It’s November 7th, and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 2016, Montreal’s Leonard Cohen died at the age of 82. Some of the songs he penned were covered by artists who found success on the pop charts. Among them is “Bird on a Wire” by the Neville Brothers – but versions of Cohen’s “Hallelujah” were hits for k.d. lang, Alexandra Burke and Pentatonix.
- In 2011, Dr. Conrad Murray was found guilt of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson after a 24-day trial. Murray was accused of giving the King of Pop a lethal dose of the sedative propofol.
- In 2017, Aretha Franklin performed live for the last time. The Queen of Soul sang at Elton John’s AIDS Foundation gala in New York City. She died nine months later.
- In 1943, Roberta Joan Anderson was born in Fort Macleod, Alberta. After her family settled in Saskatchewan, she started developing a passion for music. As Joni Mitchell, she would write and record hits like “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Help Me” as well as hits for other artists, including “Both Sides Now” for Judy Collins.
- In 2015, Pentatonix became the first a capella act to top the U.S. album chart when their self-titled release hit No. 1.
- In 2011, Adele underwent laser surgery on her vocal cords at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to remove a benign polyp. The singer was forced to cancel several performances due to throat problems.
- In 1981, Hall and Oates started a two-week run at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Private Eyes.” It was their third time the duo topped the chart.
- In 2002, singer Bobby Brown was arrested during an early-morning traffic stop in Atlanta and charged with possession of marijuana, speeding, and driving without a license or proof of insurance. Brown’s wife Whitney Houston was not in the vehicle.
- In 1987, Tiffany became the youngest artist to have a No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 since Michael Jackson (for 1972’s “Ben”) thanks to her cover of “I Think We're Alone Now.” It stayed in the top spot for two weeks.
- In 1967, Pierre David Guetta was born in Paris. He started DJing in the ‘80s and went on to become a famed producer and songwriter with hits like “When Love Takes Over,” “Titanium” and “Without You.”
And that’s what popped on this day.