This Day in History: 2024-06-26

JUNE 26th

Bad Company release their self-titled debut album which goes to #1 and sells over five-million copies.  1974

“Bad Company,” “Can’t Get Enough” and “Ready For Love” are the best-known tracks from the album.

“Congratulations, I’m Sorry” is a certified platinum album (over one-million sales). The Gin Blossoms’ album features the song “Follow You Down.” 1997

Velvet Revolver – Guns N’ Roses vets Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum plus Dave Kushner and Scott Weiland, ex-Stone Temple Pilots – have the #1 album in the U.S. with “Contraband.”  2004

Breaking Benjamin’s single “I Will Not Bow” goes double platinum (2 million sales). The song is from the group’s ’09 set “Dear Agony.”  2017

Mammoth WVH’s self-titled debut album sits atop Billboard‘s Top Rock and Hard Rock Albums charts.  The band is fronted by Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang,  2021

MORE TODAY IN ROCK…

Mick Jones, guitarist for The Clash, has a birthday. After The Clash he starts Big Audio Dynamite. 1955

It’s singer Chris Isaak’s birthday. 1956

Scandal’s lead singer, Patti Smyth, is born in New York. 1957

Egypt bans Rock N’ Roll claiming the music is “against public morals” and is an “imperialist plot.” 1957

Berlin vocalist Terri Nunn is born in L.A. Berlin is known for the song “No More Words” and the ballad, “Take My Breath Away,” on the “Top Gun” soundtrack. 1961

Gary ‘U.S.’ Bonds scores his only #1 single, “Quarter To Three.” 1961

The Byrds, featuring Roger McGuinn’s 12-string Rickenbacher guitar, take Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” to #1. 1965

Colin Greenwood, bassist (and occasional keyboardist) for Radiohead, enters the world. 1969

Free’s “Fire And Water” album, with their signature song “All Right Now,” arrives.  1970

Elvis Presley gives his final performance.  It’s at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis.  He closes the show with his ‘61 hit “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”  Elvis dies just seven weeks later. 1977

A cover of the Bobby Fuller Four’s “I Fought The Law” is The Clash’s first U.S. single. 1979

Duran Duran’s first major hit, “Hungry Like The Wolf,” peaks at #5 on the U.K. pop chart. 1982

Bring Me The Horizon keyboardist, Jordan Fish, enters the world.  1986

Oasis earns their eighth #1 album in the U.K. with the singles collection, “Time Flies: 1994-2009.” The compilation follows the band’s stormy demise the previous year. 2010

Slash scores his first #1 hit on Rock Radio with “You’re A Lie,” the lead track from his second solo album “Apocalyptic Love.” 2012

Five Finger Death Punch (FFDP) guitarist Zoltan Bathory takes second place in the Superheavy Division and second place in the Absolute Division at the American National Jiu Jitsu Championship.  2021

A limited run of “Springsteen on Broadway” at the St. James Theatre requires audience members to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter the theater. The requirement draws a small group of anti-vax protesters.  2021

Johnny Solinger passes away at age 55.  He joined Skid Row when it reformed in ‘99, following a three-year hiatus, replacing Sebastian Bach. He was in the band until ‘15.  2021

It’s announced that Survivor‘s “Eye Of The Tiger” has surpassed one billion streams on Spotify. Written by the band’s Jim Peterik (rhythm guitar/keyboards) and Frankie Sullivan (lead guitar) the song, released in ’82, was commissioned by Sylvester Stallone to be the theme for “Rocky III.” 2023

Def Leppard and Sammy Hagar are among 31 entertainment professionals selected to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. 2023