The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com.
Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history!
MAY 20: Happy birthday to Cher! She is one of the most successful and enduring entertainers in modern pop culture history. Born Cherilyn Sarkisian in California on May 20, 1946, she rose to fame in the mid-1960s with Sonny Bono as part of the hugely popular duo Sonny & Cher. Their breakthrough hit “I Got You Babe” became an anthem of the era and launched the pair into television superstardom with The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Cher’s quick wit, glamorous fashion, and unmistakable voice quickly made her the breakout star.
During the 1970s, Cher established herself as a solo music powerhouse with hits like “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves,” “Half-Breed,” and “Dark Lady.” At the same time, she became a television icon through highly rated variety shows filled with comedy, elaborate costumes, and celebrity guests. Her daring fashion choices, often designed by Bob Mackie, became legendary in entertainment history.
In the 1980s, Cher reinvented herself again by conquering Hollywood. She earned critical acclaim for films including Silkwood, Mask, The Witches of Eastwick, and Moonstruck, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for the latter.
Her music career exploded again in the late 1980s and 1990s with rock-influenced hits like “If I Could Turn Back Time” and the global smash “Believe.” “Believe” became one of the best-selling singles ever and helped pioneer the famous Auto-Tune vocal effect heard throughout modern pop music.
Cher continued touring successfully into the 2000s and 2010s with massive farewell tours and Las Vegas residencies. She also returned to film in projects like Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Beyond entertainment, Cher is admired for her activism, charitable work, and outspoken personality.
Across music, television, film, and fashion, Cher has remained a symbol of reinvention, independence, and superstar longevity for more than six decades.
Photo: Raph_PH [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en]
MAY 22: Sadly, Rob Base passed away today at age 59 from a battle with cancer. Rob Base helped define the late ‘80s hip-hop explosion with energetic beats, party-starting rhymes, and one of the most recognizable songs in rap history. Teaming up with DJ E-Z Rock, he exploded onto the charts in 1988 with the massive hit “It Takes Two,” a track built around infectious samples, booming drums, and nonstop dance-floor energy. The song became a crossover phenomenon, bringing hip-hop into clubs, radio stations, movies, commercials, and sporting events around the world.
Born Robert Ginyard, Rob Base blended old-school charisma with a fun-loving style that made audiences instantly connect with his music. Songs like “Joy and Pain” and “Get on the Dance Floor” continued the duo’s success and remain staples of classic hip-hop playlists today.
Beyond the charts, Rob Base’s influence can still be heard across modern rap and pop music, where sampling, crowd-hyping hooks, and upbeat production remain essential ingredients. Decades later, “It Takes Two” is still guaranteed to fill dance floors and ignite nostalgia for the golden age of hip-hop. RIP
Photo: 2C2K Photograph [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en]
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