Rock History

On this day...

2007 – Snoop Dogg was sentenced to three years probation and 160 hours of — 2007 - Snoop Dogg was sentenced to three years probation and 160 hours of community service after pleading guilty to carrying a collapsible baton. The rapper was arrested in September 2006 [...]

2004 – Singer Cat Stevens (“Wild World”), who changed his name to Yusuf Islam — 2004 – Singer Cat Stevens (“Wild World”), who changed his name to Yusuf Islam after becoming a Muslim, is denied entry into the United States after his name is found [...]

2000 – Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Ban… — 2000 – Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks reform as Genesis for a one-off performance at the London Hilton during the British Music Roll of Honour gala, organized by [...]

2000 – Canadian rock group the Matthew Good Band i… — 2000 – Canadian rock group the Matthew Good Band is the big winner at the MuchMusic Video Awards, Canada’s annual music video competition. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based group collects prizes [...]

2000 – The Red Hot Chili Peppers film their show in Portland, Ore — 2000 – The Red Hot Chili Peppers film their show in Portland, Ore., tonight for inclusion on a DVD. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2000 – Bono appears on Capitol Hill in an effort to get American lawmakers — 2000 – Bono appears on Capitol Hill in an effort to get American lawmakers to agree to his debt relief plan for the Third World. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2000 – Barenaked Ladies and Toronto settle an 8-year-old feud as — 2000 – Barenaked Ladies and Toronto settle an 8-year-old feud as the band accepts the key to the Canadian city. In 1992, the group was denied permission to play a [...]

1999 – Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails earns the fi… — 1999 – Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails earns the first No. 1 in its career, as “The Fragile” debuts at the top of The Chart Toppers 200, easily outpacing all [...]

1999 – “Reverb,” HBO’s live music show, debuts wit… — 1999 – “Reverb,” HBO’s live music show, debuts with performances from Alanis Morissette and Everlast. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1999 – Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur leaves the grunge band to embark — 1999 – Hole bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur leaves the grunge band to embark on a solo career. She changes her mind and joins the Smashing Pumpkins instead. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1999 – Diana Ross is arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport after allegedly — 1999 – Diana Ross is arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport after allegedly assaulting a security guard. Ross was apparently peeved at being searched before she boarded a plane. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1998 – It is announced that Madonna enrolled her d… — 1998 – It is announced that Madonna enrolled her daughter, Lourdes Ciccone, at Cheltenham Ladies College, an exclusive British private school. The boarding school, founded in 1853, has a reputation [...]

1997 – Ricky Skaggs, Junior Brown, Guy Clark, Iris… — 1997 – Ricky Skaggs, Junior Brown, Guy Clark, Iris DeMent, Steve Earle, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and John Prine perform a concert as part of “Waiting for a Train: Jimmie Rodgers’ [...]

1996 – The audience at the Grand Ole Opry witness … — 1996 – The audience at the Grand Ole Opry witness a historic moment when 23-year-old Hank Williams III, son of Hank Williams Jr. and grandson of country music legend Hank [...]

1996 – Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher walks out on the band in the middle — 1996 – Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher walks out on the band in the middle of their American tour. He’s reported to have fought with his brother, singer Liam Gallagher, and [...]

1993 – Nirvana’s album “In Utero” is released. … — 1993 – Nirvana’s album “In Utero” is released. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1991 – Status Quo (anybody remember “Pictures of Matchstick Men”?) play four — 1991 – Status Quo (anybody remember “Pictures of Matchstick Men”?) play four British arenas in 11 hours. The Guinness Book of World Records is on hand to confirm that, yep, [...]

1991 – Rod Stewart’s “Motown Song” reaches its chart pinnacle of No. 10 — 1991 – Rod Stewart’s “Motown Song” reaches its chart pinnacle of No. 10. It’s only slightly worse than the current No. 1: Color Me Badd’s “I Adore Mi Amor.” Be Sociable, [...]

1987 – Bassist Jaco Pastorius of Blood, Sweat & Tears dies after being — 1987 – Bassist Jaco Pastorius of Blood, Sweat & Tears dies after being beaten up in Florida. He had been trying to break in to Fort Lauderdale’s Midnight Club. He [...]

1985 – Bob Dylan rehearses for the first Farm Aid in Champaign, Ill.this — 1985 – Bob Dylan rehearses for the first Farm Aid in Champaign, Ill.this day in rock. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1983 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Tell Her Abo… — 1983 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Tell Her About It,” Billy Joel. The video features Joel performing the song on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1980 – Having left his longtime label MCA, Elton John signs a contract — 1980 – Having left his longtime label MCA, Elton John signs a contract with David Geffen’s new label Geffen Records, which gains exclusive rights to release his recordings worldwide. The [...]

1979 – U.N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim makes an appeal — 1979 – U.N. Secretary General Kurt Waldheim makes an appeal to the Beatles to reunite to benefit the Vietnamese boat people. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1974 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive release “You Ain’t Seen Nothin — 1974 – Bachman-Turner Overdrive release “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.” And we still haven’t. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1972 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Baby Don’t G… — 1972 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me,” Mac Davis. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1971 – Pink Floyd give their album Meddle a quadraphonic — 1971 – Pink Floyd give their album Meddle a quadraphonic mix at London’s Command Studios. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1968 – Rapper Trugoy the Dove of De La Soul is bor… — 1968 – Rapper Trugoy the Dove of De La Soul is born. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1968 – Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum gives its Beatles statues their fifth — 1968 – Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum gives its Beatles statues their fifth hair and clothes makeover in four years, in keeping with the lads’ taste for hippie fashions. On the [...]

1967 – Crossover country artist Faith Hill is born in Jackson, Miss. She’s — 1967 – Crossover country artist Faith Hill is born in Jackson, Miss. She’s put up for adoption and spends her childhood growing up in a town called Star. Sounds like [...]

1967 – Drummer Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies is born. — 1967 – Drummer Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies is born. Tyler Joseph Stewart (b. September 21, 1967) is the drummer for the Canadian music group Barenaked Ladies. Tyler was the last [...]

1965 – The Moody Blues play their first major gig at London’s Royal Albert — 1965 – The Moody Blues play their first major gig at London’s Royal Albert Hall as part of a bill called Brian Epstein’s Evening of Popular Music. They share manager [...]

1961 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Take Good Ca… — 1961 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Take Good Care of My Baby,” Bobby Vee. The song was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1947 – Don Felder of the Eagles is born in Topanga… — 1947 – Don Felder of the Eagles is born in Topanga, Calif. Donald William Felder (born September 21, 1947 in Gainesville, Florida) is an American rock musician who was a member [...]

1944 – Kiowa Indian Jesse Ed Davis, a guitarist whose work can be heard — 1944 – Kiowa Indian Jesse Ed Davis, a guitarist whose work can be heard on albums by Eric Clapton, John Lennon, and Neil Diamond, is born in Oklahoma. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1934 – Leonard Cohen is born in Montreal. … — 1934 – Leonard Cohen is born in Montreal. Be Sociable, Share! [...]