It’s January 17th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 1984, Adam Richard Wiles was born in Scotland. As a teen he began recording EDM demos in his bedroom and chose the name Calvin Harris because it sounded racially ambiguous. He went on to collaborate with big artists and have hits like “Summer,” “This Is What You Came For” and “One Kiss.”
- In 1998, “Truly Madly Deeply” by Savage Garden started a two-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Written by the Australian duo (Darren Hayes and Daniel Jones), it was actually a reworked version of an earlier song titled “Magical Kisses.”
- In 1971, Robert James Ritchie was born in Michigan. He took an early interest in breakdance and rap and taught himself to play several instruments. As Kid Rock, he has released nearly a dozen albums since 1990.
- In 1999 - Cyndi Lauper voiced herself in an episode of The Simpsons titled “Wild Barts Can’t Be Broken.”
- In 1959, Susanna Lee Hoffs was born in Los Angeles. Along with sisters Vicki Peterson and Debbi Peterson, she formed a band called The Bangs, which later became The Bangles. The all-female group went on to have hits like “If She Knew What She Wants” and “Manic Monday.”
- In 1976, Barry Manilow’s “I Write The Songs” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, which went on to win a Grammy, was actually written by Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys.
- In 2012, Kelly Clarkson released “Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You).” Written by Jörgen Elofsson, Ali Tamposi, David Gamson, and Greg Kurstin, it borrows from the Friedrich Nietzsche quotation: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” The song was nominated for three Grammys.
And that’s what popped on this day.