From major hits to unforgettable moments, January 31 has seen its fair share of exciting events in rock history. Led Zeppelin made their North American debut, and Blondie topped the Billboard 100 singles chart for the third time. Here are some highlights from this day in rock music.
1970: The Jackson 5 released their first single, “I Want You Back,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This marked the start of four consecutive chart-toppers for the group.
1976: Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” spent nine weeks at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart before being dethroned by ABBA’s “Mama Mia.” Both songs feature the phrase “Mama Mia” in their lyrics.
1981: Blondie reached No. 1 again with “The Tide is High,” a reggae-influenced hit that combined horns and strings.
1984: Queen’s “Radio Ga Ga” debuted at No. 4 in the U.K. It reached No. 1 in 19 other countries but peaked at No. 2 in the U.K.
1987: Paul Simon’s album Graceland returned to No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart, having sold over 14 million copies worldwide.
Cultural moments also shaped rock music on January 31. 1956: Johnny Rotten, frontman of the Sex Pistols, was born in London. 1970: Blues legend Slim Harpo passed away at 45, influencing many artists like the Rolling Stones. 2001: Peter Criss announced his departure from KISS during their farewell tour. 2010: Bruce Springsteen won a GRAMMY for “Working on a Dream,” while Kings of Leon took home one for “Use Somebody.”
Notable performances include Led Zeppelin’s first North American show at the Fillmore East in 1969, where they wowed the crowd so much that Iron Butterfly refused to follow them. Meanwhile, the Beatles were recording at Apple Studios in a fan-friendly style.
