1974 in music

Events

January - The Ramones form.
February 10 - record producer Phil Spector is badly injured in a car accident. Details of the accident are kept secret.
February 12 - New York's legendary rock club, The Bottom Line, opens in Greenwich Village.
February 14 - The Captain & Tennille are married in Virginia City, Nevada.
February 18 - Yes sells out the first of two nights at Madison Square Garden, without a bit of advertising for the show.
February 20 - Cher files for divorce from her husband of 10 years, Sonny Bono.
March 12 - John Lennon is involved in an altercation with a photographer outside the Troubador club in Los Angeles, California. Lennon and friend Harry Nilsson had been heckling comedian Tommy Smothers and were forced to leave the club.
March 16 - Country music's legendary Grand Ole Opry moves to a new location at the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, Tennessee
March 30 - The Ramones play their first concert at the Performance Studio in New York.
April 6 - 200,000 music fans attend The California Jam rock festival. Artists performing at the event include Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Black Oak Arkansas, and the Eagles.
April 6 - ABBA win the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, England, kickstarting their stellar international career.
April 25 - Pam Morrison, Jim Morrison's widow, is found dead in her Hollywood, California apartment from an apparent heroin overdose.
August 7 - Peter Wolf, lead singer of the J. Geils Band, marries actress Faye Dunaway.
August 17 Ramones play their first concert at CBGB's. The venue would help establish their place at the forefront of punk.
Patti Smith releases her debut recording, "Hey Joe", which many consider to be the first punk rock single.
Lord Shorty's Endless Vibrations is the first soca LP and the first major soca hit worldwide.
Peter Gabriel leaves Genesis and begins solo career.
Rover Thomas claims to have been visited in a dream by a deceased friend near Warmun, Australia and receives the Krill Krill song cycle.
Dino Martin, singer and son of Dean Martin, is arrested on suspicion of possession and sale of two machine guns.
Journey signs to Columbia Records.
Talking Heads forms.
Japan forms.
Firefall forms.
The Nits forms.
Blondie forms.
Daniel Amos forms out of the remnants of Jubal's Last Band.
Twenty years after it was recorded, "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and His Comets returns to the Billboard Top 40, after it gains renewed popularity from its use in the film American Graffiti and the TV series Happy Days.

Albums released

Waterloo - ABBA
Bad Company - Bad Company
Endless Summer - Beach Boys
Diamond Dogs - David Bowie
David Live - David Bowie
For Everyman - Jackson Browne
Soon Over Babaluma - Can (band)
The Singles 1969-1973 - Carpenters
461 Ocean Boulevard - Eric Clapton
Greatest Hits - Alice Cooper
Olympia 74 - Dalida
Manuel - Dalida
Ride 'Em Cowboy - Paul Davis
Burn - Deep Purple
7-Tease - Donovan
What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits - The Doobie Brothers
The Civil Surface - Egg
Here Come the Warm Jets - Brian Eno
Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) - Brian Eno
Fine and Mellow - Ella Fitzgerald
Ella in London - Ella Fitzgerald
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway - Genesis
Grateful Dead From The Mars Hotel - Grateful Dead
Head Hunters - Herbie Hancock
Autobahn - Kraftwerk
Rocka Rolla - Judas Priest
Great Balls Of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis
Feats Don't Fail Me Now - Little Feat
Prounounced Leh-Nerd-Skin-Nerd - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Natty Dread - Bob Marley
Court and Spark - Joni Mitchell
It's Too Late to Stop Now - Van Morrison
Veedon Fleece - Van Morrison
Good Old Boys - Randy Newman
The End - Nico
Alvorecer - Clara Nunes
Hergest Ridge - Mike Oldfield
Sneakin' Sally Through The Alle - Robert Palmer
Charlie Parker On Dial - Charlie Parker
Grievous Angel - Gram Parsons
Jolene - Dolly Parton
Queen II - Queen
Sheer Heart Attack - Queen
Love Song For Jeffrey - Helen Reddy
Free And Easy - Helen Reddy
Sally Can't Dance- Lou Reed
Rock n Roll Animal - Lou Reed
Perfect Angel - Minnie Riperton
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll - The Rolling Stones
Country Life - Roxy Music
Todd - Todd Rundgren
Rush - Rush
Röda Kapellet - Röda Kapellet
Hotcakes - Carly Simon
Some Nice Things I’ve Missed - Frank Sinatra
The Main Event – Live - Frank Sinatra
Kimono My House - Sparks
Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan
Crime Of The Century - Supertramp
Phaedra - Tangerine Dream
Nightlife - Thin Lizzy
I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight - Richard and Linda Thompson
War Child - Jethro Tull
Phenonmenon - UFO
Expolsive Hits '74 - Various Artists
1969: The Velvet Underground Live - The Velvet Underground
Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe - Barry White
There's the Rub - Wishbone Ash
Fulfillingness' First Finale - Stevie Wonder
Relayer - Yes
On The Beach - Neil Young
Apostrophe - Frank Zappa

