Release events
- Jimmie Rodgers made his first recordings for the Victor Talking Machine Company: “Sleep, Baby, Sleep” and “The Soldier’s Sweetheart.”
- Fats Waller recorded the song “Ain't Misbehavin'.”
- Helen Morgan joined Victor Young’s orchestra to record “Bill” from the Broadway musical “Show Boat.”
- Bunny Berigan a jeho orchestr nahráli skladbu „I Can't Get Started“.
- Les Brown and his Band of Renown recorded the song “Joltin' Joe DiMaggio”.
- Louis Jordan recorded “Saturday Night Fish Fry” in New York, which became a No. 1 hit on the R&B chart for 12 weeks.
- The Platters’ debut single, “Only You (And You Alone)”, was performed publicly for the first time.
- Fats Domino released his debut album "This Is Fats".
- Columbia Records released the single “Chances Are” in both 45 and 78 RPM formats. The song later reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 and spent 22 weeks in the Top 40.
- Sam Cooke released his debut single “You Send Me” on Keen Records. The song became his biggest hit, reaching No. 1 on both the Billboard R&B and Pop charts and selling 2.5 million copies. Over the following eight years, he placed another 28 songs on the Hot 100, three of which charted only after his death on December 11, 1964.
- Frankie Avalon released the single “Just Ask Your Heart.”
- The Isley Brothers recorded “Shout” at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World in Manhattan, New York City.
- Dean Martin entered Capitol Records' studio at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, where he recorded his version of “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow.” The recording first entered the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018, reaching No. 8.
- The Isley Brothers released the single “Shout”. It was not particularly successful at the time of release and reached only number 47, but became very popular in later years.
- “The Bad Boys” by The Miracles became the first single released on Barry Gordy's newly established Motown Records label.
- Mattel Toy Corporation introduced the first Barbie doll.
- Elvis Presley recorded four songs at Radio Recorders studio in Hollywood for the film "Flaming Star" during an overnight recording session.
- Johnny Horton recorded “North To Alaska” at Quonset Hut Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.
- Elvis Presley released the single "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame" / "Little Sister". The single reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 on the Easy Listening chart and spent four weeks at No. 1 in the U.K.
- Sam Cooke recorded “Frankie and Johnny” at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World studios in New York City.
- Tamla Records released the Marvelettes’ first single, “Please Mr. Postman”. The song sold more than one million copies, became the group’s biggest hit, topped both the Billboard pop and R&B charts, and was Motown’s first song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Joan Baez released the album Volume Two and the single “Banks of the Ohio.”
- 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.”
- The Tijuana Brass released their first single, “The Lonely Bull”, on A&M Records, the label founded by their bandleader Herb Alpert and his partner Jerry Moss. The song reached No. 6 in the US and launched a run of 19 pop hits by Alpert.
- Mary Wells released “You Beat Me To The Punch.”
- Warner Bros. released the single "If I Had a Hammer" by Peter, Paul and Mary. The song reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Grammy Awards for Best Folk Recording and Best Performance by a Vocal Group.
- Twelve-year-old Little Stevie Wonder released his first single, "I Call It Pretty Music (But The Old People Call It The Blues)", issued by Motown Records. Marvin Gaye played drums on the recording, which reached No. 101 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- “He's A Rebel” was released and credited to The Crystals, although Phil Spector had the song recorded by The Blossoms because The Crystals were on tour.
- Elvis Presley released the single “Return to Sender,” backed by the song “Where Do You Come From.”
- The Cookies released the song “Chains.”
- Allan Sherman released the single “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp).”
- The Beach Boys released “Surfer Girl,” written and produced by Brian Wilson, who regarded it as his first original composition.
- Bob Dylan began the first recording sessions at Studio A of Columbia Recording Studios in New York with producer Tom Wilson for his third album, “The Times They Are a-Changin'.” It was his first album made up entirely of original songs. Upon its release the following February, the album reached No. 20 in the U.S. and No. 4 in the UK.
- Comedian Allan Sherman released “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadda,” a comedy song based on music from Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours,” which first appeared on his album “My Son the Nut.” Sherman wrote the song based on his son’s real experience at Camp Champlain, where he desperately wanted to leave and later pleaded to be allowed to return. The recording reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in 2020 was added to the United States National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress as culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
- The Beatles released the single “She Loves You” in the UK, backed with “I'll Get You”. By 1977, the single had become the best-selling British single of all time, with sales of 1.93 million copies. It entered the UK chart on August 31 and spent 31 consecutive weeks on the chart, including 18 weeks in the Top Three. The record was not surpassed until 1977, when Paul McCartney achieved it with “Mull Of Kintyre”. The single also became their best-selling single in the UK and reached number one in charts in several countries around the world.
