This Day in Rock History: July 27

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1955: Chuck Berry's first hit single, "Maybellene," entered the Billboard R&B chart and would eventually reach No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This was one of the first rock and roll songs that was popular with both Black and white audiences.
• 1981: Fleetwood Mac singer and songwriter Steve Nicks released her first solo album, Belladona. It featured artists such as Tom Petty and Jimmy Lovine and signaled the beginning of a successful solo career for Nicks.
• 1984: Metallica released their second album, Ride the Lightning, via independent label Megaforce Records. It solidified Metallica's status as the quintessential metal band of that time and inspired many bands in the following years.
• 2012: The Beatles returned on the Billboard album Top 40 chart with their Tomorrow Never Knows greatest hits compilation. It included 14 of their hit songs and was the band's first exclusive release.

Cultural Milestones

• 1976: Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Tina Turner filed for divorce from her abusive husband, Ike Turner, ending their 16-year marriage and musical partnership. It was the beginning of Tina Turner's successful solo career.
• 1976: John Lennon received his U.S. Green Card, finally getting his permanent residency status. It was the conclusion of a four-year dispute with the U.S. Government.
• 1986: Queen was one of the first major Western rock bands to play in communist Eastern Europe at the Nepstadion in Budapest, Hungary, performing in front of 80,000 people. The show was part of their Magic Tour and was later released as a DVD called Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live in Budapest.