This Week In Music History Apr 13-19The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! APR 14: Happy birthday to Ritchie Blackmore, one of rock’s most influential and enigmatic guitarists. Born in England in 1945, he rose to fame as the founding guitarist of Deep Purple, where his powerful riffs and classical-inspired solos helped define hard rock and early heavy metal. Songs like “Smoke on the Water” showcased his iconic playing style and remain staples ...
Iconic Labels: Interscope RecordsThis is the eighth in our series of profiles of iconic record labels, exploring the label's history and some interesting stories about the artists they signed, and music they released. Look for more label profiles coming up soon and check them all out here. Few record labels have shaped modern popular music as dramatically as Interscope Records did, starting in the 1990s. From gangsta rap and alternative rock to pop superstars and streaming-era hitmakers, Interscope has consistently been...
This Week In Music History Apr 6-12The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! AUG 6: Today in 1998, Tammy Wynette passed away at age 55. Wynette was one of country music’s most influential and emotionally expressive vocalists. Born Virginia Wynette Pugh in Mississippi in 1942, she rose from humble beginnings to become known as the “First Lady of Country Music.” Wynette achieved major success in the late 1960s and 1970s with hits like “Stand by Yo...
This Week In Music History May 4-10The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! MAY 8: Happy birthday Alex Van Halen! He helped redefine hard rock drumming with explosive energy, precision, and unforgettable grooves. Born May 8, 1953, in the Netherlands and raised in California, Alex formed Van Halen with his brother Eddie Van Halen, creating one of the biggest rock bands of all time. From massive hits like “Jump,” “Panama,” and “Hot for Teacher,” ...
This Week In Music History Apr 27-May 3The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! APR 27: Happy birthday Sheena Easton! She burst onto the global music scene in the early ’80s with a voice that could glide from sweet pop to sultry soul effortlessly. Born April 27, 1959, in Scotland, she became one of the few artists to score Top 5 hits on multiple Billboard charts, proving her versatility across pop, R&B, and dance. Songs like “Morning Train (9 t...
How A Machine Got A RIAA Award: The Story Of Steely Dan's GauchoRecorded in 1978-79 and released on November 21, 1980, Gaucho stands as one of the most meticulously crafted albums in popular music history. Created by Steely Dan—the studio-focused partnership of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker—the record represents both the peak of their perfectionism and a turning point in music production technology. At the center of its story is an unlikely “musician”: A custom-built drum machine named Wendel, invented by late recording engineer Roger Nichols (1944-2011)...
Funny Record Award Incidents: From Dropped Awards To ExcessWinning a Gold or Platinum record is supposed to be a serious honor. After all, it means an artist sold enough albums or singles to earn a permanent place in music history. But behind many of those shiny framed awards are stories that are downright hilarious, bizarre, or completely unexpected. From awards getting dropped to rock stars abusing them in unusual ways, the music industry has produced countless funny tales connected to record awards over the decades. One story involves members of L...
This Week In Music History Dec 22-Jan 4The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! DEC 22: Happy birthday to Rick Nielsen! The guitarist, songwriter, and producer best known as the creative engine behind the rock band Cheap Trick was born on December 22, 1948, in Rockford, Illinois. Nielsen grew up in a deeply musical family—both of his parents were opera singers—giving him a broad musical foundation that later shaped his eclectic songwriting style. B...
This Week In Music History Jan 5-18The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! JAN 10: Sadly, Bob Weir has passed today away at age 78 after a battle with cancer. Bob Weir was a musician, singer, and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, one of the most influential bands in rock history. Born on October 16, 1947, in San Francisco, Weir grew up with an early exposure to folk, blues, and rock music. His life changed in 196...
This Week In Music History Dec 8-21The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! DEC 11: Happy birthday to Brenda Lee! Born on December 11, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, Lee is one of the most remarkable and versatile vocalists in American music history. Standing just 4’9”, she earned the nickname “Little Miss Dynamite” for her explosive voice and emotive power, which captivated audiences from an early age. Lee first rose to fame in the late 1950s and e...
Prettier Than RIAA Awards? DiscAward Ltd '60s-'70s AwardsIn the history of recorded music, the iconic gold and platinum records that adorn the walls of recording studios, artist's homes, and music professional's offices have become some of the most recognizable symbols of commercial success. Most people immediately associate these plaques with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)—the trade organization that, beginning in 1958, formalized sales recognition in the United States. Yet nestled within the annals of music memorabil...
This Week In Music History Jan 26-Feb 1The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! JAN 27: Today at #1 in 1972 on the Billboard Hot 100: “American Pie,” by Don McLean! Released in 1971, it is one of the most iconic and enigmatic songs in American popular music. Inspired in part by the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson—an event McLean famously called “the day the music died”—the song expands ...
