This Day in Rock History: March 2
March 2 was quite a busy day for rock acts and their fans. Some of the things we celebrate include Jon Bon Jovi’s birthday, Bo Diddley’s recording his debut, and…
March 2 was quite a busy day for rock acts and their fans. Some of the things we celebrate include Jon Bon Jovi's birthday, Bo Diddley's recording his debut, and the official worldwide launch of the compact disc. Read about these and much more on today's rundown of things that happened on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the most important breakthrough moments and milestones that happened on this day include:
- 1963: The Four Seasons became the first rock act to get three consecutive No. 1 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. The first two were "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don't Cry," with "Walk Like a Man" topping the charts on March 2, 1963.
- 1991: Free's classic song "All Right Now" reached No. 2 on the UK singles charts, more than two decades after its original release. The main reason for this resurgence in popularity was a popular chewing gum commercial that featured the song.
Cultural Milestones
The biggest rock culture moments of the day include:
- 1942: Lou Reed was born in New York City. He rose to fame as the singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the Velvet Underground and had a highly successful solo career that lasted over five decades.
- 1948: Rory Gallagher was born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, Ireland. Widely seen as "Ireland's first rock star," he sold over 30 million records throughout his career and influenced countless other guitarists, including Slash, Brian May, and Joe Bonamassa.
- 1962: Jon Bon Jovi was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. He founded Bon Jovi in 1983, and they've sold an estimated 130 million records worldwide.
- 1964: The Beatles began filming their first movie, A Hard Day's Night. They filmed the opening sequence, which shows them running from fans as the title song plays in the background.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some of the most memorable recordings of the day are:
- 1955: Bo Diddley recorded his self-titled debut album at the Universal Recording Studio in Chicago, via Checker Records. It's widely seen as one of the most influential rock & roll albums of all time.
- 1978: Quiet Riot released their self-titled debut studio album exclusively for the Japanese market. The band included young guitarist Randy Rhodes, who achieved legendary status later as part of Ozzy Osbourne's band.
Industry Changes and Challenges
March 2 was also an important day for the music industry as a whole:
- 1983: Following a launch in Japan the year before, the Compact Disc (CD) was officially launched by Sony, Philips, and Polygram in Europe and the US. The release included the Sony CDP-101, the world's first commercial CD player, and Billy Joel's 52nd Street, the first commercial CD.
- 1984: This is Spinal Tap, the famous rock mockumentary, was released in theatres. Directed by Rob Reiner, it follows the fictional band Spinal Tap, satirizing various rockumentaries in which bands tend to take themselves too seriously.
These are the main rock-related events from March 2, from The Four Seasons dominating the charts to Spinal Tap hilariously mocking the industry. Visit us again tomorrow to find out what happened on that day in rock history.
