Jan. 18, 2023: David Crosby died at 81. A founding member of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, he helped define ’60s folk rock. A double Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame inductee, his life was turbulent — but his harmonies and influence endure.

Jan. 18, 2021: Jimmie Rodgers, who topped the charts with “Honeycomb” in 1957, died at 87. A pop & country crossover star whose later years revealed a darker music industry fight over royalties in his memoir Dancing On the Moon. Easy listening on the surface. Hard truths underneath. 🎵

Jan. 18, 2016: Glenn Frey passed away at 67. A co-founder of Eagles, Frey also found solo success with “The Heat Is On.” Years of living in the fast lane caught up with him. At the 58th Grammy Awards, the remaining Eagles joined Jackson Browne for a moving tribute performance of “Take It Easy.”

Jan. 18, 1978: Warren Zevon released Excitable Boy — home to Werewolves of London, Lawyers, Guns and Money, and razor-sharp songwriting. The album featured an all-star lineup, including Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Linda Ronstadt, and Jackson Browne. Happy 48th to a classic that still howls.

Jan. 18, 1971: A Coca-Cola radio jingle (“I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke”) made the leap to TV — and pop history. Performed by The New Seekers, the $250k ad became iconic, later evolving into “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” and spawning multiple sequels.

Posted these in 2016. No strategy. No algorithm. Just vibes.

Jan. 17, 1976: Barry Manilow hit no. 1 with I Write the Songs — written by Beach Boys member Bruce Johnston. The song won Song of the Year, earning Johnston the first Grammy ever awarded to a Beach Boy. A perfect pop irony classic. ✨

Jan. 17, 1959: Susanna Hoffs was born in L.A. Susanna co-founded The Bangles in 1981. They scored massive ’80s hits including Manic Monday, Walk Like an Egyptian, Eternal Flame and Hazy Shade of Winter. They split in 1989, reunited in 1998 — and pop history is better for it.

Jan. 17, 1955: Steve Earle was born in Fort Monroe, VA. A late bloomer who fought addiction, prison, and personal loss, Earle broke through with Guitar Town, rebuilt his life with Train A Comin’, and earned a Grammy in 2005. Still standing. Still singing. Still telling the truth.

Jan. 16, 1996: Jamaican police mistook Jimmy Buffett’s seaplane for a drug-smuggling aircraft and opened fire as it landed. On board were U2's Bono, his family, and Island Records boss Chris Blackwell. Bono later called it “absolutely terrifying.” Buffett made a song out of it, Jamaica Mistaica!

Jan. 16, 1992: Eric Clapton recorded Unplugged for MTV — and nothing about it was small. With unforgettable versions of “Tears in Heaven” and “Layla,” the album won six Grammys in 1993, including Record of the Year, and went on to sell 26 million copies, becoming the best-selling live album ever.

Jan. 16, 1964: The Whisky A-Go-Go opened on LA’s Sunset Strip. A launchpad for rock legends — and still a home for rising artists more than 60 years later. 🎸

Jan. 15, 1994: The world lost Harry Nilsson, 32 years ago. Just 52. If you think you don’t know him, you do: “Everybody’s Talkin’,” “Coconut,” “Without You.” Admired by Lennon, McCartney, and Bowie — a true songwriter’s songwriter. Thank you for the music, Harry.

Jan. 15, 1981: Stevie Wonder led a massive rally in Washington, D.C. to have Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday recognized as a national holiday. Progress was won. And ever since, smaller men with louder mouths have been trying to sandblast it away — not because it failed, but because it worked.

Jan. 15, 1967: Mick Jagger was told to sing “let’s spend some time together” on The Ed Sullivan Show instead of “the night.” He did it — with a very public eye-roll. 🙄 A week later in the UK, the Stones refused to censor themselves again. Lyrics unchanged from then on.

Jan. 14, 1984: Madonna made her first American Bandstand appearance. After performing “Holiday,” Dick Clark asked about her ambitions. Her reply: “To rule the world.” No notes.

