This Day in Rock History: February 6
Just three days before the Beatles were to appear on the Ed Sullivan show for the first time, tickets for the event sold out. Yes, that happened on this day in rock history. There were only 728 people in the audience for that show, but it was broadcast to 23,240,000 people and reached a home audience of about 73 million viewers. There are plenty more interesting facts about what happened in rock music history on February 6, and you’ll find several of them right here, including breakthrough hits, cultural happenings, notable recordings, and changes and challenges.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
On February 6, these historic breakthrough hits and milestones in rock music were all the sensation:
- 1965: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by the Righteous Brothers hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for two weeks. This is the most-played song of the 20th century.
- 1981: Although it wasn’t released until May, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr recorded “All Those Years Ago.” The song was a tribute to John Lennon, who was murdered the year before.
Cultural Milestones
You can be sure these cultural milestones from February 6 played a part in shaping the rock music industry:
- 1994: Nirvana left the U.S. on their In Utero European tour, which unknowingly was their last tour. The band played their last show in the U.S. a month before in Seattle, and their final show was on March 1, in Munich, Germany.
Notable Recordings and Performances
With these notable recordings and performances on Feb. 6, rock music would never be the same:
- 1975: At the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Canada, a police riot squad stood by during a Led Zeppelin performance. They were there to prevent a repeat of their 1972 performance, but there were no riots during the show.
- 1984: The Talking Heads performed their last live concert together—with one exception for their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2002—at the Sweetwaters South Festival in Christchurch, New Zealand. They played a short 12-song set, during which band member David Byrne walked off and had to be dragged back on stage.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The rock music industry had to go through these unfortunate changes and challenges on February 6 to get where it is today:
- 1998: Carl Wilson, singer and guitarist for the Beach Boys, died of lung cancer at his California home at the age of 51. He was known for his vocals on popular hits like “Good Vibrations” and “I Can Hear Music.”
- 2011: Former Thin Lizzy guitar player and solo artist Gary Moore was found dead in a hotel room in Spain. His blood alcohol level was reported to be .38%, which may have contributed to his death at the age of 58.
The rock music industry has had its share of hit songs, cultural shifts, major recordings, interesting performances, and challenges. But these February 6 events from days gone by have helped to create one of the most popular music genres of all time.
