On Oct. 8, a legendary Pink Floyd album ended a phenomenal run on the Billboard 200 chart, and U2’s hit song “Desire” climbed to the top of the U.K. singles chart. Keep reading to learn more about all the notable events that happened on this day in rock music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These are the breakthrough hits and milestones associated with Oct. 8:
- 1964: Roy Orbison went to No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “Oh, Pretty Woman.” It was his third UK chart-topper and spent three weeks there, while also topping the charts in several other countries, including the US, Norway, Germany, Canada, and Ireland.
- 1971: Led Zeppelin’s album Led Zeppelin II marked its historic 100th week on the UK album chart, where it ended up spending a total of 138 weeks. It also became the band’s first US No. 1, famously dethroning the Beatles’ Abbey Road.
- 1988: U2’s single “Desire” peaked at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart. This song is part of the band’s Rattle and Hum album and remains one of their most recognizable hits, having been played consistently on their tours and featured on multiple greatest hits compilations.
- 1988: Pink Floyd’s critically acclaimed album, The Dark Side of the Moon, left the Billboard 200, where it had spent 741 weeks since its release in March 1973, setting a record in the process. The album eventually returned to the chart and spent over 900 weeks there in total.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Great albums and singles that were released on Oct. 8 include:
- 1957: Jerry Lee Lewis recorded his biggest hit, “Great Balls of Fire“, at the Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. It sold over a million copies within 10 days of its release and went on to sell a total of over five million, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.
- 1964: The Beatles recorded “She’s a Woman” at Abbey Road Studios in London. Written by Paul McCartney with help from John Lennon, it was the B-side to their “I Feel Fine” single and only took 5 hours to record.
- 1980: Prince released his third studio album, Dirty Mind, via Warner Bros. Records. It was a huge step forward for Prince both musically and commercially, as the world was discovering his musical genius.
- 2002: Bon Jovi released their eighth studio album, Bounce. Although its debut at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 was the highest in the band’s history at the time, it was their first album not to reach Platinum status.
From iconic singles reaching the top of the charts to one of the most popular albums in music history ending its incredible streak on the Billboard 200, Oct. 8 has been an eventful day for rock fans and artists. Make sure to return tomorrow and discover what happened on that day in rock music history.
