History as you’ve never seen it: albums, artists’ births, rumours and more: discover with us what happened this week in the history of music
August 8: goodbye Olivia Newton-John
On this day last year, singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John dies at 73 after a long battle with breast cancer.
The official announcement arrived from her Facebook account:
“Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” her husband, John Easterling, wrote in a statement on the singer’s verified Instagram account. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years, sharing her journey with breast cancer.”
August 9:The Beginning of a Heartbreaking Love Story
On this day in 1964, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez shared the stage for the first time at the Newport Folk Festival. The duo sang “With God On Our Side.” The collaboration was the surface’s of the couple’s relationship, which lasted until 1965. Baez later wrote a song about the breakup. “Diamonds and Rust” then becoming one of her most prominent singles, opening the way to the ongoing personal, open hearted and poetic breakup genre, as well as confirming the unique writing abilities of the artist.
August 10: 1 out of 20 Brits Was There
Back in the 90s, Oasis not only were a thing, but they were the main one. Especially in England, their birth country, where numbers reached never-seen-before levels. An example to prove their undisputed reign was the first two shows of their 1996 tour at Knebworth House in England. One in 20 of the UK’s population applied for a ticket, leading to the band performing for over 125,000 people each night. The shows represented the biggest gigs of the Britpop era.
August 11: Hey Soul Sister
In 2009, San Francisco pop rock band Train was not at the top of their career, having six years of unsuccessful singles behind them. Since their 2003 hit “Calling All Angels,” the band was lacking a single to lead them to the top of the charts and bring their name back into the public’s mind. In 2009, “Hey Soul Sister” was released, and sold over 11 million copies, and became the top-selling song of 2010 on iTunes.
August 12: The Advent of Radiohead
In 1996 in Buffalo, New York, Radiohead started their 13-show run opening for Alanis Morissette. In the performances, the band road tested songs like “No Surprises” and “Paranoid Android.” The single would’ve later appeared on their next album, iconic and genre-defining OK Computer. The album went on being the main reason behind Radiohead’s international success, selling over 8 million units worldwide.
August 13: David Bowie in Twin Peaks
On August, 13 2017, David Bowie makes a posthumous appearance in the TV series Twin Peaks: The Return. The artist previously appeared as a deranged FBI agent in 1991 prequel, Fire Walk With Me. Bowie should’ve in fact returned for the show’s revival, but passed before filming. To have Bowie in the movie, Director David Lynch used archive footage from the prequel.
August 14: The High School Musical 2 Soundtrack is Released
On this day in 2007, The High School Musical 2 soundtrack is released. The single went straight to #1 US its first week, selling over 610,000 copies. At the end of the year, the single had sold almost 3 million copies, and it closes out 2007 as the second-best seller. Before its debut at the top of the charts, only Josh Groban’s Christmas album Noël kept the spot warm for 5 weeks straight.
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