Today in rock history: on this date in 1982, former Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant released his first solo album, Pictures At Eleven. The record was warmly welcomed by Zeppelin fans who were still reeling from the band’s demise. In response it received plenty of rock radio airplay upon its release. Featuring a host of guest musicians including Genesis drummer Phil Collins on most of the album’s tracks, the record features standout Plant tracks like “Pledge Pin” and “Burning Down One Side."
Today in rock history: on this date in 1968, Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has a good day; the legendary singer appears on the front cover of prestigious weekly publication Time magazine on the same day that one of her most successful albums, Lady Soul, containing the classics “Chain of Fools” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” slips into the no.2 slot of Billboard Magazine’s Top 100 album chart.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1975, David Bowie released his futuristic, funk-infused, John Lennon co-authored single, “Fame." The record would be added to the playlists of a variety of radio stations, including soul and R&B stations. This introduced Bowie to a whole new audience as did his appearance on weekly syndicated dance program Soul Train on the strength of the single’s popularity. The single would reach the no.1 spot on singles charts and would prove to be Bowie’s first chart topper in the United States.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1974, Elton John released his eighth studio album, Caribou. John was on a hot streak at this time, and everything he touched turned to gold…or platinum in many instances. In astounding fashion, this was Elton’s fourth consecutive album to hit the no.1 spot on album charts in the United States. The record features hit singles “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” and “The Bitch Is Back” and would go on to top the charts in many different countries around the world.
