Streisand and Peters Part
Jan 1 American singer Barbra Streisand and hairdresser/film producer Jon Peters' romantic relationship ends
"That's What Friends Are For"
Jan 18 AIDS charity record "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick with Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder, hits #1
Inaugural Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Jan 23 Inaugural class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Chuck Berry; James Brown; Ray Charles; Sam Cooke; Fats Domino; The Everly Brothers; Buddy Holly; Jerry Lee Lewis; Elvis Presley; Little Richard; Robert Johnson; Jimmie Rodgers; Jimmy Yancey; Alan Freed; John Hammond; and Sam Phillips
Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood
Jan 23 Musical "Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood" opens at Ritz Theater NYC for 13 performances
13th American Music Awards
Jan 27 13th American Music Awards: Whitney Houston, Huey Lewis and Crystal Gayle
- Jan 28 "Uptown... It's Hot!" opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theater NYC for 24 performances
- Feb 2 "Jerome Kern Goes to Hollywood" closes at Ritz NYC after 13 performances
John Lennon: Live in NYC
Feb 10 "John Lennon: Live in NYC" album is released posthumously
- Feb 16 "Uptown... It's Hot!" closes at Lunt-Fontanne NYC after 24 performances
Grammy Awards
Feb 25 28th Grammy Awards: "We Are the World", Sade, Phil Collins win
- Mar 6 After losing all appeals, American rock singer David Crosby begins serving 5 year sentence for drug and weapons convictions in Texas state prison
Living Doll
Mar 8 The Young Ones and Cliff Richard release new version of single "Living Doll" for Comic Relief charity
- Mar 22 "On My Own" single released by Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald (Billboard Song of the Year 1986)
- Mar 22 Heart's "These Dreams" single goes #1
Music History
Mar 26 Geffen records signs Guns & Roses
Academy of Country Music Awards
Apr 14 21st Academy of Country Music Awards: Alabama, George Strait, and Reba McEntire win
- Apr 20 "Jerry's Girls" closes at St James Theater NYC after 139 performances
- Apr 27 Revival of Neil Simon, Cy Coleman, and Dorothy Fields' musical "Sweet Charity" starring Debbie Allen and Bebe Neuwirth, opens at the Minskoff Theatre, NYC; runs for 368 performances, and 4 Tony Awards
- May 3 31st Eurovision Song Contest: Sandra Kim for Belgium wins singing "J'aime la vie" in Bergen
- May 5 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation announces Cleveland, Ohio chosen as the site of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum
- May 10 "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco hits #1 on UK pop chart
- May 17 "Chicken Song" by Spitting Image hits #1 on the UK pop chart
- May 18 "Singin' in the Rain" closes at Gershwin Theater NYC after 367 performances
Music History
May 22 American singer and actress Cher calls David Letterman an "a**hole" while a guest on his "Late Night" TV program (NBC)
Storms of Life
Jun 6 "Storms of Life" debut album by Randy Travis is released (Billboard Album of the Year, 1987)
- Jun 8 "Big Deal" closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 70 performances
Music City News Awards
Jun 9 20th Music City News Country Awards: Statler Brothers & Loretta Lynn win
- Jun 13 City of Berlin, Germany dedicates Léon Jessel Platz, a small town square, in memory of composer killed - at age 70 - by the Gestapo in 1943
Music Concert
Jun 15 Amnesty International "Conspiracy of Hope" tour concludes with mega-concert at Giants Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey; participants include: U2; Sting; Bryan Adams; Peter Gabriel; Lou Reed; Neville Brothers; Joan Baez; Joan Armatrading; Joni Mitchell; The Police; Jackson Browne; Yoko Ono; Miles Davis; Peter, Paul & Mary; and The Hooters
Glastonbury Festival
Jun 20 Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, England opens: The Cure, Psychedelic Furs, and Level 42 headline; other performers include: Simply Red, Madness, Ruby Turner, Amazulu, Lloyd Cole, Black Uhuru, The Wailers Band, Loudon Wainwright III, John Martyn, The Housemartins, The Waterboys, The Pogues, Gil Scott-Heron, Robert Cray Band, and Christy Moore
- Jun 21 "Living on Video" by Trans-X peaks at #61
- Jun 21 "Vienna Calling" by Falco peaks at #18
Labyrinth
Jun 27 Jim Henson's fantasy film "Labyrinth" written by Terry Jones, starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly is released in the US
Farm Aid Concert
Jul 4 Farm Aid II benefit concert held in Manor, Texas; performers include Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Waylon Jennings, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, Nicolette Larson, Los Lobos, and Steve Earle [1]
Music History
Jul 7 It is reported that Boy George is being treated for heroin addiction
The Bridge
Jul 9 Columbia Records releases "The Bridge", singer-songwriter Billy Joel's tenth studio album
