Rock History

On this day...

2012 – Don Cornelius: NEWS RELEASE — 2012 – Don Cornelius: NEWS RELEASE The Recording Academy Statement re: Don Cornelius Feb. 1, 2012 Recording Academy Trustees Award recipient Don Cornelius created a cultural phenomenon with “Soul Train,” providing a platform [...]

2012 – The Arctic Monkeys get 7 nominations at the NME music awards on This Day in Rock Music History! — 2012 – The Arctic Monkeys get 7 nominations at the NME music awards on This Day in Rock Music History! The Arctic Monkeys lead the field with seven nominations at the [...]

2009 – Bruce Springsteen started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart — 2009 – Bruce Springsteen started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with ‘Working on a Dream’ his 16th studio album. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2008 – US space agency Nasa announced that ‘Across the Universe — 2008 – US space agency Nasa announced that ‘Across the Universe’ by the Beatles was to become the first song ever to be beamed directly into space. The track would [...]

2006 – Il Divo, the pop/opera quartet created by American Idol… — 2006 – Il Divo, the pop/opera quartet created by American Idol star Simon Cowell top the U.S. album charts with Ancora. The second highest new entry is country [...]

2006 – New Zealand new wavers Split Enz (“I Got You”) … — 2006 – New Zealand new wavers Split Enz (“I Got You”) announce they are reforming for an Australian tour. The band – whose members included Crowded House’s Neil [...]

2006 – The members of Split Enz announce they are … — 2006 – The members of Split Enz announce they are reuniting for an Australian arena tour 22 years after they originally broke up. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2005 – Rob Thomas’ solo debut single, “Lonely No M… — 2005 – Rob Thomas’ solo debut single, “Lonely No More,” premieres exclusively via AOL Music’s First Listen initiative. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2005 – Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘It’s Now Or Never’, the singers — 2005 – Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘It’s Now Or Never’, the singers 21st No.1, first released in 1960. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2004 – Janet Jackson inadvertently bares her breast… — 2004 – Janet Jackson inadvertently bares her breast when Justin Timberlake tugs at her costume during the Super Bowl half-time show in Houston, Texas. Other performers include Kid [...]

2004 – LMC Vs. U2′s “Take Me To The Clouds Above”… — 2004 – LMC Vs. U2′s “Take Me To The Clouds Above” tops the UK singles chart. The No. 1 album is Katie Melua’s Call Off The Search. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2004 – LMC vs U2 started a two week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart — U2 2004 – LMC vs U2 started a two week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Take Me To The Clouds Above.’ Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2003 – Cuban-born conga player/percussionist Ramon… — 2003 – Cuban-born conga player/percussionist Ramon “Mongo” Santamaria dies in a Miami hospital after suffering a stroke earlier in the week. He is 85. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2002 – the father of S Club 7′s Paul Cattermole was jailed for nearly — 2002 – the father of S Club 7′s Paul Cattermole was jailed for nearly three years for sex acts with two 14 year-old girl fans of the group. Gerald Cattermole, [...]

2002 – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club made their UK live — 2002 – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club made their UK live debut when they appeared at Liverpool University. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2001 – LeAnn Rimes takes to the Web to directly ad… — 2001 – LeAnn Rimes takes to the Web to directly address her fans about her ongoing legal wrangling and to apologize for the recently released album “I Need You,” which [...]

2001 – Hit songwriter John Jarrad dies in Nashvill… — 2001 – Hit songwriter John Jarrad dies in Nashville of respiratory failure. He is 47. Jarrad wrote 11 No. 1 records. His hit songs include John Anderson’s “Money In The [...]

2001 – a collection of Sir Elton John’s private photos on display at — Elton John 2001 – a collection of Sir Elton John’s private photos on display at a museum in Atlanta were withdrawn. The exhibition, which included snaps of nude men, was said [...]

1999 – The Web site Lycos begins a new search serv… — 1999 – The Web site Lycos begins a new search service that offers easy access to a halfmillion high quality recordings. The search service finds titles that use MP3, an [...]

1999 – Four hundred people were injured after an Australian — Marilyn Manson 1999 – Four hundred people were injured after an Australian concert by Marilyn Manson when he stormed off stage after being bombarded with missiles and abuse at the show [...]

1997 – The original soundtrack from the film ‘Evita’ went to No.1 — 1997 – The original soundtrack from the film ‘Evita’ went to No.1 on the UK album chart. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1997 – Boy George was beaten up by two bouncers after trying to jump — 1997 – Boy George was beaten up by two bouncers after trying to jump the queue outside The Ministry Of Sound in London where George had been a guest DJ. Be [...]

1997 – Blur went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with — 1997 – Blur went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Beetlebum’. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1995, Richey James guitarist with the Manic Street Preachers vanished — 1995, Richey James guitarist with the Manic Street Preachers vanished leaving no clues to his whereabouts. He left The Embassy Hotel in London at 7am, leaving behind his packed suitcase. [...]

1992 – Nirvana’s album, “Nevermind” goes to the No… — 1992 – Nirvana’s album, “Nevermind” goes to the No. 1 spot on the Chart Toppers Album chart for the second time. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1992 – George Michael and Elton John went to No.1 on the US singles — 1992 – George Michael and Elton John went to No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’, also a No.1 in the UK. [...]

