Rock History

On this day...

2012 – Bruce Springsteen with Paul McCartney performs in London’s Hyde Park and gets plug pulled on This Day in Rock Music History! — 2012 – Bruce Springsteen with Paul McCartney performs in London’s Hyde Park and gets plug pulled on This Day in Rock Music History! A concert which was turning out to be [...]

2009 – Michael Jackson fans from all over the world congregated at London’s O2 arena, —   2009 - Michael Jackson fans from all over the world congregated at London’s O2 arena, where the star had been due to begin his run of 50 concerts. Fans who left [...]

2007 – a pair of glasses worn by former Beatle John Lennon sparked a bidding — 2007 – a pair of glasses worn by former Beatle John Lennon sparked a bidding war after being offered for sale online. The circular sunglasses were worn by Lennon during [...]

2005 – Pioneering African-American country artist … — 2005 – Pioneering African-American country artist Big Al Downing dies at a hospital near his home in Leicester, Mass. Downing, 65, is felled by complications from Leukemia, with which he [...]

2005 – Jeannette Sliwinski, 23, a self-proclaimed … — 2005 – Jeannette Sliwinski, 23, a self-proclaimed suicidal woman, rams her vehicle into another car, killing the three musicians inside. Silkworm drummer Michael Dahlquist , Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2005 – A bus carrying performers bound for the Den… — 2005 – A bus carrying performers bound for the Denver stop on the Eminem/50 Cent Anger Management tour crashes into two tractor-trailers on I-70 near Odessa, Miss. Among the injured [...]

2004 – Dixie Chick Natalie Maines becomes the proud mother… — 2004 – Dixie Chick Natalie Maines becomes the proud mother of a son, Beckett Finn. Beckett is her second child. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2004 – Troubled alt.rock star Courtney Love is assigned a… — 2004 – Troubled alt.rock star Courtney Love is assigned a “legal guardian” while being treated for an undisclosed ailment in New York. Breaking the news, Love’s lawyer describes his [...]

2003 – The president of the Grant Monument Association criticizes… — 2003 – The president of the Grant Monument Association criticizes Beyonce Knowles’ Fourth of July performance at Grant’s Tomb, saying the “lascivious choreography” was “patently inappropriate.” Be Sociable, Share! [...]

2003 – Skip Battin, former bassist for the Byrds a… — 2003 – Skip Battin, former bassist for the Byrds and other notable country-rock bands of the ’70s and ’80s, dies near Palm Springs, Calif., of complications from Alzheimer’s disease. He [...]

1998 – Mariah Carey uses her celebrity status to t… — 1998 – Mariah Carey uses her celebrity status to try to help police find a missing 13-yearold girl. The Grammy award-winning singer joins the family of Christina Williams at a [...]

1998 – Arista Records president Clive Davis hosts … — 1998 – Arista Records president Clive Davis hosts a party in Central Park for Sarah McLachlan, whose album “Surfacing,” has just gone triple platinum. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1995 – After he fails to free himself from his contract with Sony… — 1995 – After he fails to free himself from his contract with Sony, George “Wham!” Michael announces that DreamWorks SKG has bought out his contract for $40 million. Be Sociable, [...]

1993 – The U.S. Postal Service releases stamps hon… — 1993 – The U.S. Postal Service releases stamps honoring four Broadway musicals. The 29-cent stamps feature scenes from “My Fair Lady,” “Porgy and Bess,” “Show Boat” and “Oklahoma!” and are [...]

1992 – Megadeth release their fifth album Countdown to… — 1992 – Megadeth release their fifth album Countdown to Extinction, which becomes their most successful record to date – peaking at No. 2 in the Billboard album charts. Be Sociable, [...]

