On This Day in Music History – March 3

One of the most famous songs that reached No.1 on this day is Billie Jean by Michael Jackson in 1983. This hit helped make Thriller the best-selling album of all time. Another powerful No.1 was I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston in 1993, which remained at the top for weeks.

Many pop and rock songs also dominated the charts on March 3. Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi became a classic rock anthem, while Like a Virgin by Madonna marked a big moment in pop music history. More recently, Shape of You by Ed Sheeran and Old Town Road by Lil Nas X broke records worldwide.

March 3 also saw great albums released, including The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd in 1973 and Master of Puppets by Metallica in 1986. These records changed the rock and metal scenes forever.

Major Events in Music History (March 3)

1. Elvis Presley Appears on TV (1955) – Elvis made one of his early TV appearances on Louisiana Hayride, helping him gain national fame.
2. Rock & Roll Hits UK Charts (1956) – Heartbreak Hotel by Elvis Presley entered the UK singles chart, marking the start of rock & roll’s rise in Britain.
3. The Beatles Face Controversy (1966) – John Lennon’s comment about The Beatles being “more popular than Jesus” was published in the UK, later causing backlash in the US.
4. The Supremes Make History (1967) – The Supremes became the first all-female group to have a No.1 album on the US charts with The Supremes A’ Go-Go.
5. Johnny Cash Records a Live Album (1968) – Johnny Cash played a famous concert at Folsom Prison, which later became one of his greatest live albums.
6. Elton John Records Rocket Man (1972) – Rocket Man, one of Elton John’s most famous songs, was recorded, later becoming a global hit.
7. Pink Floyd Releases The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) – Pink Floyd released The Dark Side of the Moon, one of the best-selling and most influential albums in rock history.
8. Led Zeppelin Gets Banned in Boston (1975) – Led Zeppelin was banned from playing in Boston after fans caused a riot trying to buy tickets.
9. Michael Jackson Hits No.1 with Billie Jean (1983) – Billie Jean reached No.1 on the Billboard charts, helping Thriller become the best-selling album of all time.
10. Metallica Releases Master of Puppets (1986) – Metallica released Master of Puppets, which became one of the most important heavy metal albums ever.
11. Madonna’s Like a Prayer Causes Controversy (1991) – Madonna’s Like a Prayer was used in a Pepsi ad but was quickly pulled due to religious controversy.
12. Foo Fighters Perform Live for the First Time (1995) – Dave Grohl debuted his new band, Foo Fighters, marking the start of their massive career.
13. Cher Wins a Grammy for Believe (1999) – Cher won the Grammy for Believe, proving she could still dominate the charts decades into her career.
14. 50 Cent Drops Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2003) – 50 Cent released his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin’, which became a hip-hop classic.
15. U2 Releases No Line on the Horizon (2009) – U2 released No Line on the Horizon, their 12th studio album, which became a No.1 hit worldwide.
16. Adele Wins Big at the Brit Awards (2012) – Adele won multiple Brit Awards, cementing her status as one of the biggest stars in the world.
17. Sam Smith Makes Grammy History (2015) – Sam Smith won four Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Record of the Year for Stay With Me.
18. Ed Sheeran Releases Divide (2017) – Ed Sheeran’s album ÷ (Divide) dropped, featuring hits like Shape of You and Perfect.
19. Billie Eilish Records James Bond Theme (2020) – Billie Eilish became the youngest artist to record a James Bond theme song with No Time to Die.
20. Taylor Swift Breaks Streaming Records (2023) – Taylor Swift’s Midnights became the most-streamed album in a single day on Spotify.

