It’s May 15th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 2008, it was reported that Canadian singer Shania Twain had separated from her husband (and songwriter/producer) Robert John “Mutt” Lange after 14 years. At the time, a rep called he split “a private matter” but it was reportedly because Lange had an affair with Twain’s friend Marie-Anne Thiébaud. Twain later married Thiébaud's ex-husband, Frédéric.
- In 1982, “Ebony and Ivory” by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder started a seven-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Written by Paul McCartney, the racial harmony anthem was later named the 10th worst song of all time by Blender and the worst duet in history by BBC 6 Music.
- In 1993, Janet Jackson began an eight-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with “That's The Way Love Goes” from her album Janet. The song, which samples James Brown’s “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” and The Honey Drippers’ “Impeach the President” won a Grammy and an American Music Award.
- In 1995, Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots was arrested in the parking lot of a motel near Pasadena, California after police witnessed what appeared to be a drug deal. The singer was charged with possession or cocaine and heroin and driving while under the influence. Weiland died in 2015 of an accidental drug overdose.
- In 1985, Prince & The Revolution released “Raspberry Beret,” from the album Around the World in a Day. It worked its way up to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- In 1986, Run-DMC released Raising Hell, which went on to become the first hip hop album to be certified Platinum. Featuring the hit single “Walk This Way,” the album was added to the National Recording Registry by the U.S. Library of Congress in 2018 for being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant.”
And that’s what popped on this day.