2026-03-04

On This Day in Music - March 4 FEATURED: The Beatles Are 'More Popular Than Jesus' (1966) John Lennon's infamous interview with the London Evening Standard was published, containing his remark that The Beatles were 'more popular than Jesus.' While it caused little stir in the UK, the comment sparked massive protests, radio bans, and public record burnings across the United States later that summer, permanently altering the band's relationship with touring. ALSO ON THIS DAY - 1932: Birth of 'Mama Africa' Miriam Makeba Legendary South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba was born in Johannesburg. She became a global symbol for the struggle against apartheid and was the first African artist to win a Grammy Award. - 1946: Frank Sinatra Releases Solo Debut Columbia Records released 'The Voice of Frank Sinatra,' the singer's first solo studio album. It was the first album to ever hit number one on the fledgling Billboard Best-Selling Popular Record Albums chart. - 1974: ABBA Unveils 'Waterloo' The Swedish pop group released their career-defining single 'Waterloo' in their home country. The song went on to win the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, launching the group into international superstardom. - 1984: The Police Perform Their Final Concert The Police played the final show of their 'Synchronicity' tour at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds in Australia. This remained the band's last full concert together until their reunion tour in 2007. - 2016: Shakira’s Cinematic and Soundtrack Debut The Colombian superstar made her feature film debut voicing the pop icon Gazelle in Disney's 'Zootopia,' contributing the anthem 'Try Everything' to the platinum-selling soundtrack. - 2019: TXT (Tomorrow X Together) Debuts The South Korean boy band officially debuted with the release of their EP 'The Dream Chapter: Star.' They became one of the fastest-rising K-pop acts, topping the Billboard World Albums chart upon arrival.