On March 29 2007, ‘Umbrella’, by Rihanna featuring Jay-Z was released in the US. The track went on to reach No.1 in various countries, including the US. A No.1 in the UK for 10 consecutive weeks making it the longest running No.1 single since Wet Wet Wet’s ‘Love Is All Around’ in 1994, and the longest running No.1 by a female artist since Whitney Houston‘s ‘I Will Always Love You.’
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Today in music’s history
On February 15th 1965, American singer and pianist Nat King Cole died of lung cancer. First hit was the 1943 ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’, had the 1955 US No.2 single ‘A Blossom Fell’ and 1957 UK No.2 single ‘When I Fall In Love’ plus over 20 other US & UK Top 40 singles. He is the father of singer Natalie Cole. In 1956 he became the first black American to host a television variety show.
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Today Music’s History
On March 20 2017, Ed Sheeran was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Shape of You’. The song peaked at No.1 on the singles charts of 34 countries, including the US Billboard Hot 100. In December 2018, the song became the first song to hit 2 billion streams and the most streamed song on Spotify. ‘Shape of You’ also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
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Today Music’s History
On March 20 1960, Elvis Presley started his first recordings since being discharged from the US Army. A 12 hour session in a Nashville recording studio produced his next No.1 single, ‘Stuck On You’. Scotty Moore and Bill Black, who had quit Presley’s touring band in 1957, were in the studio with him for the last time. In 1961, Elvis Presley started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Surrender’, his fifth No.1 of the 60s. It also made No.1 in the UK. The song was based on the 1911 Italian song, ‘Return To Sorrento.’
