Two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, are tried for the murder of Bassett's parents and younger brother. At the trial, defense lawyers attempt to blame the murders on the fact the pair had been listening to "Israel's Son" by Silverchair before the crimes. The murders are dubbed the "Israel's Son Murders." Murmur Records releases an official response, stating that the members of Silverchair do not condone violence of any kind, and that the song "seeks to criticize violence and war by portraying them in all their horror."[2]
Jamaican authorities open fire on Jimmy Buffett's seaplane, Hemisphere Dancer, mistaking it for a drug trafficker's plane. U2 singer Bono and Island Records executive Chris Blackwell are also on the plane during the incident. No one is injured.[3]
January 25 – Madonna receives death threats from ArgentinePeronists, who are enraged and insulted that she was playing Eva Peron in Evita.[6] After she arrives in Argentina, over 50 walls throughout the city are spray-painted with the words: ¡Viva Evita! ¡Fuera Madonna! (Long Live Evita! Get Out, Madonna!).[7]
Garth Brooks refuses to accept his American Music Award for Favorite Overall Artist, briefly explaining his belief that all music is "made up of a lot of people."[11]
February 19 – Jarvis Cocker disrupts a performance by Michael Jackson at the BRIT Awards. During an elaborate staging of "Earth Song," Cocker crashes the stage, lifts his shirt, and points his bottom in Jackson's direction before getting into a scuffle with security. Cocker later states that his actions were "a form of protest at the way Michael Jackson sees himself as some kind of Christ-like figure with the power of healing".[15]
March 4 – The Beatles' second reunion song is released as part of their first reunion since the band's breakup 26 years earlier. The song is a finished version of "Real Love", a John Lennon demo from 1980.[18]
March 13 – Ramones fans riot in Buenos Aires, Argentina after waiting all night for concert tickets, only to find the show is sold out.[19]
The Galway Early Music Festival is launched in Ireland.
A judge rules against Tommy Lee and wife, actress Pamela Anderson Lee, in their attempt to keep Penthouse from publishing still photos taken from an X-ratedhome movie that was stolen from their home in Los Angeles.
May 11 – A 17-year-old fan is crushed in the festival seating section at a concert by The Smashing Pumpkins in Dublin, Ireland, despite the presence of 110 security guards and repeated admonishments from the band telling the crowd to stop surging towards the stage. The fan dies of her injuries the next day, and the band cancels that night's show in Belfast as a result.[24]
May 30 – Depeche Mode leader Dave Gahan is arrested upon his release from hospital, having overdosed on a heroin and cocaine 'speedball' in a Los Angeles hotel room and been pronounced clinically dead for two minutes in an ambulance. Gahan is ordered by the court to complete a nine-month rehabilitation.
July 8 – The Spice Girls release their debut single "Wannabe" in the United Kingdom. The song proved to be a global hit, hitting number 1 in 31 countries and becoming not only the biggest-selling debut single by an all-female group, but also the biggest-selling single by an all-female group of all time.[28]
July 13 – Phil Anselmo of Pantera overdoses on heroin after a Texas homecoming gig. Anselmo went into cardiac arrest but was revived after about five minutes by paramedics.[29]
August 10–11 – Oasis play the largest free-standing gigs in British history at Knebworth House, Stevenage. 2.7 million people apply for tickets and a sold-out crowd of 350,000 attend the concerts; 175,000 each night. Stone Roses guitarist John Squire joins the band onstage to play guitar to Champagne Supernova.
August 15–16 – Phish hosts The Clifford Ball at Plattsburgh Air Force Base. The event is the first of their festivals, currently totaling ten.[32] 70,000 people show up. Some say the event is considered a precursor to the large-scale music festivals of today.
September 10 – Wal-Mart announces it will not carry Sheryl Crow's upcoming self-titled album, because of the lyric "Watch out, sister, watch out, brother/watch our children while they kill each other/with a gun they bought at Wal-Mart Discount Stores."
