This Day in Rock History: April 12
Lots of interesting things happened in the rock world on April 12. One of the most iconic rock and roll songs of all time was released, David Bowie announced his…
Lots of interesting things happened in the rock world on April 12. One of the most iconic rock and roll songs of all time was released, David Bowie announced his retirement, but luckily changed his mind, and R.E.M. released their debut album. These are just some of the most consequential events that took place on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the breakthrough moments and milestones we celebrate today include:
- 1954: Bill Haley & His Comets recorded the iconic "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" at the Pythian Temple studios in New York City. It eventually became the first major rock 'n' roll hit, after topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 8 weeks.
- 1975: Elton John's song "Philadelphia Freedom" got to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it spent two consecutive weeks. It was written by Elton and his songwriting partner Bernie Taupin as an ode to tennis player and Philadelphia native Billie Jean King, and it was his fourth US No. 1 single.
Cultural Milestones
Rock's stories are almost as interesting as the music itself. Here are the day's top cultural milestones:
- 1975: David Bowie announced his retirement from music during an interview with Playboy magazine. Despite saying that "I've rocked my roll. It's a boring dead end, there will be no more rock 'n' roll records from me," he quickly changed his mind and was back in business by September.
- 2025: Legendary record producer Roy Thomas Baker passed away in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, at 78 years old. He started his career at Decca Studios aged only 14 and has a stellar resume that includes five out of Queen's first seven albums, as well as collaborations with Alice Cooper, Guns N' Roses, Ozzy, Foreigner, the Smashing Pumpkins, Free, Cheap Trick, and many others.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Some amazing albums were released on April 12 throughout the years. They include:
- 1983: R.E.M. released their debut album, Murmur, via I.R.S. Records. It was very well-received by critics and peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard 200 album chart, being certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1991.
- 2011: Foo Fighters released their seventh studio album, Wasting Light, through Roswell and RCA Records. In an attempt to sound as classic and authentic as possible, the whole album was recorded in frontman Dave Grohl's garage using only analog equipment.
Industry Changes and Challenges
A historical court decision sent ripples through the industry a decade ago on April 12:
- 2016: A district judge in Los Angeles, California, decided that Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and Jimmy Page must stand trial in a copyright infringement case regarding their legendary song "Stairway to Heaven." The claim was that the late Spirit guitarist Randy Wolfe deserves writing credit for the track because it may be substantially similar to Spirit's instrumental song "Taurus."
These are the most noteworthy rock-related events that took place on April 12. Visit us again tomorrow to discover everything that happened on that day in rock history.
