Today in Rock Music History
A collection of epic events, milestones, birthdays, chart-toppers, concerts, record releases, and relevant rock music news for this day, all brought to you by the Today in Rock Music History staff.
April 26th
1969 The original cast recording of “Hair,” the “tribal Rock musical,” is #1 on the Billboard Album Chart.
1986 Van Halen’s “5150” is #1 on the Billboard 200.
It’s the band’s first album with Sammy Hagar following the departure of David Lee Roth – who left to pursue a solo career.
Van Halen’s label, Warner Records, suggested that the group, absent Roth, should change its name. Understandably, the Van Halen brothers nixed that idea. They brought in Hagar, the former Montrose guitarist/singer, and “5150” carried on as if nothing had happened. The single “Why Can’t This Be Love” rode right up the charts.
2025 Linkin Park Goes “Up From The Bottom” To The Top
Linkin Park notches its eighth #1 on the Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, with “Up From the Bottom.” The track draws 4.7 million radio audience impressions (up 28%) during the previous week.
MORE TODAY IN ROCK…
1943 Gary Wright starts his life in Cresskill, NJ. From there he becomes the singer-keyboardist with Spooky Tooth(from ’67 to ’74) before going solo (“Dream Weaver”).
1975 One -time Mötley Crüe vocalist, John Corabi, is born in Philadelphia. PA. 1959Late Slipknot drummer, Joey Jordison, is born.
1976 The Steve Miller Band releases “Take The Money And Run.” It peaks at #11 on the Billboard 100 and is one of the band’s best-known songs.
1986 Julien Lennon has the #1 song on the Billboard Rock Songs chart with “Stick Around.”
1994 The Beastie Boys’ Adam Horovitz is sentenced to 200 hours of community service for attacking a television cameraman during funeral services for actor River Phoenix in November ’93.
1994 Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick pleads guilty to pointing a shotgun at police. She chalks it up to stress. Her house has recently burned down destroying nearly all her possessions. Slick is sentenced to community service and must attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
1997 The ABC TV special U2: A Year in POP is the lowest rated prime time program in history of network television. That’s gotta hurt. Maybe they were up against a Simpsons rerun.
2006 Eric Clapton is named the ambassador for the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s National Arts and Music Education Initiative. “Slowhand” is featured in a public-service announcement promoting a campaign to help fund arts and music programs for young people.
2016 Bullet For My Valentine frontman Matt Tuck’s air-sea-land performance, the first of its kind in the world, is the subject of a short Jagermeister documentary video. Tuck performs continuously during a skydive, a speedboat ride and a sled run for the German herbal liqueur maker’s publicity stunt.
2022 Dio’s “Holy Diver” is certified double platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of two million copies. Released in ’83, the album went gold (500,000 units) in ‘84 and platinum in ‘89.
Also See…
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The Cranberries – In the End
In the End, The Cranberries’ final album, is a poignant farewell after Dolores O’Riordan’s passing. It blends nostalgia with urgency, featuring their signature sound. Despite loss, the album celebrates life, love, and O’Riordan’s enduring emotional voice.