- Jan 4 "Good News" closes at St James Theater NYC after 16 performances
- Jan 4 "Over Here" closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 341 performances
"Gypsy"
Jan 4 Revival of Jules Styne and Stephen Sondheim's "Gypsy" closes at Winter Garden Theater, NYC. after 120 performances, and a Tony Award for Angela Lansbury
- Jan 5 Charlie Smalls' musical "The Wiz", an updated take on "The Wizard of Oz", starring Stephanie Mills, Stu Gilliam, and Dee Dee Bridgewater, opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 1672 performances, winning 7 Tony and 6 Drama Desk Awards
- Jan 6 A thousand Led Zeppelin fans, waiting overnight inside the lobby of the Boston Garden for tickets to the group's February 4th gig to go on sale, cause a riot and an estimated $30,000 damage
- Jan 7 Gary Geld and Peter Udell's musical "Shenandoah", based on the film of the same name, closes at Alvin Theater, NYC; runs for 1050 performances and wins 2 Tony Awards
- Jan 7 Led Zeppelin fans riot before Boston concert causing $30,000 damage
Music Premiere
Jan 29 John Phillips' musical "Man on the Moon", produced by Andy Warhol, opens at the Little Theater, NYC; runs for 5 performances
"Mandy"
Jan 31 Barry Manilow's single "Mandy" goes gold
"#9 Dream"
Jan 31 John Lennon releases single "#9 Dream"
- Feb 1 "Hoppy, Gene & Me" by Roy Rogers peaks at #65
- Feb 1 John Phillips' musical "Man on the Moon", produced by Andy Warhol, closes at the Little Theater, NYC, after 5 performances
- Feb 17 A&M Records releases John Lennon's sixth studio album, "Rock 'n' Roll" album, cover songs of early rock numbers
American Music Awards
Feb 18 2nd American Music Awards: Olivia Newton-John & John Denver win
People's Choice Awards
Mar 3 1st People's Choice Awards: John Wayne & Barbra Streisand win (Motion Pictures) and Alan Alda, Telly Savalas & Mary Tyler Moore win (TV)
Music History
Mar 3 Linda McCartney is charged in US with possession of marijuana
Academy of Country Music Awards
Mar 5 10th Academy of Country Music Awards: Merle Haggard and Loretta Lynn win
Young Americans
Mar 7 RCA releases "Young Americans", David Bowie's 9th studio album, recorded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York City; featuring appearances by John Lennon on two tracks, it peaks in the U.S. charts at No. 9, and No. 2 in the U.K.
- Mar 9 Musical rock opera "The Lieutenant" opens at the Lyceum Theatre, NYC; runs for 9 performances
- Mar 10 "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" opens at the Belasco Theater, NYC; runs for 45 performances
- Mar 10 John Lennon releases single "Stand By Me", a cover of Ben E. King's song from 1961
- Mar 15 "That's the Way of the World" 6th studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1975)
- Mar 16 Musical rock opera "The Lieutenant" closes at the Lyceum Theater, NYC, after 9 performances
- Mar 19 Buster Davis and Luther Henderson's musical "Doctor Jazz" opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 5 performances
- Mar 22 20th Eurovision Song Contest: Teach-In for Netherlands wins singing "Ding-a-dong" in Stockholm, Sweden
- Mar 22 Buster Davis and Luther Henderson's musical "Doctor Jazz" closes at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC, after 5 performances
- Mar 22 Netherlands' "Ding-a-dong" performed by Tech-In wins Eurovision Song Contest in Stockholm, Sweden
- Mar 22 Robert Wilson and Alan Lloyd's musical theatre work "A Letter for Queen Victoria" opens at ANTA Theater. NYC; runs for 18 performances
Music Concert
Mar 24 New Orleans R&B piano player Professor Longhair with the Meters perform at record release party for Paul McCartney and Wings' "Venus and Mars", aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California
When Will I Be Loved
Mar 25 Linda Ronstadt releases cover of the Everly Brothers' 1960 song "When Will I Be Loved" as a single; climbs to No. 2 in the charts
Tommy
Mar 26 Ken Russell's film "Tommy", based on the rock opera by The Who, premieres in London; Roger Daltrey and Ann-Margret star, Tina Turner and Elton John are featured
Music History
Apr 4 Steve Miller is arrested for burning his girlfriend's clothes
- Apr 5 Robert Wilson and Alan Lloyd's musical theatre work "A Letter for Queen Victoria" closes at ANTA Theater, NYC, after 18 performances
