This Day in Rock History: December 2
Dec. 2 was a pretty eventful day for rock music, with milestone moments for legends such as David Bowie and Led Zeppelin, plus the world premiere of arguably the most…
Dec. 2 was a pretty eventful day for rock music, with milestone moments for legends such as David Bowie and Led Zeppelin, plus the world premiere of arguably the most famous music video ever. Keep reading to learn more about all the major events from this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These are some of the most relevant milestone moments that happened on Dec. 2:
- 1966: David Bowie released one of his first singles, "Rubber Band," in the United Kingdom. After a string of unsuccessful singles that failed to chart, this song secured him a contract with Deram Records, marking a major milestone in his rise to fame.
- 1972: The Temptations' cover of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it spent a single week. It was the band's final No. 1 hit and also won them three GRAMMY awards for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group, Best R&B Instrumental Performance, and Best R&B Song.
Cultural Milestones
Rock music was and still is a huge part of 20th and 21st-century culture, with its cultural milestones helping shape the world we live in today. The most important ones from Dec. 2 are:
- 1983: MTV premiered the full 14-minute version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video, along with a behind-the-scenes documentary called Making Michael Jackson's Thriller. This was a huge moment that changed the way audiences consumed music, as cinematic story-driven music videos became a powerful promotional tool.
- 2012: Led Zeppelin was honored at the 35th Annual Kennedy Center Honors. Jack Black hosted the event, with acts such as Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Kid Rock, and Heart performing Led Zeppelin covers in front of surviving members Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Dec. 2 is also the anniversary of a few iconic shows and recordings. Some of them are:
- 1971: 31 years before their Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, Led Zeppelin released one of their most famous singles, "Black Dog", in the U.S. It came with "Misty Mountain Hop" as a B-side and was part of their Led Zeppelin IV album.
- 2000: Smashing Pumpkins played what was supposed to be their final-ever show at The Metro in Chicago, the place where they played their first gig. Billy Corgan would reunite the band a few years later, and they're still active today.
From famous music videos to legendary singles, a wide variety of events are celebrated in the rock world on Dec. 2. Visit this page again tomorrow to discover what happened on that day in rock history.
