“Gangnam Style” Reaches One Billion YouTube Views
PSY’s Korean-language hit becomes the first YouTube video to cross the billion-view threshold.
Nas Releases Illmatic
A concise debut album turns Queensbridge observation into a benchmark for rap writing and production.
Rapper’s Delight Takes Rap Onto the Charts
The Sugarhill Gang record becomes an early international commercial breakthrough for rap.
Bob Marley Releases Exodus
An album created during exile carries reggae, spirituality, politics, and love to a global audience.
Soul Train Enters National Syndication
Don Cornelius brings Black music, dance, fashion, and style to a national weekly television audience.
The Beatles Reach America Through Television
The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show before a massive U.S. television audience.