Today in Tunes
On this day in music

January 19

10 moments from 1853 to 2019: 4 things that happened, 3 birthdays and 3 farewells.

Tune of the day
Rock with You
Michael Jackson
Why today: 1980 · Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" reaches No. 1
Play on SpotifyApple Music

What happened on January 19

  1. 1853173 yrs ago
    HappenedClassical

    Verdi's Il trovatore premieres in Rome

    First staged at Rome's Teatro Apollo, the opera quickly conquered stages everywhere. Its Anvil Chorus has become one of the most recognizable tunes in classical music.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Il trovatore - Wikipedia
  2. 195967 yrs ago
    HappenedPop

    The Platters top the Hot 100 with "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"

    The vocal group's ballad held No. 1 for three weeks. It was their first time on top of the Hot 100, though they had already reached No. 1 on Billboard's earlier pop charts.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1959 - Wikipedia
  3. 198046 yrs ago
    HappenedR&B / Soul

    Michael Jackson's "Rock with You" reaches No. 1

    Written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones for Off the Wall, the silky dance track held the top of the Hot 100 for four weeks.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Rock with You - Wikipedia
  4. 20197 yrs ago
    HappenedHip-hop

    "Sunflower" climbs to No. 1

    Post Malone and Swae Lee's song from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack topped the Hot 100 and later became the first song certified double diamond in the US.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Sunflower (Post Malone and Swae Lee song) - Wikipedia
  5. 194383 yrs ago
    BornRock

    Janis Joplin is born in Port Arthur, Texas

    Her raw, blazing voice powered "Piece of My Heart" and "Ball and Chain." Her cover of "Me and Bobby McGee" went to No. 1 months after her death.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Janis Joplin - Wikipedia
  6. 194680 yrs ago
    BornCountry

    Dolly Parton is born in Tennessee

    The fourth of twelve children, born in a one-room cabin by the Little Pigeon River, she grew up to write "Jolene," "I Will Always Love You" and "9 to 5."

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Dolly Parton - Wikipedia
  7. 195571 yrs ago
    BornClassical

    Conductor Simon Rattle is born in Liverpool

    Rattle led the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 1980 to 1998, then the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018 and later the London Symphony Orchestra.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Simon Rattle - Wikipedia
  8. 198244 yrs ago
    DiedLatin

    Brazilian singer Elis Regina dies at 36

    She broke through by winning a 1965 song festival with "Arrastão" and went on to record Tom Jobim's "Águas de Março" and Belchior's "Como Nossos Pais."

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Elis Regina - Wikipedia
  9. 199828 yrs ago
    DiedRock

    Rockabilly pioneer Carl Perkins dies at 65

    Perkins wrote "Blue Suede Shoes" and cut it at Sun Studio in December 1955. No Sun artist had ever sold a million copies of a record before it.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Carl Perkins - Wikipedia
  10. 201214 yrs ago
    DiedReggae

    Reggae producer Winston Riley dies in Kingston

    Riley produced "Double Barrel," one of reggae's first international hits, and the "Stalag" rhythm, often called the most sampled reggae track ever.

    Play on Spotify Apple Music Source: Winston Riley - Wikipedia