Today in rock music history celebrates the birthday of one of its most iconic figures. Notable names like The Beatles, Aerosmith, and Dire Straits also highlight significant events that happened on September 5.
1964: The Animals topped the Billboard Hot 100 with their cover of the traditional folk song “The House of the Rising Sun.” It held the No. 1 spot for three weeks.
1967: The Beatles started recording “I Am the Walrus,” a surreal masterpiece by John Lennon. This song was later released as the B-side to “Hello, Goodbye” and on the Magical Mystery Tour EP, both of which reached the top two spots on the U.K. singles chart in December. “I Am the Walrus” made history by holding both positions at the same time.
1981: Stevie Nicks, a member of Fleetwood Mac, released her first solo album, Bella Donna. It quickly climbed to the top of the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, achieving Platinum status in under three months and selling over 4 million copies in the U.S.
1998: Aerosmith debuted “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Featured in the movie Armageddon, it became the band’s only No. 1 hit despite their long career.
Cultural milestones also mark this day.
1945: Farrokh Bomi Bulsara, later known as Freddie Mercury, was born in Zanzibar City, Tanzania. He moved to the U.K. in 1964 and formed Queen in 1970.
1985: Dire Straits won Music Video of the Year at the MTV Music Awards for “Money for Nothing,” a groundbreaking video that used computer-generated animation.
September 5 is a day filled with rock history. Stay tuned for more exciting updates in the world of music!
