Today in rock history: on this date in 1980, at the dismay of rock and roll fans all around the world, the most successful hard rock band of all time, Led Zeppelin, made the initial announcement of their breakup. The band’s powerhouse drummer John Bonham had passed away a few months before this time and although rumors had swirled that the three remaining members would carry on with a replacement drummer, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones instead opted to dissolve the band via a short, direct press release that left no question that Led Zeppelin was officially done.

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Today in rock history; John Bonham dies, The Beatles get 'toon-ed and more

Today in rock history: on this date in 1971, in the town of Montreux, Switzerland, hard rock band Deep Purple was in the midst of recording a new album. While there, American rock band Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were playing a live concert in the town’s local casino. During the show, an audience member fired a flare gun into the venue’s ceiling which resulted in a massive fire that burned the entire building. Deep Purple members were forced into the rooms they were staying in while the building burned and watched the black smoke billow over Lake Geneva which gave it an idea for a song. “Smoke On The Water,” one of the most popular and enduring hard rock songs, was conceived that day with lyrics that directly address the events they’d witnessed. The song contains one of the most recognizable rock and roll guitar riffs courtesy of lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and it became a major hit single all around the world.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1965, The Rolling Stones released its fifth album in America, December's Children (And Everybody's). Largely comprised of singles and songs that had appeared on other British releases, the album was more or less a collection of album tracks and singles pieced together to appease the band’s rabid U.S. following, which was growing more voracious and more rabid with each subsequent release. Singles that had a major impact in the States from the record included “Get Off My Cloud” which made it as high as No. 1 on Billboard’s singles chart and “As Tears Go By” which peaked at No. 6. The album was another big seller; it achieved gold sales status not long after its release and reached No. 4 on American album sales charts.

Today in rock history: on this date in 1964, The Beatles released their fourth album in the U.K., Beatles For Sale. The album’s darker tone was reflected not only in the more serious, direct original compositions contained within but in the faces of the band members on the front cover. Gone were the cheery smiles and the grins of the Fab Four; they’d been replaced with the stern, gloomy stares the quartet sported on the album’s jacket. Songs like “I’m A Loser” and “No Reply” took on a more sobering tone and it was believed that the Beatles were growing up based on the songs they were now writing and recording. Meeting and encountering American poet and songwriter Bob Dylan had a massive effect on the band whose style and approach was starting to change. The record was not without its successful pop hits though; the album included the classic “Eight Days A Week” as well as a rousing cover of Chuck Berry’s “Rock and Roll Music.” The album spent 46 weeks in the top 20 of British album sales charts with 11 of those weeks at the No. 1 spot, making it another massive hit for the most successful British band of the time.