April 8

1994: The Offspring’s album Smash is released and eventually sells over 20 million copies worldwide, setting a record for most albums sold on an independent label. 

1994: Kurt Cobain of Nirvana’s body is found in his Seattle home by an electrician sent to install a burglar alarm. He is believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound three days earlier.

1985: USA for Africa’s We Are The World hits #1.

1985: The stage musical, Leader Of The Pack: The Songs Of Ellie Greenwich opens on Broadway (running for 120 performances).

1984: The Cars release Drive.  It peaks at #3.

1980: The TV movie Kenny Rogers As The Gambler, based on the song The Gambler, airs on CBS. It becomes the highest-rated TV movie of the year and leads to four sequels.

1964: The Supremes record Where Did Our Love Go.  The song had been rejected by the Marvelettes and the (then) “no-hit” Supremes didn’t like it either, but lacked the clout to reject it too.  The Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting/producing team coaxed what turned out to be her distinctive style from Diana Ross.  The song became the Supremes’ first #1 hit.

Songs of The Day:

We Are The World (USA For Africa); Where Did Our Love Go (The Supremes); The Gambler (Kenny Rogers); Self Esteem (The Offspring); Leader Of The Pack (The Shangri-Las); Drive (The Cars)