- The Beatles released the single „She Loves You“ with „I'll Get You“ on the B-side in the U.K. The song entered the U.K. chart on August 31 and remained there for 31 weeks, including 18 weeks in the Top Three.
- The Ronettes released their first single, "Be My Baby", produced by Phil Spector. The song was their only U.S. Top 10 hit. Lead singer Veronica Bennett, later known as Ronnie Spector, sued Phil Spector in the late 1990s over unpaid royalties.
- The single “Love Me Do” from The Beatles’ first recording session for EMI was released.
- Elvis Presley released the single “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise”, which around this date reached the top positions of the charts.
- The Beach Boys released the single “Surfer Girl”, which later reached No. 7 in the US. It was the first song written by Brian Wilson and the first recording he produced himself. The B-side, “Little Deuce Coupe”, reached No. 15 in the US.
- The Kinks released their third single, “You Really Got Me,” in the UK on Pye Records. The song became their breakthrough hit, later reaching No. 1 on the UK chart and No. 7 in the U.S.
- 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.
- Bob Dylan released the album "Another Side of Bob Dylan" on Columbia Records.
- The Young World Singers released “Ringo For President” on Decca Records. The song was created ahead of the U.S. presidential election and reached No. 132 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- The Beatles reissued four singles in the United States: “Do You Want To Know A Secret”, “Please, Please Me”, “Love Me Do” and “Twist And Shout”.
- The Beatles released the single „Matchbox / Slow Down“ in the U.S.
- Roy Orbison and The Candy Men released the song “Oh, Pretty Woman”. The song became a commercial success and a major international hit, reaching No. 1 on singles charts in eleven countries.
- The Kinks released “You Really Got Me” in the United States.
- Monument Records released Roy Orbison's single "Oh, Pretty Woman". Four weeks later, it reached No. 1 on Billboard and entered the Top 10 in fifteen other countries. The single sold more than seven million copies worldwide. The title was inspired by Orbison's wife Claudette, who announced during a conversation that she was going out. When Orbison asked if she had enough money, his co-writer Bill Dees remarked that a beautiful woman never needs money.
- Vee-Jay Records released the double album “The Beatles vs. The Four Seasons” shortly before its rights to distribute Beatles recordings expired. The album contained no new material and combined the previously released recordings “Introducing… The Beatles” and “Golden Hits of the Four Seasons”. It remained on the US Billboard chart for three weeks and reached No. 142.
- The Shangri-Las' single “Leader of the Pack” was released. Of their six U.S. Top 40 hits, it became the only one to reach number one. In the UK it peaked at number 11.
- The Beatles released the single “Help!”, the title song of the film and album of the same name. Its B-side featured the song “I'm Down”. The single went on to reach number one on both the UK and US Singles Charts and became one of the Beatles’ most notable hits of 1965.
- Elvis Presley worked at Radio Recorders Studio B in Hollywood on music for the film “Paradise, Hawaiian Style,” including vocal overdubs.
- Parlophone Records released The Beatles' fifth studio album, “Help!,” which also served as the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The original UK version contained fourteen tracks, seven of which, including the title track and “Ticket to Ride,” appeared in the film and made up the first side of the vinyl album. The album reached No. 1 in Australia, Finland, the UK and the U.S. that year and also included “Yesterday.”
- Decca Records released The Small Faces' debut single “Whatcha Gonna Do About It,” which reached No. 14 in the UK and No. 28 in Canada. The song did not chart in the U.S. Ian Samwell wrote the lyrics to music created by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane. Years later, the band's manager Don Arden admitted that he had spent £12,000 to influence the chart.
- The Turtles vydali svou verzi skladby Boba Dylana „It Ain't Me Babe“. Skladba se stala jejich prvním z devíti hitů v žebříčku, do Billboard Hot 100 vstoupila na 76. místě a později dosáhla 8. místa. Stala se také názvem jejich prvního alba pod názvem The Turtles.
