December 2 marks a day with many historical events associated with music from different genres. This day has experienced breakthrough songs, as well as songs that reached the top position on the music charts. Famous artists were born on December 2, as well as artists who passed away. Also, many historical albums were released on December 2 in different years, apart from many songs that reached the top position on the music charts. Each of the events, birthdays, deaths, albums, as well as hits, associated with December 2 in music will be found in the different subheadings below, starting from the events associated with December 2. Music genres involved will range from pop, rock, jazz, folk, country, to classical music.
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Major Events in Music History (December 2)
- In 1957, Sam Cooke’s hit “You Send Me” began a three-week run at No.1 on the US charts on Dec 2.
- On Dec 2, 1967, The Monkees’ song “Daydream Believer” reached No.1 in the US, marking the band’s third chart-topper.
- On Dec 2, 1972, the Temptations scored their fourth US No.1 single with “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” a Motown classic.
- In 1980, country-pop star Kenny Rogers had a No.1 hit with “Lady” on Dec 2, a song produced by Lionel Richie.
- On Dec 2, 1986, the Beatles’ Anthology TV series aired a special featuring Paul McCartney discussing Lennon’s influence on music.
- In 1995, Mariah Carey made history on Dec 2 when her single “One Sweet Day” (with Boyz II Men) hit No.1 on the US charts.
- On Dec 2, 1999, UK pop icon Cliff Richard began a three-week UK No.1 run with “Millennium Prayer,” a spoken-word pop single.
- In 2015, the Rolling Stones were honored with a Kennedy Center Award on Dec 2 for their contributions to music.
- On Dec 2, 2016, the Grammy Museum launched a virtual archives project highlighting influential recordings.
- In 2017, a museum exhibit opened showcasing artifacts from late music legend Leonard Cohen on Dec 2.
- On Dec 2, 2018, Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” was dominating airwaves and remained a hit around this date.
- In 2021, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced the induction of new members at a ceremony held on Dec 2.
Notable Birthdays in Music (December 2)
- Maria Callas (born 1923) – Greek-American opera singer renowned as one of the greatest sopranos in music history.
- Britney Spears (born 1981) – American pop star known as the “Princess of Pop,” famous for hits like “Baby One More Time.”
- Nelly Furtado (born 1978) – Canadian singer-songwriter who found global success with songs like “I’m Like a Bird.”
- Charlie Puth (born 1991) – American pop singer-songwriter and producer known for hit singles like “See You Again.”
- Jana Kramer (born 1983) – American country-pop singer and actress, known for the song “Why Ya Wanna.”
- Treach (Anthony Criss) (born 1970) – American rapper and songwriter, lead vocalist of Naughty by Nature (famous for “O.P.P.”).
- Donna Matthews (born 1971) – British guitarist and songwriter, best known as a member of 1990s Britpop band Elastica.
- Wynton Kelly (born 1931) – Jamaican-American jazz pianist who played with Miles Davis (known for his work on “Freddie Freeloader”).
- Charlie Ventura (born 1916) – American jazz tenor saxophonist and bandleader prominent in the 1940s and 1950s.
- Adolph Green (born 1914) – American lyricist and playwright (half of the Broadway writing duo Comden and Green).
- Harriet Cohen (born 1895) – British concert pianist who championed modern composers.
- Leo Ornstein (born 1892) – Russian-American composer and pianist known for his avant-garde classical works.
- Valorie Jones (born 1957) – American R&B singer, a member of the 1970s soul group The Jones Girls.
Music Legends We Lost (December 2)
- Desi Arnaz (died 1986) – Cuban-American musician and TV bandleader (for I Love Lucy), died Dec 2 of lung cancer.
- Aaron Copland (died 1990) – Legendary American composer (“Appalachian Spring,” “Fanfare for the Common Man”), died Dec 2 at age 90.
- Odetta (died 2008) – Influential American folk singer and civil rights figure, known as the “Queen of American Folk,” died Dec 2.
