April 18 is a key date in rock history, marked by major hits and industry changes.
1987: Aretha Franklin made history by achieving the longest gap between two No. 1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. Her duet with George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” topped the chart nearly 20 years after her previous hit, “Respect,” reached No. 1 in June 1967.
1992: Def Leppard hit the top of the US Billboard 200 with their album Adrenalize, which stayed there for five weeks. The album also topped the UK charts, making them No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic at the same time.
1994: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds gained mainstream recognition with their album Let Love In, featuring tracks like “Do You Love Me (Part I)” and “Red Right Hand.”
Cultural milestones also shaped rock music on this day. 1974: Mark Tremonti, guitarist for Creed and Alter Bridge, was born in Orlando, Florida. 1975: Alice Cooper gave fans a peek into his recording process with his special, “Welcome to My Nightmare.” 1987: MTV launched the heavy metal show Headbangers Ball.
In 2015, pop-punk band Green Day was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. 2020: The Cranberries’ “Zombie” became the first song by an Irish act to reach over 1 billion views on YouTube.
Notable recordings include John Lennon’s cover of “Stand By Me” in 1975 and Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott releasing his solo album Solo in Soho in 1980. In 1986, Joe Cocker released his album Cocker, featuring his famous cover of “You Can Leave Your Hat On.
