It’s April 12th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 1999, the Backstreet Boys released "I Want It That Way,” the first single from their third studio album, Millennium. Written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson, it was nominated for three Grammys, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
- In 2015, Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine jumped off the stage at Coachella and broke her foot. “Unfortunately while this heals, my performances will have to be somewhat stripped back,” the singer shared on Facebook.
- In 1975,“Philadelphia Freedom” by The Elton John Band was at the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two weeks. It was the singer’s fourth No. 1 hit in the U.S.
- In 2011, Ed Sheeran tweeted that he was performing a free show that night at a bar in Camden. “First come first serve, il (sic) try and play to as many people as possible but can’t promise anything,” he wrote. More than 1,000 people showed up, so Sheeran performed four sets, including one on the street outside the bar after closing time.
- In 1987, Brendon Boyd Urie was born in Utah. He was only two when his family moved to Las Vegas, where he eventually took music lessons and joined a band, Panic! At the Disco. His hits include last year’s anthem “High Hopes.”
- In 2007, Akon simulated sex on a 14-year-old girl who he brought up on stage during a show at a club in Trinidad. In response, Verizon Wireless pulled its $3 million U.S. sponsorship of Gwen Stefani’s The Sweet Escape Tour, for which Akon was opening act. Akon later issued an apology. “It was never my intention to embarrass or take advantage of my fans in any way, especially those under the age of 18,” he said.
- In 1989, a pair of radio hosts in Los Angeles wondered aloud whatever happened to David Cassidy (it was his birthday). The former pop idol called in to the station and was invited to come in. Cassidy played three songs on air and subsequently signed a new record deal.
- In 2005, Mariah Carey released The Emancipation of Mimi, her 10th studio album. With songs like “We Belong Together,” it went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart on April 30 and became one of the top-selling albums of the year.
- In 1962, Rob Baker, who became the lead guitarist of The Tragically Hip, was born in Kingston, Ont.
And that’s what popped on this day.