March 2 is a busy day in rock history, filled with celebrations and milestones. Today, we honor Jon Bon Jovi’s birthday, remember Bo Diddley’s debut recording, and mark the global launch of the compact disc. Here’s a look at some key moments from this day.
In 1963, The Four Seasons made history by becoming the first rock act to score three consecutive No. 1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. Their hits included “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Walk Like a Man,” which topped the charts on this day.
Fast forward to 1991, and Free’s classic “All Right Now” climbed to No. 2 on the UK singles chart, thanks to a popular chewing gum commercial that revived interest in the song.
Culturally, Lou Reed was born in 1942 in New York City. He gained fame as the frontman of The Velvet Underground and enjoyed a successful solo career. Rory Gallagher, known as “Ireland’s first rock star,” was born in 1948 and influenced many guitarists. Jon Bon Jovi was born in 1962, founding his band in 1983 and selling around 130 million records. In 1964, The Beatles began filming their first movie, “A Hard Day’s Night.”
Notable recordings include Bo Diddley’s self-titled debut album in 1955, which is considered a rock & roll classic. In 1978, Quiet Riot released their debut album in Japan, featuring young guitarist Randy Rhoads.
On the industry side, 1983 saw the official launch of the compact disc in Europe and the US, along with the first commercial CD player. In 1984, the rock mockumentary “This is Spinal Tap” hit theaters, poking fun at rock bands and their antics.