1992 – Australian-born singer and actress Olivia N… — 1992 – Australian-born singer and actress Olivia Newton-John announces she has breast cancer. Her publicist says doctors expect a full recovery. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1989 – Cyndi Lauper’s video for “My First Night Without… — 1989 – Cyndi Lauper’s video for “My First Night Without You” premieres. It’s the first closed-captioned clip. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1989 – Alice Cooper releases his comeback single “Poison… — 1989 – Alice Cooper releases his comeback single “Poison.” It later goes to No. 7, his biggest hit since 1972′s “School’s Out.” Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1988 – Michael Jackson performs the first of a record seven… — 1988 – Michael Jackson performs the first of a record seven sellout dates at London’s Wembley Stadium. His trip to England suffered a setback when customs officials refused to [...]

1988 – The “Is Elvis Alive?” frenzy reaches a high point… — 1988 – The “Is Elvis Alive?” frenzy reaches a high point as Nashville radio station WYHY offers $1 million to anyone who can produce the King alive. Despite our [...]

1987 – Steve Miller is awarded a star on the Hollywood… — 1987 – Steve Miller is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1984 – Phillippe Wynne of the Spinners dies of a h… — 1984 – Phillippe Wynne of the Spinners dies of a heart attack at the age of 43. The group’s only No. 1 song was “Then Came You,” a million-selling collaboration [...]

1982 – Alan Parker’s film Pink Floyd’s The Wall premieres… — 1982 – Alan Parker’s film Pink Floyd’s The Wall premieres at the Leicester Square Empire in London. According to Sight and Sound, “Roger Waters flounders in woman-hating self-pity; Gerald [...]

1980 – Former Beatles and Stones manager Allen Klein begins… — 1980 – Former Beatles and Stones manager Allen Klein begins a two-month jail sentence for cheating on his tax return. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1977 – Elvis Costello played the first gig with his new band… — 1977 – Elvis Costello played the first gig with his new band, The Attractions, in 1977, less than a week after quitting his day job at Elizabeth Arden. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1975 – Born on this day, Taboo, Black Eyed Peas, (2003 US & UK — 1975 – Born on this day, Taboo, Black Eyed Peas, (2003 US & UK No.1 single ‘Where Is The Love’). Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1973 – The Everly Brothers break up during mid-per… — 1973 – The Everly Brothers break up during mid-performance at a show at Knott’s Berry Farm in Anaheim, Calif. Phil smashes his guitar during the Knotts Berry Farm gig after [...]

1969 – At the Mississippi River Rock Festival, the Band find… — 1969 – At the Mississippi River Rock Festival, the Band find themselves upstaged when their boss, Bob Dylan, joins them on stage for three songs. He’s introduced as “Elmer [...]

1968 – Promoter Bill Graham leaves the Fillmore Auditorium… — 1968 – Promoter Bill Graham leaves the Fillmore Auditorium to take over San Francisco’s Carousel Ballroom. Electric Flag and Blue Cheer play the final Fillmore concerts. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1967 – The Who begins its first U.S. tour, opening… — 1967 – The Who begins its first U.S. tour, opening for Herman’s Hermits. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1965 – The local TV show Where the Action Is hosts… — 1965 – The local TV show Where the Action Is hosts Herman’s Hermits (“Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter”). Begs the question, just where is the action? Be Sociable, [...]

1960 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “I’m Sorry,”… — 1960 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “I’m Sorry,” Brenda Lee. Be Sociable, Share! [...]

1950 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Mona Lisa,”… — 1950 – No. 1 Chart Toppers Pop Hit: “Mona Lisa,” Nat King Cole. The song, which tops Chart Toppers’s pop chart for eight weeks, is featured in the film “Capt. [...]

1941 – Guitarist Spencer Davis is born in Wales. H… — 1941 – Guitarist Spencer Davis is born in Wales. He forms the R&B/rock quartet the Spencer Davis Group in 1963 with brothers Steve and Muff Winwood and Peter York. The [...]

1912 – Folk singer Woody Guthrie (Woodrow Wilson G… — 1912 – Folk singer Woody Guthrie (Woodrow Wilson Guthrie) is born. Guthrie’s 1947 recording of “This Land Is Your Land” receives a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1990. Be Sociable, [...]