Rock History

On this day...

2007 – Pete Doherty was given a suspended prison term for drugs — 2007 – Pete Doherty was given a suspended prison term for drugs and motoring offences after admitting driving while uninsured, having no MOT and while in possession of crack cocaine, [...]

2006 – Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor quit the band during the US leg — 2006 – Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor quit the band during the US leg of their world tour. A statement on behalf of the group described the relationship with Andy [...]

2004 – Elvis Presley came top of a list of the highest-earning dead celebritie — 2004 -  Elvis Presley came top of a list of the highest-earning dead celebrities. Forbes.com listed the Top 5 dead music earners; 1. Elvis Presley $40m (£22m), 2. John Lennon [...]

2004 – John Peel, an English DJ whose eclectic taste and patronage was instrumental — 2004 – John Peel, an English DJ whose eclectic taste and patronage was instrumental in launching the careers of T. Rex, Rod Stewart, The Smiths, The Undertones, The Fall, and [...]

2004 – Forbes Magazine names Elvis Presley the highest-earning dead celebrity. Presley’ — 2004 – Forbes Magazine names Elvis Presley the highest-earning dead celebrity. Presley’s estate pulls in around $40 million a year in merchandise sales. John Lennon, George Harrison and Bob Marley [...]

2004 – Apple launched the U2 Special Edition iPod as part of a partnership — 2004 – Apple launched the U2 Special Edition iPod as part of a partnership between Apple, U2 and Universal Music Group. The new U2 iPod held up to 5,000 songs [...]

2003 – Fatman Scoop tops the British singles chart with “Be Faithful.” Dido — 2003 – Fatman Scoop tops the British singles chart with “Be Faithful.” Dido’s Life for Rent keeps The Strokes’ Room on Fire from the No. 1 UK album spot. Be Sociable, [...]

2001 – Courtney Love plays her first-ever solo sho… — 2001 – Courtney Love plays her first-ever solo show at the Ventura Theatre in Ventura, Calif. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2000 – Ontario Attorney-General Jim Flaherty reque… — 2000 – Ontario Attorney-General Jim Flaherty requests that Canada’s federal government, which handles immigration matters, prevent Eminem from entering the country for a concert at Toronto’s SkyDome. The request stems [...]

2000 – Capitol Records honors Garth Brooks with a … — 2000 – Capitol Records honors Garth Brooks with a lavish party, marking Brooks’ status as the only artist to sell more than 100 million albums in a decade and the [...]

1999 – Singer/songwriter Hoyt Axton, who penned Th… — 1999 – Singer/songwriter Hoyt Axton, who penned Three Dog Night’s smash hit “Joy To The World,” dies in Victor, Mo. He is 61. Axton, largely confined to a wheelchair since [...]

1999 – German schlager artist Rex Gildo dies from … — 1999 – German schlager artist Rex Gildo dies from injuries he sustained three days earlier when he jumped from the second floor of his Munich flat. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1998 – The Recording Industry Association of Ameri… — 1998 – The Recording Industry Association of America is dealt a blow in its battle against the maker of a device that plays music downloaded from the Internet using a [...]

1998 – Singer/songwriter Eros Ramazzotti celebrate… — 1998 – Singer/songwriter Eros Ramazzotti celebrates his 35th Birthdays Oct. 26 with the global release of his album “Eros Live,” featuring 15 tracks recorded during his 1997-98 worldwide tour. Be [...]

1998 – Shock-rock glam band Marilyn Manson kicks o… — 1998 – Shock-rock glam band Marilyn Manson kicks off its highly anticipated Mechanical Animals tour in Kansas City, Mo., without incident. Civic leaders from Syracuse, N.Y., however, immediately begin raising [...]

1998 – President Clinton announces that Fats Domin… — 1998 – President Clinton announces that Fats Domino, folk singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, and opera singer Roberta Peters are to be among the dozen 1998 winners of the National Medal [...]

1998 – John Michael Montgomery raises over $14,000… — 1998 – John Michael Montgomery raises over $14,000 for the Jessamine Humane Society at his Putt for Paws golf tournament and concert. “We have a moral obligation to take care [...]

1996 – Veteran California Highway Patrol Officer, … — 1996 – Veteran California Highway Patrol Officer, Ruben Rios, 53, is struck and killed by a motorist leaving Ozzy Osbourne’s Ozz Fest ’96. Rios had been directing the heavy post-show [...]

1994 – Wilbert Harrison dies of a stroke in Spence… — 1994 – Wilbert Harrison dies of a stroke in Spencer, N.C. He was 65. The R&B singer’s version “Kansas City” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1959. In [...]

1993 – Madonna is playing Puerto Rico, but the Church isn’t happy. The Catholic — 1993 – Madonna is playing Puerto Rico, but the Church isn’t happy. The Catholic Church urges residents of San Juan to tie black ribbons around trees and keep their front [...]

