1972 in music

Events

January 17 - Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Blvd"
January 20 - Pink Floyd debuts "Dark Side of the Moon" during a performance at The Dome, in Brighton, but due to technical difficulties, is halted during the song 'Money.' Dark Side of the Moon would be played in its entirety the next night. It would be a full year before the album was released.
January 26 - First Sunbury Music Festival held in Sunbury, Victoria
January 31 - Over 40,000 mourners file past Mahalia Jackson's open casket to pay their respects in Chicago's Great Salem Baptist Church.
February 8 - Frank Zappa's concert at London's Royal Albert Hall is canceled because of Zappa's obscene lyrics
February 9 - Paul McCartney's new band, Wings, make their live debut at the University of Nottingham in England
February 13 - Led Zeppelin's concert in Singapore is canceled when government officials won't let them off the airplane because of their long hair
February 14 - "Steppenwolf Day" is declared in Los Angeles, California
Mid February - John Lennon and Yoko Ono cohost an entire week on The Mike Douglas Show.
February 19 - Paul McCartney's single "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" (which was inspired by the "Bloody Sunday" massacre in Ireland on January 30, 1972) is banned by the BBC. The controversy caused by the banning only increases the song's popularity and it ends up in the Top 20 in England.
February 23 - Elvis and Priscilla Presley separate
February 29 - John Lennon's U.S. immigration visa expires, beginning his three-and-a-half year fight to remain in the country.
March 31 - Official Beatles fan club closes down.
April 2 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono hold a press conference in New York. The Lennons discuss their appeal of the US Immigration Department's decision to deport John
April 28 - Wishbone Ash release their third album, Argus which is named album of the year by readers of Sounds and Melody Maker, ahead of albums by more widely-known artists such as David Bowie and Deep Purple.
April 29 - New York City mayor John Lindsay announces that he is supporting John Lennon and Yoko Ono in their fight to remain in the United States
May 2 - Stone the Crows lead guitarist Les Harvey is electrocuted on stage during a show in Swansea, Wales after touching a poorly connected microphone. Harvey died in a hospital a few hours later. The band's lead singer, Maggie Bell, who had been Harvey's longtime girlfriend, was also hospitalized. Bell collapsed on stage after the incident.
May 8 - Billy Preston becomes the first rock performer to headline at New York's Radio City Music Hall
June 3 - The Opryland USA country music theme park opens in Nashville, Tennessee
June 10 - Elvis does the first of four concerts in the Madison Square Garden. He sells out all the shows in one day.
July 22 - The Eagles release their self-titled debut album.
November 26 - Family, touring North America as the warmup act for Elton John, play their last concert on U.S. soil in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Unknown dates

June - Simon and Garfunkel reunite briefly to perform live at Madison Square Garden in New York City for a campaign benefit for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern.
The Sonny and Cher Show begins airing
Sammy Davis Jr. makes a guest appearance on the television show All In The Family
Billy Ray Hearn founds Myrrh Records.

Albums released

Album III - Loudon Wainwright III
A Little Bit of Paul Davis - Paul Davis
All the Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople
A Meeting Of The Times - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Argus - Wishbone Ash
America - America
American Pie - Don McLean
The Ballad of Calico - Kenny Rogers and the First Edition
Bandstand - Family
Black Sabbath, Vol. 4 - Black Sabbath
Boot Power - Mungo Jerry
Can't Buy a Thrill - Steely Dan (debut)
Caravanserai - Santana
Carl and the Passions - "So Tough" - The Beach Boys
Catch A Fire - Bob Marley & The Wailers
Catch Bull at Four - Cat Stevens
Chicago V - Chicago
Close to the Edge - Yes
Cold Blue Excursion - Ray Dorset
Come from the Shadows - Joan Baez
Dingly Dell - Lindisfarne
Drama - Maria Bethânia
Dr. John's Gumbo - Dr. John
Eat a Peach - The Allman Brothers Band
Ege Bamyasi - Can
Ella Loves Cole - Ella Fitzgerald
Exile on Main Street - The Rolling Stones
Faust So Far - Faust (band)
First Take - Roberta Flack
For the Roses - Joni Mitchell
Foxtrot - Genesis
Fragile - Yes (USA Release)
Free to Be... You and Me - Marlo Thomas & Friends
Give It Up - Bonnie Raitt
Give Tomorrow's Children One More Chance - Ocean
Harvest - Neil Young
- The best selling album of the year in the United States. Features hits such as "Heart of Gold" and "Needle and the Damage Done". The album blends country music and rock and roll and a degree of experimentalism, all led by Young's guitar and songwriting talents.
He Touched Me - Elvis Presley
Honky Chateau - Elton John
I Can See Clearly Now - Johnny Nash
Il faut du temps - Dalida
Infinite - Kazumi Watanabe
Into the Purple Valley - Ry Cooder
Jazz at Santa Monica Civic '72 - Ella Fitzgerald
Let My Children Hear Music - Charles Mingus
Live at Max's Kansas City - The Velvet Underground
Live in Japan - Chicago
Living in the Past - Jethro Tull
Machine Head - Deep Purple
- This album contains the rock and roll staple "Smoke on the Water". The album is one of the first heavy metal records, as the style would come to be known.
Made In Japan - Deep Purple
Madman Across The Water - Elton John
Manassas - Stephen Stills and Manassas
Music - Carol King
Music of My Mind - Stevie Wonder
Neu! - Neu!
No Secrets - Carly Simon
Obscured By Clouds - Pink Floyd
Olympia 71 - Dalida
One Man Dog - James Taylor
Paul Simon - Paul Simon
Pictures at an Exhibition - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Pink Moon - Nick Drake
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
Roy Orbison Sings - Roy Orbison
Roxy Music - Roxy Music
Sail Away - Randy Newman
Saint Dominic's Preview - Van Morrison
Sanctuary - Dion DiMucci
Seven Separate Fools - Three Dog Night
Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits - Simon and Garfunkel
Something/Anything? - Todd Rundgren
Squawk - Budgie
Suit For Late Summer - Dion DiMucci
Summer Breeze - Seals and Crofts
Talking Book - Stevie Wonder
The Divine Miss M. - Bette Midler
The Eagles - The Eagles
The Grand Wazoo - Frank Zappa
The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars - David Bowie
- An early glam rock album. Included the American and British hit "Starman".
The Soundtrack to Superfly - Curtis Mayfield
The Unnamables - Magma
Thick as a Brick - Jethro Tull
Toulouse Street - The Doobie Brothers
Transformer - Lou Reed
Trilogy - Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Trouble At Mill - King Earl Boogie Band
Will the Circle Be Unbroken - The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Top hits on record