- Bobby Keys (died 2014) – American rock saxophonist who played with The Rolling Stones, died on Dec 2 at age 70.
- Mariska Veres (died 2006) – Dutch singer best known as the lead vocalist of rock band Shocking Blue (“Venus”), died Dec 2.
- Michael Hedges (died 1997) – American acoustic guitarist and composer known for innovative fingerstyle playing, died Dec 2.
- Junior Murvin (died 2013) – Jamaican reggae singer (“Police and Thieves”), died on Dec 2, after a long illness.
- David Blue (died 1982) – American folk singer-songwriter (and actor) who wrote songs covered by Peter, Paul & Mary; died Dec 2.
- Valorie Jones (died 2001) – American R&B singer, member of The Jones Girls, died Dec 2 at age 45.
- Mundell Lowe (died 2017) – American jazz guitarist, longtime studio musician, died Dec 2 at age 95.
Notable Albums Released (December 2)
- Melba – Melba (Melba Moore, 1976) – A disco/R&B album by singer Melba Moore, released Dec 2, 1976, with Van McCoy producing.
- Storms of Life (Randy Travis, 1985) – Country music landmark and debut album by Randy Travis, released Dec 2, 1985.
- The Diary of Alicia Keys (Alicia Keys, 2003) – Soul/R&B album by Alicia Keys, released Dec 2, 2003, featuring hits like “If I Ain’t Got You.”
- Circus (Britney Spears, 2008) – Pop album by Britney Spears, released on Dec 2, 2008 (her 27th birthday) with singles like “Womanizer.”
- The Path of Totality (Korn, 2011) – Nu metal/electronic album by Korn, released Dec 2, 2011, featuring collaborations with dubstep producers.
- Talking Is Hard (Walk the Moon, 2014) – Indie pop/rock album by Walk the Moon, released Dec 2, 2014, featuring the hit “Shut Up and Dance.”
- A Better Tomorrow (Wu-Tang Clan, 2014) – Hip-hop album by Wu-Tang Clan, released Dec 2, 2014, their sixth studio album.
- W:/2016Album (deadmau5, 2016) – Electronic dance album by deadmau5, released Dec 2, 2016.
- Darkness and Light (John Legend, 2016) – R&B/soul album by John Legend, released Dec 2, 2016, exploring personal themes.
- Awaken, My Love! (Childish Gambino, 2016) – Funk/R&B album by Childish Gambino, released Dec 2, 2016, noted for its 70s soul style.
Chart-Topping Hits (December 2)
- Sam Cooke – “You Send Me” – This classic soul single began a two-week run at No.1 on the US charts on Dec 2, 1957.
- The Monkees – “Daydream Believer” – The Beatles-penned hit went to No.1 in the US on Dec 2, 1967.
- The Temptations – “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” – Motown’s classic tune became No.1 on the US singles chart on Dec 2, 1972.
- Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond – “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” – This duet hit No.1 in the US on Dec 2, 1978.
- Kenny Rogers – “Lady” – Rogers’s soft-rock ballad topped the US pop chart on Dec 2, 1980.
- Milli Vanilli – “Blame It on the Rain” – The pop single reached No.1 on the US charts on Dec 2, 1989.
- New Kids on the Block – “You Got It (The Right Stuff)” – This hit single was No.1 on the UK chart on Dec 2, 1989.
- Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men – “One Sweet Day” – This record-breaking ballad hit No.1 in the US on Dec 2, 1995.
- Cliff Richard – “Millennium Prayer” – A spoken-word single that reached No.1 in the UK on Dec 2, 1999.
- Travis Scott – “Sicko Mode” – The hit rap song was at No.1 on US charts on Dec 2, 2018.
- Post Malone – “Circles” – This pop single hit No.1 on the US charts on Dec 2, 2019.
- BTS – “Life Goes On” – K-pop group BTS’s song reached No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on Dec 2, 2020.
- Adele – “Easy on Me” – This ballad debuted at No.1 on the US charts on Dec 2, 2021.