Music Almanac: August 23
- 1900 - Malvina Reynolds (d. 1978)
- 1917 - Tex Williams (d. 1985)
- 1932 - Jack Earls (80)
- 1936 - Rudy Lewis (Drifters) (d. 1964)
- 1938 - Roger Greenaway (74)
- 1941 - Pete Shannon (Nashville Teens) (71)
- 1946 - Keith Moon (Who) (d. 1978)
- 1947 - Rex Allen, Jr. (65)
- 1949 - Rick Springfield (65)
- 1949 - Woody Paul (born Paul Chrisman) (Riders in the Sky) (63)
- 1951 - Jimi Jamison (Survivor) (61)
- 1951 - Mark Hudson (Hudson Brothers) (61)
- 1953 - Bobby G (Bucks Fizz) (59)
- 1954 - Mark Avsec (Wild Cherry, Donnie Iris & the Cruisers) (58)
- 1959 - Edwyn Collins (53)
- 1961 - Dean DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) (51)
- 1962 - Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays, Black Grape) (50)
- 1967 - Cadella Marley (Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers) (45)
- 1969 - Ira Dean (Trick Pony) (43)
- 1974 - Shifty Shellshock (born Seth Binzer) (Crazy Town) (38)
- 1978 - Julian Casablancas (Strokes) (34)
- 1979 - Richie Neville (Five) (33)
Deaths
- 1960 - Oscar Hammerstein II - Stomach Cancer (65)
- 2006 - Maynard Ferguson - Kidney and liver failure (78)
- 2006 - David Schnaufer (credited with restoring the popularity of the dulcimer) - Lung cancer (53)
On This Day
- 1966 - The Beatles played Shea Stadium in New York for the last time.
- 1966 - Big Brother & the Holding Company signed with Mainstream Records.
- 1970 - Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground performed together for the last time.
- 1970 - The Wailers started recording with Lee "Scratch" Perry and the lineup of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Aston Barrett and Carlton Barrett.
- 1975 - Paul Kossoff of Free has a blood clot that stops his heart for 35 minutes. Amazingly, he recovers and goes back to playing only to die the next year.
- 1980 - The Talking Heads expanded their group for touring, including Adrian Belew and Bernie Worrell.
- 1985 - Aerosmith opened their Done With Mirrors tour in East Troy, WI.
- 1991 - Dire Straits started their reunion tour in Dublin, Ireland. They would be on the road for the next two years.
- 1993 - Duran Duran received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- 1993 - The Los Angeles Police formally announced that Michael Jackson was the subject of a criminal investigation.
- 1995 - Natalie Merchant becomes one of the first artists to do an interview on the World Wide Web.
- 1999 - Don Henley sued Paramount Pictures for backing out of a deal to include one of his songs in the movie Double Jeopardy.
- 2003 - Bobby Brown was arrested in Atlanta for a parole violation.
- 2003 - Trace Adkins became a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
- 2004 - Queen became the first western rock act to be sanctioned in Iran.
- 2008 - Madonna started her Sticky & Sweet tour in Cardiff, Wales.
Marriages
- 1962 - John Lennon and Cynthia Powell
- 1975 - Ian Curtis (Joy Division) and Deborah Woodruff
Broadcasts
- 1963 - Ready, Steady, Go! - Rolling Stones
Number Ones – U.S. Singles
- 1969 - Honky Tonk Women - Rolling Stones (4 weeks)
- 1975 - Fallin' in Love - Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds (1 week)
- 2008 - Disturbia - Rihanna (2 weeks)
Number Ones – U.S. Albums
- 1969 - At San Quentin - Johnny Cash (4 weeks)
- 1997 - No Way Out - Puff Daddy & the Family (2 weeks (1 previous week at number 1))
- 2008 - Mamma Mia! - Soundtrack (1 week)
Number Ones – U.S. R&B Singles
- 1952 - Mary Jo - Four Blazes (3 weeks)
- 1969 - Share Your Love With Me - Aretha Franklin (5 weeks)
- 1975 - Get Down Tonight - K.C. & the Sunshine Band (1 week)
- 2008 - A Milli - Lil Wayne (1 week)
Number Ones – U.S. Country Singles
- 1952 - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels - Kitty Wells (8 weeks)
- 1969 - A Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash (5 weeks)
- 1975 - Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell (2 weeks)
- 1980 - Drivin' My Life Away - Eddie Rabbitt (1 week)
- 1986 - Strong Heart - T.G. Sheppard (1 week)
- 2008 - Should've Said No - Taylor Swift (2 weeks)
Number Ones – U.K. Singles
- 1980 - Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie (2 weeks)
- 1986 - I Want to Wake Up With You - Boris Gardiner (3 weeks)
- 2009 - Sexy Bitch/Chick - David Guetta Featuring Akon (1 week)
Number Ones – U.K. Albums
- 1980 - Flesh and Blood - Roxy Music (3 weeks)
- 1986 - Now That's What I Call Music 7 - Various Artists (5 weeks)
- 1997 - White on Blonde - Texas (1 week)
- 2009 - Ready For the Weekend - Calvin Harris (1 week)
