This Day in Rock History: March 6
Eric Clapton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the third time on March 6, 2000. He is the only musician to have been inducted into…
Eric Clapton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the third time on March 6, 2000. He is the only musician to have been inducted into the Hall three times, and he's recognized for his work with the Yardbirds, Cream, and as a solo musician. Discover some of the top hits, cultural shifts, memorable performances, and challenges the rock music industry has faced on March 6.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
You might remember some of these breakthrough hits and milestones from iconic rock groups that took place on March 6:
- 1958: The Everly Brothers recorded their second No. 1 Billboard hit single, "All I Have To Do Is Dream." The song featured Chet Atkins on guitar and was recorded live in just two takes.
- 1976: The Miracles reached the top spot on the US Billboard Hot 100 with "Love Machine." It spent a total of 28 weeks on the charts but was only on top for a single week.
- 1976: On the same day of the same year, Led Zeppelin's sixth studio album, Physical Graffiti, was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, a little over a week after being released. It went on to achieve 16x Platinum status, for selling over 8 million copies as a double album.
- 1982: Becoming the first all-girl rock band to have a No. 1 album, The Go-Go's made it to the top of the Billboard album chart with Beauty and the Beat. The album stayed on top for six weeks.
Cultural Milestones
Without the occurrence of these cultural milestones on March 6 in the past, modern rock music might not sound quite right:
- 1944: Ten Years After guitarist and vocalist Alvin Lee was born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England. He formed the band in the early 1960s and released a total of 10 albums with them before embarking on a successful solo career.
- 1946: Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour was born in Cambridge, England. He joined the band in 1967 and enjoyed phenomenal success, while also releasing five solo albums.
- 1976: Although The Beatles were no longer together, EMI Records reissued the second edition of 22 of the band's original singles as 45s. All the singles made it to the top of the U.K. chart for a second time.
- 1998: Oasis singer Liam Gallagher was arrested in Brisbane, Australia, on assault charges after allegedly headbutting a fan. This was one of several incidents during the band's Australian tour.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Without these notable rock recordings and performances from March 6, today's rock bands just wouldn't have the same distinctive sound:
- 1966: The Rolling Stones started recording sessions for "Paint It, Black" at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California. It was their third No. 1 single in the U.S. and sixth in the U.K.
- 1971: Appearing at the National Boxing Stadium in Dublin, Led Zeppelin played their second show in Ireland. The show is famous for being the second time the group showcased "Stairway to Heaven," a defining song for the band.
Industry Changes and Challenges
To appreciate your favorite rock songs, it's important to recognize the changes and challenges of past March 6s that influenced the rock music industry:
- 2004: After accidentally leaving his luggage in a hotel room in New York City, David Crosby was arrested for possession of weapons and marijuana. A hotel maid discovered the contraband when searching through the luggage for identification.
- 2006: Pearl Jam made their song "World Wide Suicide" available on their website due to an accidental leak on the internet. Fans were able to download the song for free.
- 2021: Lou Ottens, the inventor of the cassette tape, passed away at 94. He got hired by Phillips in the early 1950s and became the head of the new product development department, which created the first portable cassette recorder.
Rock music has been through a lot in its long history, and these March 6 moments are just a small piece of what makes this genre so incredible. So whether you're jamming to classic rock or listening to a new wave of alternative rock, your favorite songs wouldn't be what they are without the influence of these past events.
