Events

January 21 - MTV's Unplugged premieres on cable television with musical guest, Squeeze
February 6 - Billy Idol is involved in a serious motorcycle accident, resulting in several broken bones. Idol had been scheduled to have a major role in Oliver Stone's film The Doors, but had to back out of the project due to his injuries.
February 8 - 50 year old songwriter Del Shannon dies of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
February 14 - 50,000 fans watch The Rolling Stones play the first of 10 concerts at Tokyo's Korakuen Dome, the beginning of the Stones' first ever tour of Japan.
February 16 - Ike Turner is sentenced to 4 years in prison for possession of cocaine.
February 17 - Aerosmith appears in the Saturday Night Live sketch Wayne's World, where they perform the Wayne's World theme song.
February 24 - The Byrds (Roger McGuinn, Chris Hillman and David Crosby) reunite, for the first time in 25 years, to perform at a Los Angeles, California tribute to Roy Orbison. The three are joined unexpectedly on stage by Bob Dylan, who sings "Mr. Tambourine Man" with the band.
February 27 - In Time Magazine, Milli Vanilli "singer" Rob Pilatus states that their group is, "more talented than any Bob Dylan or Paul McCartney. Mick Jagger can't produce a sound. I'm the new Elvis."
March 20 - Gloria Estefan's tour bus is involved in an accident. Estefan suffers several broken several bones in her back.
March 25 - Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee is arrested for allegedly exposing his backside during a performance in Augusta, Georgia
April 4 - Gloria Estefan returns to Miami, Florida after undergoing back surgery in March following a tour bus accident.
April 6 - Mötley Crüe's Tommy Lee suffers a mild concussion after falling off of scaffolding above his elevated drum kit during a performance in New Haven, CT.
April 7 - Neil Young, Elton John, Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Guns N' Roses and Jackson Browne perform at Farm Aid IV in Indiana. John dedicates "Candle in the Wind" to AIDS patient Ryan White during his performance. White died later that evening
April 25 - Jimi Hendrix's Fender Stratocaster that he used to perform his famous version of the "Star Spangled Banner" at Woodstock, is auctioned off in London for $295,000
May 8 - In Los Angeles, California, Tom Waits wins a $2.5 million lawsuit against Frito-Lay for unlawfully using a sound alike of Waits in its Doritos television commercials.
May 26 - Gin Blossoms sign a contract with A&M Records
October - Jamaaladeen Tacuma records Boss of the Bass, that will be a blockbuster in 1991
Fall - For the first time, Amy Grant and Gary Chapman hold a night of music at their Franklin, Tennessee Riverstone Farm, for local teenagers. Performers included Rich Mullins, Rick Elias, Charlie Peacock, Wes King and Michael W. Smith. The event becomes known as "The Loft".
November 27 - "Vocal" group Milli Vanilli admits to lip-synching hits such as "Girl You Know It's True." They later have their Grammy award revoked.
December - The Smashing Pumpkins records Gish, which will be a blockbuster album in 1991
Madonna's "Justify My Love" music video is banned by MTV. The singer appears on Nightline to defend the video.
The poorly received Cop Rock preimieres on television, TV's first (and last) musical police drama.
Will Smith hits primetime television with the sitcom, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.
Spin Doctors' begins performing
Pearl Jam's career begins
Ash forms
Blue Meanies forms
Blink-182 forms
Face To Face forms
Vertical Horizon forms
Master Sound forms
Rage Against the Machine forms
Ricky Martin's career begins
The Prodigy's career begins
Mariah Carey's career begins
Leaders of the New School (including Busta Rhymes) forms
Master Sound forms
Face To Face finishes recoring their demos

Albums released

Persistence of Time - Anthrax
Against the Grain - Bad Religion
Megatop Phoenix - Big Audio Dynamite
Some Gave All - Billy Ray Cyrus
Shake Your Money Maker - The Black Crowes
Ichabod and I - The Boo Radleys
Eaten Back To Life - Cannibal Corpse
Vanity/Nemesis - Celtic Frost
''Heaven Or Las Vegas - Cocteau Twins
Changesbowie - David Bowie
If There Was a Way - Dwight Yoakam
...But Seriously - Phil Collins
The Real Thing - Faith No More
Slappy - Green Day
Ritual de lo Habitual - Jane's Addiction
Live at Hammersmith '84 - Jethro Tull
- (A recording made in 1984 and released in 1990)
Ah Via Musicom - Eric Johnson
Painkiller - Judas Priest
Faith Hope Love - King's X
Time's Up - Living Colour
Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em - MC Hammer
Rust In Peace - Megadeth
The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste - Ministry
Brother's Keeper - The Neville Brothers
Baghdad - The Offspring
Cowboys from Hell - Pantera
Frizzle Fry - Primus
Fear of a Black Planet - Public Enemy
Play - Ride
Here Comes Trouble - Scatterbrain
Vision Thing - The Sisters Of Mercy
Up for Grabs - Spin Doctors
No Depression - Uncle Tupelo
Passion and Warfare - Steve Vai
Best of '81-'85 - Y&T
Ten - Y&T
GodWeenSatan: The Oneness - Ween

Top hits on record

"Burning Inside" - Ministry
"Epic" - Faith No More
"I Go To Extremes" - Billy Joel
"I Wish It Would Rain Down" - Phil Collins
"Janie's Got A Gun" - Aerosmith
"Nothing Compares 2 U" - Sinead O'Connor
"Opposites Attract" - Paula Abdul
"Painkiller" - Judas Priest
"U Can't Touch This" - M.C. Hammer
"The Wagon" - Dinosaur Jr

Published popular music

"Keep It Together" w.m. S. Bray & Madonna

Musical theater

Aspects of Love Broadway production
A Change in the Heir Broadway production
Five Guys Named Moe Broadway production
Shogun Broadway production
Sunday in the Park with George London production
Truly Blessed Broadway production

Births

Deaths

January 23 - Allen Collins, Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist, complications from pneumonia
February 8 - Del Shannon, suicide
February 25 - Johnnie Ray, liver failure
March 16 - Andrew Wood, Mother Love Bone
April 3 - Sarah Vaughn, lung cancer
August 27 - Stevie Ray Vaughan, blues guitarist performer
October 14 - Leonard Bernstein, American composer and conductor
October 16 - Art Blakey, jazz drummer
December 2 -- Aaron Copland, American composer