On This Day in Music History 18 August

When the John Lennon Estate announced the release of the Power To The People deluxe box set, much of the attention naturally went to the remastered tracks, rare recordings, and newly unearthed video content. But among the archival treasures is something far less conventional—a quirky, avant-garde experiment called Clock. Filmed by John Lennon in 1971 during the creation of Imagine, Clock is as much a window into Lennon’s restless creativity as it is a document of the day-to-day rhythm of his life with Yoko Ono.

Fifty years ago, on September 12, 1975, Pink Floyd released Wish You Were Here, their ninth studio album and the follow-up to the phenomenon that was The Dark Side of the Moon. Few bands in rock history have faced the challenge Pink Floyd did in the mid-1970s: how do you follow up one of the most successful, best-selling and artistically defining albums of all time? Against that backdrop, Wish You Were Here emerged not only as a worthy successor but as one of the group’s most enduring works.

August 31 has marked some of the most defining moments in music history, from legendary releases to unforgettable events. On this day, Bob Dylan returned to the stage at the Isle of Wight Festival after three years away, Oasis unleashed their era-defining debut Definitely Maybe, and Coldplay elevated their global status with A Rush of Blood to the Head. It is also remembered for Michael Jackson’s Bad topping the UK charts, Metallica’s Black Album dominating in the US, and the tragic passing of Princess Diana in 1997, which inspired Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997,” the biggest-selling single of all time. August 31 stands as a day of reinvention, triumph, and loss in music’s rich timeline.

August 30 has long been a milestone date in music history, bringing with it landmark releases and unforgettable moments. Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited arrived on this day, reshaping rock songwriting with “Like a Rolling Stone,” while Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, and Judas Priest also released career-defining albums. The first Isle of Wight Festival in 1968 cemented itself as a cornerstone of British rock culture, and decades later Kanye West’s Late Registration and Lana Del Rey’s Norman Fucking Rockwell! set new creative benchmarks. From classic rock to modern icons, August 30 showcases music’s constant evolution across generations.

August 29 is a day that echoes with some of music’s most significant milestones. It marks the birth of Michael Jackson, the “King of Pop,” whose influence on music, dance, and culture remains unmatched. On this day, The Beatles performed their final scheduled concert at Candlestick Park, closing the chapter on their touring years, while Roy Orbison released “Oh, Pretty Woman,” destined to become one of rock’s timeless classics. Michael Jackson also released Bad, the follow-up to Thriller, while in more recent times Kanye West unveiled Donda. With moments of farewell, reinvention, and groundbreaking releases, August 29 holds a unique place in the story of modern music.

August 28 stands out in music history as a day of endings, beginnings, and cultural milestones. It was on this date that The Beatles played their last official concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, closing the book on their touring years, while Bob Dylan first crossed paths with the band, sparking a new creative direction. Tammy Wynette recorded her defining anthem “Stand by Your Man,” and Tina Turner reached No.1 in the US with “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” cementing her comeback. The day also brought landmark albums from Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Velvet Underground, and R.E.M., while later generations would see Beyoncé and Florence Welch born on this date. August 28 continues to resonate as a turning point where legacies were launched and legends redefined.

Here are the major music events, births, deaths and album releases on this day in music for 27 August: