See also:
1971 in music,
other events of 1972,
1973 in music and the
list of 'years in music'.
- January 17 - Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Blvd"
- January 31 - Over 40,000 mourners file past Mahalia Jackson's open casket to pay their respects in Chicago's Great Salem Baptist Church.
- February 8 - Frank Zappa's concert at London's Royal Albert Hall is canceled because of Zappa's obscene lyrics
- February 9 - Paul McCartney's new band, The Wings, make their live debut at Nottingham University in England
- February 13 - Led Zeppelin is cancels a concert in Singapore when government officials won't let them off the airplane because of their long hair
- February 14 - "Steppenwolf Day" is declared in Los Angeles, California
- February 17 - Pink Floyd debuts "The Dark Side of the Moon" during a performance at London's Rainbow Theater[?]. It would be a full year before the song was released.
- Mid February - John Lennon and Yoko Ono cohost an entire week on The Mike Douglas Show[?].
- February 19 - Paul McCartney's single "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" (which was inspired by the "Bloody Sunday" massacre in Ireland on January 30, 1972) is banned by the BBC. The controversy caused by the banning only increases the song's popularity and it ends up in the Top 20 in England.
- February 23 - Elvis and Priscilla Presley separate
- February 29 - John Lennon's U.S. immigration visa expires, beginning his three-and-a-half year fight to remain in the country.
- April 2 - John Lennon and Yoko Ono hold a press conference in New York. The Lennons discuss their appeal of the US Immigration Department's decision to deport John
- April 29 - New York City mayor John Lindsay[?] announces that he is supporting John Lennon and Yoko Ono in their fight to remain in the United States
- May 2 - Stone the Crow[?] lead guitarist Les Harvey[?] is electrocuted on stage during a show in Swansea, Wales[?] after touching a poorly connected microphone. Harvey died in a hospital a few hours later.The band's lead singer, Maggie Bell[?], who had been Harvey's longtime girlfriend, was also hospitalized. Bell collapsed on stage after the incident.
- May 8 - Billy Preston[?] becomes the first rock performer to headline at New York's Radio City Music Hall
- June - Simon and Garfunkel reunite briefly to perform live at Madison Square Garden in New York City for a campaign benefit for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern.
- The Sonny and Cher Show[?] begins airing
- Sammy Davis Jr. makes a guest appearance on the television show All In The Family
- Billy Ray Hearn[?] founds Myrrh Records.
- The Concert for Bangla-Desh
For a more complete list of hits by month, see here (http://home.earthlink.net/~yellowbrickroad/1972.htm).
- February 14 - Rob Thomas[?], Matchbox 20[?]
- February 17 - Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day
- March 10 - Douglas Ardito[?], Puddle Of Mudd
- March 15 - Mark Hoppus, Blink-182
- March 17 - Melissa Auf der Maur, Hole
- May 19 - Jenny Berggren[?], Ace Of Base[?]
- May 21 - The Notorious BIG
- August 8 - Lüpüs Thünder[?], The Bloodhound Gang
- September 26 - Shawn Stockman[?], Boyz II Men
- October 17 - Clef Jean[?], The Fugees
- October 19 - Pras Michel[?], The Fugees
- October 20 - Snoop Doggy Dogg
- December 1 - Greg Upchurch[?], Puddle Of Mudd
- December 9 - Tre Cool, Green Day
- December 10 - Scot Alexander[?], Dishwalla[?]
- December 16 - Michael McCary[?], Boyz II Men
- December 27 - Matt Slocum, Sixpence None The Richer
- December 31 - Joe McIntyre[?], New Kids On The Block