Music history as you’ve never seen it: a journey in time through the albums, concerts and events that made history—this week in music.
October 2: One Direction is Born
Arguably, music history was made the day One Direction first performed together as a group. Today marks an important day for the ex-group, representing the first time the group performed together under the name “One Direction.” It was 2010 on Season 7 of The X Factor (UK). After being eliminated as soloists, the 5 members joined their voices under the same—as Simon Cowell suggested. On this day, the group sang a cover of “Torn” for judge Simon Cowell at his villa in Marbella, Spain. What followed is history.
October 3: Learning How to Rock
On this day in music history in 2003, one of the most famous and celebrated movies about music came out. It is Jack Black’s now classic School of Rock. In the movie, the actor is at his best representing a musician who wears the clothes of a substitute teacher and forms a band with the students.
Between the hilarious sketches and lines, some of the best music frames the movie. From Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water” to Led Zeppelin’s “Highway To Hell” and “Immigrant Song” (after Black made a video literally begging Led Zeppelin to let them use it). The movie celebrates rock music. It is also notable for featuring Miranda Cosgrove’s acting debut.
October 4: Gary Glitter Shouldn’t Be Part of the Joker
When the blockbuster film Joker debuted in theatres today in 2019, it left—one side of—the world in shock. It, again, created a conversation for music history. The movie was the first one to use “Rock And Roll Part 2” since Gary Glitter’s 2015 conviction for pedophilia. Paul Francis Gadd, best known by his stage name Gary Glitter, is an English former glam rock singer who achieved particular success in the 1970s and 1980s. The British artist and his actions are notorious in his home country. The singer was in fact imprisoned for downloading child pornography in 1999. Moreover, he was also convicted of child sexual abuse in 2006 and a series of sexual offenses in 2015.
The UK population was in immediate shock seeing the artist brought back to the scene. Not only did he and his music receive new attention, but he also earned substantial royalties from the usage of the song.
October 5: Carole King Introduces the Audience to Gilmore Girls Debut
On this day, a now fan-favorite TV series debuted on The WB. Gilmore Girls took the world by storm and immediately became a huge success with its genuine and “normal” representation of daily life. It is certain that part of the success of Gilmore Girls comes from its music theme and soundtrack. The TV show has to thank Carole King for her participation with her song “Where You Lead.”
Reflecting the show’s mother-daughter theme, King decided to sing the song with her daughter Louise Goffin.
October 6: The Who for TV Crime Series
On this day in music history in 2000, the TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation debuted on CBS. The theme song, “Who Are You?,” is by The Who, and started a new music trend in the crime series world. In fact, three more series appear in the franchise, all of them using songs from The Who as theme songs. Those were CSI: Miami with “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” CSI: NY with “Baba O’Riley” and CSI: Cyber and the band’s “I Can See For Miles.”
Another TV series debut, another artist brought back to the spotlight.
October 7: Cardi B Gets to the Top
In 2017, Cardi B released the song that gave her the fame she still owns today, “Bodak Yellow.” On this day in music history, the single hit #1 in the US, making the rapper the first solo female rapper without a guest artist to reach the top since Lauryn Hill, (“Doo Wop (That Thing“), in 1998.
October 8: Pitbull Trademarks His “Grito”
On this day in music history in 2019, Pitbull trademarked his famous “grito” yell. The yell, which we can hear in almost all the rapper’s songs, is no longer just a way for the audience to recognize the artist’s participation in a song: it can now be brought into legal question! The sound is in fact now one of the few sounds protected by trademark. Be careful the next time you’re writing a song!
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