On This Day in Music: August 21

On August 21 in music history, 45 artists were born, 29 died and 16 other milestones happened, among them Joe Strummer (1952), Count Basie (1904) and Kenny Rogers (1938).

Pick a date, get a soundtrack

The soundtrack for August 21

Choose a date

Open in Spotify

Tomorrow's day in music →

Highlights

August 21

View all

Standout moments for this date.

Joe Strummer

Joe Strummer, lead singer of the British punk band The Clash (Rock the Casbah) was born

Count Basie

[William] Count Basie, Red Bank NJ, jazz musician (Blazing Saddles) was born

Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers, Houston Texas, singer (Through the Years) was born

Alizée Jacotey

Alizée Jacotey, French singer was born

Loading events...

Born on August 21

Alizée Jacotey

Alizée Jacotey, French singer was born

Basil Poledouris

Basil Poledouris, American film score composer (d. 2006) was born

Ben-Zion Orgad

Ben-Zion Orgad, composer was born

Benedetto Junck

Benedetto Junck, composer was born

Brad Kavanagh

Brad Kavanagh, nglish songwriter and actor was born

Bruce Trent

Bruce Trent, singer was born

Budgie

Budgie, rock drummer (Slits, Siouxsie & the Banshees-Wild Thing) was born

Carl Giammarese

Carl Giammarese, Chicago Ill, rock guitarist (Buckinghams) was born

Collie Buddz

Collie Buddz, (Colin Harper) Reggae & Dancehall artist was born

Count Basie

[William] Count Basie, Red Bank NJ, jazz musician (Blazing Saddles) was born

Francesco Schira

Francesco Schira, composer was born

Glenn Hughes

Glenn Hughes, British bassist and vocalist (Finders Keepers/Trapeze/Deep Purple) was born

Gregg Smith

Gregg Smith, composer was born

Harold W Reid

Harold W Reid, Augusta County Va, singer (Statler Bros-Class of '57) was born

Jackie DeShannon

Jackie DeShannon, Hazel Kentucky, singer (What the World Needs Now) was born

James Burton

James Burton, American guitarist was born

Jamia Simone Nash

Jamia Simone Nash, American singer and actress was born

Janet Baker

Janet Baker, York England, mezzo-soprano (Owen Wingrave) was born

Joachim Homs

Joachim Homs, composer was born

Joe Strummer

Joe Strummer, lead singer of the British punk band The Clash (Rock the Casbah) was born

Johann Friedrich Treiber

Johann Friedrich Treiber, composer was born

Johann Georg Witthauer

Johann Georg Witthauer, composer was born

Johannes Frederick Frohlich

Johannes Frederick Frohlich, composer was born

Jon William Jr Haussermann

Jon William Jr Haussermann, composer was born

Jose Pradas Gallen

Jose Pradas Gallen, composer was born

Juliette Marie Olga Lili Boulanger

Juliette Marie Olga Lili Boulanger, composer was born

Kate Fanny Loder

Kate Fanny Loder, composer was born

Kelis Rogers-Jones

Kelis Rogers-Jones, American singer was born

Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers, Houston Texas, singer (Through the Years) was born

Kim Kibum

Kim Kibum, one of the member of Korean boy band Super junior. actor and singer was born

Kim Sledge

Kim Sledge, Phila, vocalist (Sister Sledge-We are Family) was born

Liam Howlett

Liam Howlett, British musician (The Prodigy) was born

Louise Setara

Louise Setara, English singer-songwriter was born

Matthew Noonan

Matthew Noonan, American Concert Organist was born

Otto Goldschmidt

Otto Goldschmidt, composer was born

Paris Bennett

Paris Bennett, American singer and finalist on American Idol (season 5) was born

Patrick Juvet

Patrick Juvet, Swiss singer was born

Paul Panhuysen

Paul Panhuysen, Dutch composer, visual and sound artist was born

Raquel Rastenni

Raquel Rastenni, Danish singer (d. 1998) was born

Renato Fasano

Renato Fasano, composer was born

Serj Tankian

Serj Tankian, Armenian-born singer (System of a Down) was born

Steve Smith

Steve Smith, Los Angeles California, rock drummer (Journey) was born

Wilhelm Jr Killmayer

Wilhelm Jr Killmayer, composer was born

Yannis Constantinidis

Yannis Constantinidis, composer was born

Zdenek Lukas

Zdenek Lukas, composer was born

Died on August 21

(Leonard) Constant Lambert

(Leonard) Constant Lambert, English composer (Rio Grande), dies at 45

Alessandro Felici

Alessandro Felici, composer, dies at 29

Anatole Fistoulari

Anatole Fistoulari, conductor, dies at 88

Billy Brooks

Billy Brooks died

Bryan Lee

Bryan Lee died

Dean Turner

Dean Turner, Australian musician (b. 1972)

Diana

Diana died

Don Everly

Don Everly died

Frederick Corder

Frederick Corder, composer, dies at 80

Gerhard von Keussler

Gerhard von Keussler, composer, dies at 75

Hermann Schey

Hermann Schey, German/Neth singer, dies at 85

Jacques Mauduit

Jacques Mauduit, composer, dies at 69

James Truitte

James Truitte, dancer, dies at 72

Johann Andreas Joseph Giulini

Johann Andreas Joseph Giulini, composer, dies at 48

Josef Cyril Sychra

Josef Cyril Sychra, composer, dies at 76

Martin Dillon

Martin Dillon, tenor, American opera singer (b. 1957)

Nicola van Westerhout

Nicola van Westerhout, composer, dies at 40

Paul Juon

Paul Juon, Russian/Swiss violinist/composer, dies at 68

Peter Joseph von Lindpaintner

Peter Joseph von Lindpaintner, composer, dies at 64

Raul Seixas

Raul Seixas, Brazilian singer (b. 1945)

Robert Moog

Robert Moog, American pioneer of electronic music (b. 1934)

Robert Williams

Robert Williams died

Santiago Ferrer

Santiago Ferrer, composer, dies at 62

Silverius Muller

Silverius Muller, composer, dies at 67

Stanisław Sojka

Stanisław Sojka died

Stevan Hristic

Stevan Hristic, composer, dies at 73

Timothy Mather Spelman

Timothy Mather Spelman, composer, dies at 79

Ustad Bismillah Khan

Ustad Bismillah Khan, Indian musician (b. 1916)

Wesley Willis

Wesley Willis, American musician (b. 1963)

Releases & milestones on August 21

Bar Tzabary

Bar Tzabary released the album 'Q141421247'

Brandon Flowers

Brandon Flowers released the album 'Thrasher (album)'

DMA's

DMA's released the album 'DMA's'

Edvard Grieg

Grieg/Work/Forest's musical "Song of Norway," premieres in NYC

Jorja Smith

Jorja Smith released the album 'What Are the Odds'

Julia Holter

Julia Holter released the album 'Materia'

Lambchop

Lambchop released the album 'Punching the Clown'

Lexi Jayde

Lexi Jayde released the album 'Lover Girl'

Maluma

Maluma released the album 'Papi Juancho'

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke released the album 'Blush'

Nas

Nas released the album 'King's Disease'

Nate Sib

Nate Sib released the album 'Reborn'

Sam Smith

Sam Smith released the album 'Hazel Eyes'

Stella Lefty

Stella Lefty released the album 'Long Way Home'

The Killers

The Killers released the album 'Imploding the Mirage'

Weezer

Weezer released the album 'Weezer'

More standout moments in August →