This Day in Rock History: March 13
In early 1964, the Beatles were a hot group, selling millions of records worldwide. On March 13, Billboard magazine reported that Beatles singles comprised 60% of record sales in the…
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In early 1964, the Beatles were a hot group, selling millions of records worldwide. On March 13, Billboard magazine reported that Beatles singles comprised 60% of record sales in the U.S. By the end of 1964, the band had sold an incredible 40 million records making them one of the best-selling music act of all time.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
- 1963: "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" by The Four Seasons hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for three weeks. A successful band in the '60s, The Four Seasons is the only group to have a No. 1 hit before, during, and after the Beatles' era.
- 1965: The Beatles made it to No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the seventh time in a year with the song "Eight Days a Week." It stayed on top for two weeks.
- 1993: Eric Clapton's Unplugged album went to No.1 on the US album chart, where it spent three weeks. It also won two GRAMMYs that year and sold 26 million copies since, making it Clapton's best-selling record ever, as well as the most commercially successful unplugged album in music history.
Cultural Milestones
These cultural milestones happened on March 13 and had a major impact on the rock music industry:
- 1939: Singer, pianist, and songwriter Neil Sedaka was born in New York City. He started his career in 1957, sold millions of records, and had multiple No. 1 hits both as a singer and as a songwriter.
- 1960: Bassist for U2, Adam Clayton, was born in Oxfordshire, England. As an original and co-founding band member, Clayton has recorded 15 studio albums with U2.
- 1965: Due to creative differences in music styles, Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds, later joining Cream before starting a solo career. He wanted to maintain a bluesy sound, whereas the Yardbirds wanted to make pop songs.
- 1987: Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Although he's originally from Michigan, Bob Seger recorded in Los Angeles, inspiring his song "Hollywood Nights."
- 2006: Black Sabbath were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame by Metallica at the 21st annual ceremony, held in New York City. Other inductees from that year include Miles Davis and Blondie.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Notable recordings and performances in rock that took place on March 13 include:
- 1966: At the Marquee Club in London — an important venue that helped launch careers for many great '60s bands — Pink Floyd played for the first time. This was the first in a series of events known as the Spontaneous Undergrounds, where attendees began referring to Pink Floyd's sound as Acid Rock.
- 1977: Iggy Pop kicked off his North American tour with a show in Montreal, Canada, at Le Plateau Theatre. David Bowie joined him on keyboards and backing vocals, and the opening act was Blondie.
- 1995: Radiohead released their second studio album, The Bends, via Parlophone Records. Although none of the four singles matched the popularity of their huge hit, Creep, the album was still a commercial and critical success.
- 2013: Jimi Hendrix's posthumous album People, Hell & Angels was released and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart. This was his highest-charting album since 1969.
Industry Changes and Challenges
- 2006: Publicly and abruptly, the Sex Pistols declined to attend their induction ceremony into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. In their letter declining the invitation, the band called out the event for being exorbitantly overpriced.
When you're listening to your favorite rock tunes, think of these moments in history. Without them, the rock music genre wouldn't be what it is today.
Dan TeodorescuWriter
