On This Day in Music: September 4

On September 4 in music history, 38 artists were born, 30 died and 16 other milestones happened, among them Beyoncé Knowles (1981), Fela Kuti (1984) and The Beatles (1965).

Pick a date, get a soundtrack

The soundtrack for September 4

Choose a date

Open in Spotify

Tomorrow's day in music →

Highlights

September 4

View all

Standout moments for this date.

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Knowles, Houston Texas, singer (Destiny's Child) was born

Fela Kuti

Nigerian singer Fela Kuti sentenced to 2 years

The Beatles

Beatles' "Help!," single goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks

Anton Bruckner

Anton Bruckner, Ansfelden, Austria, Wagner disciple and "monumental bore"/composer was born

Loading events...

Born on September 4

Alexander Moyzes

Alexander Moyzes, composer was born

Antanas Raciunas

Antanas Raciunas, composer was born

Anton Bruckner

Anton Bruckner, Ansfelden, Austria, Wagner disciple and "monumental bore"/composer was born

Antonin Artaud

Antonin Artaud, Marseilles France, songwriter/dir (Theatre Seraphin) was born

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Knowles, Houston Texas, singer (Destiny's Child) was born

Blackie Lawless

Blackie Lawless, American musician, lead singer in W.A.S.P. was born

Camila Bordonaba

Camila Bordonaba, Argentine actress, singer and composer was born

Carmit Bachar

Carmit Bachar, American musician (Pussycat Dolls) was born

Daniel Wood Gatton

Daniel Wood Gatton, guitarist was born

Darius Milhaud

Darius Milhaud, Aix-en-Provence France, composer (Maximilien) was born

David Liebman

David Liebman, rocker was born

Edoardo Mascheroni

Edoardo Mascheroni, composer was born

Francois-Emmanuel-Joseph Bazin

Francois-Emmanuel-Joseph Bazin, composer was born

Friedrich Ludwig Emilius Kunzen

Friedrich Ludwig Emilius Kunzen, composer was born

Gary Duncan

Gary Duncan, [Grubb], San Diego Ca, rock guitarist (Quicksilver) was born

Gene Parsons

Gene Parsons, rock drummer (Byrds, Gene Clark Group) was born

George Hurley

George Hurley, American drummer (Minutemen) was born

Gerald Wilson

Gerald Wilson, Shelby Miss, orchestra leader (Redd Foxx) was born

Greg Elmore

Greg Elmore, San Diego Ca, rock drummer (Quicksilver) was born

Hitomi Shimatani

Hitomi Shimatani, Japanese singer was born

Igor Cavalera

Igor Cavalera, Brazilian pop drummer (Sepultura) was born

Jacob Hintze

Jacob Hintze, composer was born

Jan Levoslav Bella

Jan Levoslav Bella, composer was born

Jerry Ragavoy

Jerry Ragavoy, US songwriter/producer (Wonderful Dream) was born

Karel Horky

Karel Horky, composer was born

Katreeya English

Katreeya English, Thai singer, actress, model was born

Kim Thayil

Kim Thayil, American guitarist (Soundgarden, Probot) was born

Lacey Mosley

Lacey Mosley, American singer (Flyleaf) was born

Lucie Silvas

Lucie Silvas, English musician was born

Martin Chambers

Martin Chambers, rock drummer (Pretenders) was born

Merald "Bubba" Knight

Merald "Bubba" Knight, Atlanta Ga, singer (Gladys Knights & Pips) was born

Mihaly Mosonyi

Mihaly Mosonyi, composer was born

Nona Gaye

Nona Gaye, daughter of Marvin Gaye/singer was born

Pedro Camacho

Pedro Camacho, Portuguese composer was born

Rudolf Schock

Rudolf Schock, German opera/operette singer was born

Sam Yaffa

Sam Yaffa, Finnish musician (Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls) was born

Samuel Hui

Samuel Hui, Hong Kong singer was born

Teddy Johnson

Teddy Johnson, British singer was born

Died on September 4

Annie Cordy

Annie Cordy died

Astrid Varnay

Astrid Varnay, Swedish-born soprano (b. 1918)

Belle Stewart

Belle Stewart, singer, dies at 91

Billy Cafaro

Billy Cafaro died

Bora Đorđević

Bora Đorđević died

Charlie Barnet

Charlie Barnet, saxophonist (Cherokee), dies of pneumonia at 77

Chuck Greenberg

Chuck Greenberg, new age musician (Shadowfax), dies at 45

Dottie West

Dottie West, country singer (Here Comes my Baby), dies at 58 in a car

Edvard Grieg

Edvard Grieg, composer, dies at 64

Edvard Hagerup Grieg

Edvard Hagerup Grieg, Norwegian composer (Peer Gynt Suite), dies at 64

Gary Peacock

Gary Peacock died

Gary Wright

Gary Wright died

Giovanni Salviucci

Giovanni Salviucci, composer, dies at 29

Girolamo Chiti

Girolamo Chiti, composer, dies at 80

Herman Zumpe

Herman Zumpe, composer, dies at 53

Jonathan Blewitt

Jonathan Blewitt, composer, dies at 71

Lola Bobesco

Lola Bobesco, Romanian-born violinist (b. 1921)

Louis Myers

Louis Myers, blues guitarist /harmonica player, dies at 64

Lucille Starr

Lucille Starr died

Margaret Ramsay

Margaret Ramsay, vocalist, dies

Oswald d'Andréa

Oswald d'Andréa died

Paul Lincke

Paul Lincke, German composer/conductor (Lysistrata), dies at 79

Petar Bergamo

Petar Bergamo died

Sherali Joʻrayev

Sherali Joʻrayev died

Stelios Perpiniadis

Stelios Perpiniadis, Greek musician (b. 1899)

Steve Harwell

Steve Harwell died

Teté Caturla

Teté Caturla died

Tibor Varga

Tibor Varga, Hungarian violinist and conductor (b. 1921)

Vlado Perlemuter

Vlado Perlemuter, Lithuanian pianist (b. 1904)

Yukio Hashi

Yukio Hashi died

Releases & milestones on September 4

6ix9ine

6ix9ine released the album 'TattleTales'

Adéla

Adéla released the album 'Prima'

Beck

14th MTV Awards: Jamiroquai, Jewel & Beck wins

Dexys Midnight Runners

Dexys Midnight Runners released the album 'Love'

Ecca Vandal

Ecca Vandal released the album 'Looking for People to Unfollow'

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding released the album 'I Know Too Much'

Fela Kuti

Nigerian singer Fela Kuti sentenced to 2 years

Green Carnation

Green Carnation released the album 'A Dark Poem, Pt. III: The Messiah Complex'

Henry Santos

Henry Santos released the album 'After The Noise'

J-Ax

J-Ax released the album 'Vita morte miracoli'

Kasabian

Kasabian released the album 'Act III'

Natalie Imbruglia

Natalie Imbruglia released the album 'Algorithm'

Ozuna

Ozuna released the album 'Enoc'

President

President released the album 'Blood of Your Empire'

The Beatles

Beatles' "Help!," single goes #1 & stays #1 for 3 weeks

The Smashing Pumpkins

13th MTV Awards: Alanis Morrisett & Smashing Pumpkins wins

More standout moments in September →