Music is my life

44: April 15, 1981
R.E.M. RECORD "RADIO FREE EUROPE": Minting the new sound of college rock- jangly guitars adn incomprehesible lyrics- that eventually made R.E.M. the biggest cult band in history.

43: August 15, 1955
ELVIS SIGNS WITH "COLONEL" TOM PARKER: Striking a bargain that begins the long slow death of the Hillbilly Cat, the commercialization of rock & roll- and the triumph of the Suit over creativity.

42: July 13, 1985
LIVE AID: A staggering trans- Atlantic lineup and a record-breaking TV audience of 1.5 billion ensures that philanthropy- and U2's record sales- will never be the same...

78: May 29, 1983
HEAVY METAL DAY AT THE US FESTIVAL: 300,000 head bang to Van Halen and Mötley Crüe, confirming hair metal's arrival.

77: October 23, 2002
KANYE WEST'S CAR CRASH: In which hip-hop's best producer rapper smashes his jaw, finds God and decides to write "Through the Wire," a career-making song about seat-belt safety.

76: January 1, 1994
MAX MARTIN QUOITS CASHIERING, STARTS PRODUCING: Millions of teenage girls feel the sudden urge to squeal.

75: June 27, 1966
FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION RELEASE FREAK OUT!: Rock's first concept record.

74: September 9, 1934
"MUZAK" IS REGISTERED...