembley Stadium featuring Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Billy Fury, Bill Haley and Jerry Lee Lewis.
- Rick Springfield made his first appearance on the U.S. chart with “Speak to the Sky.”
- Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway reached No. 1 on the R&B chart with “Where Is the Love.”
- The Allman Brothers Band performed at the Sports Arena in San Diego, California.
- Wizzard played their first concert at the Rock 'n' Roll Festival at Wembley Stadium. Also on the bill were Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and Gary Glitter.
- Grateful Dead performed at the Civic Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Black Sabbath performed at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
- Stevie Wonder signed a seven-year, seven-album deal with Tamla/Motown worth a total of $37 million. The contract included a guaranteed $13 million advance, high royalty rates, performance bonuses and extensive artistic control over his music.
- Producer Kim Fowley began assembling The Runaways in Los Angeles. The core of the group consisted of Joan Jett and drummer Sandy West, with additional members including Micki Steele and Lita Ford joining later. The band released four studio albums during their career.
- NBC aired the special “The Beach Boys: It's O.K.” to mark the group's 15th anniversary. The program featured interviews, comedy sketches and concert footage, with appearances by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
- Elvis Presley performed at the Cumberland County Memorial Auditorium in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
- During a performance in Birmingham, England, Eric Clapton publicly expressed support for the right-wing National Front and made racist remarks.
- The Police, The Clash and The Damned performed at the second Mont de Marsan Punk Festival in France, held in a bullfighting arena. Other performers included The Boys, The Rich Kids, Electric Kellar and Asphalt Jungle.
- The Rolling Stones reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with “Miss You,” where it spent one week. It was their eighth U.S. No. 1 hit, and the song reached No. 3 in the UK.
- “Substitute,” performed by the South African group Clout and recorded by the studio group Circus, reached No. 2 on the UK singles chart and became a major international hit.
- “King Tut” by Steve Martin reached No. 17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and later sold more than one million copies.
- Pete Meaden, former manager and publicist for The Who, died at the age of 36.
- Def Leppard signed a contract with Phonogram Records with an initial advance of £120,000 ($180,000) and a 10 percent share of sales during the first two years.
- Pat Benatar released her second studio album, “Crimes of Passion.” It was her first Top 10 album and later reached No. 2 on the U.S. albums chart. It also featured her first Top 10 single, “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.”
- The Osmonds ended their career after 20 years.
- Olivia Newton-John received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- American singer Dawn Richard, known in part for her work with Danity Kane, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- David Crosby was sentenced in Texas to five years in prison for possession of cocaine and an illegal firearm. After unsuccessful appeals, he began serving his sentence at Huntsville State Prison on March 6, 1986, and was released on parole five months later. In November 1987, a Texas appeals court overturned the original conviction because of an illegal search during his arrest.
- Bruce Springsteen played the first of ten concerts at Meadowlands in New Jersey as part of the Born in the USA tour.
- Bruce Springsteen began the fourth leg of his Born in the USA world tour with a performance at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington, D.C.
- Eighteen-year-old Sinéad O'Connor signed a contract with Ensign Records. Her debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra,” was released two years later.
- Michael Rudetsky, keyboardist and collaborator of Boy George, was found dead at Boy George's house in London.
- Lionel Richie released the album “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
- Gloria Estefan began a six-week run at No. 1 on the UK albums chart with her debut solo album, “Cuts Both Ways.” The album also reached No. 1 in Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
- Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Swing the Mood,” their first of three UK No. 1 hits.
- Prince scored his fourth U.S. No. 1 hit with “Batdance.” The song appeared in the film “Batman” and also reached No. 1 in Canada, New Zealand and Switzerland.
- Richard Marx reached No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with “Right Here Waiting.”
- Madonna concluded her Blond Ambition Tour with a performance in Nice, France. The concert was broadcast on HBO with a time delay.
- Jeff Porcaro, a highly sought-after session drummer and member of Toto, died in Los Angeles at the age of 38.
- Randy Jo Hobbs, bassist for The McCoys and Edgar Winter Group, was found dead in a hotel room in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 45.
- Take That scored their seventh UK No. 1 hit with “Never Forget.”
- Take That played the first of ten sold-out concerts at Nynex Arena in Manchester without Robbie Williams, who had left the group the previous month.
- TLC were at No. 1 on the U.S. chart for a fifth week with “Waterfalls.”
- Bruce Springsteen sued two London criminals who were illegally distributing an album they claimed had been recorded by Springsteen.
