This Day in Rock History: August 4
Aug. 4 has seen many memorable moments, including the arrest of Anne Frank, the signing of the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement, and the birth of Louis Armstrong. Read on to…
Aug. 4 has seen many memorable moments, including the arrest of Anne Frank, the signing of the Mexican Farm Labor Agreement, and the birth of Louis Armstrong. Read on to discover other important events and achievements that occurred on this day in rock music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The mid-'80s saw a battle of legends on the Billboard 200 chart on Aug. 4. With Prince, Bruce Springsteen, and Bryan Adams claiming the No. 1 spot, rock music was riding high with no signs of slowing down:
- 1984: After four weeks on the chart, Prince reached the top of the Billboard 200 with his album Purple Rain. It reached 13x Platinum status in 1996.
- 1984: Springsteen's album Born in the U.S.A. dropped from the No. 1 spot but didn't go far, securing the No. 2 position.
- 1985: Bryan Adams claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart this week with his album Reckless. Springsteen, Phil Collins, and Motley Crue also had albums in the Top 10 — Springsteen's had spent over a year on the chart already.
Notable Recordings and Performances
The MetLife and Gillette Stadiums have seen many rock performances in recent years, and Aug. 4 saw several of them, including:
- 2023: Metallica kicked off the North American leg of their M72 World Tour at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. They performed hits such as "King Nothing," "Master of Puppets," and "Nothing Else Matters" — which they had to restart after they messed up the intro.
- 2023: Pantera was in the thick of their North American Tour 2023 and performed at the MetLife Stadium as the opening act for Metallica. Their setlist included "Becoming," "Thrones of Rejection," and "Cowboys From Hell."
- 2024: Five Finger Death Punch performed at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during their AfterLife tour. Their setlist included "Under and Over It," "Jekyll and Hyde," and "Welcome to the Circus."
Industry Changes and Challenges
While the stage lit up, the industry also faced somber news on Aug. 4:
- 2006: John Locke, former keyboard player for the bands Spirit and Nazareth, died aged 62 due to cancer in Ojai, California.
- 2015: Progressive rock band Supertramp canceled the European leg of their Supertramp Forever tour because founding member Rick Davies had begun aggressive treatment for multiple myeloma.
- 2021: Stan Lark, bassist for The Fireballs, died at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer. Lark started the band with guitarist George Tomsco when they were at school together, and the duo took the name after they performed Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" together in a talent contest.
Aug. 4 stands out as a day of powerful highs and reflective lows in rock history. With legendary albums hitting their stride, stadiums roaring with modern metal, and quiet goodbyes behind the scenes, these moments captured the energy, legacy, and humanity at the heart of the music world.
