1894 – Composer Ernest John Moeran was born.

1904 – Composer Nathan Milstein was born.

1923 – Singer Eddie Cantor opened in the lead role of “Kid Boots.”

1929 – Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians played “Auld Lang Syne” as a New Year’s Eve song for the first time.

1940 – As a result of a dispute between the radio networks and ASCAP (the American Society of Composers and Publishers), the radio industry was prevented from playing any ASCAP-licensed music. The ban lasted for ten months.

1961 – The Beach Boys played a show under this name for the first time at a Ritchie Valens memorial concert in Long Beach, CA.

1969 – Jimi Hendrix introduced his new Band of Gypsys at a show that was recorded and later released as the live album “Band of Gypsys.”

1970 – Paul McCartney filed a suit to dissolve the Beatles.

1971 – The Beatles broke up.

1971 – David Clayton-Thomas made his last appearance with Blood, Sweat & Tears (until their reunion).

1975 – Elvis Presley performed for 60,000 fans at the Silverdome, in Pontiac, MI. He set a world record for earning $800,000 for a single concert by a single artist.

1976 – The Cars gave their debut performance at Pease Air Force Base, Portsmouth, NH.

1978 – The Bauhaus gave their performance debut in England.

1981 – MTV hosted the first New Year’s Eve Rock and Roll Ball.

1982 – Steve Van Zandt, of the E Street Band, married Maureen Santora.

1983 – MTV completed its first profitable quarter.

1984 – Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm in an auto accident in England.

1985 – Ricky Nelson and six others died in an airplane crash near DeKalb, TX. A fire had broken out on the plane.

1986 – At a birthday party for Don Henley, Gary Hart and Donna Rice met each other.

1993 – Barbra Streisand performed her first paid concert in 22 years at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, NV.

1999 – “Rave Un2 The Joy 2000″ was aired. Prince had recorded the show on December 18, 1999 at Paisley Park Studios.

2002 – 50 Cent and four other men were arrested and charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. Police had found two guns in the vehicle the men were riding in.

http://www.on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/music/dec31.htm