- British quartet The Silkie recorded the Lennon/McCartney song “You've Got To Hide Your Love Away”, produced by John Lennon; Paul McCartney played guitar and George Harrison played tambourine. The song reached No. 28 in the UK and No. 10 in the US. A planned US tour fell through because the group’s members failed to obtain the necessary visas and work permits. EMI released two more singles in 1966, “Keys to My Soul” and “Born to Be With You”, but neither charted in the UK or US, and the group soon broke up.
- “Hang On Sloopy” was released. Three weeks later, it entered the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one in the first week of October. The recording was also successful in the UK, where it reached number 5.
- The Beatles released “Yesterday”, featuring only Paul McCartney. More than 2,500 cover versions have made it one of the most frequently recorded songs in history.
- The Byrds released the single “Turn! Turn! Turn!” in the United States. Pete Seeger adapted it from the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes, except for the final verse. According to the source, the recording required 78 takes over five days. The song became the group’s second US No. 1 hit and their last single to reach the Top 10.
- The McCoys released the single “Hang on Sloopy,” which became their biggest hit and reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart.
- The Rolling Stones began a nine-day recording session at RCA Studios in Hollywood for the album “Between the Buttons.” The session continued through August 11.
- The Temptations released the Gordy single “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep.” The song later reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the R&B chart, and No. 18 in the UK.
- 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.
- The Beatles released the double A-side “Eleanor Rigby” / “Yellow Submarine”.
- Colgems Records released The Monkees' debut single "Last Train to Clarksville", almost a month before the premiere of the band's television series. Micky Dolenz sang the lead vocal, while studio musicians including guitarist Louie Shelton provided the instrumental backing. The lyrics tell the story of a man called to fight in the Vietnam War who wonders whether he will ever return home.
- The Monkees released their debut single “Last Train to Clarksville”, which soon became a major summer hit.
- The Beatles released the single "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out", which was among the songs commemorated as part of the musical anniversaries for August 29.
- The Monkees released the single “Last Train to Clarksville,” which later reached number one in the US.
- The Zombies released the song "She's Not There" in the USA.
- The Beach Boys released "Good Vibrations," described by the source as the most expensive 45 ever produced.
- The Seekers released the song "Georgy Girl."
- The Who spent two days at Talentmasters Studio in New York. Al Kooper joined the group on organ while they recorded two versions of “Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand.” One was released in the U.S. as the B-side of “I Can See For Miles,” while the other remained in the archives until the expanded version of “The Who Sell Out” was released in 1995. They also recorded a studio version of “Summertime Blues,” an organ overdub for “Relax,” and new vocals for “I Can See For Miles.”
- Jackie Wilson vydal skladbu „(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher“.
- Paul Revere And The Raiders vydali album „Revolution!“ u Columbia Records. Album dosáhlo 25. místa v Billboard 200 a obsahovalo singly „Him or Me – What’s It Gonna Be?“ a „I Had A Dream“. Na nahrávání se podílelo více než padesát hudebníků.
- The Box Tops vydali singl „The Letter“.
- The Beatles released the single “Baby You’re a Rich Man” in the US.
- Jimi Hendrix released “Purple Haze” as the opening track of the US edition of the album “Are You Experienced”.
- Lulu released the single “To Sir with Love.”
- The Doors released “People Are Strange” through Elektra Records from their second album, Strange Days. The song became an anthem of alienation, reached number 12 on the US Hot 100 and number 10 on Cash Box; one source also lists it as reaching number one in Canada.
- Sam & Dave's classic "Soul Man" was released in the US, where it would rise to No. 4. The song later won the 1968 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance, Vocal or Instrumental.
- Paul McCartney stayed behind in Abbey Road Studios at 2 a.m. after the other members of The Beatles had left and recorded “Mother Nature's Son”. He recorded 25 takes, and the song was later included on the album “The White Album”.
- The Who released the song “Magic Bus”.
- Mary Hopkin released “Those Were The Days” in the United States.
- The Beatles released the single “Hey Jude” on the A-side and “Revolution” on the B-side through Apple Records, their first release on their own Apple Records label. The single was released in both the UK and the US; “Hey Jude” became the group's biggest hit, spending nine weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 1 on 23 charts worldwide and selling more than eight million copies. The song received three Grammy nominations but did not win any of them.
- Mary Hopkin released her debut single “Those Were the Days” on The Beatles’ Apple label. The song was produced by Paul McCartney and reached No. 1 in 18 countries worldwide.
- The Beatles released their first single in the UK on their own Apple Records label. The single contained “Hey Jude” and “Revolution”.
