It’s July 21st and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 2017, Beijing’s Culture Bureau posted a statement on its website explaining that Canadian pop star Justin Bieber was not allowed to perform in China. “He is also a controversial young foreign idol,” it read. “As far as we are concerned, he has engaged in a series of bad behaviours, both in his social life and during a previous performance in China, which caused discontent among the public.”
- In 1989, Milli Vanilli runs off the stage during a performance in Bristol, Connecticut when the vocal track they were lip-syncing to skipped. Months later it was finally confirmed that Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan never sang any of their songs.
- In 1990, Canadians Bryan Adams, Joni Mitchell as well as Rick Danko and Garth Hudson of The Band took part in The Wall: Live in Berlin, a concert by Roger Waters at the former site of the Berlin Wall.
- In 2001, Madonna kicked off the U.S. leg of her Drowned World Tour in Philadelphia. Her fifth tour – and first in eight years – didn’t include any dates in Canada.
- In 2003, it was reported that Coldplay singer Chris Martin was arrested for allegedly smashing the windshield of a car belonging to paparazzo John Lester, who snapped pics of him surfing. Police said Martin admitted he lost his temper.
And that’s what popped on this day.