Many legendary rock artists have kicked off the year with memorable moments on January 2. Icons like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin have all made their mark on this day. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest events in rock history that happened on January 2.
1965: Elvis Presley scored his eighth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with the soundtrack for the movie “Roustabout.” It only held the top spot for one week.
1971: George Harrison made history when his album “All Things Must Pass” reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, staying there for seven weeks. He was the first former Beatle to achieve this in the U.S.
1978: Ozzy Osbourne officially rejoined Black Sabbath after quitting two months earlier. He recorded the “Never Say Die!” album with the band but was fired again in April 1979 due to his struggles with substance abuse.
Notable performances also took place on January 2:
1969: Led Zeppelin played their first show in Los Angeles at the Whisky a Go Go. At the time, they were still relatively unknown in the U.S., as was their opening act, Alice Cooper. The two acts decided that Led Zeppelin should headline due to Jimmy Page’s reputation.
1969: The Beatles began recording sessions for their album “Let It Be,” originally titled “Get Back,” at Twickenham Film Studios in the U.K. The sessions were filmed for a TV special but were ultimately scrapped due to tensions within the band.
January 2 has seen many significant events in rock music history. Check back tomorrow to see what else happened on this day!
