The riffs and rhythms of rock ‘n’ roll music have helped write the score of American history and probably play an important part in the soundtrack of your life. Here’s a look at some memorable performances, milestone recordings, and cultural achievements on June 8 in past years.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
You may remember these chart-topping hits, notable releases, and momentous performances from June 8:
- 1959: The Clovers recorded “Love Potion No. 9,” a playful doo-wop song that became one of their signature hits. It was released with “Stay Awhile” on the B-Side and reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 1979: Featuring live performances of some of their biggest hits, The Who released the landmark album The Kids Are Alright in the U.K. The band also produced a documentary of the same name. Songs on the album include “My Generation,” “I Can’t Explain,” “Pinball Wizard,” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
- 1991: “More Than Words,” the acoustic rock love song from the band Extreme, moved to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It is the group’s only hit.
- 1996: The Fugees’ innovative recording of the Roberta Flack classic “Killing Me Softly” reached No. 1 on the U.K. Official Singles Chart. The song topped charts in 20 countries, earned the group a GRAMMY Award, and was named one of Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 greatest songs of all time.
- 2003: Movin’ Out, the Broadway musical featuring the music of Billy Joel, won Tony Awards for Best Orchestration and Best Choreography. The first national tour of the show ran for three years.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Several impactful events occurred on June 8:
- 1991: Bruce Springsteen married Patti Scialfa — singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fellow member of the famed E Street Band. They have since welcomed three children.
- 2016: Cher filed a lawsuit against a financial management partnership, alleging that they defrauded her out of more than $800,000. The suit was later dismissed.
- 2018: Danny Kirwan, a former guitarist with Fleetwood Mac, died at the age of 68. He was only with the band for four years but went on to have a successful solo career. Kirwan was inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame as a member of Fleetwood Mac in 1998.
From groundbreaking hits and remarkable performances to big award winners, June 8 has been a busy day in rock history, and it’s likely to continue that way.
