Milestone and Music test #4
1971
-Soul Train is launched by Don Cornelius -Charley Pride is the first African American Country singer to recieve CMA entertainer of the year and male volcalist of the year.
1984-1985
BAND AID (BRITISH + IRISH) AND LIVE AID (AMERICAN) FORM MUSICAL GROUPS TO RECORD SINGLES TO RAISE MONEY FOR VICTIMS OF FAMINE IN AFRICA. LIVE AID GOES ON TO PROMOTE CHARITY CONCERTS IN LONDON AND PHILADELPHIA.
1973
CBGB'S OPENS. CBGB STANDS FOR COUNTRY, BLUEGRASS, AND BLUES. IT WAS PUNK ROCK, THOUGH, THAT WOULD TRASNFORM THE CLUB INTO A NYC ICON. FAMOUS FOR ITS FILTHY BATHROOMS AND MEMORABILIA COVERED WALLS, THE CLUB'S GRIMY, BUT CHARACTER RICH DÉCOR ECHOED THE BRASH AND PROVOCATIVE CHARM OF ITS SIGNATURE ACTS. THE CLUB CLOSED SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2006 DUE TO THE RENT BEING RAISED FROM $19K TO $40K/MONTH. THE BUILDING NOW, IRONICALLY, HOUSES AN UPSCALE CLOTHING BOUTIQUE
1985
DON'T YOU (FORGET ABOUT ME ) PERFORMED BY SIMPLE MINDS IS RELEASED AS THE THEME SONG TO JOHN HUGHES' THE BREAKFAST CLUB, MARKING THE AGE OF TEENAGE ANTHEMS. PARENTAL ADVISORY STICKERS.
1972
GREASE OPENS ON BROADWAY. IT RAN FOR A DECADE TOTALLING 3,388 PERFORMANCES. A FILM VERSION AND SOUNDTRACK WAS RELEASED ON JUNE 16, 1978. IT WENT ON TO BECOME THE HIGHEST GROSSING MOVIE OF 1978 (MADE FOR $6,000,000 AND GROSSED $159,978,870. IT WAS ALSO THE HIGHEST GROSSING MOVIE MUSICAL AT THAT TIME, SURPASSING 1965's THE SOUND OF MUSIC. -MILES DAVIS BECOMES THE FIRST JAZZ MUSICIAN TO RECORD COMPLETE IMPROVISATION ON AN ALBUM - "IN A SILENT WAY" AND "BITCHES BREW" ARE TWO EXAMPLES OF GOING INTO THE STUDIO AND FEELING/FEEDING OFF THE OTHER MUSICIANS TO CREATE A COMPOSITION
1975
JANUARY 6 + 7. THE ROLLING STONES BEGIN THEIR TOUR OF THE AMERICAS, BY PLAYING 2 WARM UP GIGS IN THE ASSEMBLY CENTER AT LSU
1980
JOHN LENNON IS SHOT AND KILLED JANUARY 25. BET (BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION) IS LAUNCHED. MOST PROGRAMMING OF THE NETWORK COMPRISES MAINSTREAM RAP AND R&B MUSIC VIDEOS AND URBAN-ORIENTED MOVIES AND SERIES. 5 WITHIN MONTHS OF RECORDING THE ALBUM HIGHWAY TO HELL, AC/DC's LEAD SINGER BON SCOTT DIES ON FEBRUARY 19. WITH HIS REPLACEMENT, BRIAN JOHNSON, THE BAND RELEASES THEIR HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM, BACK IN BLACK. SEPTEMBER 25. JOHN BONHAM, LED ZEPPELIN DRUMMER, DIES. LED ZEPPELIN, RATED #1 ON VH1'S 100 GREATEST ARTISTS OF HARD ROCK, DISBANDS.
1983
MARCH 5 @ 6:19 PM. CMT (COUNTRY MUSIC TELEVISION) HITS THE AIRWAVES
1982
MICHAEL JACKSON RELEASES THRILLER, WHICH BECOMES THE BIGGEST-SELLING ALBUM IN HISTORY. JANUARY 20. DURING A CONCERT IN DES MOINES, IOWA, A MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE THROWS AN UNCONSCIOUS BAT ON STAGE. THINKING IT IS A FAKE BAT, OZZY PICKS IT UP AND RIPS ITS HEAD OFF WITH HIS TEETH. HE IS QUICKLY TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A RABIES SHOT. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION BEGINS WHEN THE FIRST COMPACT DISCS (CD's) GO ON SALE.
1981
MTV IS LAUNCHED. THE ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF THE CHANNEL WAS TO PLAY MUSIC VIDEOS GUIDED BY ON-AIR HOSTS KNOWN AS VJs.
1974
PATTI SMITH RELEASES THE FIRST PUNK ROCK SINGLE, "HEY JOE". PUNK TAKES HOLD IN BRITAIN ("NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS HERE'S THE SEX PISTOLS" WAS RELEASED IN 1977) IN THE LATE 70'S, IN REACTION TO THE BLAND MUSIC OF THE DAY. PATTI SMITH WAS THE LAST ACT TO PLAY CBGB'S. BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS' SONG "I SHOT THE SHERIFF" IS COVERED BY ERIC CLAPTON, RAISING MARLEY'S AND JAMAICAN REGGAE'S INTERNATIONAL PROFILE. MARLEY WOULD DIE IN 1981 OF CANCER AT THE AGE OF 36. THE COMPILATION ALBUM RELEASED IN 1984, LEGEND, IS REGGAE'S BEST-SELLING ALBUM. HIS FINAL WORDS TO HIS SON, ZIGGY, WERE "MONEY CAN'T BUY LIFE." QUEEN RELEASES A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, WHICH, AT THE TIME, IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE ALBUM EVER PRODUCED. THE ALBUM FEATURES THE SINGLE "BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY", WHICH IS BRITAIN'S 3RD BEST-SELLING SINGLE OF ALL TIME; BEATEN ONLY BY BAND AID'S "DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?" AND ELTON JOHN'S "CANDLE IN THE WIND".
1977
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER IS RELEASED AND TURNS THE PHENOMENON OF DISCO IN THE U.S. INTO A NATIONAL OBSESSION. AUGUST 16. ELVIS FOUND DEAD IN GRACELAND
1979
THE SUGAR HILL GANG RELEASE THE FIRST COMMERCIAL RAP HIT, "RAPPER'S DELIGHT", BRINGING RAP OFF THE NEW YORK STREETS AND ONTO THE POPULAR MUSIC SCENE. SONY RELEASES THE FIRST PORTABLE PERSONAL MUSIC PLAYER, THE WALKMAN. CHARLES MINGUS DIES @ AGE 56 IN CUERNEVACA, MEXICO. THAT SAME DAY, 56 WHALES BEACH THEMSELVES ON THE MEXICAN COAST.