June 28th: The Biggest Music Headlines

Scroll down the page to see all the music headlines, stories and events for June 28 throughout music history

Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Radiohead Scores a Surprise No.1 with ‘OK Computer’

On this day in music, June 28, 1997, Radiohead topped the UK album chart with their third LP, OK Computer. The record found the British band moving away from the guitar-focused rock that made them famous, instead integrating various electronic elements, as they wrote songs about societal angst amid the turn of the millennium. While their label was skeptical about the album’s commercial viability, OK Computer became one of the group’s most successful albums, thanks to hits like “Karma Police” and “Paranoid Android.” Considered to be a modern-day masterpiece, the album earned Radiohead their first Grammy award and was later added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry.

In 1975, the Eagles achieved their first No.1 album on the Billboard 200 with One of These Nights. The California band’s fourth studio album and commercial breakthrough, One of These Nights featured three Top Five singles, including “Take It to the Limit,” the Grammy-winning “Lyin’ Eyes,” and the chart-topping title track. The album, which marked the band’s final release with founding guitarist Bernie Leadon, also served as the Eagles’ entree into global stardom, landing in the Top Ten in the UK, Australia, and Canada, and the Top 30 in Japan.

In 2007, the Spice Girls announced their plans to reunite for a world tour. The two-month run, which included stops in London, Hong Kong, Cape Town, and Los Angeles, among other global hot spots, would mark the original line-up’s first shows together since 1998.

In 1968, Pink Floyd released their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, in the UK. The title marked the group’s final LP with their founding singer and guitarist, Syd Barrett, who left the band before the album was finished amid struggles with his mental health. A Saucerful of Secrets also introduced Barret’s replacement, David Gilmour, who appeared on much of the album, including opener “Let There Be More Light.”

In 1975, singer-songwriter Tim Buckley unknowingly played his final concert to 1800 fans at a sold-out show in Dallas, TX. The 28-year-old artist then proceeded to celebrate the end of his tour with a weekend of partying. Tragically, Buckley passed away the following evening, following an overdose.

In 1986, Wham! played their final concert at London’s Wembley Stadium. The duo, who announced their breakup earlier in the year, also released a farewell album, The Final. Playing to 72,000 fans, the duo closed out with a performance of “I’m Your Man” featuring Elton John and Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon.

In 1959, American singer Bobby Darin scored his first No.1 hit in the UK with “Dream Lover.” The song featured a cameo by singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka on piano.

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BORN ON JUNE 28:

1952: Alan Pasqua (Giant)
1963: Andy Cousin (All About Eve)
1965: Saul Davies (James)
1966: Bobby Bare Jr.
1977: Mark Stoermer (The Killers)
1986: Kellie Pickler

