ON THIS DAY - SEPTEMBER 23, 1957

69 years ago...

On this day, Buddy Holly and The Crickets reached the very top of the charts with That’ll Be the Day — their first Billboard hit and their only US #1. The song’s title came from a phrase John Wayne used in the 1956 film The Searchers, and Holly’s driving rhythm and vocal style turned it into a rock ’n’ roll anthem.

The record went on to sell over a million copies in America, cementing Holly as one of the most important pioneers of early rock. Though his career was tragically cut short, his impact was undeniable. After That’ll Be the Day, Holly scored more hits with Peggy Sue, Oh, Boy!, Maybe Baby, and It Doesn’t Matter Anymore.

His innovative songwriting, use of double-tracking, and his look — horn-rimmed glasses and all — influenced generations to come, from The Beatles to Bob Dylan to modern rockers...

ON THIS DAY - JANUARY 15, 1972

On January 15, 1972, Don McLean's song "American Pie" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It remained at the top for four weeks. "American Pie" is a folk-rock ballad that laments the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson on February 3, 1959. McLean called this day "the Day the Music Died".

The song has become a cultural touchstone, symbolizing the loss of innocence and the disillusionment of the 1960s. McLean wrote the song to capture his view of America at the time, and how he imagined it might become....