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1996 is a year in the 20th century . It is a leap year .
The most important events
Summer Olympics held in Atlanta , Georgia .
Bill Clinton wins re-election as President of the United States , beating Republican Bob Dole .
January 16 - Jamaican authorities open fire on Jimmy Buffett 's seaplane, mistaking it for a drug trafficker's plane. U2 singer Bono was also on the plane, but neither singer was injured.
January 18 - Lisa Marie Presley files for divorce from Michael Jackson .
January 29 - Garth Brooks refuses to accept his American Music Award for "Favorite Overall Artist". Brooks says that Hootie and the Blowfish had done more for music that year than he did.
February 4 - Former Milli-Vanilli member Rob Pilatus is hospitalized when a man hits him over the head with a baseball bat in Hollywood, California . Pilatus was attempting to steal the man's car.
February 14 - The Artist Formerly Known As Prince marries backup singer Mayte Garcia .
February 20 - Snoop Doggy Dogg and his bodyguard acquitted of first degree murder. The jury deadlocks on voluntary manslaughter charges and a mistrial is declared.
March 4 - The Beatles ' second reunion song is released, as part of their first reuinion since the band's breakup 26 years earlier. The song is simply a finished version of a John Lennon demo from 1980 ; a song called Real Love .
March 13 - Ramones fans riot in Buenos Aires, Argentina after waiting all night for concert tickets only to find out that the show had been sold out.
March 16 - Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men ends its 16th consecutive week at No. 1 with "One Sweet Day". It is the longest consecutive week stay at No. 1 in Billboard Hot 100 history.
March 18 - The Sex Pistols announce that they are reuniting for a 20th anniversary tour.
March 28 - Phil Collins announces that he is leaving Genesis to focus on his solo career.
April 3 - M.C. Hammer files for bankruptcy.
April 4 - The Grateful Dead 's Bob Weir and Jerry Garcia 's widow, Deborah, scatter part of Garcia's ashes in the Ganges River in India .
April 15 - The remaining part of Jerry Garcia 's ashes are scattered near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California .
April 24 - This Train , Rick Elias , Jimmy A , Phil Keaggy , Carolyn Arends , Third Day & Ashley Cleveland perform a tribute concert for Rich Mullins at Nashville 's Cafe Milano. Speakers included Reunion Records executive Terry Hemmings , record producer Reed Arvin , disc jockey Jon Rivers , & author Brennan Manning .
May 8 - In Los Angeles, California , a judge rules against Tommy Lee and wife actress Pamela Anderson Lee in their attempt to keep Penthouse magazine from publishing still photos taken from an X-rated home movie which was stolen from their home.
July - The Smashing Pumpkins drummer, Jimmy Chamberlin , is arrested for possession of a controlled substance. The other band members fire him because they said his "insidious battle with drugs and alcohol" had nearly ruined everything for the band.
August 6 - The Ramones play their last ever show at Lollapalooza .
September 7 - Rapper Tupac Shakur is shot 4 times in Las Vegas, Nevada while leaving the MGM Grand hotel, after seeing the Mike Tyson vs. Bruce Seldon boxing match, in what is apparently a drive-by shooting.
September 12 - Controversy follows The Eagles when the band dedicates "Peaceful Easy Feeling" to Saddam Hussein at a United States Democratic Party fundraiser held in Los Angeles .
September 13 - Tupac Shakur died in hospital after his wounds from the Las Vegas, Nevada MGM Grand shooting.
November 7 - A category 4 cyclone hits Andhra Pradesh , India . Over 2000 people were killed and 95% of the crops were destroyed .
November 8 - After having first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January, the film Hype! , a documentary on the Seattle grunge scene, opens to general audiences
Larry Ewing creates Tux , the Linux mascot.
Sildenafil patented.
Births
Deaths
January 1 - Bobb'e J. Thompson , African-American actor
January 18 - N. T. Rama Rao , Indiam actor , director and politician (b. 1923 )
February 2 - Gene Kelly , American actor, dancer and singer (b. 1912 )
February 14 - McLean Stevenson , American actor (b. 1929 )
February 28 - Brendon Baerg , American actor
May 20 - Jon Pertwee , English actor (b. 1919 )
July 30 - Claudette Colbert , French -born American actress (b. 1903 )
September 13 - Tupac Shakur , American rap singer/songwriter , actor (b. 1971 )
November 30 - Tiny Tim , American musician and singer (b. 1932 )
December 20 - Carl Sagan , American astronomer (b. 1934 )
Films released
Hit songs
New books