This Day in Rock History: June 20
Every day holds an important moment in history, even for rock music. June 20 marks multimillion-dollar guitar sales and milestone performances from accomplished musicians, proving that rock history never takes…
Every day holds an important moment in history, even for rock music. June 20 marks multimillion-dollar guitar sales and milestone performances from accomplished musicians, proving that rock history never takes a break.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
June 20 has seen many important milestones for bands, from Foreigner releasing their second studio album, which contained future major hits, to The Cult releasing their seventh album:
- 1978: Foreigner released their second studio album. One of the top songs, "Hot Blooded," would peak at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 list and would go on to become certified Platinum.
- 2001: The Cult released their seventh studio album, Beyond Good and Evil. Their first recording in over six years, it would debut at No. 37 on the U.S. charts.
Cultural Milestones
Beyond the music, June 20 has seen some important moments happen to those in the industry. Child support battles, guitar sales, and impressive purchases all happened on this day:
- 1969: David Bowie records "Space Oddity." This comes after Bowie watched the popular movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.
- 2000: A New York court ordered Mick Jagger to reveal his financial worth and income during a child support battle, giving him until August to comply. This was to support his last child with Luciana Morad, a Brazilian model.
- 2019: David Gilmour of Pink Floyd auctioned off 127 guitars from his extensive collection. This sale set quite a few guitar sales records and raised over $21 million.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Stage lights were bright on June 20, with memorable shows and milestone performances that added new chapters to rock's ongoing story:
- 1986: Several big names appeared at the Prince's Trust Rock Gala: 10th Birthday in London. Elton John, Phil Collins, and Rod Stewart were just some of the performers in attendance.
- 2004: Paul McCartney took to the stage for the 3,000th time. Despite being in his early 80s, Paul McCartney continued to perform in his latest tour, the Got Back tour, which finished in 2024.
- 2008: Duane Eddy performed at the Hollywood Bowl, alongside performers such as Liza Minnelli, Sir James Galway, and B.B. King.
Whether it's a remarkable performance from a long-time rocker or a record-breaking guitar sale, June 20 has played host to some unforgettable moments in rock history. These stories, both onstage and off, remind us that the heart of rock beats strong every single day.
