History as you’ve never seen it: a journey in time through the albums, concerts and events that made history—this week in music. This week: Harry Styles’ fans throw kiwis on stage, Britney Spears drops her first-ever success, the first song on a USB memory stick and more!
October 30: Keane is the First Act to Release a Song on a USB Memory Stick
This day marked history as the first time a major artist released a song on a USB memory stick. It was 2006, and Keane dropped their track “Nothing In My Way” on a £3.99 USB stick. Fans could purchase the 512MB drive at HMV stores, and easily listen to the song by plugging it into a computer and transferring it, along with various videos and screensavers.
Unfortunately, the “single on a stick” format never grabbed the public’s interest.
October 31: Fans Throw Kiwis at Harry Styles During “Kiwi”
In 2017, a London crowd pelted Harry Styles with kiwi fruit while he was performing his song “Kiwi.” To prevent the attack from happening again, three days later in Manchester, the grocery store Asda set a limit on those allowed to buy the fruit, refusing to sell it to anyone under the age of 25.
November 1: Warning Label for Every Album with Offensive Lyrics
It was 1985 when the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) agreed to demands made by another initialed organization, the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC). Following this agreement, any album that contained offensive lyrics had to be issued with a warning label.
November 2: Bohemian Rhapsody
It was five years ago that Queen’s biopic Bohemian Rhapsody saw the light and opened in theatres. The movie, starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, as well as Lucy Boynton as Mary Austin, won four Oscars, including Best Actor for Malek’s performance as the main character. Acclaimed by many, despised by others, the movie soon became one of the most famous biographical movies around.
November 3: Britney Spears’ First Success
In 1998, Britney Spears was only 16 years old when she dropped her first-ever single. The track immediately went to the top of the charts, going #1 in America and soon becoming a decade hit. “…Baby One More Time” is in fact still considered one of the most successful singles of the singer, as well as being the single that led the artist to stardom.
November 4: 1991 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
On this day in 1991, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the class of inductees of the year. The list includes some of the most relevant, groundbreaking and influential artists ever: from Jimi Hendrix to The Yardbirds, from Johnny Cash to The Isle Brothers, and more. The museum welcomed some of the most musically important artists of the time, and ever, into their Hall of Fame.
November 5: Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival Tragedy
Two years have already passed since the deadly Astroworld Festival. In 2021, ten fans were killed and hundreds were injured during Travis Scott’s performance in Houston, Texas. In front of a crowd of over 50,000, Scott sang while people were pushed toward the stage, crushing the victims. The event was fatal, and to date is one of the most cryptic and deadly music events to ever shock the world.
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