- London Records released The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man" in the United States, inspired by an anti-war demonstration in London attended by 25,000 people. The single reached only No. 48 in the United States because a number of radio stations refused to play it because of lyrics perceived as subversive. The original cover depicted police officers beating a demonstrator and was quickly withdrawn from sale. Decca Records did not release the single in Britain at the time.
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience released a cover version of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower”, nine months after the original version was released. The song became Hendrix’s biggest US hit and reached the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. It later also influenced Dylan’s live performances of the song.
- The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown album and the single “Fire”, with “Rest Cure” as the B-side, were released in the US. The single reached No. 2 on both the Billboard and Cash Box charts. Pete Townshend is credited as a co-producer on both recordings and played rhythm guitar on the B-side.
- Dionne Warwick's recording of "I Say a Little Prayer" was certified gold.
- Three Dog Night released their version of “Easy to Be Hard” as a single on Dunhill Records. The song, featuring lead vocals by Chuck Negron, was taken from their album Suitable for Framing and released as Dunhill 4203, with “Dreaming Isn't Good For You” on the B-side. The recording was produced by Gabriel Mekler.
- 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.
- Sly & the Family Stone released the single “Hot Fun In The Summertime.”
- The Beatles nahráli skladbu „The End“.
- “Hot Fun In The Summertime” by Sly and the Family Stone was released as a non-album single. Following its release, it entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 79 and climbed to No. 2 over eight weeks, with The Temptations’ “I Can't Get Next to You” at No. 1. The song later received a gold certification from the RIAA for sales exceeding 500,000 copies.
- Elvis Presley released “Suspicious Minds”, his 18th and final lifetime No. 1 single in the US.
- The Rolling Stones’ single “Honky Tonk Women” was released in the United Kingdom.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released the single "Green River".
- Decca Records released The Rolling Stones' "Street Fighting Man", described as their most political song. Mick Jagger wrote it after attending an anti-war demonstration outside the U.S. embassy in London in March 1968, during which mounted police attempted to control a crowd of 25,000 people. In the United States, the song reached only No. 48 because a number of radio stations refused to play it because of its allegedly subversive lyrics.
- The Rolling Stones released the song “Angie”, which later became one of their best-known ballads.
- Neil Diamond released the single "Holly Holy".
- Peter, Paul and Mary released the single “Leaving on a Jet Plane.”
- The Moody Blues vydali své šesté album „A Question of Balance“, které obsahovalo hit „Question“.
- Creedence Clearwater Revival released the song "Lookin' Out My Back Door".
- Janis Joplin wrote the song “Mercedes Benz” while visiting a bar before a concert at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, and sang it later that same evening. She had only one more performance remaining before her death.
- Neil Diamond released the single “Cracklin’ Rosie”.
- Black Sabbath released the title track from their second studio album "Paranoid" as a single. The song reached No. 1 in Denmark and West Germany, No. 4 in the UK, and No. 61 in the US.
- Simon & Garfunkel released the song “El Condor Pasa” from the album Bridge Over Troubled Water.
- Lynn Anderson released the single “Rose Garden.”
- Track Records released The Who's "See Me Feel Me," backed with "Overture From Tommy," in Britain. The single failed to chart in the UK, although Decca Records reported that its "Who Month" promotion generated retail sales of Who records far above $4 million.
- The album Atom Heart Mother was released in the United States. It had already been released in the UK on October 2. It reached number 55 on the U.S. chart, while reaching number one on the UK chart.
- The first issue of the legendary British music weekly Sounds was published, intended to compete with Melody Maker and New Musical Express. It was initially also known for the posters in the center section of the issue. It continued publication until April 6, 1991.
- Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention nahráli album „Just Another Band From L.A.“, které bylo posledním Zappovým albem s Howardem Kaylanem a Markem Volmanem ze skupiny The Turtles.
- The single “The Back Seat of My Car” / “Heart of the Country” was released. Noise11 lists it among the major events of August 13.
- “Maggie May” was released in the US, where it later reached number one and became his first Billboard hit.
- John Lennon released the single “Imagine” in the UK.
- He released “John, I'm Only Dancing” in the United Kingdom. It was not released in the United States until 1976.
- The Edgar Winter Group released the song “Free Ride.”
- The Rolling Stones released their thirteenth studio album, "Goats Head Soup", on their own label. The album reached No. 1 in the United States, the United Kingdom and six other countries. It included the hit "Angie", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and in several other countries, while reaching No. 5 in the United Kingdom. Other songs included "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" and "Winter". The album was regarded as a retreat from the band's breakthrough period of the previous four years.