Notable Birthdays in Music (March 3)

1. Doc Watson (1923) – American folk and bluegrass guitarist, known for his fingerpicking style.
2. Bobby Driscoll (1937) – American child actor and singer, famous for Disney films and voice work.
3. Mike Pender (1941) – Guitarist and singer from The Searchers, a famous British rock band.
4. Jennifer Warnes (1947) – American singer known for Up Where We Belong and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.
5. Snowy White (1948) – British guitarist who played with Thin Lizzy and Roger Waters.
6. Ronan O’Rahilly (1940) – Founder of Radio Caroline, a famous pirate radio station that changed UK music.
7. Terry Jack (1944) – Canadian singer-songwriter, best known for Seasons in the Sun.
8. Ry Cooder (1947) – American guitarist, producer, and songwriter known for his work in blues, folk, and world music.
9. Steven Stills (1945) – American musician from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, a major folk-rock band.
10. Chris Hughes (1954) – Music producer and drummer for Adam and the Ants.
11. Larry Stewart (1959) – Lead singer of Restless Heart, a popular country band.
12. Herschel Boone (1962) – American R&B singer and songwriter.
13. David Faustino (1974) – Actor and rapper, best known for his role on Married… with Children.
14. Camila Cabello (1997) – Cuban-American singer, former member of Fifth Harmony, and solo artist with hits like Havana.
15. Jessica Biel (1982) – Actress with a background in music and singing.
16. Stacie Orrico (1986) – American singer known for her Christian and pop music hits like (There’s Gotta Be) More to Life.
17. Lil Flip (1981) – American rapper known for hits like Game Over and Sunshine.
18. Tone Loc (1966) – Rapper and actor famous for Wild Thing and Funky Cold Medina.
19. Robert Gossett (1954) – Singer and actor known for his TV roles and music performances.
20. Dionne Bromfield (1996) – British singer-songwriter and protégé of Amy Winehouse.

Music Legends We Lost (March 3)

1. Danny Kaye (1987) – American actor, singer, and comedian known for his musical performances in films.
2. Hank Ballard (2003) – R&B singer and songwriter, famous for The Twist and his influence on rock & roll.
3. Faron Young (1996) – American country music star known for hits like Hello Walls.
4. Ronnie Montrose (2012) – Guitarist and founder of the band Montrose, known for classic rock hits.
5. Johnny Watson (1996) – Blues and funk guitarist, also known as Johnny “Guitar” Watson.
6. Norma Zimmer (2011) – Singer and television personality, known as the “Champagne Lady” on The Lawrence Welk Show.
7. James MacPherson (2013) – Scottish drummer from the band The Fire Engines.
8. Alex Chilton (2010) – Singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of The Box Tops and Big Star.
9. Jorge Bolet (1990) – Cuban pianist known for his brilliant classical performances.
10. Pearl Carr (2020) – British singer who performed as part of Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson in the Eurovision Song Contest.
11. Rosetta Hightower (2014) – Lead singer of The Orlons, an R&B group from the 1960s.
12. Bunny Walters (2016) – New Zealand pop singer known for songs like Brandy and Take the Money and Run.
13. Red Sovine (1980) – Country singer known for truck-driving songs like Teddy Bear.
14. Elmer Bernstein (2004) – Film composer famous for scores in The Magnificent Seven and Ghostbusters.
15. Louis Marchand (1732) – French Baroque composer and organist, known for his keyboard music.
16. Bob Burns (1996) – Drummer for Lynyrd Skynyrd, played on Sweet Home Alabama.
17. Malcolm Vaughan (2010) – Welsh pop singer from the 1950s and 60s, known for My Special Angel.
18. Peter Broggs (2015) – Jamaican reggae singer, famous for his roots reggae music.
19. Davy Jones (2012) – Lead singer of The Monkees, known for hits like Daydream Believer.
20. Peter Tork (2019) – Another member of The Monkees, known for his singing and playing multiple instruments.