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June 28th

On this day in music

28 Jun 2020 Bob Dylan was at No.1 on the UK chart with his thirty-ninth studio album Rough and Rowdy Ways. At 79-years-old, he was the "most-senior act" to ever top the chart. Rough and Rowdy Ways was the best-selling album in the United States the same week (although it charted at No. 2 behind Lil Baby's My Turn due to streaming and individual track sales) This made it Dylan's highest-charting album on the Billboard 200 in more than a decade. It also marked his seventh consecutive decade of charting top 40 albums, making him the first artist to accomplish this feat.
28 Jun 2019 Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne ordered Donald Trump not to use the star’s music for his political campaign. The US president, who was running for re-election in 2020, used Ozzy's 1980 hit Crazy Train in a video mocking his Democratic rivals. Sharon Osbourne suggested Mr Trump could ask some of his prominent supporters such as Kid Rock and Ted Nugent to supply him with music for his campaign.
28 Jun 2016 Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley's longtime guitarist died at his home in Nashville, aged 84. Moore had been in poor health in recent months. He formed the Starlite Wrangers with bassist Bill Black and in 1954, Sun Records impresario Sam Phillips paired Moore with a teenaged Elvis Presley. Together, along with Black, they recorded Presley's first single, 'That's All Right (Mama).' The recording session was only meant to be an audition; instead, the trio made music history.
28 Jun 2013 Coldplay's 2011 headline appearance on the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage was voted the top Glastonbury moment by BBC Radio listeners. Radiohead and Blur's 2009 Pyramid Stage appearances polled second and third respectively, with Bruce Springsteen's performance of Thunder Road in 2009 coming fourth.
28 Jun 2012 Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe was arrested before the band's scheduled show at Prague's Hard Rock Cage and charged with manslaughter. The incident from which Blythe was charged reportedly took place in 2010 at the band's show at Club Abaton, in Prague. According to reports, a fan jumped up on the stage where a tussle ensued in which the fan was injured. The fan later died, reportedly as a result of those injuries.
28 Jun 2010 American singer-songwriter Jake Holmes filed a lawsuit against Jimmy Page in US federal court for copyright infringement for his song 'Dazed and Confused' claiming Page knowingly copied his work. Page, while on tour with the Yardbirds in 1967, saw Holmes perform the song in Greenwich Village and within months had adapted the song for the Yardbirds and later for Led Zeppelin. The case was eventually settled, with the writing credit on the song changed to "Jimmy Page, Inspired By Jake Holmes."
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28 Jun 2009 Three days after his death Michael Jackson was at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Number Ones'. The Essential Michael Jackson went to No.1 the following week for seven weeks.
28 Jun 2007 Benno Goldewijk, from Holland, and Spaniard Alfredo Pecina Matias were killed and two other men were injured during an accident dismantling the stage after a Rolling Stones concert in Madrid. Three of the workers fell 10m (33ft) from a metal structure and landed on a fourth. The Stones were currently on the European leg of their A Bigger Bang world tour.
28 Jun 2007 The Spice Girls confirmed they would reform for a world tour to take place in December 2007 and January 2008 with the original line-up who had not performed on stage since Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell quit in May 1998. The 11 dates announced included a London show on 15 December, eight days after the first date in Los Angeles. Other dates included Cologne, Madrid Beijing, Hong Kong, Sydney and Cape Town. The tour was being put together by Simon Fuller, whose 19 company masterminded the group's global success more than a decade ago.
28 Jun 1997 Puff Daddy and Faith Evans started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'I'll Be Missing You'. Released in memory of fellow Bad Boy Records artist Notorious B.I.G. who was murdered on March 9, 1997. The song sampled the melody of The Police hit 'Every Breath You Take'.
28 Jun 1997 Radiohead went to No.1 on the UK album chart with their third album OK Computer. The British groups first self-produced album later appeared in many critics' lists and listener polls for best album of the year and also won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.
28 Jun 1997 The Pink Floyd album The Dark Side Of The Moon spent its 1056th week on the US album chart. It was rumoured at the time that if the album was played while watching The Wizard of Oz movie, and started exactly when the MGM lion roared the third time during the movie's intro, very interesting connections could be made between the two.
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28 Jun 1986 Wham! were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their fourth and final UK No.1 'The Edge Of Heaven'. Also on this day Wham! played their farewell concert in front of 72,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, London.
28 Jun 1985 Sister Sledge were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Frankie', the sisters only UK No.1. Nile Rodgers from Chic produced the hit for the soul trio from Philadelphia.
28 Jun 1980 The Paul McCartney single 'Coming Up' became one of the few 'live' recordings to reach the top of Billboard's Hot 100. American disc jockeys preferred it to the studio version on the flip side of the record.
28 Jun 1977 Elton John achieved a life long ambition when he became the Chairman of Watford Football Club.
28 Jun 1975 Wings went to No.1 on the UK chart with their fourth album 'Venus And Mars'. The follow up to Band On The Run featured the US No.1 single 'Listen What The Man Said'.
28 Jun 1975 The Eagles started a five-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with their fourth studio album 'One Of These Nights'. The album which became their breakthrough album released three US Top 10 singles, 'Lyin' Eyes', (which won a Grammy), 'Take It To The Limit' and the title track.
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28 Jun 1975 American singer songwriter Tim Buckley completed the last show of a tour in Dallas, Texas, playing to a sold-out crowd of 1,800 people. This was Buckley's last ever show, he died the following day of a heroin and morphine overdose aged 28.
28 Jun 1969 Henry Mancini started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Love Theme from Romeo And Juliet'. The film's love theme was used as the backing for "Our Tune" by DJ Simon Bates on his BBC Radio 1 show.
28 Jun 1969 Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, The Nice, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Ten Years After, Taste, The Liverpool Scene and Chicken Shack all appeared at The Bath Festival of Blues in England, with DJ John Peel. Tickets cost 18/6. The festival proved very popular, selling out all 30,000 tickets in the first week, surprising both the townsfolk and the promoters. The only major problem occurred when the Nice's use of bagpipers caused the stage to collapse.
28 Jun 1968 Pink Floyd released their second album A Saucerful Of Secrets in the UK. It is both the last Pink Floyd album on which Syd Barrett would appear and the only studio album to which all five band members contributed. The album sleeve was designed by Hipgnosis, a new company formed by the band's friends Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey 'Po' Powell, who were paid £110 for their efforts.
28 Jun 1968 Working at Abbey Road studios The Beatles recorded ‘Good Night’, John Lennon’s lullaby for his 5-year-old son Julian with Ringo singing the lead vocal. The track appeared on The White Album.
28 Jun 1962 The Drifters entered a studio to record the Gerry Goffin and Carole King song 'Up on the Roof'. It became a major hit in early 1963, reaching No.5 on the US pop singles chart. Gerry Goffin cited 'Up on the Roof' as his all-time favourite of the lyrics he had written. In the UK the Drifters' version failed to reach the Top 50, being surpassed by two British cover versions, sung by, respectively, Julie Grant and Kenny Lynch. The song had its most successful UK incarnation via a 1995 remake by Robson & Jerome released as a double A-side coupled with their remake of 'I Believe' reached No.1 on the UK Singles Chart.
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28 Jun 1959 Bobby Darin was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Dream Lover'. The American singers first UK No.1 which featured Neil Sedaka on piano also reached No.2 on the US chart.

