April 9 is an important day in rock history, marked by significant events for many bands. From hit songs to major milestones, this date has seen it all. Here’s a look at some key moments in rock on April 9.
1966: “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” by the Righteous Brothers hit No. 1 on the Billboard singles chart. This was their second No. 1, following “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” in February 1965.
1977: ABBA topped the Billboard Hot 100 with “Dancing Queen,” their only No. 1 in the U.S., though they had other top 10 hits.
1983: David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” reached the top of the UK singles chart, where it stayed for three weeks. The song, featuring guitar by Stevie Ray Vaughan, also topped the U.S. charts later that year.
1994: Pink Floyd’s album, The Division Bell, debuted at No. 1 in the UK, marking their fourth chart-topper. It also reached No. 1 in several countries and sold over 7 million copies worldwide.
2020: Bob Dylan scored his first U.S. No. 1 single with “Murder Most Foul,” which topped the Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales chart.
Cultural milestones also shaped rock on this day. 1977: Gerard Way, co-founder and lead singer of My Chemical Romance, was born.
1997: Soundgarden announced their breakup after more than a decade, citing exhaustion from touring.
Notable performances include 1967: The Doors and Jefferson Airplane played a huge show at the Cheetah in California, drawing over 3,000 fans.
1969: Bob Dylan released his album Nashville Skyline, which focused on country music and achieved Platinum status in the U.S.
1973: Queen performed their first show under EMI at the Marquee Club in London.