Top hits on record

"Waterloo" - ABBA
"Honey, Honey" - ABBA
"Ring Ring" - ABBA
"How Long" - Ace
"Midnight Rider" - Gregg Allman
"Jessica" - Allman Brothers Band
"Tin Man" - America
"Takin' Care Of Business" - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
"You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
"Can't Get Enough" - Bad Company
"Shang-A-Lang" - Bay City Rollers
"California Saga(EP)" - The Beach Boys
"Diamond Dogs" - David Bowie
"Rebel Rebel" - David Bowie
"Rock And Roll Suicide" - David Bowie
"Gigi L'Amoroso" - Dalida
"Anima Mia" - Dalida
"Ta Femme" - Dalida
"Ride 'Em Cowboy" - Paul Davis
"Let Go" - Brian Cadd
"Band on the Run" - Paul McCartney & Wings
"Jet" - Paul McCartney and Wings
"Junior's Farm" - Paul McCartney & Wings
"Smokin' In The Boys Room" - Brownsville Station
"I Shot The Sheriff" - Eric Clapton
"Mr Soft" - Cockney Rebel
"Machine Gun" - The Commodores
"Billy, Don't Be a Hero" - Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
"China Grove" - The Doobie Brothers
"Listen To The Music" - The Doobie Brothers
"Long Train Running" - The Doobie Brothers
"Kung Fu Fighting" - Carl Douglas
"Roxette" - Dr. Feelgood
"Kissin' In The Back Row Of The Movies" - The Drifters
"Already Gone" - The Eagles
"Best Of My Love" - The Eagles
"Let It Ride" - Edgar Winter Group
"Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Gonna Make You A Star" -David Essex
"Rock On" - David Essex
"Beach Baby" - First Class
"Counting Out Time" - Genesis
"I Know What I Like In Your Wardrobe" - Genesis
"Drift Away" - Dobie Gray
"Summer Breeze" - The Isley Brothers
"Seasons in the Sun" - Terry Jacks
"Bungle In The Jungle" - Jethro Tull
"Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" - Elton John
"The Bitch Is Back" - Elton John
"Queen Of Clubs" - KC and the Sunshine Band
"The Bump" - Kenny
"Jungle Boogie" - Kool and the Gang
"Mama's Little Girl" - Linda George
"Too Popped To Pop" - La De Da's
"Whatever Gets You Through The Night" - John Lennon
"Atlanta" - Little Feat
"Love's Theme" - Love Unlimited Orchestra
"The Man Who Sold The World" - Lulu
"Sweet Home Alabama" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Streets Of London" - Ralph McTell
"The Love I Lost" - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes
"Free Man In Paris" - Joni Mitchell
"Good Morning (How Are You)" - Moir Sisters
"Bad Motor Scooter" - Montrose
"Tiger Feet" - Mud
"Midnight At The Oasis" - Maria Muldaur
"Long Legged Woman Dressed In Black" - Mungo Jerry
"I Honestly Love You" - Olivia Newton-John
"Devil Gate Drive" - Suzi Quatro
"Killer Queen" - Queen
"Magic" - Pilot
"Money" - Pink Floyd
"Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" -The Raspberries
"Caroline Says" - Lou Reed
"Ain't Too Proud To Beg" - The Rolling Stones
"It's Only Rock And Roll" - The Rolling Stones
"Sugar Baby Love" - The Rubettes
"Samba Pa Ti" - Santana
"The Faith Healer" - The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
"Silvery Moon" - Sherbet
"Slipstream" - Sherbet
"Mockingbird" (with James Taylor) - Carly Simon
"Haven't Got Time For The Pain" - Carly Simon
"This Town's Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us" - Sparks
"Break The Rules" - Status Quo
"Down Down" - Status Quo
"Rikki Don't Lose That Number" - Steely Dan
"Another Saturday Night" - Cat Stevens
"Oh Very Young" - Cat Stevens
"Teenage Rampage" - The Sweet
"The Six Teens" - The Sweet
"Wall Street Shuffle" - 10cc
"Dirty Old Man" - The Three Degrees
"Phil Spector's Christmas Single" - Various Artists
"You're The First The Last My Everything" - Barry White
"Are You Ready To Rock - Wizzard
"Rock'n'Roll Winter" - Wizzard
"Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" - Stevie Wonder
"He's Misstra Know It All" - Stevie Wonder
"Going Down The Road" - Roy Wood
"Walk On" - Neil Young
"(You're) Having My Baby" Paul Anka & Odia Coates

Published popular music

"Annie's Song" w.m. John Denver
"Happy Days" w.m. Pratt & McClain from the Ending TV Series Happy Days
"Hasta Manana" w.m. B Andersson, S Anderson, B Ulvaeus
"I Honestly Love You" w.m. Peter Allen & Jeff Barry
"I Won't Send Roses" w.m. Jerry Herman from the musical Mack & Mabel
"I've Got The Music In Me" w.m. Bias Boshell
"Midnight At The Oasis" w.m. David Nichtern
"Murder On The Orient Express" m. Richard Rodney Bennett from the film Murder On The Orient Express
"No Goodbyes" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the musical Over Here
"She" w. Herbert Kretzmer m. Charles Aznavour
"Southern Nights" w.m. Allen Toussaint
"Sunshine On My Shoulder" w.m. John Denver, Richard Kniss & Michael Taylor
"Tap Your Troubles Away" w.m. Jerry Herman from the musical Mack & Mabel
"(You're) Having My Baby" w.m. Paul Anka

Classical music

Anne Boyd - Angklung for piano
George Crumb - Music for a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III) for two amplified pianos and percussion (two players).
Mario Davidovsky - Synchronisms No. 7 for orchestra and tape
Mario Davidovsky - Synchronisms No. 8 for woodwind quintet and tape
Einar Englund - Piano Concerto no. 2
Nicolas Flagello - The Passion of Martin Luther King (oratorio)
Joaquin Homs - Trio
György Ligeti - San Francisco Polyphony for Orchestra (1973-74)
Wolfgang Regel - Requiem "à la mémoire de César Geoffray"
Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians
Dmitri Shostakovich - String Quartet No.15 in E flat minor, Op.144