Notable Albums Released (March 3)

1. The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd (1973) – One of the greatest rock albums ever, featuring Money and Time.
2. Master of Puppets – Metallica (1986) – A legendary heavy metal album that influenced generations.
3. Hysteria – Def Leppard (1987, reissue) – A massive rock album with hits like Pour Some Sugar on Me.
4. No Line on the Horizon – U2 (2009) – U2’s 12th studio album, featuring Magnificent and Get On Your Boots.
5. Get Rich or Die Tryin’ – 50 Cent (2003, UK Release) – A hip-hop classic with songs like In da Club.
6. Songs in A Minor – Alicia Keys (2001, Japan Release) – A soulful debut album featuring Fallin’.
7. Brighter Than Creation’s Dark – Drive-By Truckers (2008, reissue) – A mix of rock and country storytelling.
8. Oceanborn – Nightwish (1998, reissue) – A breakthrough symphonic metal album.
9. Here and Now – Nickelback (2011, special edition) – A rock album featuring When We Stand Together.
10. Get a Grip – Aerosmith (1993, special release) – A best-selling album with Crazy and Cryin’.
11. The Kick Inside – Kate Bush (1978, reissue) – A unique and artistic debut album featuring Wuthering Heights.
12. Roots – Sepultura (1996, reissue) – A defining metal album mixing Brazilian sounds with heavy riffs.
13. Metamorphosis – Hilary Duff (2003, special edition) – A pop album with hits like So Yesterday.
14. Friction, Baby – Better Than Ezra (1996, reissue) – A mix of alternative rock and pop.
15. A Different Beat – Boyzone (1996, reissue) – A popular boy band album with catchy love songs.
16. Synkronized – Jamiroquai (1999, special release) – A funky jazz and dance album with Canned Heat.
17. City to City – Gerry Rafferty (1978, reissue) – Features Baker Street, one of the best saxophone solos in rock.
18. Heaven and Earth – Kamasi Washington (2018, reissue) – A powerful jazz album full of deep sounds.
19. Speaking in Tongues – Talking Heads (1983, reissue) – Includes the classic Burning Down the House.
20. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (1956, reissue) – A timeless jazz album showcasing Ella’s incredible voice.

Chart-Topping Hits (March 3)

1. Billie Jean (1983) by Michael Jackson – Reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the biggest hits from Thriller.
2. I Will Always Love You (1993) by Whitney Houston – Still at No.1 on the Billboard charts after weeks of dominating.
3. We Belong Together (2005) by Mariah Carey – A huge hit that spent 14 weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
4. Hips Don’t Lie (2006) by Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean – A worldwide No.1 song that became an instant dance classic.
5. My Heart Will Go On (1998) by Celine Dion – The Titanic theme song was No.1 on charts around the world.
6. Hello (2016) by Adele – A chart-topping song that broke streaming and sales records.
7. Hey Jude (1968) by The Beatles – A long-running No.1 hit that became one of the band’s most famous songs.
8. Rolling in the Deep (2011) by Adele – Spent multiple weeks at No.1 and became one of Adele’s biggest songs.
9. Call Me (1980) by Blondie – A No.1 hit in the U.S. and U.K., featured in the movie American Gigolo.
10. Uptown Funk (2015) by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – A smash hit that topped charts worldwide.
11. Love Yourself (2016) by Justin Bieber – A No.1 song that stayed on top for weeks.
12. Shape of You (2017) by Ed Sheeran – Dominated the Billboard Hot 100 and international charts.
13. Stayin’ Alive (1978) by Bee Gees – A disco anthem that topped the charts during the Saturday Night Fever craze.
14. Royals (2014) by Lorde – Made Lorde the youngest artist in years to reach No.1.
15. Lose Yourself (2003) by Eminem – The first rap song to win an Oscar, also a Billboard No.1 hit.
16. I Gotta Feeling (2009) by The Black Eyed Peas – A song that stayed at No.1 for 14 weeks.
17. Eye of the Tiger (1982) by Survivor – Topped the charts and became a workout anthem after appearing in Rocky III.
18. Like a Virgin (1985) by Madonna – Madonna’s first No.1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
19. Livin’ on a Prayer (1987) by Bon Jovi – A rock classic that topped the U.S. charts.
20. Old Town Road (2019) by Lil Nas X – A record-breaking No.1 hit that mixed country and rap.