This Day in Rock History: September 10
Sept. 10 is a momentous day in rock history, with bands such as Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, and KISS reaching significant milestones, and Aerosmith celebrating their lead guitarist. Continue reading…
Sept. 10 is a momentous day in rock history, with bands such as Nirvana, Guns N' Roses, and KISS reaching significant milestones, and Aerosmith celebrating their lead guitarist. Continue reading to discover more major events that occurred in rock music on this date.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
For two of the biggest rock bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Sept. 10 was an important day. These are some of the notable achievements that happened on this day:
- 1988: The Guns N' Roses song "Sweet Child O'Mine," from their debut album Appetite for Destruction, began a two-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's the band's only chart-topping single to date.
- 1991: Nirvana released the single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" from their second album, Nevermind. While it wasn't expected to be a hit, it was played in heavy rotation on both radio and MTV and ultimately became a huge commercial success.
Cultural Milestones
While it will always be primarily about the music, the stories around rock add to its magic and mystique. These are some important moments in the history of the genre that happened on Sept. 10:
- 1898: Waldo Semon, the chemist credited with inventing methods for making polyvinyl chloride, was born in Demopolis, Alabama. The introduction of vinyl records in the mid-20th century marked the beginning of the so-called "vinyl era," establishing a format that would last for decades and span the golden era of rock.
- 1950: Joe Perry, the co-founding member, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter of Aerosmith, was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He formed the band with Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton in the late 1960s and is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Sept. 10 saw the release of some iconic albums and singles, including:
- 1964: Rod Stewart recorded his first single, a version of "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl." Future Led Zeppelin bass player John Paul Jones was one of the musicians on the recording.
- 1975: KISS released Alive!, their first live album and fourth overall. It was a success with both fans and critics, and it's widely considered to be one of the most influential albums in rock history.
Sept. 10 has seen plenty of notable rock-related events, from huge singles to famous birthdays. Come back again to discover some of the most significant things that happened on that day in rock history.