- Wilson Pickett entered a drug rehabilitation program after a New Jersey judge offered him treatment for cocaine addiction instead of prison.
- Yungblud, born Dominic Harrison, was born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England.
- Lars Ulrich of Metallica became a father for the first time; his son Myles was born.
- Music by Johann Sebastian Bach was discovered in Ukraine among the musical estate of his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. The material had been thought to have been destroyed for more than 50 years.
- Patsy Cline was posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- 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.
- Diana Ross canceled the remaining dates of her summer North American concert tour. No reason for the cancellation was announced.
- Dido began a four-week run at No. 1 on the UK albums chart with “Life for Rent.”
- Lynyrd Skynyrd canceled their tour after a doctor advised guitarist Gary Rossington to rest because of serious health problems.
- Bob Dylan's song “Like a Rolling Stone” won an Uncut magazine poll of the music, films, television shows and books that changed the world.
- A survey of 560 British funeral homes found that grieving families were increasingly favoring popular music over traditional religious hymns at funerals. Among the most requested songs were “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler, “Angels” by Robbie Williams, “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston and “Candle in the Wind” by Elton John.
- Shakira and Wyclef Jean began a four-week run at No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Hips Don't Lie.” The song reached No. 1 in 18 countries.
- DNA testing of approximately a dozen people who claimed James Brown was their father showed that at least two of them were indeed his children.
- Procter & Gamble secured a license to use The Beatles' song “All You Need Is Love” in a television advertisement for Luvs diapers.
- American musician Robert Hazard, songwriter and composer of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” died at the age of 59 from pancreatic cancer.
- A man who claimed to be secretly engaged to Miley Cyrus was arrested and charged with attempting to stalk her.
- Steven Tyler of Aerosmith fell from the stage during a performance at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. He suffered injuries, and the rest of the band's tour was canceled.
- Original Woodstock promoter Michael Lang canceled the planned free concert marking the festival's 40th anniversary in Prospect Park due to high costs and a lack of sponsors.
- Singer and guitarist Stephen Hill, who worked with artists including Dolly Parton, Don McLean, Marie Osmond, Nancy Sinatra and Lynn Anderson, died at the age of 55 from a heart attack.
- Singer, keyboardist, composer and producer George Duke, known for his work with Frank Zappa and the Clarke/Duke Project with Stanley Clarke, died in Los Angeles at the age of 67 from chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
- Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman of The Turtles filed a $100 million class-action lawsuit against SiriusXM over the use of older recordings. The case was settled in 2016 for $99 million.
- In an interview with Esquire magazine, Keith Richards harshly criticized The Beatles' “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
- Kimberley Rew sold the rights to “Walking on Sunshine” and his remaining catalog to BMG for $16 million.
- Members of Grateful Dead—Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann—announced the formation of the new group Dead & Company, with John Mayer joining them.
- Viola Beach reached No. 1 on the UK albums chart with their debut album, six months after the tragic deaths of all the band's members and their manager.
- RCA and Legacy released the two-disc collection “Way Down in the Jungle Room,” featuring recordings Elvis Presley made in his home studio during the final 18 months of his life. The collection reached No. 16 in the UK and No. 79 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
- Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers Band canceled most of his upcoming tour dates due to serious health problems and was receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic.
- “Body Like a Back Road” by Sam Hunt had spent 25 weeks at No. 1 on the country chart, breaking the previous record held by “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line.
- British rapper Dave reached No. 1 on the UK albums chart with his second studio album, “We're All Alone in This Together.”
- Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga played the second of two sold-out concerts at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It was Tony Bennett's final public performance.
- Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett played the second of two sold-out concerts at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. It was Tony Bennett's final public performance.
- Judith Durham, singer of The Seekers, died at the age of 79 from complications related to lung disease at Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.
- Bad Bunny launched his first stadium tour, the World's Hottest Tour, in Orlando.
- For the first time since 1958, country songs occupied the top three positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100: “Try That in a Small Town” by Jason Aldean, “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen and “Fast Car” by Luke Combs.
- Maurice Williams, singer of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and writer of “Stay,” died at the age of 86 from unspecified causes.
- Mass layoffs were announced at the music websites Alternative Press, BrooklynVegan, Revolver and Goldmine. The sites had previously been acquired by Veeps, which is controlled by Live Nation along with Good Charlotte founders Joel and Benji Madden.
- Gary Glitter appeared via video link before Westminster Magistrates' Court over four historical sexual offense charges. The case was referred to the Old Bailey for trial, and Gary Glitter remained in custody.