Sept. 19 is an important date in rock history. It marks the anniversary of a major music festival and a key moment in the fight for free speech in music lyrics. Let’s dive into some notable events that happened on this day.
1981: The Rolling Stones celebrated a huge milestone when their 18th studio album, Tattoo You, hit No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. It stayed at the top for nine weeks. Released on Aug. 24, this was the band’s last album to reach the top spot.
1997: VH1 launched its Storytellers series with an intimate performance by Elton John at the House of Blues in New Orleans. The series featured 98 episodes with legendary artists like Phil Collins, Sting, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, Stevie Nicks, Def Leppard, David Bowie, Lenny Kravitz, ZZ Top, and Robert Plant.
Cultural events also shaped this day.
1958: Lita Ford, guitarist and former member of the all-female band The Runaways, was born in London. She started playing guitar at 11, inspired by Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple.
1985: The Parents Music Resource Center testified before a U.S. Senate Committee about explicit lyrics in music. Rock stars like Frank Zappa and Dee Snider spoke out against censorship, leading to the “Parental Advisory: Explicit Content” sticker on albums.
Two major concerts also took place on Sept. 19.
1970: The first Glastonbury Festival, then called the Pilton Pop, Folk & Blues Festival, featured T. Rex as the headliner.
1981: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel reunited for a free concert in New York’s Central Park, drawing around 500,000 fans.
From iconic albums to legendary performances, Sept. 19 is a memorable day for rock lovers. Check back tomorrow for more rock history!
