Today in rock history: on this date in 1979, British band Supertramp rose to the top of the U.S. Billboard album chart with its sixth album, the blockbuster Breakfast In America. The album occupied the top spot for six weeks and spawned three massive hit singles that dominated radio airwaves throughout the summer of ’79: “The Logical Song,” “Take The Long Way Home” and “Goodbye Stranger." The album went to the top of the charts in several countries throughout the world and went on to sell in excess of 20 million copies worldwide.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1965, Motown singing group The Miracles, featuring lead singer Smokey Robinson, released its classic single, “The Tracks of My Tears." The ballad is one of the best known songs from Robinson’s long list of classics and is one of the most recognizable songs from his long and fruitful career. The single was a huge hit on three different Billboard sales charts: pop, soul and adult contemporary charts. Both Johnny Rivers and Linda Ronstadt each scored a hit when each released their own version of this Smokey Robinson classic.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1973, ex-Beatle George Harrison’s fourth solo album, Living In The Material World went to the no.1 spot on the Billboard albums chart, displacing the album that had held the top spot the week before: Red Rose Speedway by Harrison’s old bandmate, Paul McCartney.
Today in rock history: on this date in 1984, after a string of successful hits, British quintet Duran Duran hits no.1 on U.S. sales charts for the very first time with their song, “The Reflex." The song was taken from the band’s third studio album, Seven and the Ragged Tiger and was released as Duranmania was in full swing in the States and all over the world. The single came packaged in a fold-out, multi-paneled poster sleeve which undoubtedly helped to boost sales.