- Ringo Starr released the single “Photograph”.
- The Carpenters released the single “Top of the World”.
- The Steve Miller Band released the single “The Joker.”
- Labelle released the single “Lady Marmalade.”
- Gilbert O'Sullivan released “A Woman's Place/Too Bad” in the UK on MAM Records.
- Elton John released the single “The Bitch Is Back” in the UK on DJM Records. The B-side was “Cold Highway”.
- The Rolling Stones released the album "Goat's Head Soup".
- Elton John released the single “The Bitch Is Back” in the United States on MCA Records. The B-side was “Cold Highway”.
- The Who’s album Odds and Sods is released in the United States. Rolling Stone critic Jim Miller describes it as imperfect but interesting.
- Bruce Springsteen released the single “Born to Run”.
- The Four Seasons released the single “Who Loves You”, which became their first Top 10 song in eight years.
- “Walk This Way” was released as the second single from Aerosmith’s album “Toys in the Attic”. The song originated during a soundcheck in Honolulu, where Steven Tyler, Joey Kramer, and Joe Perry worked on a groove influenced by funk and James Brown. It initially failed to make an impact on the charts, but after being reissued the following year it reached No. 10 and became one of Aerosmith’s most important songs.
- Glen Campbell released the single "Rhinestone Cowboy", which reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart.
- Simon & Garfunkel reunited for the release of the single “My Little Town.”
- ABBA released the single “Fernando.”
- Linda Ronstadt released her cover version of Buddy Holly’s “That'll Be The Day”.
- His first solo single “So It Goes” was released and became the first record issued by Stiff Records. The recording was financed with a £400 loan, Lowe played all the instruments, and production of the single cost £45. It was a seven-inch single and the first release from the influential British independent label Stiff Records.
- The British punk fanzine Sniffin' Glue was published for the first time. The first issues had a circulation of approximately 50 copies, which later grew to 15,000. Publisher Mark Perry ended the magazine in September 1977 out of concern that it would be absorbed by the mainstream music press.
- The Australian band Little River Band released the song „It's a Long Way There“.
- KISS released the soft-rock ballad “Beth,” which reached number seven and became their only US Top 10 hit.
- 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.
- Sixteen years after its release, Ricky Nelson's single “Travelin' Man” received RIAA gold certification for sales of 500,000 copies. Jerry Fuller wrote the song with Sam Cooke in mind, but Cooke's manager rejected the demo. Nelson's version reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was released on Imperial Records as a double A-side with “Hello Mary Lou”, which reached No. 9. In the UK, the two songs jointly reached No. 2, and “Travelin' Man” became Nelson's biggest British hit.
- Donna Summer released “I Feel Love” in the United States.
- Canadian progressive rock band Rush released their fifth studio album "A Farewell to Kings".
- Generation X released their debut single “Your Generation.”
- Paul Simon released the song "Slip Slidin' Away."
- They released their third single, “Can’t Stand Losing You”, which followed their debut hit “Roxanne”. The song was written by singer and bassist Sting as a song about suicide and caused controversy with its cover depicting Stewart Copeland appearing to hang himself.
- Frankie Valli released the single “Grease”, which later reached No. 1 on the US chart.
- The Rolling Stones released "Beast of Burden" in the US, where it reached No. 8. Rolling Stone later ranked it No. 435 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
- Queen released the double-sided single “Fat Bottomed Girls” / “Bicycle Race” in the UK. The cover combined visual themes from both songs. The record reached number 11 on the UK chart and, after its US release eleven days later, peaked at number 24 on the American chart.
- AC/DC released “Highway to Hell,” the band’s final studio album with singer Bon Scott.
- Talking Heads released their third studio album, “Fear of Music,” on Sire Records. The album was produced by Brian Eno.
- Prince released the song „I Wanna Be Your Lover“, which became his first American hit.
- They released their debut EP “U2-3,” their very first recording. The first pressing consisted of 1,000 individually numbered copies and was available only in Ireland.
- Gary Numan released the album “The Pleasure Principle” in the UK.
- The Clash released the single “Bank Robber,” which had previously been available only as an import. Their record label, CBS, had initially rejected its release, considering the song insufficiently commercial.
- John Lennon and Yoko Ono began recording the album “Double Fantasy” at The Hit Factory in New York, Lennon’s final studio album.
- 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.”
