This Day in Rock History: February 25
On Feb. 25, 1970, during the 78th episode of the first season of Sesame Street, Ernie sang “Rubber Duckie” for the first time. It was the first song from an educational TV series to make it onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart and climbed to No. 16. The “Rubber Duckie” song making it onto the charts, demonstrates a shift in the industry, as TV became increasingly popular and mainstream.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Were any of your favorite rock songs inspired by these Feb. 25 hits and milestones?
- 1957: Buddy Holly and the Crickets rerecorded “That’ll Be the Day” due to the poor quality of the original version. The song was included on their second and final album and became a chart-topping single.
- 1984: “Jump” by Van Halen reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for five weeks. This was the band’s most successful single and later earned them a Grammy Award.
Cultural Milestones
Cultural milestones of past Feb. 25 that have made an impact on rock music include:
- 1943: Vocalist and guitarist for The Beatles, George Harrison, was born in Liverpool, England. He was also a successful solo artist, with many No. 1 hits and albums.
- 1981: Pat Benatar won the Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Female for her 1980 Crimes of Passion album. She held the crown for four consecutive years.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Do you remember any of these notable rock recordings or performances from Feb. 25?
- 1963: The Beatles released “Please Please Me” in the U.S. Originally, the song got very little attention, but a year later, when it was rereleased, it made it to No. 3 on the charts.
- 1972: Playing for the first time ever in Auckland, New Zealand, Led Zeppelin drew the biggest concert crowd the island had ever experienced. It was reported that the band could be heard 5 miles from the venue.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Many changes and challenges within the industry have shaped rock music into the genre it is today:
- 1992: Jimi Hendrix was posthumously honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys by the Recording Academy. Although he died at the young age of 27 in 1970, rock musicians are still inspired by his unique guitar style.
- 2004: After making $212 million during their 2003 Forty Licks tour, The Rolling Stones topped the U.S. list of richest musicians. They made an average of $11 per person from the three million fans who saw their shows during the tour.
You might not be rocking out to your favorite songs as much if it weren’t for the breakthrough hits, cultural milestones, memorable performances, major recordings, or shifts and challenges in the rock industry that happened on past February 25ths. Who knows what the future holds for your favorite music genre on this date?
