This Day in Rock History: February 17
Feb. 17 is a big day in rock music history. It’s the day Elvis Presley’s self-titled second studio album became a gold record and also when many rock stars were born into or taken from this world. Whether you love classic rock or alternative music, the breakthrough hits, cultural happenings, recordings, performances, and challenges of Feb. 17 have changed the rock music industry in past years.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These Feb.17 breakthrough hits and milestones changed rock music:
- 1962: “Surfin'” by the Beach Boys debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at 93 and moved up the chart slowly to peak at 75. This song helped launch the band’s career when Capitol Records signed them.
- 1973: War made it to the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart with their fifth album, The World Is a Ghetto. It was the best-selling album of the year.
Cultural Milestones
Your favorite music wouldn’t be where it is without the cultural milestones of Feb. 17:
- 1971: With the growing popularity of television, James Taylor made his TV debut on the Johnny Cash Show, singing “Fire and Rain” and “Sweet Baby James.” This appearance led to a Time magazine cover story, increasing interest in his music.
- 2004: In an effort to curb copyright infringement, the Recording Industry Association of America filed a lawsuit against 531 John Does suspected of illicit peer-to-peer file sharing. The suits were filed in federal courts in Atlanta, Orlando, Trenton, and Philadelphia.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Did you know these rock recordings and performances happened on Feb. 17?
- 1972: Pink Floyd played songs from their Dark Side of the Moon album 13 months before it was released. A bootlegger recorded the material during the Feb. 17 performance at the Rainbow Theatre in London and sold copies of it — reportedly as many as 100,000.
- 1979: Kicking off their first U.S. tour, The Clash played at The Palladium in New York City. Their Pearl Harbour tour was considered a success, but fixed seating at the first show made it challenging for fans to show their enthusiasm.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Though changes and challenges can be tough, rock music wouldn’t be the same if not for these past Feb. 17 events:
- 1950: Rickey Medlocke, best known for his work with Blackfoot and Lynyrd Skynyrd, was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He started performing at 3 years old and formed his own band right after graduating high school.
- 2014: Bob Casale, best known for his keyboard and guitar skills in the band Devo, died of heart failure in Los Angeles, California. He’d also worked on the first solo album for Andy Summers from The Police.
Rock music will continue to feel the waves made by these historic Feb.17 milestones indefinitely. It will be interesting to see what Feb. 17 will bring to future, ever-changing music genres.
