Just three days before the Beatles made their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, tickets sold out. Only 728 people attended the show, but it was watched by 23,240,000 viewers, reaching about 73 million homes. February 6 has seen many significant events in rock music history, including breakthrough hits, cultural milestones, and notable performances.
1965: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by the Righteous Brothers topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. It became the most-played song of the 20th century.
1981: Although it was released in May, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr recorded “All Those Years Ago” as a tribute to John Lennon, who was murdered the previous year.
1982: The J. Geils Band scored a hit with “Centerfold,” which spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their album, Freeze-frame, also reached No. 1 and went Platinum that year.
Cultural milestones on February 6 also shaped rock music. 1945: Bob Marley was born in Jamaica. He sold over 75 million records and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. 1958: George Harrison saw the Quarrymen, which included John Lennon and Paul McCartney, perform in Liverpool. 1962: Axl Rose was born in Indiana and co-founded Guns N’ Roses in 1985. 1994: Nirvana began their last tour in Europe, following their final U.S. show in Seattle.
Notable performances on February 6 changed rock music. 1975: A police squad was on standby during a Led Zeppelin concert in Montreal, but no riots occurred. 1976: George Harrison released “This Guitar (Can’t Keep from Crying).” 1984: The Talking Heads performed their last live show.