September 11 – David Bowie's single "Telling Lies" becomes the first song offered as a digital single by a major record label (Virgin Records). Bowie launches the single by hosting an online chat in which he and two other people pretending to be him answer questions from the audience; Bowie tells the truth, while the other two are "telling lies".[33]
September 12 — Ricardo López mails Icelandic singer Björk a device disguised as a book designed to spray sulfuric acid on her face with the goal of disfiguring or killing her, before shooting and killing himself on camera in his apartment in Hollywood, Florida. His body was found on four days later on September 16, and subsequently the device is intercepted by Scotland Yard before it could reach Björk.
September 24 – Weezer releases its second record, Pinkerton. Its darker vibe, and departure from their earlier style, mean it sells less well and is critically panned upon its release. However, it later garners a cult following and is eventually considered among the band's best work.[35]
October 31 – David Brookes is fined £45 in Hampstead Magistrates' Court for disrupting the "quiet enjoyment" of the public by playing his bagpipes on Hampstead Heath. Described as "a pain in the neck" by a spokesperson for the College of Pipers in Glasgow, Brookes vows to buy a bicycle to continue playing in the open air, so "they'll just have to catch me." He says he has been piping on the heath for twenty years and has been given permission to do so, adding he's surprised by the ruling because social workers are allowed to distribute condoms there.[38]
December 16 – Max Cavalera leaves Sepultura. Speculation for his departure includes claims that he was upset that the band did not renew his wife Gloria's contract as manager, as well as for being overwhelmed by the death of his stepson. Cavalera later denies those theories and says he left the band simply because the members had grown apart.[39]
The Monkees embark on their 30th Anniversary Reunion Tour.
Singer Tori Amos is sued when a man crashes his car after being distracted by a billboard advertising her album. The billboard featured a photo of Amos breastfeeding a piglet. [40]
UK 1 – Jul 1996, US BB 1 of 1997, Netherlands 1 – Aug 1996, Sweden 1 – Aug 1996, Switzerland 1 – Aug 1996, Norway 1 – Aug 1996, Germany 1 – Aug 1996, Republic of Ireland 1 – Aug 1996, New Zealand 1 for 1 week Nov 1996, Australia 1 for 11 weeks Jan 1997, US BB 3 of 1997, POP 3 of 1997, Austria 4 – Aug 1996, Australia 5 of 1996, Poland 22 – Aug 1996, Italy 31 of 1996, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1996, Scrobulate 59 of pop, RYM 94 of 1996, Germany 170 of the 1990s, OzNet 963, Acclaimed 1504
US BB 1 of 1996, Netherlands 1 – Aug 1993, Austria 1 – Feb 1996, Switzerland 1 – Mar 1996, Germany 1 – Apr 1996, Australia 1 for 9 weeks Nov 1996, UK 2 – Jul 1996, US BB 2 of 1996, Norway 2 – Jun 1996, Australia 2 of 1996, POP 2 of 1996, Global 7 (10 M sold) – 1993, Sweden 8 – Jun 1996, Germany 26 of the 1990s, Party 102 of 2007
UK 1 - Jun 1996 (20 weeks), Holland 1 - Jun 1996 (15 weeks), Finland 1 for 7 weeks - Jul 1996, Austria 1 - Jul 1996 (5 months), Switzerland 1 - Jun 1996 (27 weeks), Norway 1 - Jun 1996 (18 weeks), Belgium 1 - Jul 1996 (17 weeks), Italy 1 for 6 weeks - Jul 1996, Germany 1 - Jun 1996 (5 months), New Zealand 1 for 3 weeks - May 1996, Australia 1 for 7 weeks - Jun 1996, Europe 1 for 8 weeks - Jul 1996, Sweden 5 - Aug 1996 (4 weeks), Switzerland 6 of 1996, Italy 6 of 1996, Brazil 11 of 1996, Japan (Tokyo) 12 - Apr 1996 (22 weeks), US Radio 15 of 1996 (peak 1 16 weeks), POP 21 of 1996
