March 16 has seen plenty of exciting moments in rock history. On this day, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles hit major milestones, legendary artists were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and Heart’s Nancy Wilson was born. Here are some highlights from March 16 over the years:
1965: The Rolling Stones topped the UK singles chart with “The Last Time.” This was their third consecutive No. 1 song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, proving they were one of the greatest songwriting duos ever.
1971: The Beatles won a GRAMMY for “Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special” for their “Let It Be” soundtrack. By then, the band had already broken up. Paul McCartney simply said, “Thank you. Goodnight,” when accepting the award.
1979: Twisted Sister sold out New York City’s Palladium, a 3,000-seat venue, despite being unsigned and without a record or radio airplay. This was a remarkable achievement for an unsigned band.
Cultural moments include:
1954: Nancy Wilson was born in San Francisco. She formed Heart with her sister Ann in the 1970s, and they have sold over 35 million records.
1991: Wolfgang Van Halen, son of guitar legend Eddie Van Halen, was born in Santa Monica. He started as a drummer but later focused on guitar.
Notable performances and releases:
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience played “Purple Haze” on UK’s Top of the Pops, boosting its popularity.
1987: Whitesnake released their self-titled album, which went 8x Platinum in the US.
Industry changes include:
1999: The RIAA introduced the Diamond certification for albums and singles selling over 10 million copies.
2010: The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony honored inductees like The Hollies and Genesis.
March 16 is a day for artists and fans to celebrate!
