November 5, 1988
The Beach Boys, who haven’t had a #1 hit since “Good Vibrations” in 1966, top the charts with the Brian Wilson-less “Kokomo,” used in the movie Cocktail. It’s the longest gap between #1 hits for any artist.
November 6, 1990
Madonna releases “Justify My Love,” which stirs controversy when MTV bans the video. The brouhaha piques interest in the song, which becomes her ninth #1 hit in the US.
November 7, 1969
After Life magazine tracks down Paul McCartney at his farm in Scotland, they put him on the cover with his family, dispelling the “Paul is dead” rumours with the headline, “Paul Is Still With Us.”
November 8, 2002
8 Mile, a semi-biographical look at Eminem’s early days as a struggling rapper in Detroit, opens in theaters. The film is a critical and commercial success, and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” becomes the first rap song to win the Oscar for Best Original Song.
November 9, 1985
The Miami Vice Theme hits #1 on the Hot 100, the last instrumental song to top the tally.
November 10, 2002
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Tom Petty, Elvis Costello, Lenny Kravitz, and Brian Setzer guest star on The Simpsons in an episode where they run a rock and roll fantasy camp. The first rule of the camp: There are no rules! Second rule: No outside food.
November 11, 1991
Per Michael Jackson’s wishes, one week before his controversial “Black Or White” music video airs, a memo circulates at MTV instructing the network’s on-air personnel to refer to Jackson as the King of Pop at least twice a week during the next two weeks.
November 12, 1984
With Chic frontman Nile Rodgers producing, Madonna releases her second studio album, Like A Virgin, her first #1 on the US albums chart.
