April 9, 1994  Heavy metal makes a mark as the Pantera album Far Beyond Driven debuts at #1 in America.

April 10, 1993 Depeche Mode’s eighth album, Songs of Faith and Devotion, reaches #1 in America, knocking Whitney Houston’s soundtrack from The Bodyguard off the top spot, and holding off challengers Eric Clapton, Kenny G and Sting. Inspired by the grunge scene, the band adds distorted guitars and live drums to their signature synth sound.

April 11, 1983 Dave Mustaine is kicked out of Metallica because of his drug and alcohol addictions. Soon after, he formed Megadeth, which became one of the most successful metal bands of the era.

April 12, 1966 In an eerie recreation of the duo’s single from the year before, Jan Berry of Jan & Dean crashes his Corvette into a parked truck on Beverly Hills’ Whittier Drive, near a stretch of road in Los Angeles known as Dead Man’s Curve. Berry suffers paralysis and extensive brain damage, and will require four years of rehabilitation to be able to talk and a full decade in order to perform live again.

April 13, 1973 The Wailers, led by Bob Marley, release their fifth studio album, Catch a Fire. The first album on their new label, Island Records, it makes Marley and the Wailers international recording stars and brings reggae music to the forefront.

April 14, 1980 Judas Priest released British Steel, a metal landmark containing the tracks “Living After Midnight” and “Breaking the Law.”

April l5, 2001 Joey Ramone of the Ramones dies of lymphoma at age 49.

April 16, 2018 Kendrick Lamar’s album DAMN. wins the Pulitzer Prize for music, making him the first rapper to win the award, which traditionally goes to classical composers or jazz musicians.