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Many people use the week between Christmas and New Year to relax and unwind, but rockers aren’t most people. Dec. 27 has been a busy day in the rock world over the years, with Queen and Led Zeppelin climbing to the top of the charts and Metallica recording what was arguably their best work. These are some of the memorable events that happened on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Two of the biggest bands in history were riding high on this day, in different years:
- 1969: Led Zeppelin’s second studio album, Led Zeppelin II, started a non-consecutive seven-week run at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was widely seen as the band’s breakthrough album in the U.S., going on to sell over 12 million copies in the States alone.
- 1975: Queen’s A Night At The Opera LP reached the No. 1 spot on the U.K. Albums Chart. It featured the massive hit “Bohemian Rhapsody” and was the band’s first No. 1 album in their native U.K.
- 1980: John Lennon’s song, “(Just Like) Starting Over”, went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, just 19 days after he tragically died. It was the final single he released during his lifetime and was included on the Double Fantasy album.
Cultural Milestones
Rock’s stories and characters are almost as interesting and exciting as the music itself. These are some of the day’s cultural landmarks:
- 1944: Foreigner founder, guitarist, and only continuous original member, Mick Jones, was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He started his career in the early 1960s and formed Foreigner in 1976 with Ian McDonald.
- 1975: The Faces officially split up, more than two months after their final performance on Oct. 12. Rod Stewart was already having an immensely successful solo career, and Ronnie Wood had joined the Rolling Stones.
Notable Recordings and Performances
A few famous recording sessions and album releases took place on Dec. 27:
- 1967: Bob Dylan released his eighth studio album, John Wesley Harding, via Columbia Records. It included the memorable song “All Along the Watchtower” that Jimi Hendrix famously covered, hit Gold shortly after its release, and went on to achieve Platinum status in the U.S.
- 1985: Metallica finished the recording process for their third album, Master of Puppets, which sold over 8 million copies in the U.S. It’s widely considered to be one of the most iconic metal albums of all time.
Led Zeppelin conquering the States and Metallica completing their masterpiece are possibly among the most important rock-related events from Dec. 27. Come back tomorrow to find out what happened on that day in rock history.
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Dan Teodorescu
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