This Day in Rock History: April 8

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1989: Swedish duo Roxette topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for the first time with their song "The Look." The group's hit song made it to the top of the chart in 25 countries, helping them spread their sound to the world.
• 1994: After spending a phenomenal 14 years on the Billboard charts and selling more than 13 million copies worldwide, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon became the fourth biggest-selling album in the U.S. It is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.

Cultural Milestones

• 1947: Yes guitarist Steve Howe was born in Holloway, London, England. He joined the band in 1970 and helped them break into the mainstream with his distinctive blend of acoustic and electric guitar playing.
• 1963: John Lennon's son, Julian, was born in Liverpool, England. He was named after John's mother, Julia, and was the inspiration behind a few legendary Beatles songs, including "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Good Night," but most notably "Hey Jude."
• 1994: Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana, was found dead in his home by an electrician who was working there. Forensic investigators determined that he had died by suicide three days before his body was found.
• 2016: Several prominent rock musicians were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio. Among the inductees were Deep Purple, Chicago, and Cheap Trick.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1975: Aerosmith released their third studio album, Toys in the Attic, via Columbia Records. It's widely seen as their breakthrough album, as it generated iconic hits like "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion," and was certified 9X Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over 9 million copies in the US alone.
• 1977: Releasing what was the first punk album in the U.K., CBS dropped the self-titled debut album by The Clash. Although it was successful, reaching No. 12 on the U.K. albums chart, it wasn't officially released in the U.S. until 1979.
• 2006: The Rolling Stones performed for the first time in mainland China as part of their A Bigger Bang tour. The only stop in China was at the Shanghai Grand Stage, and the Chinese government forced the band to cut several songs from their setlist.
• 2022: The remaining members of Pink Floyd, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, reunited with longtime collaborators, bassist Guy Pratt and keyboardist Nitin Sawhney, for a duet with Ukrainian singer Andriy Khlyvnyuk on the song "Hey Hey, Rise Up!" The goal was to raise money for the Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief Fund, as the country was ravaged by the ongoing war.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1962: American guitarist, singer, and songwriter Jeffrey Dean Isbell, who's better known to the rock community as Izzy Stradlin, was born on April 8, 1962, in Lafayette, Indiana. He was the rhythm guitarist and co-founding member of Guns N' Roses until he left in 1991.
• 1985: At his home in New York, J. Fred Coots died at the age of 87. The composer is credited with writing more than 700 songs, including the popular Christmas tune, "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town."