US Billboard 1 – Mar 1996 (33 weeks), Japan (Tokyo) 1 – Mar 1996 (19 weeks), Australia 1 of 1996, Australia 1 for 3 weeks – Aug 1996, ASCAP song of 1996, Oscar in 1996 (film 'Up Close & Personal') (Nominated), Grammy in 1996 (Nominated), Golden Globe in 1996 (film 'Up Close & Personal') (Nominated), US Platinum (certified by RIAA in Apr 1996), US BB 3 of 1996, Switzerland 3 – Jun 1996 (32 weeks), ARC 4 of 1996 (peak 1 22 weeks), Holland 4 – May 1996 (15 weeks), Poland 4 – May 1996 (20 weeks), Germany Gold (certified by BMieV in 1996), POP 4 of 1996, UK 5 – Jun 1996 (16 weeks), Belgium 5 – Jun 1996 (16 weeks), US Radio 9 of 1996 (peak 1 21 weeks), Japan (Osaku) 11 of 1996 (peak 2 22 weeks), Sweden 12 – Aug 1996 (4 weeks), Germany 13 – Oct 1996 (3 months), Brazil 19 of 1996, Switzerland 20 of 1996, Austria 23 – Jun 1996 (3 weeks), UK Silver (certified by BPI in Jun 1996), Party 134 of 1999
US Billboard 1 - Oct 1996 (42 weeks), Sweden 1 - Nov 1996 (12 weeks), Brazil 1 of 1997, Switzerland 1 - Dec 1996 (29 weeks), Poland 1 - Nov 1996 (26 weeks), Europe 1 for 2 weeks - Jan 1997, UK 2 - Nov 1996 (19 weeks), Holland 2 - Oct 1996 (19 weeks), Norway 2 - Dec 1996 (23 weeks), Belgium 2 - Jan 1997 (22 weeks), Germany 2 - Jan 1997 (6 months), ODK Germany 2 - Nov 1996 (31 weeks) (14 weeks in top 10), US Platinum (certified by RIAA in Dec 1996), UK Platinum (certified by BPI in Jan 1997), US BB 4 of 1997, Austria 4 - Jan 1997 (5 months), France Gold (certified by SNEP in Jun 1997), Switzerland 7 of 1997, ARC 8 of 1996 (peak 1 19 weeks), Japan (Tokyo) 9 - Nov 1996 (26 weeks)
Lourdes Leon, (Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon), American fashion model, dancer and singer. (first child of Madonna) (As of August 2022, Leon began releasing her music under the moniker Lolahol.)
^anonymous (January 12, 1996). "Madonna Faces Stalker In Court". MTV Networks. Archived from the original on April 11, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2008.
^P-I Staff and News Services (January 18, 1996). "ATTORNEY WANTS TO OPEN TEEN'S MURDER TRIAL WITH ROCK SONG". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved April 15, 2008. [dead link]
^anonymous (n.d.). "Incidents -> Jamaica Mistaica". BuffettWorld. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008. Retrieved April 15, 2008.
^anonymous (January 18, 1996). "She's out of his life". Cable News Network, Inc. (CNN). Retrieved April 16, 2008.
^Condon, Dan (September 30, 2019). "The definitive guide to every Big Day Out line-up ever". ABC. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
^Valente, Marcela (February 16, 1996). "(Artes y Espectaculos) ARGENTINA: Evita y Madonna, iguales y distintas | IPS Agencia de Noticias". www.ipsnoticias.net (in Spanish). Retrieved February 2, 2016.
^Ignacio, Juan (January 21, 1996). "Madonna empieza a pasar los primeros apuros en Buenos Aires" (in Spanish). Mundinteractivos, S.A. (El Mundo). Retrieved April 16, 2008.[dead link]
^Creative Team – Jonathan Larson Archived June 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
^anonymous (n.d.). ""Friends" The One After the Superbowl: Part 1 (1996)". IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
^anonymous (March 30, 2001). "Two jailed for Venice opera arson". BBC. Archived from the original on May 9, 2009. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
^Pareles, John (January 31, 1996). "CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; Music Awards for a Mythical Middle America". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved April 16, 2008.
