Capitol Records Events

1926 May 26 Miles Davis is born
Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Dewey Davis III was at the forefront of almost every major development in jazz from World War II to the ...
1953 Frank Sinatra signs with Capitol Records
In 1953, Sinatra signed with Capitol Records, where he worked with many of the finest musical arrangers of the era, most notably Nelson Riddle, Gordon Jenkins, and Billy May. Sinatra rein...
1955 In the Wee Small Hours is released
In the Wee Small Hours (original issue: Capitol W-581) is an album by Frank Sinatra with arrangements by Nelson Riddle, released in 1955. It is with this album that Sinatra perfected the ...
1957 Jul 6 John Lennon meets Paul McCartney
In March 1957 John Lennon formed a skiffle group called The Quarrymen. McCartney met Lennon on 6 July 1957, and agreed to join the group a few days later.
1957 Jul 9 The first official Quarry Men performance
The first "official" public, albeit unsuccessful, performance by The Quarry Men - they failed to impress when they auditioned before the promoter Carroll Levis who was looking for new tal...
1958 Feb 6 Paul McCartney invited George Harrison to watch the Quarrymen
According to George Harrison, the first time he saw the Quarry Men was at the Wilson Hall, opposite the bus depot in Garston, Liverpool. According to Beatles scholar Mark Lewisohn, the da...
1960 May 10 The Quarry Men become The Silver Beats
The well-known British impresario Larry Parnes is looking for musicians and backing acts for his "stars", including, for example, Billy Fury, and others, whom they will accompany on a tou...
1960 Aug 12 Pete Best joins the Beatles
The group invited Pete Best to become their drummer on 12 August 1960. Four days after hiring Best, the group left for Hamburg. The Beatles began a 48-night residency in Hamburg at Bruno ...
1961 Apr The Beatles visit Hamburg for a second time
The Beatles returned to Hamburg in April 1961, performing at the Top Ten Club again. They were recruited by singer Tony Sheridan (who also had a residency at the club) to act as his backi...
1962 May 9 EMI label Parlophone signs the Beatles
George Martin signed The Beatles to EMI's comedy label, Parlophone. After their first recording session, Martin voiced his displeasure with Best. It was decided that Ringo Starr, drummer ...
1962 Aug 18 Ringo Starr joins The Beatles
The Beatles asked Richard Starkey, known as Ringo Starr, to join the band; Starr was the drummer for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and had performed occasionally with The Beatles in Hamb...
1963 Mar 22 The Beatles release Please Please Me
Please Please Me is the first album recorded by The Beatles, rush-released on 22 March 1963 in the United Kingdom to capitalise on the success of singles "Please Please Me" (#2) and "Love...
1963 Nov 22 The Beatles release With the Beatles
With The Beatles is The Beatles' second UK album, recorded four months after the band's first album and released on 22 November 1963, the same day President John F. Kennedy was assassinat...
1964 Jun 10 The Beatles release A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night is the third UK album by The Beatles, released on 10 July 1964 as the soundtrack to their first film of the same name on Parlophone in mono (catalogue number PMC 1230) ...
1964 Dec 4 The Beatles release Beatles for Sale
Beatles for Sale is The Beatles' fourth album, released in late 1964 and produced by George Martin for Parlophone, released on mono (catalogue number PMC 1240) and stereo (PCS 3062). The ...
1965 Aug 6 The Beatles releases Help!
Help! is the fifth UK album and tenth US album by The Beatles, and the soundtrack album from their film of the same name. Produced by George Martin for EMI's Parlophone Records, the album...
1965 Dec 3 The Beatles release Rubber Soul
Rubber Soul is the sixth UK studio album and the eleventh US release by the British rock band The Beatles. Produced by George Martin and released in December 1965, Rubber Soul had been re...
1966 Aug 5 The Beatles release Revolver
Revolver is often cited as one of the greatest albums in rock music history. In 1997, it was named the 3rd greatest album of all time in a Music of the Millennium poll conducted in the Un...
1967 Jun 1 The Beatles release Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by British rock band The Beatles. Released 1 June 1967, it became a defining album in the emerging psychedelic rock style;...
1968 Nov 22 The Beatles release the White Album
The Beatles is the ninth official British album and the fifteenth American album by The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is more commonly known as The White Album as it has no...
1969 Jan 17 The Beatles release Yellow Submarine
Yellow Submarine is a soundtrack album released by The Beatles corresponding with the film of the same name released on Apple Records (catalogue number PCS 7070 in the United Kingdom and ...
1969 Sep 26 The Beatles release Abbey Road
Abbey Road is the eleventh official U.K. album and seventeenth U.S. album released by The Beatles. Though work on Abbey Road began in April 1969, making it the final album recorded by the...
1970 May 8 The Beatles release Let It Be
Let It Be is the twelfth and final studio album by the English rock band The Beatles. It was released on 8 May 1970 by the band's Apple Records label shortly after the group's announced b...
1984 Aug 10 Red Hot Chili Peppers release self-titled first album
The Red Hot Chili Peppers is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 10, 1984 on EMI. The album was produced by Gang of Four gui...
1984 Aug 17 W.A.S.P. release their self-titled debut album
W.A.S.P. is the debut eponymous album by W.A.S.P., released August 17, 1984. The album has been known under three different names. The spine of the vinyl release has Winged Assassins prin...
1985 May 15 Alcatrazz releases Disturbing the Peace
Disturbing the Peace is the second studio album by Alcatrazz, and is the only one featuring Steve Vai on guitar. One of the singles, God Blessed Video, can be found on the fictional radio...
1985 Aug 16 Red Hot Chili Peppers release Freaky Styley
Freaky Styley is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 16, 1985 on EMI. The album is the first to feature original guitarist ...
1985 Nov 9 W.A.S.P. release The Last Command
The Last Command is the second album by heavy metal band W.A.S.P. on November 9, 1985. The album was produced by Spencer Proffer, who also produced "Metal Health" by Quiet Riot. It featur...
1986 Sep 20 Alcatrazz releases Dangerous Games
Dangerous Games was the third and final studio album released by Alcatrazz. This album marked a drastic departure from the bands two previous albums with its heavily Japanese influenced s...
1986 Nov 8 W.A.S.P. release Inside the Electric Circus
Inside The Electric Circus is the third studio album by W.A.S.P., released in 1986. In various interviews Blackie Lawless rated this as one of the weakest releases of his career. This is ...
1987 Sep 29 Red Hot Chili Peppers release The Uplift Mofo Party Plan
The Uplift Mofo Party Plan is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 29, 1987 on EMI. It is the only studio album to feature...
1989 Apr 15 W.A.S.P. release The Headless Children
The Headless Children is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band W.A.S.P., released by Capitol Records in 1989. It is now the highest selling W.A.S.P. album to date. The c...
1989 Aug 29 Red Hot Chili Peppers release Mother's Milk
Mother's Milk is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on August 29, 1989 on EMI. After the death of guitarist Hillel Slovak and subseq...
1992 Jun 8 W.A.S.P. release The Crimson Idol
The Crimson Idol was the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band W.A.S.P., originally released by Capitol Records in 1992 (1993 in the United States). The album is a concept album...