Carly Simon’s "You’re So Vain" was the No. 1 song in America.
The Beach Boys' "Holland"was released. To record it, the entire band, their families, and their equipment had moved to the Netherlands for several months. It featured the best thing they ever did "Sail On, Sailor."
Elvis Presley landed at Honolulu Airport via a chartered Boeing 747 to begin rehearsals for the Aloha from Hawaii satellite special. Over 1,000 fans mobbed the airport. He took a helicopter directly to the Hilton Hawaiian Village to stay in seclusion before the show.
The Japanese government officially refused a visa for Mick Jagger due to a 1969 drug conviction. This forced The Rolling Stones to cancel their entire upcoming tour of Japan, causing a massive financial and PR headache for the band.
Deep Purple - Who Do We Think We Are was released It featured the hit "Woman from Tokyo." Despite the album's success, the band was breaking up; singer Ian Gillan and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore were no longer speaking, and they often recorded their parts at different times to avoid each other.
ELO 2: The Electric Light Orchestra released ELO 2 which included their elaborate, seven-minute progressive rock cover of Chuck Berry’s "Roll Over Beethoven." It became their first major hit in the US.
On January 4–5, 1973, Neil Young kicked off his infamous "Time Fades Away" tour widely considered one of the most miserable tours in rock history. Young was grieving the death of his band mate Danny Whitten and hated playing his hits. Instead, he forced audiences to listen to entirely new, unreleased songs.
A then-unknown Linda Ronstadt was the opening act. She was so terrified of the rowdy arena crowds that she reportedly cried before going on stage.
During the rehearsal for Top of the Pops on January 11, 1973, The Sweet caused a minor scandal. Bassist Steve Priest, known for his campy and provocative outfits, showed up in a costume that allegedly flirted with controversial Nazi-style imagery (including a German helmet). The BBC threatened to ban the band from the broadcast unless they toned down the act. They compromised.
On January 5, The Sweet released "Blockbuster!" It featured a heavy, driving guitar riff that sounded identical to David Bowie’s "The Jean Genie," which had been released only two months prior.
For this entire week in 1973, the British press and music fans were debating who stole from whom. It turns out it was a pure coincidence: both bands were recording in the same studios (Trident) at similar times, and both had been inspired by old blues licks.
"Blockbuster!" became their only UK No. 1 hit.
By the first week of January 1973, John Lennon was embroiled in a bizarre legal battle that would influence his next few years. Music publisher Morris Levy had sued him, claiming the Beatles' "Come Together" (1969) had plagiarized Chuck Berry’s "You Can’t Catch Me." In early 1973, Lennon settled out of court. He was forced to record three songs owned by Levy’s company for his next album. This eventually led to the 1975 Rock 'n' Roll covers album, which was born purely out of this legal headache.