Jan. 14, 1973: Elvis Presley took a concert worldwide. Aloha From Hawaii was the first solo artist concert broadcast globally by satellite. It aired live overnight in parts of Asia-Pacific, cost a record $2.5M, and became NBC’s top-rated show of the year. The King went global.

Jan. 14, 1967: 25,000+ people packed Golden Gate Park for A Gathering of the Tribes for a Human Be-In. 🌼 A sunny day, a banned substance, and a whole lot of big ideas. Part response to California’s LSD ban, part counter-culture summit, the event helped ignite the Summer of Love.

Jan. 13, 1984: The BBC bans “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood for sexual content. After debuting at no. 77, a BBC Radio 1 on-air refusal turned the song into a full-blown scandal—and it went straight to no. 1 a week later. Proof that controversy + pop music = rocket fuel.

Jan. 13, 1968: Johnny Cash turned 2 prison shows at Folsom into At Folsom Prison — the live album that revived his career. After years of playing prisons (and label resistance), the record hit no. 1 on the country chart and led to his own TV show. One bold recording. One massive comeback.

Jan. 13, 1950: Jinx Dawson was born — on Friday the 13th, naturally. As frontwoman of Coven, she helped usher occult rock (and the devil horns gesture) into the mainstream. Their only hit? One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack) — recorded for "Billy Jack" after Linda Ronstadt passed.

Wow, everyone is addicted to this show

Jan. 12, 2023: Lisa Marie Presley died at 54. Born in Memphis in 1968, she was the only child of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, later becoming the sole heir to Graceland. Her final public appearance was at the Golden Globes, watching Austin Butler win for portraying her father in Elvis.

Jan. 12, 2003: Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees died suddenly at 53. With brothers Robin and Barry, he helped define pop music across the ’60s and ’70s through flawless harmonies and classics like “Jive Talkin’” and “Night Fever.” After Maurice’s passing, the Bee Gees name was retired in his honour.

Jan. 12, 1969: Led Zeppelin’s debut album dropped in the U.S.—and rock music tilted on its axis. Instead of conquering Britain first, Zeppelin targeted America, touring relentlessly and even opening for Vanilla Fudge under a misspelled name, Len Zefflin. Lightning in a bottle! ⚡

Jan. 12, 1959: Berry Gordy Jr. borrowed $800, rented a modest Detroit house, and created a musical empire. That house became Hitsville U.S.A. — home of Motown Records and a sound you can hear the second it starts. Happy 67th birthday, Motown. 🎂🎶

Jan. 11, 1985: Day 1 of the first Rock in Rio featured Queen, Iron Maiden and Whitesnake. The 10-day festival drew more than 1.4 million fans to Rio de Janeiro and helped launch Rock in Rio as one of the world’s largest and most influential music festivals.

Jan. 11, 1964: Billboard debuted its first Hot Country Albums chart, with Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash at no. 1 — a key moment in country music chart history. The inaugural chart also featured future legends like Buck Owens and George Jones.

Jan. 11, 1942: Clarence Clemons was born in Virginia. “The Big Man” became the thunderous sax voice of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, defining songs like Born to Run and Jungleland. He later brought that same fire to everyone from the Grateful Dead to Lady Gaga’s The Edge of Glory. 🎷

Jan. 10, 2016: David Bowie died at age 69. Released just two days earlier, Blackstar revealed itself as a powerful, intentional farewell — an artist confronting mortality on his own terms. As producer Tony Visconti wrote: “He was an extraordinary man… For now, it is appropriate to cry.”

Jan. 10, 1953: Pat Benatar was born in Brooklyn, NY. From bank clerk by day to club singer by night, a Halloween open mic night in 1977 sparked it all. 🎤🦇 Then came Neil Giraldo, a creative partnership for the ages, and an unstoppable ’80s run. A true rock icon — then and now.

