This Day in Rock History: April 19
Many notable things happened in the rock world on April 19. These include The Doors and David Bowie releasing legendary albums, and Blondie’s “Call Me” dominating the charts. Keep reading…
Many notable things happened in the rock world on April 19. These include The Doors and David Bowie releasing legendary albums, and Blondie's "Call Me" dominating the charts. Keep reading to find out more about these and about all other important events that took place on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the day's most important milestones and breakthrough moments are:
- 1980: Blondie's "Call Me" went to the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, where it spent six consecutive weeks. Written and produced by Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry and Italian producer Giorgio Moroder, the song was the most popular of the year in the US.
- 1986: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer George Michael became the first solo artist in history to reach No. 1 on the UK singles chart with his first two releases. The two were his debut solo single, "Careless Whisper," and his second single, "A Different Corner."
- 1986: On the same day of the same year, Prince was dominating on the other side of the Atlantic when his hit single "Kiss" made it to the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it spent two weeks. Second in the chart was the Bangles' song "Manic Monday," which was also written by Prince.
Cultural Milestones
Two important figures in rock history were born on this day, in the same year. These are April 19's most important cultural moments:
- 1942: Animals' original keyboardist, Alan Price, was born in Fatfield, Washington, Durham, England. He played the organ on some of the band's biggest hits, including "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."
- 1942: Legendary producer Eddie Kramer was born in Cape Town, Union of South Africa. He started working in the industry in the early 1960s and collaborated with huge names like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, and Kiss, among others.
- 1957: Former Black Sabbath frontman Tony Martin was born in Birmingham, England. He fronted the band from 1987 to 1991, and again from 1993 to 1997, which makes him the band's longest-serving frontman aside from Ozzy Osbourne.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some memorable singles and albums were released on this day. They include:
- 1965: The Beatles released the "Ticket to Ride" single via Capitol Records. It reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it the third out of six consecutive No. 1 singles for the band.
- 1971: The Doors released their sixth studio album, and last to feature Jim Morrison, L.A. Woman, through Elektra Records. It went Platinum in multiple countries, including the US, France, Canada, and Australia, and features the iconic songs "Love Her Madly," "Riders on the Storm," and the title track.
- 1973: David Bowie released his sixth studio album, Alladin Sane, via RCA Records. It followed the hugely successful The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and sold almost 5 million copies worldwide.
These are the most memorable rock-related events from April 19, with names like the Beatles and the Doors stealing the spotlight. Visit us again tomorrow to find out what happened on that day in rock history.