This Week In Music History Apr 13-19
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! APR 14: Happy birthday to Ritchie Blackmore, one of rock’s most influential and enigmatic guitarists. Born in England in 1945, he rose to fame as the founding guitarist of Deep Purple, where his powerful riffs and classical-inspired solos helped define hard rock and early heavy metal. Songs like “Smoke on the Water” showcased his iconic playing style and remain staples ...
Iconic Labels: Interscope Records
This is the eighth in our series of profiles of iconic record labels, exploring the label's history and some interesting stories about the artists they signed, and music they released. Look for more label profiles coming up soon and check them all out here. Few record labels have shaped modern popular music as dramatically as Interscope Records did, starting in the 1990s. From gangsta rap and alternative rock to pop superstars and streaming-era hitmakers, Interscope has consistently been...
This Week In Music History Apr 6-12
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! AUG 6: Today in 1998, Tammy Wynette passed away at age 55. Wynette was one of country music’s most influential and emotionally expressive vocalists. Born Virginia Wynette Pugh in Mississippi in 1942, she rose from humble beginnings to become known as the “First Lady of Country Music.” Wynette achieved major success in the late 1960s and 1970s with hits like “Stand by Yo...
This Week In Music History May 4-10
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! MAY 8: Happy birthday Alex Van Halen! He helped redefine hard rock drumming with explosive energy, precision, and unforgettable grooves. Born May 8, 1953, in the Netherlands and raised in California, Alex formed Van Halen with his brother Eddie Van Halen, creating one of the biggest rock bands of all time. From massive hits like “Jump,” “Panama,” and “Hot for Teacher,” ...
This Week In Music History Apr 27-May 3
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! APR 27: Happy birthday Sheena Easton! She burst onto the global music scene in the early ’80s with a voice that could glide from sweet pop to sultry soul effortlessly. Born April 27, 1959, in Scotland, she became one of the few artists to score Top 5 hits on multiple Billboard charts, proving her versatility across pop, R&B, and dance. Songs like “Morning Train (9 t...
How A Machine Got A RIAA Award: The Story Of Steely Dan's Gaucho
Recorded in 1978-79 and released on November 21, 1980, Gaucho stands as one of the most meticulously crafted albums in popular music history. Created by Steely Dan—the studio-focused partnership of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker—the record represents both the peak of their perfectionism and a turning point in music production technology. At the center of its story is an unlikely “musician”: A custom-built drum machine named Wendel, invented by late recording engineer Roger Nichols (1944-2011)...
Funny Record Award Incidents: From Dropped Awards To Excess
Winning a Gold or Platinum record is supposed to be a serious honor. After all, it means an artist sold enough albums or singles to earn a permanent place in music history. But behind many of those shiny framed awards are stories that are downright hilarious, bizarre, or completely unexpected. From awards getting dropped to rock stars abusing them in unusual ways, the music industry has produced countless funny tales connected to record awards over the decades. One story involves members of L...
This Week In Music History Dec 22-Jan 4
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! DEC 22: Happy birthday to Rick Nielsen! The guitarist, songwriter, and producer best known as the creative engine behind the rock band Cheap Trick was born on December 22, 1948, in Rockford, Illinois. Nielsen grew up in a deeply musical family—both of his parents were opera singers—giving him a broad musical foundation that later shaped his eclectic songwriting style. B...
This Week In Music History Jan 5-18
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! JAN 10: Sadly, Bob Weir has passed today away at age 78 after a battle with cancer. Bob Weir was a musician, singer, and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, one of the most influential bands in rock history. Born on October 16, 1947, in San Francisco, Weir grew up with an early exposure to folk, blues, and rock music. His life changed in 196...
This Week In Music History Dec 8-21
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! DEC 11: Happy birthday to Brenda Lee! Born on December 11, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, Lee is one of the most remarkable and versatile vocalists in American music history. Standing just 4’9”, she earned the nickname “Little Miss Dynamite” for her explosive voice and emotive power, which captivated audiences from an early age. Lee first rose to fame in the late 1950s and e...
Prettier Than RIAA Awards? DiscAward Ltd '60s-'70s Awards
In the history of recorded music, the iconic gold and platinum records that adorn the walls of recording studios, artist's homes, and music professional's offices have become some of the most recognizable symbols of commercial success. Most people immediately associate these plaques with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)—the trade organization that, beginning in 1958, formalized sales recognition in the United States. Yet nestled within the annals of music memorabil...
This Week In Music History Jan 26-Feb 1
The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com. Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history! JAN 27: Today at #1 in 1972 on the Billboard Hot 100: “American Pie,” by Don McLean! Released in 1971, it is one of the most iconic and enigmatic songs in American popular music. Inspired in part by the 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson—an event McLean famously called “the day the music died”—the song expands ...
