It’s May 12th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 1984, Lionel Richie started a two-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Hello.” The ballad also topped the Canadian chart.
- In 2004, Barry and Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees received honorary doctorates in music from Manchester University. They also accepted one on behalf of their late brother, Maurice. Barry Gibb described the ceremony as “completely overwhelming and wonderful.”
- In 2013, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield’s cover of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” recorded on the International Space Station, premiered on YouTube. The video has since been viewed more than 43 million times.
- In 2017, U2 kicked off The Joshua Tree Tour at BC Place in Vancouver to mark the album’s 30th anniversary. The tour also included a stop in Toronto.
- In 2002, singer Dionne Warwick was arrested after baggage screeners at Miami International Airport found 11 marijuana joints in her carry-on bag. The charges were later dropped after Warwick made a charity donation and completed a drug program.
And that’s what popped on this day.