"Most People I Know Think I'm Crazy" - Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs
"You've Got The Gun" - Sherbet
"You're All Woman" - Sherbet
"Boppin' The Blues" - Blackfeather
"Gingerman" - Brian Cadd
"How Do You Do" - Jigsaw
"Rock Me Baby" - Johnny Farnham
"Hi Honey Ho - Daddy Cool
"Superman" - Alison MacCullum
"Wheat In The Field" - Harry Young + Sabbath
"People Need Love" - ABBA
"He Is Your Brother" - ABBA
"Virginia Plain" - Roxy Music
"Take It Easy" - The Eagles
"Jealous Guy" - John Lennon
"All The Young Dudes" - Mott The Hoople
"You're So Vain" - Carly Simon
"Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" - Paul Simon
"Mother and Child Reunion" - Paul Simon
"Duncan" - Paul Simon
"America" - Simon and Garfunkel
"You Wear It Well" - Rod Stewart
"Ben"- Michael Jackson
"Parle plus bas (Le Parrain)"- Dalida
"Les choses de l'amour"- Dalida
"Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" - Mac Davis
"For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her" - Simon and Garfunkel
"American Pie" - Don McLean
"Open Up" - Mungo Jerry
"California Man" - The Move
"10538 Overture" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Horse With No Name" - America
"Ventura Highway" - America
"Crocodile Rock" - Elton John
"Rocket Man" - Elton John
"Layla" - Derek & the Dominoes
"Rock & Roll Part 1 + 2" - Gary Glitter
"You Don't Mess Around With Jim" - Jim Croce
"The Candyman" - Sammy Davis Jr.
"Lean on Me" - Bill Withers
"Freddie's Dead (Theme From Superfly)" - Curtis Mayfield
"If You Don't Know Me By Now" - Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes
"I Gotcha" - Joe Tex
"Without You" - Harry Nilsson
"Let's Stay Together" - Al Green
"I Don't Believe In Miracles" - Colin Blunstone
"Brand New Key" - Melanie
"Signs" - The Drifters
"My Ding-A-Ling" - Chuck Berry
"Morning Has Broken" - Cat Stevens
"I Can See Clearly Now" - Johnny Nash
"The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" - Roberta Flack
"I'll Take You There" - The Staple Singers
"Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)" - Looking Glass
"Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)" - Hollies
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - The Temptations
"Heart of Gold" - Neil Young
"Old Man" - Neil Young
"Tumbling Dice" - Rolling Stones
"Happy" - Rolling Stones
"Alone Again (Naturally)" - Gilbert O'Sullivan
"Nights in White Satin" - The Moody Blues
"Back Stabbers" - The O'Jays
"I'm Stone in Love With You" - The Stylistics
"I Am Woman" - Helen Reddy
"I Gotcha" - Joe Tex
"Song Sung Blue" - Neil Diamond
"The Candy Man" - Sammy Davis Jr.
"Starman" - David Bowie
"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - Robert John
"Rock and Roll" - Led Zeppelin
"Metal Guru" - T.Rex
"Two Divided By Love" - The Grass Roots
"Burning Love" - Elvis Presley
"Joy" - Apollo 100

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1972

Published popular music

"Alone Again" w.m. Raymond O'Sullivan
"Alone At A Drive-In Movie" w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
"American Pie" w.m. Don McLean
"Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" w.m. Jim Croce
"Bein' Green" w.m. Joe Raposo
"Burning Love" w.m. Dennis Linde
"C is for Cookie" w.m. Joe Raposo
"Come Dream With Me" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen
"I Can See Clearly Now" w.m. Johnny Nash
"Liza With A Z" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the television production Liza With A Z
"Magic To Do" w.m. Stephen Schwartz. Introduced by Ben Vereen in the musical Pippin
"Maybe This Time" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the musical film Cabaret
"The Morning After" w.m. Joel Hirschhorn & Al Kasha from the film The Poseidon Adventure
"The Old Fashioned Way" w. Charles Aznavour, Joel Hirschhorn & Al Kasha m.George Garvarentz
"Ring Them Bells" w. Fred Ebb m. John Kander from the television production Liza With A Z
"Shakin' At The High School Hop" w.m. Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
"Speak Softly, Love" w. Larry Kusik m. Nino Rota from the film The Godfather
"Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round The Old Oak Tree" w.m. L. Russell Brown & Irwin Levine
"Vincent" w.m. Don McLean
"You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" w.m. Stevie Wonder