Many noteworthy musicians celebrate their birthdays on this day in rock history, including Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Nicks, and Miles Davis. But May 26 has made other contributions to rock ‘n’ roll that have earned their place in history. If you want to know what makes this a special day in the world of rock, stick around and discover the songs, albums, performances, and challenges that happened on May 26.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Rock fans appreciated these hits and milestones from May 26:
- 1962: The Isley Brothers released their version of “Twist and Shout,” which eventually hit the top of the Billboard chart.
- 1973: The instrumental rock song “Frankenstein” by The Edgar Winter Group made it to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for a week. The track’s long and arduous editing process was the inspiration for its title.
Cultural Milestones
Rock ‘n’ roll culture was impacted when these events occurred on May 26:
- 1990: For the first time in chart history, five female artists held the top five positions on the Billboard Hot 100. They were Madonna with “Vogue,” Heart with “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You,” Sinead O’Conner with “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Wilson Phillips with “Hold On,” and Janet Jackson with “Alright.”
- 2008: Yale University awarded Paul McCartney an honorary Doctor of Music degree in recognition of the impact of his music. The university’s president attended the commencement ceremony to present the award.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some recordings and performances from rock ‘n’ roll stars that influenced the genre on May 26 were:
- 1963: Elvis Presley was hard at work in Nashville, Tennessee, recording “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” at RCA Studios. The song peaked at No. 3 in the U.S. and spent a week at No. 1 in the U.K.
- 1973: Carole King gave a free concert on the Great Lawn in New York City’s Central Park to an audience of approximately 100,000 people. The performance was filmed and later released as a documentary called “Home Again: Carole King Live in Central Park.”
Industry Changes and Challenges
Rock ‘n’ roll is better off because of these changes and challenges the genre overcame on May 26:
- 1993: After decades of being banned in the country, several songs by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Chicago were no longer illegal to listen to in Singapore. The authorities had banned these tracks, as they were said to reference drugs and hippie culture.
- 2022: All four ABBA band members appeared together for the first time in 14 years for the premiere of their ABBA Voyage concert in London. The show used advanced technology to create avatars of the band members that ultimately put on the performance.
Only time can tell which events, songs, or changes in the rock industry will have a lasting effect. However, these May 26 hits, milestones, and cultural shifts have made the rock ‘n’ roll genre what it is today.
