This Day in Rock History: August 31
Aug. 31 has seen many memorable rock-related events throughout the years. There have been some famous birthdays and important milestones from legends, such as the Rolling Stones and Metallica. Keep…
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Aug. 31 has seen many memorable rock-related events throughout the years. There have been some famous birthdays and important milestones from legends, such as the Rolling Stones and Metallica. Keep reading to learn about important moments that happened on this day in rock history.
Cultural Milestones
A few rock legends are celebrating their birthdays on this day, including:
- 1945: Van Morrison was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He created a unique musical style that blends multiple genres and has had a highly prolific career, with over 40 albums released so far.
- 1948: Scorpions guitarist Rudolf Schenker was born in Hildesheim, Germany. He was a founding member of the band that was created in 1965, and has been their primary songwriter throughout this time.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These notable album launches and recordings occurred on Aug. 31:
- 1970: The Beach Boys released their 16th studio album, Sunflower, via Reprise Records. Despite getting good reviews from critics, the album only charted at No. 151 in the U.S., proving that the public had moved on from their classic surf-rock sound.
- 1973: The Rolling Stones released their 11th British and 13th American studio album, Goats Head Soup, which was mostly recorded in the U.S. and Jamaica for tax-related purposes. The album's hit single, "Angie," went to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and achieved top-five status in the U.K.
- 1991: Metallica's self-titled album, also known as The Black Album, topped the Billboard 200 chart and stayed there for four consecutive weeks. It was and still is the band's best-selling album, containing hit songs such as "Enter Sandman," "The Unforgiven," "Sad but True," and "Nothing Else Matters."
From important album releases to famous birthdays, it's fair to say that Aug. 31 has been a relatively eventful day in rock history. Make sure to return tomorrow and find out which era-defining moments in rock history happened on that day.
Dan TeodorescuWriter
