Rock History

On this day...

2004 – Green Day top the UK charts with their punk-rock concept album American — 2004 – Green Day top the UK charts with their punk-rock concept album American Idiot. The No. 1 single is DJ Eric Prydz’s “Call On Me.”

2003 – Metallica’s James Hetfield puts his restored black 1967 Chevrolet Camaro — 2003 – Metallica’s James Hetfield puts his restored black 1967 Chevrolet Camaro up for sale – on eBay!

2003 – British singer Robert Palmer, best known fo… — 2003 – British singer Robert Palmer, best known for his dapper dressing style and his iconic videos in the 1980s for songs like “Addicted to Love,” dies. He is 54. [...]

2000 – To launch Creed singer Scott Stapp’s With A… — 2000 – To launch Creed singer Scott Stapp’s With Arms Wide Open Foundation, the band and Wind-Up Records release a limited edition single of Creed’s hit song “With Arms Wide [...]

2000 – Songwriter Carl Sigman dies of natural caus… — 2000 – Songwriter Carl Sigman dies of natural causes. He is 91. A member of the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, Sigman authored chestnuts such as “Love Story (Where Do I [...]

2000 – 98 Degrees’ new album, “Revelation,” receiv… — 2000 – 98 Degrees’ new album, “Revelation,” receives a premiere in U.S. Wal-Mart stores via an exclusive satellite broadcast concert.

1999 – Deep Purple play London’s Royal Albert Hall accompanied by the Roya — 1999 – Deep Purple play London’s Royal Albert Hall accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

1999 – Kenny Rogers announces he’s putting his 360-acre Beaver Dam Farms estate — 1999 – Kenny Rogers announces he’s putting his 360-acre Beaver Dam Farms estate in Georgia up for auction.

1998 – Paul’s daughter Mary McCartney marries Alistair Donald. The — 1998 – Paul’s daughter Mary McCartney marries Alistair Donald. The father of the bride drives her to the church in Sussex, England.

1998 – MTV Russia debuts at midnight with “Prodigy… — 1998 – MTV Russia debuts at midnight with “Prodigy Live in Moscow,” a concert taped in spring 1997. The first Russian video on the network is Mummy Troll’s “Vladivostock

1998 – BlackHawk member Dave Robbins loses his fat… — 1998 – BlackHawk member Dave Robbins loses his father, William Robbins Jr., when the elder Robbins suffers a massive heart attack. Robbins is buried in Forest Park, Ga.

1998 – After sustaining a pulled ligament from a m… — 1998 – After sustaining a pulled ligament from a misplaced cable during his performance at the Trump Marina Theater in Atlantic City, N.J., Prince (who at the time is still [...]

1997 – The initial 300,000-unit shipment of Elton … — 1997 – The initial 300,000-unit shipment of Elton John’s “Candle In The Wind 1997″ sells out in Japan on its first day of release. The single, retailing for 1,300 yen [...]

1996 – The Grateful Dead unveil their new line of ties at a New — 1996 – The Grateful Dead unveil their new line of ties at a New York art gallery.

1995 – The Velvet Undergound’s ‘Peel Slowly & See,’ a monumental five-disc — 1995 – The Velvet Undergound’s ‘Peel Slowly & See,’ a monumental five-disc boxed retrospective, is released.

1991 – Southside Johnny films his video for “It’s Been a Long Time” at Asbury Park, N.J.’ — 1991 – Southside Johnny films his video for “It’s Been a Long Time” at Asbury Park, N.J.’s Stone Pony. Sure enough, Bruce Springsteen turns up. And he brings Little Steven [...]

1989 – Paul McCartney begins his Get Back tour – in which he plays several Lennon — 1989 – Paul McCartney begins his Get Back tour – in which he plays several Lennon/McCartney compositions live for the first time – at the Drammenshallen, in Dramen, Norway.

1988 – Keith Richards releases his first solo album, Talk Is Cheap, as people — 1988 – Keith Richards releases his first solo album, Talk Is Cheap, as people wonder if the Rolling Stones will ever get back together again. We needn’t have worried.

1987 – David Bowie ran out of steam in 1987 when “Never Let Me Down” — 1987 – David Bowie ran out of steam in 1987 when “Never Let Me Down” became his last single to chart in that decade. It only made it as high [...]

1986 – Having been delayed by nearly a year, Mick Jagger’s longform — 1986 – Having been delayed by nearly a year, Mick Jagger’s longform video Running Out of Luck finally arrives in stores to scant notice.

1979 – The Clash release their first single in America. “I Fought the Law, — 1979 – The Clash release their first single in America. “I Fought the Law,” a cover of the Bobby Fuller Four number, fails to chart.

1974 – John Lennon releases his solo album Walls and Bridges. Featuring the — 1974 – John Lennon releases his solo album Walls and Bridges. Featuring the Elton John-assisted single “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night,” it becomes his last album of original material [...]

1973 – Paul and Linda McCartney and Denny Laine of Wings return to England — 1973 – Paul and Linda McCartney and Denny Laine of Wings return to England from Nigeria, the unusual locale where they decided to record Band on the Run.

1970 – John Lennon begins recording sessions for what will become — 1970 – John Lennon begins recording sessions for what will become his therapeutic John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band album.

1970 – Motown Records announces the Jackson 5 have… — 1970 – Motown Records announces the Jackson 5 have sold 10 million records in nine months.

1969 – Promoter Bill Graham opens the Fillmore West in San Francisco. — 1969 – Promoter Bill Graham opens the Fillmore West in San Francisco. It quickly becomes the epicenter of the city’s psychedelic-band boom.

1968 – The Beatles record sound effects for use on “Glass Onion,” but never — 1968 – The Beatles record sound effects for use on “Glass Onion,” but never end up using them.

1968 – Rolling Stone Brian Jones is found guilty of marijuana — 1968 – Rolling Stone Brian Jones is found guilty of marijuana possession. A judge fines him $150.

1966 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Cherish,” t… — 1966 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Cherish,” the Association. The group’s record company is afraid radio stations would think the song was too long, so the running time [...]

1965 – Hang On Sloopy (The McCoys) was a hit. — 1965 – Hang On Sloopy (The McCoys) was a hit.

1964 – The Kinks release their single “You Really Got Me. — 1964 – The Kinks release their single “You Really Got Me.” It becomes their first American hit, peaking at No. 7.

1964 – No. 1 on the singles chart is Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman.” — 1964 – No. 1 on the singles chart is Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman.”

1962 – Everything but the Girl girl Tracey Thorn is born. — 1962 – Everything but the Girl girl Tracey Thorn is born.

1961 – Bob Dylan gets a steady gig. He spends the next two weeks — 1961 – Bob Dylan gets a steady gig. He spends the next two weeks at Gerde’s Folk City in New York’s Greenwich Village, opening for the Greenbriar Boys, a local [...]

1957 – Buddy Holly and The Crickets had their only number one, “That’ll Be — 1957 – Buddy Holly and The Crickets had their only number one, “That’ll Be the Day,” this week in 1957. Their next two singles, “Peggy Sue” and “Oh, Boy!” also [...]

1955 – Singer Eddie Fisher marries singer/actress … — 1955 – Singer Eddie Fisher marries singer/actress Debbie Reynolds.

1948 – Olivia Newton-John is born in Cambridge, En… — 1948 – Olivia Newton-John is born in Cambridge, England.

1945 – Vocalist Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music is born … — 1945 – Vocalist Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music is born in Durham, England.