This Day in Rock History: August 25

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1970: Elton John made his U.S. debut at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. He played there on six consecutive nights and sold out the 300-seat venue every time.
• 1975: Bruce Springsteen put out his third studio album, Born to Run. People thought it was his big break because it was so successful with both critics and the public. 
• 1999: “All Star” by Smash Mouth stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list. It had already reached its pinnacle at No. 4, but it was still going strong at No. 5.

Cultural Milestones

• 1949: KISS bassist Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel. He moved to the U.S. at 8 years old, following his parents’ divorce. 
• 1951: Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford was born in Sutton Coldfield, England. He became a member of the band in 1973 and is often called one of the “godfathers” of metal.
• 2000: Jack Nitzsche passed away at the age of 63 due to cardiac arrest. He was known for his work with the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, and many other talented musicians.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1976: Boston released their self-titled debut album. Powered by hit songs such as  “More Than a Feeling” and “Peace of Mind,” it went on to become one of the best-selling debut albums in rock history.
• 1979: The song “My Sharona” by The Knack reached the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, where it spent a total of six weeks. It has since sold more than 10 million copies.
• 1994: Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant recorded their MTV Unplugged performance, UnLedded, over two nights starting on Aug. 25 at The London Studios in the U.K. The show was broadcast a few months later, in October of the same year.