Pick a Day

16 OCTOBER

In Music History

2025 Ace Frehley, the longtime lead guitarist in Kiss known as the Spaceman, dies at 74. Frehley had a solo hit in 1978 with "New York Groove."

2024 Former One Direction star Liam Payne dies at 31 after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires. Toxicology tests find traces of alcohol and cocaine in his system.

2017 Ed Sheeran breaks his wrist and elbow in a biking accident, forcing him to cancel dates on his tour of Asia. He calls his time off "the most depressing six weeks of my life."More

2014 Tim Hauser (of The Criterions, The Manhattan Transfer) dies of a cardiac arrest at age 72.

2010 Nicki Minaj, whose debut album is still a month away, sets a record for most entries on the Hot 100 at the same time, with seven: #11 "Bottoms Up" (with Trey Songz) #33 "2012 (It Ain't the End)" (with Jay Sean) #42 "What's Wrong With Them" (with Lil Wayne) #40 "Letting Go (Dutty Love)" (with Sean Kingston) #50 "Check It Out" (with will.i.am) #61 "Your Love" #74 "Right Thru Me"

2003 Simon & Garfunkel open their new "Old Friends" Tour with a concert in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

1999 Pop singer Ella Mae Morse dies of respiratory problems in Bullhead City, Arizona, at age 75. Known for '40s hits like "Shoo-Shoo Baby" and "Blacksmith Blues."

1999 Sarah Lee Guthrie, daughter of folk singer Arlo Guthrie, marries Johnny Irion. They begin performing together as an acoustic duo the following year.

1993 Aretha Franklin sings the US national anthem in Toronto before Game 1 of World Series between the Blue Jays and the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.

1992 The Offspring release their second studio album, Ignition. It's their first release on Epitaph Records, a label owned by Bad Religion's Brett Gurewitz.

1990 Jazz drummer Art Blakey dies of lung cancer in Manhattan, New York, at age 71.

1989 Kate Bush releases her sixth studio album, The Sensual World. The title track, inspired by James Joyce's novel Ulysses, earns her a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Performance.

1988 U2, Ziggy Marley and Keith Richards are among the performers at the Smile Jamaica concert, which benefits victims of Hurricane Gilbert.

1982 Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," a #1 Country hit in 1974, goes back to the top spot thanks to its use in the movie The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. This makes it the first song to top that chart twice.

1977 John Mayer is born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His 2001 debut album, Room For Squares, catches on with heartfelt songs like "No Such Thing" and "Your Body Is A Wonderland." In 2015 he takes a surprising turn, joining the band Dead & Company, where he plays Grateful Dead classics with three former members of the iconic group.