This Day in Rock History: November 3
This day in rock history features important career moments for giants such as Elton John and David Bowie, plus a few huge album and single releases. Keep reading to learn…
This day in rock history features important career moments for giants such as Elton John and David Bowie, plus a few huge album and single releases. Keep reading to learn more about these and all other relevant moments that happened in the rock world on Nov. 3.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These are some of the most memorable milestone moments of the day:
- 1957: Jerry Lee Lewis' signature song, "Great Balls of Fire," hit U.S. radios on this day. It went on to sell more than five million copies globally, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.
- 1973: David Bowie's seventh studio album, Pinups, reached the No. 1 spot on the U.K. charts. It spent five weeks at the top and 39 weeks on the charts in total.
Cultural Milestones
Rock's stories and characters are a huge part of its charm. These are some of the most important rock culture moments that happened on Nov. 3:
- 1972: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Carly Simon and James Taylor got married in Simon's New York City apartment, after having met a year before. The marriage lasted 11 years, and they have two children together.
- 1977: Elton John announced he was temporarily retiring from touring during a concert at the Wembley Empire Hall in London. He also took a break from his long-time collaboration with lyricist Bernie Taupin, but they resumed it with 1983's Too Low For Zero album.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Nov. 3 is also the anniversary of some iconic concerts and album releases. Some of them include the following:
- 1991: The free Laughter, Love and Music concert was held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park in honor of concert promoter Bill Graham, who had passed away in a helicopter accident a week before. It was attended by an estimated 300,000 people and featured a star-studded lineup that included Santana, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, John Fogerty, and The Grateful Dead.
- 1992: Bon Jovi released their fifth studio album, Keep the Faith, via Mercury Records. It reached double Platinum status in the U.S., helped by hits such as "Keep the Faith," "Bed of Roses," and "In These Arms."
These are some of the biggest moments in rock that happened on Nov. 3, with legendary performers such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Bon Jovi enjoying milestone moments. Come back tomorrow to find out what happened on that day in rock history.