- His autobiography I, Me, Mine was published, making him the first member of The Beatles to publish an autobiography. John Lennon later criticized the book for almost completely ignoring his influence on Harrison's life.
- Queen released the single “Another One Bites the Dust”.
- David Bowie released the single “Ashes to Ashes”.
- David Bowie released “Ashes to Ashes”, which reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart. The song continued the story of the character Major Tom.
- John Lennon released "Starting Over," his first single in five years. At the end of December it would top the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks and the UK chart for one week.
- Stevie Nicks released her first solo album, “Bella Donna,” which contained four U.S. Top 40 hits: “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty, “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley, “Edge of Seventeen” and “After the Glitter Fades.”
- Prince released the single “Controversy”.
- George Strait's debut album Strait Country was released in the US.
- The Clash released the single “Should I Stay or Should I Go” in the UK.
- Culture Club released the single “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?” in the United Kingdom. Critics were not particularly favorable; Smash Hits magazine described it as “fourth-rate reggae”.
- Paul McCartney released the single "Tug Of War".
- The first compact disc was released in the United States; it was a German-made reissue of Billy Joel’s 1978 album “52nd Street”.
- Metallica released the single “Whiplash”. It was their first single.
- The Police released the single “King Of Pain”.
- Prince released the song “Delirious”.
- Cyndi Lauper released the single “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” on Portrait Records, backed with “Right Track Wrong Train.”
- Madonna released her first single, “Holiday”.
- Culture Club released the single "Church of the Poison Mind."
- John Cougar Mellencamp released the single "Crumblin' Down", the first single to include his last name.
- Cyndi Lauper reached No. 1 on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart with “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” beginning a two-week run at the top.
- RCA Victor Records released Elvis Presley's single "Baby, Let's Play House".
- Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do with It” was released in the United States and reached No. 1 on the US chart.
- Prince's 12-inch single "Let's Go Crazy/Erotic City" was released in the US.
- Stevie Wonder released "I Just Called to Say I Love You" in the United Kingdom.
- The Cars reissued “Drive” following its prominent use during the televised Live Aid broadcast.
- Whitney Houston released the single “Saving All My Love for You” in the US.
- Lionel Richie released the album “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
- Genesis released the single “Throwing It All Away”.
- Paul Simon released the single “Graceland” with backing vocals by The Everly Brothers. The song was the title track of the album of the same name, which had been released two weeks earlier.
- Def Leppard released their fourth studio album, “Hysteria.”
- The soundtrack to the film “Dirty Dancing” was released by RCA Records. The album featured hits including “(I've Had) The Time of My Life”, “Hungry Eyes” and “She's Like the Wind”. It spent 18 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 in the United States and sold more than 32 million copies worldwide.
- Donny Osmond released the single „I'm In It For Love“, his first single in ten years. The song did not reach the Billboard Top 40.
- Michael Jackson released “Bad”.
- Fleetwood Mac released "Little Lies" from their fourteenth studio album, "Tango in the Night". The song was written by group member Christine McVie with her then-husband Eddy Quintela. The single reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 in the United Kingdom, becoming the group's last U.S. Top 10 hit.
- CBS Records recorded the largest advance order of albums in its history when it shipped 2.25 million copies of Michael Jackson's "Bad" to stores in the United States. The album followed "Thriller", Jackson's best-selling album, and later sold more than 13 million copies.
- Mick Jagger released the single “Let's Work.”
- Michael Jackson released the single “Bad”, the title track of his first album after “Thriller”. It was originally intended to be a duet with Prince, who turned down the offer. The song became a major hit, reaching No. 1 in the charts in the US, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. The album Bad was also released in the UK.
- Soundgarden released their debut EP, “Screaming Life”, on Sub Pop Records.
- Metallica released the single “Harvester of Sorrow”.
- Poison releases the single “Every Rose Has Its Thorn.”
- Danny Elfman released "Batman: Motion Picture Score", containing his music for the film "Batman".
- The Cure released the single “Lovesong”.
- The Rolling Stones released the album "Steel Wheels" in the US, almost two weeks before its UK release. The album reached No. 3 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and No. 2 on the UK album chart.
- George Michael released the single “Praying for Time”, the first single from the album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1.
- The musical “Street Scene” opened at the New York State Theatre.
- Mariah Carey released the single “Emotions”, the title track of her second studio album.
- Pearl Jam released the single “Alive”.
- Nirvana released the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, one of the defining songs of the grunge era.