Jan. 10, 1945: Rod Stewart was born in London. From odd jobs to blues rock with the Jeff Beck Group, fame with Faces, and massive solo success with Every Picture Tells a Story, Rod defined the sound of the ’70s. Reinventions, Grammys, and new music later, that voice remains unmistakable.

Jan. 10, 1943: Jim Croce was born in Philadelphia, PA. A former special-education teacher and gifted storyteller, Croce broke through in 1972 with You Don’t Mess Around With Jim. He was killed in a plane crash on September 20, 1973 — just one day before “I Got a Name” was released.

Jan. 10, 1935: Ronnie Hawkins was born in Huntsville, AR. After moving to Canada in 1958, he became a driving force in Canadian rock, mentoring artists who would go on to form The Band. Hawkins later earned the Order of Canada and two Juno Awards. He died in 2022.

Jan. 9, 1979: K-mart banned Let’s Get Small by Steve Martin, calling it “in bad taste” over its "off-colour language" and mature themes. It still sold over a million copies — and won a Grammy. Retail panic. Comedy history.

Jimmy Page turns 82 today. Born in Heston, West London in 1944, he became one of the most influential guitarists in rock history. Rolling Stone called him “the pontiff of power riffing” and ranked him no. 3 on their list of the 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Happy birthday, Jimmy! 🎸

Jan. 9, 1941: Joan Baez was born. A defining voice of the 1960s folk movement, her early albums went gold, she performed 14 songs at Woodstock, and she’s spent a lifetime standing for civil rights and non-violence. Happy birthday, Joan.

Jan. 8, 1993: A 29-cent Elvis Presley stamp was dedicated at Graceland on what would’ve been his 58th birthday. Anticipating overwhelming demand, the USPS printed 500 million—making it one of the most famous stamps in U.S. history.

Jan. 8, 1947: David Bowie was born in London 🌟 From Space Oddity to Ziggy Stardust, Bowie reinvented music, fashion, and identity. After a reset in the late ’70s, he came back with Let’s Dance in 1983 and closed his career with Blackstar in 2016. A true original. Always ahead of the curve 🚀

Jan. 8, 1935: Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Drawing from gospel, country, pop, and R&B, he reshaped American music and culture. From Sun Records to global fame, Elvis broke barriers, sold over a billion records, and became one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.

This Jacob Frey speech is incredible. "To ICE: Get the fuck out of Minneapolis."

Trump’s thugs murdered an American woman.

Jan. 7, 2020: Rush drummer and lyricist Neil Peart died at 67. Joining the band in 1974, Peart helped shape Rush’s identity through his innovative drumming and thoughtful, philosophical lyrics. One of the most respected musicians ever to sit behind a drum kit. 🖤 Forever missed. Forever admired.

Jan. 7, 1967: Charley Pride became the first Black solo singer to perform at the Grand Ole Opry, following trailblazer DeFord Bailey. Pride debuted with a Hank Williams song and his own “The Snakes Crawl at Night.” He was inducted into the Opry in 1993 and passed away in 2020 at age 86.

Jan. 7, 1948: Kenny Loggins was born in Everett, WA. From Loggins & Messina to Grammy wins and era-defining movie themes (“Danger Zone,” “Footloose”), Kenny helped shape the sound of the ’70s and ’80s. 78 today. Timeless songs, timeless voice.

The 🏆goes to Canada!!

Jan. 6, 1979: The Village People appeared on American Bandstand and taught us how to spell “Y.M.C.A.” Guided by Dick Clark, the crowd learned the arm gestures live on air. It remains one of the most recognizable and enduring crowd participation anthems ever recorded.

Jan. 6, 1976: Frampton Comes Alive! was released. After years of limited solo success, Peter Frampton finally matched — and surpassed — his earlier fame by bottling his live energy on record. Songs that once flopped became massive hits, and word of mouth carried the album to 10 weeks at no. 1.

Jan. 6, 1957: Elvis Presley made his third and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. He performed seven songs, including “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Peace in the Valley,” while TV cameras famously avoided showing him below the waist — adding another layer to the legend.