Press
Jul 14 Paul McCartney releases single "Press", from the album "Press To Play"
Music History
Aug 1 Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia is released from hospital after a 3 week coma
- Aug 7 "Honky Tonk Nights" opens at Biltmore Theater NYC for 4 performances
- Aug 8 Texas paroles American rock singer David Crosby from state prison, 5 months into his 5 year prison sentence for drug and weapons convictions; he credits the respite with helping him to break his cocaine addiction
- Aug 9 "Honky Tonk Nights" closes at Biltmore Theater NYC after 4 performances
- Aug 10 "Me & My Girl" opens at Marquis Theater, NYC; runs for 1420 performances
- Aug 16 Madonna's "True Blue" album goes #1 for 5 weeks & her single "Papa Don't Preach" goes #1 for 2 weeks
- Aug 17 Rioting at DMC concert at Long Beaxh (California) Convention Center - 40 injured
Rags
Aug 21 Stephen Schwartz and Charles Strouse's musical "Rags" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater, NYC; runs for 4 performances, receives 6 Tony Award nominations
- Aug 23 Stephen Schwartz and Charles Strouse's musical "Rags" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater, NYC, after 4 performances; nominated for 6 Tony Awrads
Graceland
Aug 25 Warner Bros. Records releases Paul Simon's seventh solo album "Graceland", a blend of pop, African, zydeco, and rock music; wins Grammy for album of the year, 1987 and sells over 16 million copies
Music History
Aug 28 American rock singer Tina Turner's star unveiled at Hollywood's Walk of Fame; Hollywood, California
- Sep 1 Paul McCartney releases "Press to Play" album
Music History
Sep 2 Cathy Evelyn Smith sentenced to 3 years for drug related death of John Belushi
- Sep 5 3rd MTV Video Music Awards: Whitney Houston wins
- Sep 6 300 invitees pay $5,000 to hear Barbra Streisand's benefit concert
- Sep 8 Westinghouse sells background music company Muzak to the Fields Company of Chicago
Captain EO
Sep 19 3-D short film "Captain EO" with Michael Jackson premieres at Disney theme parks
Phantom of the Opera
Oct 9 Stage musical "Phantom of the Opera" premieres in London, written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and starring Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman; runs for 13,629 performances
- Oct 13 20th Country Music Association Awards: Reba McEntire wins
- Oct 16 Joe Raposa's musical "Raggedy Ann: The Musical Adventure", starring Ivy Austin, opens at Nederlander Theater, NYC; runs for 5 performances
- Oct 16 Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards organizes concert celebrating rock and roll legend Chuck Berry's 60th birthday at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri; performers include: Richards, Berry, Johnnie Johnson, Eric Clapton, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Robert Cray, and Julian Lennon among others
- Oct 19 Joe Raposa's musical "Raggedy Ann: The Musical Adventure", starring Ivy Austin, closes at Nederlander Theater, NYC, after 5 performances
- Oct 19 Musical revue "Flamenco Puro" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater, NYC, for a limited run of 40 performances
- Oct 22 John Forster and Lee Holdridge's musical "Into the Light", starring Dean Jones, opens at Neil Simon Theater, NYC ; runs for 6 performances
- Oct 26 John Forster and Lee Holdridge's musical "Into the Light", starring Dean Jones, closes at Neil Simon Theater, NYC. after 6 performances
- Oct 27 Paul McCartney releases single "Pretty Little Head"
- Nov 3 John Lennon's "Menlove Avenue" album released posthumously
- Nov 6 "Just Like the First Time" second studio album by Freddie Jackson is released (Billboard Album of the Year 1987)
- Nov 8 Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Song and Dance", starring Bernadette Peters, closes at Royale Theater, NYC, after 474 performances and a Tony Award for Peters
Springsteen's Live/1975-85
Nov 10 Columbia Records releases Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band "Live/1975-85", a 5 LP box set of concert recordings
Licensed to Ill
Nov 15 Beastie Boys release their debut album "Licensed to Ill" - 1st No. 1 rap album on Billboard charts
Music Premiere
Nov 17 Musical revue "Oh, Coward!" featuring the songs of Noël Coward, opens at the Helen Hayes Theater, NYC; runs for 56 performances
- Nov 24 "Smile" opens at Lunt-Fontanne Theater NYC for 48 performances
- Nov 30 "Flamenco Puro" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 40 performances
- Dec 1 Paul McCartney releases single "Only Love Remains"
Broadway Bound
Dec 4 Neil Simon's stage play "Broadway Bound", starring Linda Lavin, Jonathan Silverman, and Jason Alexander, opens at the Broadhurst Theatre, NYC; runs for 756 performances
- Dec 27 Musical "Les Misérables" opens in the US at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
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