History of Sorts

Just a few musical history facts for February 26

1955 — February 26

On this date, 45 rpm records outsold 78 rpm discs in the United States for the first time, marking a major shift in recorded music consumption. The “45” speed originated from the difference between Columbia’s 33⅓ rpm long-playing format and the older 78 rpm standard. Introduced by RCA on March 31, 1949, the format debuted with 104 vinyl singles. The first 45 rpm release to enter the Billboard charts was Perry Como’s “You’re Adorable,” on May 7, 1949.

1965 – Jimmy Page released his first solo single “She Just Satisfies.”

February 26, 1969

Peter Sarstedt began a four-week run at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart with “Where Do You Go To (My Lovely?).” Although some listeners speculated that the song was inspired by Italian film star Sophia Loren, Sarstedt later explained that it was written about a young woman he fell deeply in love with while living in Vienna in 1965, who subsequently died in a hotel fire.

1987 1st release of Beatles on compact disc: “Please Please Me”; “With The Beatles”; “A Hard Day’s Night”; and “Beatles For Sale”

February 26, 1990

Cornell Gunter, 53, former lead singer of The Coasters, was killed in a shooting when an unidentified assailant opened fire on his 1978 Camaro at a Las Vegas intersection. Between 1957 and 1961, The Coasters scored ten Billboard Top 40 hits, including the chart-topping “Yakety Yak” and “Charlie Brown,” which reached No. 2.

February 26, 2011

It was announced that Queen’s “We Will Rock You” remained the most-played song at U.S. sporting events, according to a survey by BMI. Based on data from Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the National Hockey League during the 2009–2010 seasons, the track ranked No. 1 overall—and was the top song specifically at NFL games.