February 17 is an important date in rock music history. On this day, Elvis Presley’s second studio album went gold, and many rock stars were born or passed away. From classic rock to alternative music, February 17 has seen breakthrough hits and cultural events that shaped the industry.
1962: “Surfin’” by The Beach Boys debuted at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually peaked at 75. This song helped kickstart the band’s career after they signed with Capitol Records.
1973: War reached the top of the Billboard 200 with their album, The World Is a Ghetto, which became the best-selling album of the year.
1976: AC/DC released their debut album, High Voltage, in Australia. Featuring Bon Scott on vocals, it established the band’s raw sound.
Cultural milestones also marked this day. In 1971, James Taylor made his TV debut on the Johnny Cash Show, performing “Fire and Rain” and “Sweet Baby James.” This led to a Time magazine cover story that boosted his popularity.
1972: Taylor Hawkins, drummer for Foo Fighters, was born in Fort Worth, TX. He recorded eight albums with the band before his passing in 2022. On the same day, Billie Joe Armstrong, frontman of Green Day, was born in Oakland, California. He co-founded the band in 1987, and they’ve sold around 75 million records worldwide.
In 2004, the Recording Industry Association of America filed lawsuits against 531 individuals for suspected copyright infringement related to file sharing.
Notable performances include 1969, when Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash recorded “Girl from the North Country” in Nashville. In 1972, Pink Floyd played songs from Dark Side of the Moon at the Rainbow Theatre in London, a year before its release.
In 1976, The Eagles released Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), the first album to receive RIAA Platinum certification, selling over 40 million copies in the US.