- Linda McCartney published the book Linda McCartney's Sixties: Portrait of an Era, featuring a selection of her photographs of rock musicians. It includes images of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Who, and Grateful Dead, as well as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, B.B. King, Ray Charles, and Otis Redding.
- Sheryl Crow released her debut album, “Tuesday Night Music Club,” on A&M Records.
- Oasis released “Live Forever” as the third single from their debut album Definitely Maybe. Released on Creation Records on August 8, 1994, it became the band's first UK Top 10 single, reaching No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart.
- The Notorious B.I.G. released his debut single "Juicy". The song reached No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Rap Singles chart.
- Oasis released their first studio album “Definitely Maybe”, which later spent 177 weeks on the UK chart. It also became the fastest-selling debut album in the UK, and more than eight million copies were sold worldwide.
- Usher released his self-titled debut studio album.
- Fifteen-year-old Brandy released her debut album “Brandy”, which subsequently sold more than 4 million copies and made her an R&B star. The album's hits included “I Wanna Be Down” and “Baby”.
- Weezer released their breakthrough single “Buddy Holly”, named after the rock'n'roll icon. The song appeared on the band's debut album “Weezer”, also known as “The Blue Album”, and reached No. 6 in Canada and No. 12 in the UK. It was released on the day Buddy Holly would have celebrated his 58th birthday.
- Joe Esposito's book Good Rockin' Tonight: Twenty Years on the Road and on the Town with Elvis was published. In it, he recalls twenty years spent travelling and socialising with Elvis Presley.
- Oasis released the single “Roll With It”.
- 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.
- The six-disc DVD collection Elvis Presley – The Signature Collection was released, containing the films „It Happened at the World's Fair“, „Speedway“, „Spinout“, „Harum Scarum“, „Jailhouse Rock“ and „Viva Las Vegas“.
- Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) appeared at a London music store after an 18-year absence, signing copies of his new spoken-word Islamic album The Life of the Last Prophet, released under his legal name, Yusuf Islam.
- Capitol Records released The Beatles Anthology video collection, containing more than ten hours of material.
- Oasis released the single “Stand by Me”.
- The Verve released “The Drugs Don't Work”, which later became their only No. 1 single in the UK.
- Madonna released the single “Music”, the title track of her eighth studio album of the same name. Its B-side featured the song “Cyber-Raga”. The song became one of her most successful hits and reached number one on the charts in several countries.
- Radiohead announced that their new album “Kid A” would be released exclusively online before its physical distribution.
- Radiohead released their fourth album “Kid A.”
- On what would have been John Lennon's 60th birthday, the book "Lennon Remembers: The Complete Rolling Stone Interviews" was released, containing previously unpublished controversial interviews and material considered too controversial to publish years earlier.
- Usher released his third album “8701”. The album included two No. 1 hits, “U Remind Me” and “U Got It Bad”; the title referred to its release date.
- Weezer released “Island in the Sun”, the second single from the album “Weezer”, also known as “The Green Album”. It was a very laid-back song for the band, markedly different from their first single, “Hash Pipe”. The song became the most frequently licensed track in the band’s catalog and appeared, for example, in the TV series The Simpsons and The Sopranos and in the film Trolls Band Together.
- Alicia Keys released the single "Fallin'", which reached No. 1 on the US chart.
- RCA Records announced the release of an enhanced CD single featuring Elvis Presley singing "America The Beautiful," with all proceeds going to disaster relief funds following the September 11 attacks.
- Coldplay released the single "In My Place".
- Good Charlotte released the single “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
- The CD Story was released.
- Jay-Z released the song “'03 Bonnie And Clyde,” featuring Beyoncé in her first solo appearance following the breakup of Destiny's Child. It was the first major hint at their romantic relationship, with Jay-Z referring to the pair in the song as the “new Bobby and Whitney.”
- OutKast released the single “Hey Ya!”.
- Green Day released the title track from their new album "American Idiot" as a single three weeks before the album's release. Both the song and album were highly successful and widely acclaimed; both were nominated for several Grammy Awards, and the album won the award for Best Rock Album. "American Idiot" later became a successful musical.
- Nickelback released “Photograph”, the first single from the album “All The Right Reasons”.
- Elvis Presley's two-disc CD and DVD Essential was released in Australia.
- Sixteen of John Lennon's solo albums were made available for download through iTunes for the first time following an agreement approved by Yoko Ono. The agreement followed a long legal dispute between Apple Corps and Apple.
