On This Day in Music History – December 6

On This Day in Music History – December 6

by

December 6 is a significant day in the world of music for listeners everywhere. Over the years, the day has witnessed the release of great albums by classic musicians in the form of top songs. Names of successful musicians such as The Beatles & The Rolling Stones reached peak heights on the sixth of December. Some legendary albums have also made their way to the stores on the sixth of December. There have been many musicians in the world of rock & soul who have marked their birth or last day on the sixth of December. Instead of just a nostalgic look at the day in the world of music, below mentioned are the highlights of the day.

Major Events in Music History (December 6)

  • 1967: The Beatles’ single “Hello, Goodbye” hit number one on the UK charts, beginning a seven-week run at the top.
  • 1968: The Rolling Stones released their landmark album Beggars Banquet. This album (with tracks like “Street Fighting Man”) became a Top 5 hit in the UK and US.
  • 1969: The Rolling Stones headlined the ill-fated Altamont Free Concert in California. The outdoor festival became infamous when a fan was fatally stabbed in the crowd. (This event was later featured in the documentary “Gimme Shelter.”)
  • 1969: Steam’s novelty song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, giving the group a surprise chart-topper.
  • 1975: Singer-songwriter Paul Simon topped the US album charts with “Still Crazy After All These Years.” It became his second solo album to hit No. 1.
  • 1980: Barbra Streisand returned to No. 1 on the US charts with her album “Guilty”, produced by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees. The album featured duets with Gibb and was one of her biggest successes.
  • 1986: In the US, “The Next Time I Fall,” a duet by former Chicago singer Peter Cetera and Christian singer Amy Grant, was the No. 1 single of the day. It later won a Grammy nomination.
  • 1986: The Swedish rock band Europe reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with the epic anthem “The Final Countdown.” The song became a global smash and remains a classic rock staple.
  • 1997: Heavy metal band Metallica hit No. 1 on the US album chart with “Reload.” This follow-up to their massively successful “Load” album also topped charts in several other countries.
  • 2003: Pop singer Britney Spears had her In the Zone album at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200. This was her second time topping the album chart.
  • 2003: British boy band Westlife reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart with “Turnaround.” The group was one of the biggest pop acts in the UK at that time.
  • 2003: Will Young’s single “Leave Right Now” was the No. 1 song in the UK on this day. Will Young had just won the first season of the TV show Pop Idol, and this song became his biggest hit.
  • 2008: The UK pop act Take That scored a No. 1 single with “Greatest Day.” It was the band’s eleventh chart-topper in Britain.
  • 2014: One Direction reached No. 1 on the US album chart with “Four.” This gave the English-Irish boy band their third U.S. chart-topping album.
  • 2016: Music industry reports noted a milestone in December 2016: for the first time, more money was earned from vinyl record sales than from digital album downloads in the UK. This reflected a renewed interest in vinyl among fans.
  • 2019: Robbie Williams earned his 13th UK No. 1 album, tying Elvis Presley’s long-standing record. Robbie’s album (The Christmas Present) topped the UK Albums Chart this week.

Notable Birthdays in Music (December 6)

  • 1920: Dave Brubeck – American jazz pianist and composer. Brubeck became famous for the classic instrumental “Take Five.” He was born December 6, 1920.
  • 1946: Frankie Beverly – American soul singer and bandleader of Maze. Known for smooth R&B hits like “Before I Let Go.” Beverly was born Dec 6, 1946.
  • 1944: Judee Sill – American singer-songwriter. A cult folk artist of the early 1970s, known for haunting songs like “Jesus Was a Cross Maker.” She was born Dec 6, 1944.
  • 1955: Rick Buckler – English drummer for the band The Jam. He joined the punk/new wave scene and was born on this day in 1955.
  • 1956: Peter Buck – American guitarist and founding member of R.E.M. He helped write hits like “Losing My Religion.” Buck was born Dec 6, 1956.
  • 1956: Randy Rhoads – American heavy metal guitarist. A co-founder of Quiet Riot and Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist famous for blazing solos (“Crazy Train”), born Dec 6, 1956.
  • 1961: David Lovering – American musician, drummer for the alternative rock band Pixies. Lovering (born 1961) helped shape the sound of 1990s indie rock.
  • 1962: Ben Watt – English singer, songwriter, and DJ. Best known as one half of the duo Everything But The Girl, with hits like “Missing.” Watt was born Dec 6, 1962.
  • 1970: Ulf Ekberg – Swedish pop musician, born Dec 6, 1970. He was a founding member of Ace of Base, famous for ’90s hits “The Sign” and “All That She Wants.” (Ace of Base sang mostly in English.)
  • 1995: A Boogie wit da Hoodie – American hip-hop artist (real name Julius Dubose). Known for chart hits in the 2010s like “Drowning” and “Look Back at It.” He was born Dec 6, 1995.
  • 1943: Mike Smith – English singer and keyboardist for The Dave Clark Five. The band scored hits during the 1960s British Invasion. Smith (born 1943) wrote several DC5 songs.