1993 – Bob Dylan releases World Gone Wrong this day in rock history! — 1993 – Bob Dylan releases World Gone Wrong this day in rock history! Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1992 – To John Fogerty, a son. He and his wife, Julie, become the proud — 1992 – To John Fogerty, a son. He and his wife, Julie, become the proud parents of Tyler Jackson today. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1982 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Who Can It B… — 1982 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Who Can It Be Now?” Men at Work. The song is the 12th No. 1 single to pose a question and the [...]

1980 – During a recording session, Jefferson Starship’s Paul Kantner suffers — 1980 – During a recording session, Jefferson Starship’s Paul Kantner suffers a stroke. He later makes a full recovery after spending two weeks in a Los Angeles hospital. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1978 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Hot Child in… — 1978 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Hot Child in the City,” Nick Gilder. The song takes 20 weeks from the time it enters the Hot 100 to reach [...]

1976 – Leonard Lee of the R&B duo Shirley & Lee (“Let the Good Times — 1976 – Leonard Lee of the R&B duo Shirley & Lee (“Let the Good Times Roll”) dies in New Orleans. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1975 – Elton John performs at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, dressed in a — 1975 – Elton John performs at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, dressed in a sequined Dodger outfit. It’s the last date on his sold-out American tour. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1974 – Keith Richards files a planning application with his loca — 1974 – Keith Richards files a planning application with his local council, asking for permission to refurbish his Redlands, England, mansion. The house burned down in 1973. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1973 – John Lennon releases his “Mind Games” single in the U.S — 1973 – John Lennon releases his “Mind Games” single in the U.S. It later peaks at No. 18. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1970 – The mother of Meredith Hunter, the man slain at the ill — 1970 – The mother of Meredith Hunter, the man slain at the ill-fated Altamont festival, sues the Rolling Stones. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1968 – DJ Murray the K starts work at WMCA in New York. The so- — 1968 – DJ Murray the K starts work at WMCA in New York. The so-called “fifth Beatle” first began his broadcasting career there in the ’50s. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1967 – Pink Floyd performs the first of three nights at San Francisco’s Fillmore. — 1967 – Pink Floyd performs the first of three nights at San Francisco’s Fillmore this day in rock history! Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1966 – English ’50s pop icon Alma Cogan dies at age 34 in London — 1966 – English ’50s pop icon Alma Cogan dies at age 34 in London. In the ’60s, she befriended Paul McCartney and recorded covers of “Eight Days a Week” and [...]

1965 – Queen Elizabeth presents the Beatles with M… — 1965 – Queen Elizabeth presents the Beatles with MBE’s at Buckingham Palace in London. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1964 – German techno geezer Sven Vath is born in Offenbach. He ruined the — 1964 – German techno geezer Sven Vath is born in Offenbach. He ruined the genre forever by making albums about harlequins. Respect. Sven Väth (born 26 October 1964 near Frankfurt, Germany) [...]

1964 – The Beatles spend their last day recording tracks for the album — 1964 – The Beatles spend their last day recording tracks for the album Beatles for Sale. Their rockabilly hero Carl Perkins visits them in the studio. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1963 – Bob Dylan performs at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Interest in him — 1963 – Bob Dylan performs at New York’s Carnegie Hall. Interest in him has been raised by the success of Peter, Paul & Mary’s covers of “Blowin’ in the Wind” [...]

1962 – The Beatles’ debut single, “Love Me Do,” enters the English chart. — 1962 – The Beatles’ debut single, “Love Me Do,” enters the English chart. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1962 – Bob Dylan records with a band for the first time at — 1962 – Bob Dylan records with a band for the first time at sessions for his Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan album. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1961 – Bob Dylan signs with Columbia Records after attracting — 1961 – Bob Dylan signs with Columbia Records after attracting the notice of the revered A&R man John Hammond. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1959 – The Everly Brothers, riding high on the charts with “Till I — 1959 – The Everly Brothers, riding high on the charts with “Till I Kissed You,” say they’re thinking of leaving their record label, Cadence, for a deal with RCA or [...]

1955 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Autumn Leave… — 1955 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Autumn Leaves,” Roger Williams. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1953 – Keith Strickland, drummer/guitarist with the B-52′s — 1953 – Keith Strickland, drummer/guitarist with the B-52′s, is born in Athens, Ga. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1951 – Maggie Roche of the folk trio the Roches is born. You — 1951 – Maggie Roche of the folk trio the Roches is born. You can hear her backing vocals on Paul Simon’s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1951 – JB’s and Funkadelic bassist Bootsy Collins is born in — 1951 – JB’s and Funkadelic bassist Bootsy Collins is born in Cincinnati. His real name is William. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1949 – To B.B. King, a daughter. Shirley King became a blues — 1949 – To B.B. King, a daughter. Shirley King became a blues singer in her own right, but only after a career as an exotic dancer. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1944 – Them bassist Alan Henderson is born in Belfast, Northern — 1944 – Them bassist Alan Henderson is born in Belfast, Northern Ireland this day in rock. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1940 – Herman’s Hermits guitarist Keith Hopwood is born in Manchester — 1940 – Herman’s Hermits guitarist Keith Hopwood is born in Manchester, England this day in rock history! Be Sociable, Share! [...]