1960 - Decca Records destroys 25,000 copies of Ray Peterson's "Tell Laura I Lover Her" because they felt the song, which recounts the last thoughts of a teenager dying from a car accident, was "too tasteless and vulgar". A cover version by Ricky Valance, went to No.1 on the UK chart a month later.
1966 - The Beatles release their seventh album, Revolver, in the US. Featuring "Taxman", "Eleanor Rigby", "I'm Only Sleeping", "Here, There and Everywhere", "She Said, She Said", "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "Tomorrow Never Knows", the album spent 77 weeks on the Billboard chart peaking at No.1. Exactly three years later, in 1969, the photo session for the cover of their Abbey Road album takes place on the crossing outside Abbey Road studios. After photographer Iain McMillan, balanced on a step-ladder in the middle of the road, took six shots of John, Ringo, Paul, and George walking across the zebra crossing while a policeman held up the traffic, the band then returned to the studio and recorded overdubs on "The End", "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and "Oh! Darling".
1981 - MTV broadcasts its first stereo concert: REO Speedwagon in Denver, Colorado. The band had just released their hit album Hi Infidelity.
1986 - David Crosby of Crosby, Stills and Nash is released from prison after serving three years on drug and weapons charges. (His conviction would be overturned by a Texas appeals court in November of 1987.)
1987 - U2 score their second US No.1 single from The Joshua Tree with "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", which received two nominations for the 30th Grammy Awards in 1988: Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
1988 - N.W.A release hip hop classic Straight Outta Compton on Ruthless Records. In 2017, it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or artistically significant."
1992 - A riot breaks out during a Guns N' Roses and Metallica show at Montreal Stadium when Metallica's set is cut short after singer James Hetfield is injured by pyrotechnics. Guns N' Roses took the stage but frontman Axl Rose claimed that his throat hurt, causing the band to leave the stage early. The cancellation led to a riot by the audience who overturned cars, smashed windows, looted local stores and set fires.
2010 - John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman, has his parole hearing delayed until early September so that officials could gather additional information. Chapman had become eligible for parole in 2000 after serving 20 years, but had been denied his freedom five times.
2016 - The judge presiding over the "Stairway To Heaven" copyright infringement trial rules against Led Zeppelin and their publishing company's attempts to recoup nearly $800,000 in legal fees. While a federal jury determined that Led Zeppelin were not guilty of plagiarizing Spirit's "Taurus" in a copyright infringement trial, judge R. Gary Klausner ruled that, since the lawsuit itself was not frivolous and meritless, the estate of Spirit guitarist Randy (California) Wolfe and their attorney Francis Malofiy were not obligated to repay the defendants' legal fees.
2017 - Singer/guitarist/songwriter/television host/actor Glen Campbell dies in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 81. Campbell released more than 70 studio albums and sold 45 million records worldwide. His hits include:"By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman" and 'Rhinestone Cowboy", and his guitar playing can be heard on "Strangers in the Night" by Frank Sinatra, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" by The Righteous Brothers and "I'm a Believer" by The Monkees.
Today's Birthdays include...drummer Liberty DeVitto, best known for his work as a drummer for Billy Joel's recording and touring band as well as Carly Simon, Phoebe Snow, Karen Carpenter, Stevie Nicks, Rick Wakeman, Bob James and Meat Loaf (68); A Flock of Seagulls drummer Ali Score (62); Dennis Drew, keyboardist for 10,000 Maniacs (61); Madness guitarist Christopher Foreman (60); and U2 guitarist and backing vocalist Dave Evans aka The Edge (57).
