On Feb. 11, 1964, The Beatles held their first concert at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C. This event sparked the “British Invasion,” leading many British bands to perform in the U.S. It marked a key moment in rock music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
1967: The Monkees jumped from No. 122 to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with their album More of the Monkees. This was their second album and the first rock/pop album to be the best-selling album of the year in the U.S.
2014: Queen made history in the U.K. by becoming the first band to sell six million copies of a single album, their Greatest Hits, released in 1981.
Cultural Milestones
1962: Sheryl Crow was born in Kennett, Missouri. She gained fame in 1994 with “All I Wanna Do” and has sold over 50 million albums worldwide.
1977: Mike Shinoda was born in Agoura, California. He later co-founded Linkin Park.
1992: Vince Neil, lead singer of Motley Crue, was fired from the band due to concerns about his focus on car racing. He reunited with them in 1996.
2012: Whitney Houston was found dead in a Beverly Hilton Hotel suite. She is one of the best-selling artists ever and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame posthumously in 2020.
Notable Recordings and Performances
1956: Elvis Presley performed on The Stage Show, singing “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”
1963: The Beatles recorded 10 songs in under 10 hours for their first album, with John Lennon nailing “Twist and Shout” in one take despite being sick.
1977: David Bowie released “Sound and Vision” from his album Low. It reached No. 3 in the UK but only No. 69 in the U.S.
Industry Changes and Challenges
1998: Axl Rose was arrested at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix for threatening a security worker. He later pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace.
2013: Rick Huxley, co-founder and bassist of The Dave Clark Five, passed away at 72.
