Today in Tunes
On this day in music

December 9

10 moments from 1927 to 2019: 4 things that happened, 4 birthdays and 2 farewells.

Tune of the day
Le Freak
Chic
Why today: 1978 · Chic's "Le Freak" hits No. 1 on the Hot 100
Play on Spotify

What happened on December 9

  1. 196363 yrs ago
    HappenedPop

    The Beach Boys release "Little Saint Nick"

    Brian Wilson and Mike Love's holiday song climbed to No. 3 on Billboard's seasonal Christmas Singles chart.

    Play on Spotify Source: Little Saint Nick - Wikipedia
  2. 196660 yrs ago
    HappenedRock

    Cream release their debut, Fresh Cream, in Britain

    The band’s first album reached No. 6 on the UK chart; American buyers had to wait until January 1967.

    Play on Spotify Source: Fresh Cream - Wikipedia
  3. 197254 yrs ago
    HappenedPop

    Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" reaches No. 1

    Reddy co-wrote the anthem with Ray Burton. It was the first Billboard No. 1 by an Australian-born artist and earned her a Grammy.

    Play on Spotify Source: I Am Woman - Wikipedia
  4. 197848 yrs ago
    HappenedR&B / Soul

    Chic's "Le Freak" hits No. 1 on the Hot 100

    Chic’s single lost the top spot a week later to Barbra and Neil’s "You Don’t Bring Me Flowers", then won it back on December 23.

    Play on Spotify Source: List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1978 - Wikipedia
  5. 192799 yrs ago
    BornElectronic

    Musique concrète composer Pierre Henry is born

    A major name in musique concrète, he worked from 1949 to 1958 at the RTF studio that Pierre Schaeffer had founded. His "Psyché Rock" inspired the theme to the cartoon Futurama.

    Play on Spotify Source: Pierre Henry - Wikipedia
  6. 193492 yrs ago
    BornJazz & Blues

    Blues harmonica player Junior Wells is born

    He had the harmonica down by age seven. His 1965 Delmark album Hoodoo Man Blues, with Buddy Guy on guitar, is counted among the decade's classic blues records.

    Play on Spotify Source: Junior Wells - Wikipedia
  7. 195076 yrs ago
    BornPop

    Joan Armatrading is born in St Kitts

    Her 1976 self-titled album gave her the top-10 single "Love and Affection". She has three Grammy nominations, including one in the blues category.

    Play on Spotify Source: Joan Armatrading - Wikipedia
  8. 196957 yrs ago
    BornRock

    Jakob Dylan of the Wallflowers is born

    He formed the Wallflowers in 1989 as singer, guitarist and main songwriter. Their "One Headlight" won two Grammy Awards.

    Play on Spotify Source: Jakob Dylan - Wikipedia
  9. 201214 yrs ago
    DiedLatin

    Banda star Jenni Rivera dies in a plane crash

    Her Learjet went down near Monterrey, Mexico. Singing banda, mariachi and norteño, she sold more than 15 million records and was a top-selling woman in regional Mexican music.

    Play on Spotify Source: Jenni Rivera - Wikipedia
  10. 20197 yrs ago
    DiedPop

    Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson dies at 61

    She had lived with a brain tumour since 2002. With Roxette she scored four Hot 100 No. 1s, including "The Look" and "It Must Have Been Love".

    Play on Spotify Source: Marie Fredriksson - Wikipedia