This Day in Rock History: January 7
Jan. 7 has been pretty eventful for rock acts and their fans throughout the years. It’s when Oasis started working on their breakthrough album and huge bands such as Pink…
Jan. 7 has been pretty eventful for rock acts and their fans throughout the years. It's when Oasis started working on their breakthrough album and huge bands such as Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath released some of their most meaningful work. These are the most noteworthy events that happened on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Today's two biggest milestone moments happened on the same day of the same year, marking the end of one era and the beginning of another:
- 1994: Nirvana played the first of their final two U.S. shows at Seattle's Center Arena. Their last ever show took place a couple of months later in Munich, Germany.
- 1994: On the other side of the Atlantic, a young band from Manchester, England, called Oasis held the first recording sessions for their debut album, Definitely Maybe. It was released later that year and went 10x Platinum in the U.K., thanks to hit songs such as "Supersonic" and "Live Forever."
Notable Recordings and Performances
Jan. 7 is the anniversary of a few notable singles and albums being released. Some of the most iconic are:
- 1971: Black Sabbath released their best-selling album, Paranoid, in the U.S. via Warner Bros. Records. It included legendary songs such as the title track, "War Pigs," and "Iron Man." Its initial U.K. release on Sept. 18 of the previous year was overshadowed by the death of Jimi Hendrix on that same day.
- 1972: David Bowie released the "Changes" single from his fourth studio album, Hunky Dory. It was widely praised by critics at the time, and it's seen as the song that catapulted him to superstardom after years of trying to find his style and audience.
- 1979: Pink Floyd released the "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)" single from their 11th studio album, The Wall. It was their first single in the U.K. since 1968 and went to No. 1 on the charts in 14 countries.
With Nirvana and Oasis being at opposite ends of their careers and huge names such as Sabbath, Floyd, and Bowie releasing iconic work, it's fair to say that Jan. 7 is an important day for rock. Come back tomorrow to discover the biggest events that happened on that day in rock history.
