This Day in Rock History: March 8
March 8 was an eventful day for some of your favorite rock artists and bands. It’s when Queen and Soundgarden released some of their most iconic albums, and when Bad…
March 8 was an eventful day for some of your favorite rock artists and bands. It's when Queen and Soundgarden released some of their most iconic albums, and when Bad Company played their first-ever gig. These are just some of the notable events that took place on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the most memorable breakthroughs and milestone moments of the day include:
- 1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival's iconic song "Proud Mary" peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It spent three weeks there, while the top spot was occupied by Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People."
- 2009: U2's twelfth studio album, No Line on the Horizon, went straight to No.1 on the British albums chart, following its Feb. 27 release. Despite a strong start on both sides of the Atlantic, the album was a mild commercial disappointment compared to the band's previous works, only selling around 5 million copies worldwide.
Cultural Milestones
Some of the moments that defined rock culture and also happened on March 8 include:
- 1969: The Small Faces officially broke up, after lead singer Steve Marriott left to form the band Humble Pie. The remaining members formed a new band, called The Faces, after recruiting Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood.
- 1993: The animated sitcom Beavis and Butt-Head first aired on MTV. The two protagonists' misadventures were juxtaposed with images of them watching rock music videos, including some from Metallica, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Alice in Chains, and Motorhead.
- 2016: The legendary producer Sir George Martin, known as "the fifth Beatle," passed away at the age of 90. He produced most of their recording and was a key figure in the Fab Five getting their iconic sound.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some of the most memorable recordings and shows we celebrate today include:
- 1965: Bob Dylan released "Subterranean Homesick Blues" as a single, via Columbia Records. Part of his Bringing It All Back Home album, the track is one of Dylan's first electric recordings and featured an innovative music video.
- 1974: Bad Company played their first-ever show as a band, at Newcastle City Hall in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. The band consisted of previous members of Free, Matt the Hoople, and King Crimson, and quickly became one of the biggest bands in the world.
- 1974: On the same day, Queen released their second studio album, Queen II, via Elektra Records in the US and EMI Records in the UK. It's heavier than most other Queen albums and hasn't reached the popularity levels of their later work, but it has a strong cult following among Queen fans.
- 1994: Soundgarden released their fourth studio album, Superunknown. Powered by hits like "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun," it went 6x Platinum in the US.
These are the main events that happened in the rock world on March 8, with huge names like Queen and Bob Dylan stealing the headlines. Make sure to come back tomorrow and discover what happened on that day in rock history.