Music Legends We Lost (December 6)

  • 1949: Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) – Pioneering American folk and blues singer. Known for songs like “Goodnight Irene” and “Midnight Special,” Lead Belly died at age 61 on Dec 6, 1949.
  • 1988: Bill Harris – American R&B and jazz guitarist for The Clovers. A key figure in early doo-wop, Harris died at age 63 on Dec 6, 1988.
  • 1988: Roy Orbison – American rock and pop legend. Nicknamed “The Big O,” he sang classics like “Oh, Pretty Woman.” Orbison died of a heart attack (age 52) on Dec 6, 1988.
  • 2011: Dobie Gray (Darrow Brown) – American soul and country singer. Best known for “Drift Away,” Gray died at age 71 on Dec 6, 2011.
  • 2018: Pete Shelley – English singer-songwriter and co-founder of punk band Buzzcocks. He wrote the hit “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)” and died at age 63 on Dec 6, 2018.
  • 2022: Jet Black (Brian Duffy) – English drummer and founding member of punk/new wave band The Stranglers. He died at age 84 on Dec 6, 2022.
  • 2012: Ed Cassidy – American jazz-rock drummer, co-founder of the band Spirit. He played from the 1960s onward and passed away at age 89 on Dec 6, 2012.
  • 1987: Paul Butterfield – American blues harmonica player and bandleader. (Butterfield actually died in 1987, but on May 4; a mix-up with date.) [Note: not Dec 6, so not included]
  • Others: On December 6 of various years, the music world also said goodbye to other artists, but none more famous in English-language music than those listed above. (For example, jazz legend Count Basie died in April 1984, Beatles manager Brian Epstein died in August, etc. Those aren’t Dec 6.)

(The musicians listed above all performed primarily in English and left a lasting legacy on popular music.)

Notable Albums Released (December 6)

  • 1965: Rubber Soul (US version) – The Beatles. In the US, Rubber Soul was released on Dec 6, 1965 (in the UK it was earlier in the year). This album featured hits like “Drive My Car” and “Michelle.”
  • 1968: Beggars Banquet – The Rolling Stones. A classic rock album (including “Street Fighting Man”), released Dec 6 in the UK. It marked a return to roots rock for the band.
  • 1968: James Taylor – James Taylor. His self-titled debut album came out Dec 6, 1968 on Apple Records, introducing songs like “Something in the Way She Moves.”
  • 1993: Songs of Faith and Devotion Live – Depeche Mode. A double live album from the band’s 1993 tour, released Dec 6, 1993. It captured the group performing hits like “Personal Jesus” in concert.
  • 1997: Reload – Metallica. The heavy metal band’s seventh studio album (featuring “Fuel” and “The Memory Remains”) was released and hit No. 1 in several countries.
  • 2003: In the Zone – Britney Spears. Released in late 2003, this album (with “Me Against the Music”) was sitting at No. 1 in the US on Dec 6.
  • 2003: Turnaround – Westlife. The Irish boy band’s fourth album was No. 1 in the UK albums chart on Dec 6, 2003. It includes the hit single “Mandy.”
  • 2008: Day & Age – The Killers. The Las Vegas rock band’s third album (featuring “Human”) reached No. 1 in the UK on Dec 6, 2008.
  • 2008: I Am… Sasha Fierce – Beyoncé. Released Nov 2008, this album (with “Single Ladies” and “Halo”) was topping the US charts in early December 2008.
  • 2011: American Dreamer 1967–1978 (vinyl box set) – Laura Nyro. Though released in 2018, American Dreamer had a vinyl box released earlier. (Nyro herself died in 1997.)
  • 2014: Never Been Better – Olly Murs. The British singer’s fourth album was No. 1 in the UK on Dec 6, 2014.
  • 2014: Four – One Direction. The boy band’s album (with “Steal My Girl”) was No. 1 in the US on Dec 6, 2014.
  • 2024: Hear My Song: The Collection 1966–1995 – Laura Nyro. A 19-CD box set chronicling Nyro’s career, released on Dec 6, 2024 (posthumously honoring the American singer-songwriter).

Chart-Topping Hits (December 6)

  • 1967: “Hello, Goodbye” – The Beatles. This single was No. 1 on the UK charts on Dec 6, 1967, and it also reached No. 1 in the US shortly after.
  • 1969: “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” – Steam. By Dec 6, 1969 this novelty song was sitting at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It became an enduring pop culture chant.
  • 1986: “The Next Time I Fall” – Peter Cetera & Amy Grant. This duet was No. 1 on the US singles chart on Dec 6, 1986. It remains one of Cetera’s best-known hits.
  • 1986: “The Final Countdown” – Europe. Holding the No. 1 spot on the UK singles chart on Dec 6, 1986, this song became a signature rock anthem worldwide.
  • 2003: “Stand Up” – Ludacris featuring Shawnna. This rap single reached No. 1 on the US charts in early December 2003. Ludacris was one of the top hip-hop artists of that era.
  • 2003: “Leave Right Now” – Will Young. The English pop singer’s single was No. 1 in the UK on Dec 6, 2003, following his win on Pop Idol.
  • 2003: “Mandy” – Westlife. Their cover of Barry Manilow’s classic was No. 1 in the UK in the week leading up to Dec 6, 2003, giving the Irish boy band yet another chart-topper.
  • 2008: “Greatest Day” – Take That. This upbeat pop song was No. 1 on the UK singles chart on Dec 6, 2008, marking Take That’s return as chart-toppers.
  • 2014: “Steal My Girl” – One Direction. While this song peaked earlier, their album Four (including “Steal My Girl”) was No. 1 in the US on Dec 6, 2014. (Their single “Perfect” was a big hit too around that time.)
  • 2019: “The Christmas Present” – Robbie Williams. Robbie’s holiday-themed album debuted at No. 1 in the UK on Dec 6, 2019, tying Elvis Presley’s record for most UK No. 1 albums.

Each of the above events, people, albums, and songs is tied to the date December 6. They show how this day has left a mark on music history in many ways.

Leave a Comment