The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com.
Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history!
FEB 19: Happy birthday to Smokey Robinson! As one of the most influential figures in American popular music, he is renowned for his silky tenor voice, poetic songwriting, and pivotal role in shaping the Motown sound. Born William Robinson Jr. on February 19, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan, he founded the group The Miracles in the 1950s. Their breakthrough hit, “Shop Around,” became Motown’s first million-selling single, establishing the label as a major force in popular music.
FEB 22: Today at #1 in 1977 on the Billboard Hot 100: “New Kid in Town” by the Eagles! Released as the lead single from their landmark album Hotel California and written by Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and J.D. Souther, the song reflects on fleeting fame and the music industry’s constant search for the next big star. With its smooth harmonies and melancholic melody, it marked a shift from the band’s country-rock roots toward a more polished California sound. Frey’s lead vocal captures both vulnerability and quiet resignation. “New Kid in Town” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, reinforcing the Eagles’ dominance during the late 1970s.
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