Historic events this week from Bob Dylan, Eagles, Neil Young, KISS, The Jam, AC/DC and REO Speedwagon
FEBRUARY 16, 1974: PLANET WAVES IS BOB DYLAN’S FIRST US #1 ALBUM
Twelve years after releasing his self-titled debut album, Bob Dylan finally had a #1 album in the US.
Planet Waves, Dylan’s first album with The Band, spent 3 weeks at #1.
Planet Waves contained 2 versions (one fast, one slow) of the classic “Forever Young”.
FEBRUARY 17, 1976: EAGLES RELEASE THEIR GREATEST HITS (1971-1975)
Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) from the Eagles is one of the biggest selling albums of all-time.
It features the #1 hits “Best of My Love” and “One of These Nights” as well as “Lyin’ Eyes” and “Take It Easy.”
The collection has gone Platinum 38 times, and has sold over 42 million copies worldwide.
FEBRUARY 18, 1972: NEIL YOUNG’S HARVEST CERTIFIED GOLD
Neil Young achieved a rare commercial feat when Harvest was certified Gold a mere 17 days after its debut, making it one of the fastest-selling albums of its era. This immediate success was driven by the timeless single “Heart of Gold” and featured an incredible lineup of guest vocalists including Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, and David Crosby.
FEBRUARY 18, 1974: KISS RELEASE THEIR DEBUT ALBUM
KISS’s self-titled debut was the first of two albums they released in 1974.
The debut features such classics as “Deuce”, “Strutter” and Ace Frehley’s “Cold Gin.”
During a 2018 appearance on Good Morning America, Gene Simmons called it his favorite KISS album.
FEBRUARY 18, 1982: THE JAM ON TOP OF THE POPS
The Jam made Top of the Pops history as the first group to play two songs on a single broadcast since The Beatles performed ‘Paperback Writer’ and ‘Rain’ in 1966. The Jam tore through both ‘A Town Called Malice’ and ‘Precious.’
FEBRUARY 19, 1980: AC/DC’S BON SCOTT DIES
The cause of death for AC/DC‘s Bon Scott has been debated for decades.
Whether it was “pulmonary aspiration” or “acute alcohol poisoning”, the 33 year old singer’s cause of death is classified as “death by misadventure”.
Bon Scott’s family encouraged AC/DC to continue on. Five months later, they released the classic Back In Black, with Brian Johnson on lead vocals.
FEBRUARY 21, 1981: REO SPEEDWAGON’S HI INFIDELITY IS #1
REO Speedwagon’s 9th album, Hi Infidelity, ended the 8-week reign of John Lennon & Yoko Ono‘s Double Fantasy.
Hi Infidelity would go on to spend 15 non-consecutive weeks at #1 in 1981, trading places twice with Styx‘s Paradise Theater.
