It’s April 7th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 1985, Wham! became the first Western act to play in China. The pop duo performed at the for 12,000 fans at Workers’ Gymnasium in Beijing. Footage from the 10-day trip was used in Wham!’s video for “Freedom.”
- In 1998, former Wham! singer George Michael was arrested in a public washroom in a Beverly Hills park when he exposed himself to an undercover police officer. Convicted of “lewd conduct,” Michael was fined $810 U.S. and ordered to do 80 hours of community service. The incident inspired Michael’s 1998 song “Outside.”
- In 1990, Elton John dedicated his performance of “Candle in the Wind” at Farm Aid IV to Ryan White, a young boy with AIDS. White died hours later.
- In 1991, Anne-Marie Rose Nicholson was born in England. She released an EP in 2015 and was featured on the 2016 hit “Rockabye” by Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul. Her 2018 debut album included her Marshmello collaboration “Friends” and the hit “2002.”
- In 2016, the Season 15 finale of American Idol was broadcast and Trent Harmon was declared the winner. It was the competition show’s final season on Fox. In 2018, a new version of American Idol debuted on ABC.
- In 2003, Avril Lavigne had a good night at the Juno Awards in Ottawa, winning New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and Pop Album of the Year (for Let Go), and Single of the Year (“Complicated”). Group of the Year went to Sum 41, whose frontman Deryck Whibley went on to marry Lavigne three years later.
- In 1949, John William Oates was born in New York City. At university in Philadelphia, he befriended Daryl Hall and the pair launched a music career that has included hits like “Maneater,” “Rich Girl,” “Out of Touch” and “Private Eyes.”
- In 2017, Nile Rodgers and ELO were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Pearl Jam, Journey, Joan Baez, Tupac Shakur and Yes.
- In 1990, Bonnie Raitt’s Nick Of Time became her first No. 1 album. It held on to the top spot for three weeks and went on to win three Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
And that’s what popped on this day.