Born on this day in music

28 Jun 1989 Lucy Rose, English singer-songwriter. Her debut album, Like I Used To peaked at No.13 on the UK album chart.
28 Jun 1986 Kellie Pickler, American country music artist and television personality. Her debut album, Small Town Girl, has sold over 900,000 copies.
28 Jun 1977 American musician and songwriter Mark Stoermer, bassist from The Killers, who scored the 2005 UK No.1 with their debut album Hot Fuss. Their 2017 album Wonderful Wonderful peaked at No.1 on the US & UK chart.
28 Jun 1971 Ray Slijngaard, vocals from the Belgian-Dutch dance music act 2 Unlimited. They scored a total of sixteen international chart hits including the UK No.1 single 'No Limit'.
28 Jun 1966 Bobby Bare Jr. American singer-songwriter, (the son of country musician Bobby Bare, Sr.). In 1974, when Bobby was only eight, he and his father were both nominated for a Grammy for the song 'Daddy What If', which was written by Shel Silverstein.
28 Jun 1965 Saul Davies, guitar, violin, from English rock band James who scored the 1991 UK No.2 single 'Sit Down' and the hits 'Laid' and 'Come Home'.
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28 Jun 1963 Andy Cousin, bassist from All About Eve who had the 1988 UK No.10 single 'Martha's Harbour'. Cousin has also worked with The Mission and The Lucy Nation and now works as a radio presenter.
28 Jun 1963 Charles Clouser, keyboards, drums, and engineer. Once a member of Nine Inch Nails (1994-2000) Worked with Deftones, White Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Killing Joke and Type O Negative.
28 Jun 1961 American guitarist Kurdt Vanderhoof best known as the rhythm guitarist and founding member of the heavy metal band Metal Church.
28 Jun 1959 Clint Boon, keyboards, from English alternative rock band Inspiral Carpets who had the 1990 UK No.14 single 'This Is How It Feels'. Formed the The Clint Boon Experience and also works as a radio and TV presenter.
28 Jun 1952 American pianist Alan Pasqua who was a founding member of the 1980s hard rock band, Giant. As a session musician, he has toured and recorded with Bob Dylan, Cher, Michael Bublé, Eddie Money, Allan Holdsworth, Joe Walsh, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, Juice Newton, Prism, and Santana.
28 Jun 1945 David Knights, bassist, Procol Harum, 1967 UK No.1 & US No.5 single 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' (one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies) and scored the hits 'Homburg', 'Conquistador'. He played on Procol Harum's first three albums.
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28 Jun 1943 Bobby Harrison, drummer with Procol Harum, who had the 1967 UK No.1 & US No.5 single 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' (one of the few singles to have sold over 10 million copies). He was an early member of Procol Harum, but left the group shortly after their 1967 hit single. He died on 7 January 2022, at the age of 82.