Events in 2019
- Skillet released their tenth studio album, “Victorious,” featuring, among other tracks, “Legendary” and “Save Me.”
- During his concert in Hannover on August 2, 2019, Ed Sheeran broke U2’s record for the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. His Divide Tour surpassed the $735.3 million gross generated by U2’s 360° Tour.
- Henri Belolo, French music producer, co-founder of The Ritchie Family and The Village People, and co-writer of many of their hits, died at the age of 82.
- In a long-running copyright dispute over the opening riff of “Stairway to Heaven,” a new legal filing was submitted in support of Led Zeppelin. Signatories included members of Korn, Tool, Judas Priest and Linkin Park, and a total of 123 musicians joined the amicus curiae filing.
- American rapper Nathan Feuerstein, known as NF, reached No. 1 in the US with his fourth studio album “The Search”.
- Arlo Guthrie opened the weekend commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Original Woodstock veterans Carlos Santana and John Fogerty also performed after plans for a much larger anniversary festival collapsed.
- The bandstand at Croydon Road Recreation Ground, where David Bowie performed on August 16, 1969, shortly after the release of "Space Oddity", was granted Grade II listed status. Bowie performed there at a one-day festival he helped organize, which later inspired the song "Memory of a Free Festival".
- Duane Allman’s guitar used on the classic Derek and the Dominos song “Layla” was sold at auction for $1 million. It was a 1957 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, which had been Allman’s main guitar during the first two years of the Allman Brothers Band and appeared on their 1969 debut album as well as the subsequent 1970 album Idlewild South. “Layla” was one of the last recordings on which Allman used this guitar, as he soon traded it for a 1959 Gibson Les Paul.
- American bassist Lawrence “Larry” Taylor, a founding member of Los Angeles boogie/rock group Canned Heat, died at the age of 77 after a twelve-year battle with cancer. He was best known as a member of Canned Heat, in which he performed from 1967 to 1970. With the group, he appeared at its major performances at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 and Woodstock in 1969, and played on “Going Up the Country” and “On the Road Again”. Before joining Canned Heat, he worked as a studio bassist for The Monkees and Jerry Lee Lewis. He was the younger brother of Mel Taylor, longtime drummer of The Ventures.
- At the age of 74, Rod Stewart attended his daughter Kimberly's 40th birthday celebration in Los Angeles. He was also accompanied by three of his former wives: Alana Stewart, Kimberly's mother, Kelly Emberg and Rachel Hunter. Rod Stewart has eight children with five different women.
- Heavy metal band Slipknot reached No. 1 on the British chart with their sixth studio album “We Are Not Your Kind”. The album also reached No. 1 in the U.S., Canada, and nine other countries.
- Taylor Swift released her seventh studio album “Lover” through Republic Records, her first album after ending her partnership with her former label Big Machine Records. The optimistic-sounding record contrasted with her previous album “Reputation”. All 18 tracks entered the Billboard Hot 100, setting a record for the number of songs by a female artist simultaneously on the chart. The album reached number one in 20 countries around the world, including Australia, Canada, Mexico, Norway, Sweden and the UK, and became her sixth US number-one album on the Billboard chart.
- NASA's Mars InSight mission named a small rock on Mars after The Rolling Stones. The golf-ball-sized rock rolled approximately three feet during the probe's landing in November 2018 as a result of the force of its thrusters. Mick Jagger was delighted and joked that he would like to bring it back and display it on the band's mantelpiece.
- Billie Eilish reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with „Bad Guy“, ending the record nineteen-week reign of „Old Town Road“ by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus. It was her first No. 1 single in the U.S.; the song reached No. 2 in the U.K. and No. 1 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and Russia. In 2020 it won Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
- Slipknot reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart with their sixth studio album „We Are Not Your Kind“. The album topped 15 charts worldwide.
- Ed Sheeran concluded his ÷ (Divide) tour with a concert at Chantry Park in Ipswich, England, near his hometown of Framlingham. The tour began on March 16, 2017 and grossed $775.6 million over 255 concerts, setting a record for the highest-grossing concert tour. After two and a half years on the road, he announced that he wanted to take a break.
- Tool released the album “Fear Inoculum”, their first new studio project in 13 years. The album reached No. 1 in the USA.
- Ed Sheeran's first compilation album "No.6 Collaborations Project" reached No. 1 on the UK album chart. The album featured, among others, Eminem, 50 Cent, Camila Cabello, Bruno Mars, and Justin Bieber. In 2019, the album reached No. 1 on the charts in 20 countries.
- Noel Gallagher said he wanted to start a petition to break up Foo Fighters. He was responding to comments made by the band's frontman, Dave Grohl.
- Lana Del Rey released the album “Norman Fucking Rockwell!”.
- Tool released their fifth studio album “Fear Inoculum”, their first album in 13 years. Their previous album was “10,000 Days” from 2006. The album debuted at No. 1 in six countries and two of its songs were nominated for Grammy Awards. “7empest” won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.
- Ellie Goulding married art dealer Caspar Jopling at York Minster Cathedral in England. Guests included Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom, Tracey Emin, Sienna Miller, James Blunt, Princess Eugenie and Sarah, Duchess of York.
- Songwriter LaShawn Daniels, who wrote hits for Destiny's Child and Brandy, died at the age of 41.
- Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with "Senorita". The song became an international hit and topped more than 50 charts around the world.
- Rapper Young Thug reached No. 1 on the U.S. albums chart with his debut studio album, "So Much Fun".