1988 – The Cars announced they were breaking up after 12 — 1988 – The Cars announced they were breaking up after 12 years of working together. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1986 – Diana Ross marries Norwegian millionaire Ar… — 1986 – Diana Ross marries Norwegian millionaire Arne Naess in Geneva. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1986 – Music publisher Dick James died of a heart attack aged 65 — 1986 – Music publisher Dick James died of a heart attack aged 65. Worked with many UK 60′s acts including The Beatles. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1986 – during a UK tour The Bangles appeared at Portsmouth — The Bangles 1986 – during a UK tour The Bangles appeared at Portsmouth Polytechnic, England. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1980 – Uriah Heep kicked off their 19 date 10th Anniversary UK tour at B — Uriah Heep 1980 – Uriah Heep kicked off their 19 date 10th Anniversary UK tour at Birmingham’s Odeon, supported by Girlschool. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1977 – Led Zeppelin postpone their North American tour… — 1977 – Led Zeppelin postpone their North American tour after Robert Plant comes down with tonsillitis. The dates of what would be the band’s last American concerts are [...]

1977 – The Sex Pistols began a European tour in Belgium. — The Sex Pistols 1977 – The Sex Pistols began a European tour in Belgium. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1975 – Neil Sedaka had his second US No.1 single with ‘Laughter — Neil Sedaka 1975 – Neil Sedaka had his second US No.1 single with ‘Laughter In The Rain’, over 12 years after his last chart topper ‘Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’. Be [...]

1972 – Chuck Berry has his first UK No.1 single with a live recording — Chuck Berry 1972 – Chuck Berry has his first UK No.1 single with a live recording of a song he’d been playing live for over 20 years ‘My Ding A Ling’. [...]

1971 – Born on this day, Ron Welty, drums, The Offspring — The Offspring 1971 – Born on this day, Ron Welty, drums, The Offspring, (1999 UK No.1 & US No. 59 single ‘Pretty Fly, (For A White Guy)’, 1999 US No.6 & [...]

1969 – Joni Mitchell makes her Carnegie Hall debut… — 1969 – Joni Mitchell makes her Carnegie Hall debut. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1969 – Born on this day, Patrick Wilson, Weezer, (1995 — 1969 – Born on this day, Patrick Wilson, Weezer, (1995 UK No.12 single, ‘Buddy Holly’). Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1969 – Tommy James and the Shondells started a two week run at No.1 — 1969 – Tommy James and the Shondells started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Crimson And Clover’, the groups second and last No.1. Billy [...]

1968 – Born on this day, Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis — 1968 – Born on this day, Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis. Married Michael Jackson in 1994, separated on 10th December 1995. Had the UK No.16 single ‘Lights Out’. Be Sociable, [...]

1968 – The Who kicked off their third North American tour — The Who 1968 – The Who kicked off their third North American tour at the Civic Auditorium San Jose, California Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1967 – at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles started — The Beatles at Abby road Studios 1967 – at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles started work on a new song ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. It wasn’t until [...]

1967 – during a UK tour The Jimi Hendrix Experience played — 1967 – during a UK tour The Jimi Hendrix Experience played at The Celler Club, South Shields. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1964 – The governor of Indiana declares the Kingsm… — 1964 – The governor of Indiana declares the Kingsmen’s hit “Louie Louie” to be pornographic and asks the state’s radio stations not to play it. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1964 – The Beatles started a seven week run at No.1 on the US — The Beatles 1964 – The Beatles started a seven week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, the first US No.1 by a [...]

1963 – 17 year-old Neil Young performed his first professional date at — Neil Young 1963 – 17 year-old Neil Young performed his first professional date at a country club in Winnipeg. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1957 – Born on this day, Dennis Brown, reggae singer, ( — 1957 – Born on this day, Dennis Brown, reggae singer, (1979 UK No.14 single ‘Money In My Pocket’). He died on July 1st 1999. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1954 – Born on this day, Mike Campbell, guitar, Tom Petty and the — 1954 – Born on this day, Mike Campbell, guitar, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, (1977 single ‘American Girl’, 1989 UK No.28 single ‘I Won’t Back Down’, 1991 UK No.3 album [...]

1952 – Rick James is born in Buffalo, N.Y. Among h… — 1952 – Rick James is born in Buffalo, N.Y. Among his R&B hits are “Cold Blooded,” which tops Chart Toppers’s Black Singles chart for six weeks in 1983, and “Super [...]

1949 – RCA Records issued the first ever 45rpm single, the invention — 1949 – RCA Records issued the first ever 45rpm single, the invention of this size record made jukeboxes possible. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1938 – Born on this day, Jimmy Carl Black, drums, Frank Zappa — 1938 – Born on this day, Jimmy Carl Black, drums, Frank Zappa, (1970 UK No.9 album ‘Hot Rats’). Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1937 – Don Everly (Isaac Donald Everly) of the Eve… — 1937 – Don Everly (Isaac Donald Everly) of the Everly Brothers is born in Brownie, Ky. The duo has four No. 1 hit singles. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1937 – Born on this day, Ray Sawyer, vocals, Dr Hook, (1972 — 1937 – Born on this day, Ray Sawyer, vocals, Dr Hook, (1972 US No.5 & UK No.2 single ‘Sylvia’s Mother’ plus 9 other US Top 40 hits). Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1937 – Born on this day, Don Everly, guitar, vocals, The Everly — The Everly Brothers 1937 – Born on this day, Don Everly, guitar, vocals, The Everly Brothers, (1958 UK & US No.1 single ‘All I Have To Do Is Dream’ plus over [...]

1934 – Born on this day, Bob Shane, The Kingston Trio, (1958 US — 1934 – Born on this day, Bob Shane, The Kingston Trio, (1958 US No.1 & UK No.5 single ‘Tom Dooley plus nine other US Top 40 hits). Be Sociable, Share! [...]