This Day in Rock History: August 7
History has seen its highs and lows on August 7th. From the heroic rescue of seven crew members trapped on their submarine to Philippe Petit walking on a tight rope…
History has seen its highs and lows on August 7th. From the heroic rescue of seven crew members trapped on their submarine to Philippe Petit walking on a tight rope between the Twin Towers, this day has been witness to big moments. Rock history also treasures some of these big moments on August 7th. Let's explore some of those moments.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Rock bands continued to dominate the charts on August 7 across multiple decades. Whether it was The Eagles, Foreigner, or Def Leppard, these bands proved they had the staying power to rise—and stay—at the top of the Billboard 200:
- 1975: The Eagles maintained their top spot on the Billboard 200 chart with their album, One of These Nights. The album had spent seven weeks on the chart so far and had claimed the No. 1 spot for three of those weeks at this point.
- 1981: Foreigner's album, 4, was steadily climbing the Billboard 200 chart. It moved from the No. 13 spot to the No. 4 spot this week and would eventually climb to the No. 1 spot in subsequent weeks.
- 1988: Def Leppard dominated the chart with Hysteria as it claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. It was no stranger to this top spot as it had claimed it before in previous weeks.
Cultural Milestones
Music's influence stretched far beyond the stage. From Elvis's iconic jumpsuit fetching six figures at auction to Billy Joel sharing a personal moment with fans, and even Jessica Springsteen's Olympic success, the legacy of rock continues to show up in unexpected places:
- 2008: Elvis Presley's favorite performance costume, his custom peacock jumpsuit, sold at auction by auctioneer Gotta Have It! The piece sold for $300,000, which was right in the middle of the pre-sale estimate.
- 2014: Billy Joel performed at Madison Square Garden. His performance of "Uptown Girl" was particularly memorable as Joel directed one of the cameras to point at his ex-wife Christie Brinkley, who was the inspiration for the hit single.
- 2021: Jessica Springsteen (daughter of Bruce Springsteen) helped Team USA win the silver medal at the Olympics in the equestrian jumping final. This highlighted just how far (and important) rock music can reach with its impact.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The industry also faced moments of loss on August 7:
- 2011: Marshall Grant, most known for his work with Johnny Cash and the Statler Brothers, died at the age of 83. Grant was set to give a speech and perform during a Johnny Cash Music Festival, but was hospitalized for a brain aneurysm that would become the reason for his passing.
- 2024: Jack Russell died at the age of 63 after battling dementia. He passed at a friend's home in Colorado and was most known for his work as the lead singer for the hard rock band Great White.
August 7 reflects both the timeless success and personal depth of the music world. From the global events like the Olympics to smaller moments like the Billboard 200 charts, rock music pops up everywhere.
