Anniversaries
18 May

The Lincoln Blues Festival, headlined by Wilko Johnson, takes place at The Engine Shed, Lincoln, UK.

Herbie Hancock plays at Miner Auditorium, San Francisco, California, USA.

Paul McCartney cancels more gigs in Japan, Asia, because he is still suffering from a virus.

Bobby McFerrin plays at Nikolaisaal, Potsdam, Germany, Europe.

In an article in the Mail on Sunday, former Dire Straits' bass player John Illsley reveals his 15 year battle with leukaemia, how he kept it secret from friends and family, how songs on his new album were written while in hospital and how his life was saved by stem cells donated by his sister.

The 2014 Billboard Music Awards event is held at The MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Justin Timberlake wins as top artist, top male artist and top Billboard 200 Artist for his The 20/20 Experience. Other multiple award winners include Imagine Dragons, Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. One extraordinary aspect of the night was a 'performance' by a 'hologram' of Michael Jackson 'singing' Slave To The Rhythm with a live five-piece band and sixteen dancers onstage. (In fact the 'hologram' is actually an old stage magician's trick called Pepper's Ghost which uses a mirror to create a moving onstage image)

Avant-jazz/funk percussionist and vibraphonist Mike Dillon hosts a post-Bayou Boogaloo party at Chickie Wah Wah, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Daria And The Hip Drops are also on the bill.

Kasabian play at Nerve Centre, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK.

Primus play at The Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville, North Carolina, USA.

On his High Hopes tour, Bruce Springsteen plays at The Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut, USA.

Against Me! play at The Granada Theater, Lawrence, Kansas, USA.

Alter Bridge play at Rock On The Range, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Seether, Black Stone Cherry and Redlight King play at The House Of Blues, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

The Backstreet Boys release their second studio album, Millennium, worldwide. It will go on to sell over 40m copies.

Moby releases Run On, the second single from his 1999 CD Play. The single extensively samples the 1949 track Run On For A Long Time recorded by gospel group Bill Landford and the Landfordaires for Columbia Records in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Walter Hawkins is born in Oakland, Califonia, USA. He will come to be regarded as one of the world's greatest gospel singers, and is best-remembered as a member of The Edwin Hawkins Singers.