This Day in Rock History: September 19
Sept. 19 is recognized by rock historians as the anniversary of one of music’s biggest festivals and as a crucial day in the fight for free speech in music lyrics….
Sept. 19 is recognized by rock historians as the anniversary of one of music's biggest festivals and as a crucial day in the fight for free speech in music lyrics. Keep reading to discover more about these and other notable events that took place on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Among the key moments on Sept. 19, one of the biggest rock bands in history celebrated a major career achievement:
- 1981: The Rolling Stones' 18th studio album, Tattoo You, reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200, where it stayed for nine consecutive weeks. Released on Aug. 24 that year, it was the band's last album to reach the top spot on the chart.
- 1997: VH1 aired the first episode of its Storytellers series, presenting an intimate live performance by Elton John at the House of Blues in New Orleans. The show had 98 episodes, featuring legendary artists such as Phil Collins, Sting, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard, David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, ZZ Top, and Robert Plant.
Cultural Milestones
Rock's stories and characters are a big part of its charm. Here are some of the significant cultural events that happened on Sept. 19:
- 1958: Lita Ford, guitarist, vocalist, and former member of the all-female band the Runaways, was born in London, England. Ford started playing guitar at the age of 11, inspired by Deep Purple's Richie Blackmore, and gained huge success with her band in the late 1970s.
- 1985: The Parents Music Resource Center testified before a U.S. Senate Committee regarding the explicit lyrics in music, with rockers such as Frank Zappa and Dee Snider making declarations on behalf of musicians, arguing against censorship. The hearing led to the adoption of the "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" sticker on certain albums.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Two massive concerts took place on Sept. 19:
- 1970: The first Glastonbury Festival, then known as the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival, took place. English rock band T. Rex headlined.
- 1981: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel performed a free reunion concert in New York's Central Park to raise funds and public awareness for the park's restoration. It was their first performance together since parting ways in 1970 and drew an estimated 500,000 people.
From rock giants releasing one of their biggest albums to a legendary show in front of over half a million people, Sept. 19 was an eventful day for rock fans. Visit us tomorrow to find out what happened on that day in rock history.
