It’s April 13th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 2011, Jennifer Lopez was named People magazine’s Most Beautiful Person of the year. “Rarely am I left speechless,” the singer is quoted as saying, “but I feel honoured.” Singers Mandy Moore and Jennifer Hudson are among the other stars on the list.
- In 2004, Ritchie Cordell, who penned ‘60s songs like “I Think We’re Alone Now” (a hit in 1987 for Tiffany) and “Mony Mony” (a hit in 1981 for Billy Idol), died of pancreatic cancer. He was 61.
- In 1994, singer Billy Joel and model Christie Brinkley announced they had separated back in November after nine years of marriage. The couple had daughter Alexa Ray in 1985.
- In 1974, Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” (sometimes spelled “Benny and the Jets”) became his second No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
- In 1951, Robert Peapo Bryson was born in South Carolina. After working as a backup singer, he launched a solo career in 1976. As Peabo Bryson, he had hits like “If Ever You’re In My Arms Again” and the Roberta Flack duet “Tonight I Celebrate My Love.”
- In 1985, the all-star charity single “We Are the World” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of four weeks.
And that’s what popped on this day.