Rock ‘n’ roll music has had a huge impact on history and culture. Here are some key events that happened on June 15 in rock history.
1953: “Crazy Man, Crazy” by Bill Haley & His Comets became the first rock ‘n’ roll song to hit the U.S. music charts, peaking at No. 12 on the Billboard Juke Box chart.
1974: “Machine Gun” by The Commodores, featuring Lionel Richie, reached No. 22 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, marking the band’s first major hit.
2005: Coldplay released their third album, X&Y, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and the U.K. Albums Chart, selling about 8.3 million copies worldwide that year.
Culturally, rock music has driven change. On June 15, notable moments include:
1941: Singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson was born in Brooklyn. He had nine Top 10 singles, including his famous cover of “Without You.”
1969: Led Zeppelin played at Free Trade Hall in Manchester, supporting their debut album. Fans enjoyed hits like “You Shook Me” and “Communication Breakdown.”
1970: Jimi Hendrix opened Electric Lady Studios in New York, giving musicians more control over their work.
1986: A concert at Giants Stadium featured Sting, U2, and Bryan Adams, raising funds for Amnesty International.
June 15 also saw some memorable performances:
1964: The Beatles kicked off a series of concerts at Festival Hall in Melbourne.
1965: The Rolling Stones began their third European tour in Glasgow, with “The Last Time” as the most played song.
1973: Bruce Springsteen opened for Chicago at Madison Square Garden, gaining wider recognition despite a rough start.