- George Harrison's solo catalogue made its digital debut on iTunes, making him the last of the four Beatles to have his individual catalogue released digitally. Nine solo albums appeared initially, while the Beatles' group recordings remained unavailable online until 2010.
- Radiohead independently released their seventh studio album, In Rainbows, offering it as a download at a price listeners could choose themselves. Most people paid nothing for the download, yet the album achieved major commercial success and reached number one in the charts in the UK, U.S., France, Canada and Ireland, helped in part by pre-orders of special “discbox” editions. The album surpassed the commercial performance of its predecessor, Hail to the Thief.
- Oasis launched a campaign promoting the release of singles from their album Dig Out Your Soul, their final studio album.
- Beyoncé released the double A-side single "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" / "If I Were a Boy", five months after marrying Jay-Z. Both songs became worldwide hits. "Single Ladies" spent four weeks at number one on the US chart and won three Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year.
- Kesha released “Tik Tok”, the first single from her debut album “Animal”.
- Lady Antebellum released “Need You Now,” a song about making a phone call while drunk. The song became a major crossover hit, reaching No. 1 on the country chart, No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and selling 9 million digital downloads.
- The documentary “Elvis on Tour” was released on DVD.
- Elton John and Leon Russell released the first single from their forthcoming joint album, "The Union". The song "If It Wasn't For Bad" featured vocals from both artists, with Russell on piano.
- The digital single "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton was released in the United States.
- Lana Del Rey released her first single, “Video Games,” a song inspired by two failed relationships.
- Young, Wild & Free by Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, featuring Bruno Mars, was released for digital download in the United States.
- Florida Georgia Line released the single “Cruise.”
- Taylor Swift released the single “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” in the US.
- The single “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz was released.
- EMI withdrew the anniversary vinyl edition of The Beatles' single “Love Me Do” from sale because it had mistakenly been pressed with the version featuring session drummer Andy White instead of Ringo Starr. Apple Corps ordered the withdrawn copies to be destroyed, but some copies had already been sold by retailers and the surviving copies became highly valuable collectors' items; the incorrect version subsequently sold for high prices online.
- The Rolling Stones released the single "Doom and Gloom," their first new studio recording in seven years, since their 2005 album A Bigger Bang. The song was the lead single from the greatest-hits compilation GRRR! It reached No. 61 on the UK singles chart and No. 30 on the US Hot Rock Songs and Rock Airplay charts.
- Elvis Presley's recording sessions at Stax Records in Memphis were released together for the first time as “Elvis at Stax: Deluxe Edition.” The three-disc box set also contained alternate recordings and rare photographs from the July and December 1973 sessions and reached No. 70 on the UK album chart.
- Katy Perry's single “Roar” was released to US radio stations.
- Taylor Swift released the single “Shake It Off”, which launched its dominance of the global charts.
- 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.
- Halsey released the song “Bad at Love”.
- Sony released the album “Elvis – Where No One Stands Alone.”
- The US Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp honoring John Lennon, featuring a photograph by Bob Gruen from the photo session for Lennon's 1974 album “Walls and Bridges”. The stamp was unveiled at a ceremony in New York's Central Park attended by Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and son Sean Lennon.
- Rare studio recordings by Glen Campbell, originally recorded for Elvis Presley, were announced. They included songs written by Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne, including “Got a Lot of Livin' to Do” and “Rock-A-Hula Baby.”
- Previously unreleased recordings by Glen Campbell, originally intended for Elvis Presley, were highlighted. Between 1964 and 1968, Campbell recorded songs in the studio that had been written for Presley because Campbell could imitate Presley's vocal style. Many were written by Ben Weisman and Sid Wayne; Weisman set a record with 57 songs recorded by Presley. The album Sings for the King contains 18 songs, 12 of which Presley actually recorded and released, including "Stay Away Joe," "Spinout" and "Easy Come, Easy Go." It also features a new gospel duet between Campbell and Presley on "We Call on Him."
- Travis Scott released the song “The Plan”.
- The Rolling Stones officially announced the album "Hackney Diamonds", a 12-track studio album scheduled for release on October 20, 2023. It was their first album of new original material since 2005 and their first full-length album following the death of drummer Charlie Watts in 2021, whose archival recordings from 2019 appeared on two tracks.
- Linkin Park released “The Emptiness Machine,” the band's first song without frontman Chester Bennington, who died in 2017. The song introduced new vocalist Emily Armstrong.