^Compiled from wire reports (n.d.). "People, places & things in the news". South Coast Media Group. Retrieved April 20, 2008.
^Sexton, Paul (March 2, 2023). "'All Eyez On Me': 2Pac's Poignant And Seminal 1996 Milestone". uDiscover Music. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
^"Prince's Ex-Wife Details Their Life in Memoir — But It's No 'Tell-All'". Billboard. April 10, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
^Lee, Ann (February 15, 2011). "Brit Awards 2011: Top five moments Through the years". Metro. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
^"MCA Takes Half of Interscope". New York Daily News. Associated Press. February 22, 1996. Retrieved August 8, 2012.
^Online, KISS. "KISS Online :: KISS Chronology | The Complete History Of KISS". KISS Online. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
^"The Beatles". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. 2007. Archived from the original on January 4, 2010. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
^"Entertainment Highlights in History". The Washington Post. Associated Press. March 3, 2004. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
^Catlin, Roger (December 24, 1998). "Old Songs In New Packages Are Hot Gifts The Greatest Season". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
^"Sex Pistols". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. 2007. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
^"Genesis reuniting after decade apart". CBC News. October 19, 2006. Archived from the original on January 20, 2007. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
^Martha Duffy, "So Happy Together", Time magazine, April 29, 1996 Archived June 2, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
^"Fan Crushed At Smashing Pumpkins Show". Mtv.com. May 17, 1996. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
^"Tracy Bonham Alternative Airplay". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
^"Chage & Aska Talkasia Transcript". CNN. December 14, 2005. Retrieved January 3, 2009.
^"Why June 27 should be a Houston holiday for hip-hop fans". Houston Chronicle. June 27, 2019.
^Rosenberg, Sari. "February 22, 1997: "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls Hit No. 1, Ushering in the Girl Power Era". Lifetime. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
^"Phil Anselmo's Overdose: The Night Heavy Metal Held its Breath". Heavy Chronicle.
^The Haunted – No false pride, no fashion, no fake set of values Archived February 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
^Boehlert, Eric (October 3, 1996). "Pop Journal". Rolling Stone. No. 744. Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. p. 26.
^"Phish Magnaball: A 3-Day Festival August 21st-23rd". phish.com. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
^Levine, Robert (February–March 1997), "Cyberspace Oddity", The Web Magazine, 1 (3): 30–33
^Simmons, Sylvie (June 2, 2006). "'Nowadays the fans keep their clothes on'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
^Levinson, Alana (September 24, 2016). "Weezer's Pinkerton and the invention of the manic pixie dream boys". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
^"Korn's Sophomore Album 'Life is Peachy' Turns 20". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2018.
^Hendrickson, Matt (December 12, 1996). "Slash Leaves Guns N' Roses". Rolling Stone. No. 749. Straight Arrow Publishers, Inc. p. 24.
^John Ezard, "Piper Pays for His Tune", The Guardian (1 November 1996):2.
^Kennelty, Greg (July 20, 2022). "MAX CAVALERA Says It Was His Fault He Left SEPULTURA, Not His Wife's Fault". Metal Injection.
^"Tori Amos: 'We all carry around our damage'". The Irish Times. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
^"LFO:Advance". Warp Records. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
^"Aphex Twin Richard D. James Album". Warp. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
^Eckhard Roelcke, "Mördermusik", Die Zeit 1996, no. 5 (26 January).
^Eleanore Buening, "Die Soap mit den Aliens", Die Zeit 1996, no. 51 (13 December).
^Heinz Josef Herbort, "Erlösung trotz alledem: Freitag, Karlheinz Stockhausens fünfte LICHT-Oper, in Leipzig uraufgeführt", Die Zeit 1996, no. 39 (20 September).
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Music in 1996.