It’s December 30th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 2011, Russell Brand filed for divorce from pop star Katy Perry, citing irreconcilable differences, after a little more than a year of marriage. In a 2013 interview with Vogue, Perry said she learned of the filing the following day via a text message from Brand.
- In 2006, singer Brandy (“The Boy Is Mine”) was driving her Range Rover on a Los Angeles freeway when it slammed into the back of another vehicle, causing fatal injuries to driver Awatef Aboudihaj. Brandy was not charged with a crime but settled a civil lawsuit filed by the victim’s family.
- In 2002, pop music icon Diana Ross was arrested in Tucson on suspicion of driving while drunk. Police said her blood alcohol was 0.2, more than double Arizona’s legal limit. In 2004, Ross pleaded no contest and was sentenced to 2 days in jail and a year of probation.
- In 2010, Boney M lead singer Bobby Farrell died at the age of 61 in Russia. Aptly, the singer’s death was on the anniversary of the 1916 murder of Rasputin – who was the subject of the group’s biggest hit, “Rasputin.”
- In 2009, Canada’s governor general announced that Canadian singer-songwriters Neil Young and Burton Cummings were named officers of the Order of Canada.
- In 1986, Elena Jane Goulding was born in England, where she began playing instruments as a child and writing songs by her teens. As Ellie Goulding, she released her debut single in 2009 and went on to have hits like “Burn” and “Love Me Like You Do.”
And that’s what popped on this day.