February 5 has been a significant day in rock music history. From breakthrough hits to major performances, this date has seen it all. Here are some key moments that shaped the genre.
1962: Ringo Starr played his first live show with The Beatles, stepping in for the ill Pete Best. He later became a permanent member of the band.
1966: Paula Clark surprised everyone by hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “My Love.” She became the first British female artist to score two No. 1 hits in the U.S.
1972: Paul Simon released his debut solo single, “Mother and Child Reunion,” which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1983: Toto reached No. 1 with “Africa,” briefly bumping Men at Work’s “Down Under” from the top spot. That same year, Def Leppard’s album *Pyromania* entered the charts, eventually selling over 10 million copies in the U.S.
2023: Ozzy Osbourne won two GRAMMYs for Best Rock Album and Best Metal Performance for “Degradation Rules.”
Cultural milestones also marked this day. In 1957, Bill Haley became the first American rock star to tour London, greeted by 4,000 fans. Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses was born in 1965.
Notable recordings include Black Sabbath starting work on *Master of Reality* in 1971. In 1986, Prince released “Kiss,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks. In 1998, Elton John and Stevie Wonder performed for President Bill Clinton and Prime Minister Tony Blair. Finally, in 2006, The Rolling Stones rocked the Super Bowl halftime show in Detroit.