- Apr 6 "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" closes at Belasco Theater NYC after 45 performances
- Apr 6 Harry Chapin's musical revue "The Night That Made America Famous" closes at Barrymore Theatre, NYC, after 75 performances
Academy Awards
Apr 8 47th Academy Awards: "The Godfather Part II", Ellen Burstyn & Art Carney win
- Apr 18 John Lennon gives what becomes his final public performance at a gala salute to British media mogul Lew Grade at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel, NYC; he performed 3 songs - Little Richard’s “Slippin’ and Slidin’”, Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me”, and closed with his own “Imagine”
- Apr 19 British rock band Queen begins concert tour of Japan
- Apr 20 29th Tony Awards: "Equus" (play) & "The Wiz" (musical) win
TV Show Appearance
Apr 28 Ringo Starr appears on "The Smothers Brothers Show", singing Hoyt Axton's "No No Song", and John Lennon is the guest on Tom Snyder's "Tomorrow" program, in what turns out to be his final television interview; both on NBC-TV
Inseparable
May 11 Natalie Cole releases her debut album "Inseparable" (wins 2 Grammy Awards)
Music History
May 17 Singer Mick Jagger (31) punches a restaurant window, needs 20 stitches for repairs
Rhinestone Cowboy
May 26 "Rhinestone Cowboy" single released by Glen Campbell (Billboard Song of the Year, 1975)
- May 27 Paul McCartney & Wings release their "Venus and Mars" album
- May 31 "Fight the Power" single released by The Isley Brothers (Billboard Song of the Year, 1975)
- May 31 Larry Grossman and Hal Hackady's historical musical comedy "Goodtime Charley", based on King Charles VII of France, and starring Joel Grey, closes at Palace Theater, NYC, after 104 performances
Music History
Jun 1 John Kander and Fred Ebb's musical "Chicago" opens at 46th St Theater, NYC; runs for 947 performances
- Jun 1 Ronnie Wood replaces Mick Taylor as Rolling Stones guitarist
#1 in the Charts
Jun 7 "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" by John Denver hits #1
Music History
Jun 21 British rock guitarist Ritchie Blackmore quits Deep Purple, forms Rainbow
- Jun 21 Elton John, The Eagles and The Beach Boys play to 72,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, London
Music History
Jun 23 Rocker Alice Cooper falls off stage in Vancouver, breaks 6 ribs
Music History
Jun 25 Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe" is released
Music History
Jul 5 At Knebworth Festival in England, Pink Floyd debut their album "Wish You Were Here" with pyrotechnics and an exploding plane which flies into the stage
Music History
Jul 6 Dmitri Shostakovich completes Sonate for alto, opus 147
Gladys Knight and The Pips
Jul 10 Gladys Knight and Pips Summer Series premieres on NBC-TV
Theatrical Finale
Jul 20 Murray Schisgal's stage comedy "All Over Town", directed by Dustin Hoffman, closes at the Boothe Theatre, NYC, after 233 performances
- Jul 25 Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban's musical "A Chorus Line", opens at the Shubert Theatre, NYC; for record setting longest-running Broadway show run of 6,137 performances, and 10 Tony Award wins
- Jul 25 RCA releases David Bowie single "Fame", with cameo appearance by John Lennon
Music History
Aug 4 Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant is seriously hurt in a car crash in Rhodes, Greece
Contract of Interest
Aug 5 Stevie Wonder signs a 7-year, 7 album, with $13 million advance contract with Motown Records
Music History
Aug 8 Hank Williams Jr. falls off the side of Ajax Peak in Montana
- Aug 14 Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich is buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow
Music History
Aug 16 British singer Peter Gabriel announces his departure from the rock group Genesis
- Aug 16 Musical revue "Rodgers & Hart" closes at Helen Hayes Theater, NYC, after 108 performances
- Aug 23 British "Free" guitarist Paul Kossoff revived from dead after heart attack, dies for good in 1976
Born To Run
Aug 25 Columbia Records releases Bruce Springsteen's landmark third album "Born To Run"
- Sep 5 Wings release single "Letting Go"
- Sep 9 Paul McCartney & Wings begin their "Wings Over The World" tour in Southampton, England; 65 concerts in Europe, Australia, Canada, and United States, runs through October of 1976
- Sep 10 Rock band Kiss release their 1st live album "Alive!"
