Historic events this week from Bob Dylan, Peter Frampton, Bob Seger, Fleetwood Mac, Doobie Brothers and David Bowie
APRIL 9, 2020: DYLAN’S FIRST US #1 SINGLE
Remarkably, Bob Dylan has never had a #1 single in the US until now.
Dylan’s “Murder Most Foul”, a 17-minute epic about JFK’s assassination, was released on 3/27/20.
The song went to #1 on Billboard’s Rock Digital Song Sales chart with over 10,000 sold in its first week.
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APRIL 10, 1976: FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! IS #1
Two days after being certified Platinum, Frampton Comes Alive! was #1 on the charts.
The live album would spend 10 non-consecutive weeks at #1.
The only album to spend more time at #1 in 1976 was Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life.
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APRIL 12, 1976: SEGER RELEASES LIVE BULLET
For years, Bob Seger and his live show were scarcely known outside of Detroit.
The incendiary performances on Live Bullet, which featured “Travelin’ Man/Beautiful Loser”, “Turn the Page” and “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”, finally made Bob Seger a household name.
Live Bullet would pave the way for the multi-Platinum success of Night Moves, which was released 6 months later.
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APRIL 13, 1987: FLEETWOOD MAC’S TANGO IN THE NIGHT
Fleetwood Mac’s Tango in the Night was originally conceived as Lindsey Buckingham’s third solo album.
The 3x Platinum album featured the #1 singles “Little Lies” and “Everywhere”; the latter going double Platinum on its own.
It’s the band’s last to feature the classic lineup of John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
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APRIL 14, 1979: WHAT A FOOL BELIEVES IS #1
A few months after releasing Minute by Minute, the Doobie Brothers had their second #1 single since 1975’s “Black Water”.
Co-written with Kenny Loggins, the song would go on to win Grammys for Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
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APRIL 14, 1983: DAVID BOWIE’S LET’S DANCE
David Bowie’s 15th LP, Let’s Dance, remains his biggest selling album worldwide.
Featuring Stevie Ray Vaughan on lead guitar, the album contains “China Girl”, “Modern Love” and the #1 single “Let’s Dance”.
The album has sold nearly 11 million copies worldwide.