Wish You Were Here
Sep 12 Pink Floyd releases their ninth album "Wish You Were Here"
- Sep 20 David Bowie's "Fame," single goes #1 for 2 weeks
- Sep 25 Pink Floyd's concept album "Wish You Were Here" reaches No. 1 in the US, goes on to sell 13 million copies
Music History
Sep 29 Soul singer Jackie Wilson suffers a heart attack while singing on stage at the Latin Casino in Cherry Hill, New Jersey; he survives, but never fully recovers, spending most of final 8 years in a coma
Extra Texture
Oct 3 Apple Records releases George Harrison's sixth studio album, "Extra Texture" in UK
- Oct 7 US decides John Lennon won't be deported due to UK pot conviction
Lisztomania
Oct 10 Ken Russell's surreal biographical musical comedy film "Lisztomania", starring Roger Daltrey as 19th-century Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, and soundtrack arranged by progressive rock keyboardist Rick Wakeman, premieres
- Oct 13 9th Country Music Association Awards: John Denver wins
Music History
Oct 13 Rock vocalist Neil Young undergoes throat surgery
- Oct 21 Elton John is given a star in Hollywood
- Oct 22 "Me & Bessie" opens at Ambassador Theater. NYC; runs for 453 performances
Still Crazy After All These Years
Oct 25 Columbia Records releases "Still Crazy After All These Years", the fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon; it features the title track and the hits "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" and "My Little Town", and wins 2 Grammy Awards
- Oct 27 Covers of both Time (“Rock’s New Sensation”) and Newsweek (“Making of a Rock Star”) magazines feature rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen
Music History
Oct 31 Irish singer-songwriter Bob Geldof's first appearance with The Boomtown Rats
Sex Pistols Perform
Nov 6 First performance by punk band the Sex Pistols at St Martins College, London
- Nov 6 Revival of Jerry Herman's musical "Hello, Dolly", starring Pearl Bailey, opens at Minskoff Theater, NYC; runs for 51 performances
- Nov 13 Marilyn Clark and Charles Burr's revue "A Musical Jubilee", featuring Lillian Gish. John Raitt, Tammy Grimes, Cyril Ritchard, and Dick Shawn opens at St James Theater, NYC; runs for 92 performances
- Nov 15 "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys" single released by Ed Bruce
Rufus featuring Chaka Khan
Nov 18 "Rufus featuring Chaka Khan" 4th studio album by Rufus is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1976)
- Nov 21 Linda McCartney drug charges in US are dropped
- Nov 24 "Boccaccio" opens at Edison Theater NYC for 7 performances
- Nov 28 "As the World Turns" and "The Edge of Night", the final two American soap operas that had resisted going to pre-taped broadcasts, air their last live episodes.
- Nov 28 Wings release single "Venus & Mars/Rock Show" medley
- Dec 5 "Me & Bessie" closes at Ambassador Theater NYC after 453 performances
- Dec 8 "Raisin" closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 847 performances
Treemonisha
Dec 14 Scott Joplin's opera "Treemonisha" closes at Uris Theater NYC after 64 performances
Wood Joins Rolling Stones
Dec 19 British guitarist Ron Wood joins the Rolling Stones
- Dec 21 "Very Good Eddie" opens at Booth Theater NYC for 307 performances
- Dec 21 Louis LaRusso II's stage drama "Lampost Reunion", starring Danny Aiello, closes at the Little Theatre, NYC, after 77 performances
- Dec 21 Revival of Jerry Herman's musical "Hello, Dolly", starring Pearl Bailey closes at Minskoff Theater, NYC, after 51 performances
- Dec 26 George Harrison teases his hit "My Sweet Lord" before breaking into "The Pirate Song" on Eric Idle's Rutland Weekend Television Christmas Special (UK)
- Dec 28 1st broadcast of Dutch public radio service Hilversum IV; programming chiefly classical music
- Dec 30 "Boccaccio" closes at Edison Theater NYC after 7 performances
Country Singers
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Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
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