On this day in rock history: March 12

On March 12, 2001, Judy Garland’s rendition of “Over the Rainbow” was hailed as the Song of the Century in a poll organized by the Recording Industry Association of America, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Scholastic Inc. This wasn’t the sole significant event in rock music history related to March 12.

There have been several breakthrough hits and milestones on this date that may have made it to your rock music rotation:

-1994 saw the Swedish group Ace of Base soar to No.1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks with their infectious hit “The Sign,” making them the first Swedish group to clinch the top spot.
– Yoko Ono, in 2011, created history when she, at the age of 78, reached the No. 1 position on the chart with her track “Move On Fast,” becoming the oldest artist to score a No. 1 dance hit. In 2018, she surpassed her own record by topping the chart at 84.

In addition to these hit songs, there have been cultural milestones on March 12 that significantly influenced the rock music landscape:

-1983 marked the ascension of Bonnie Tyler as the first Welsh artist to dominate the U.S. Billboard chart, with her powerhouse ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart” scaling to No. 2 in the U.K.
– Amy Winehouse graced television screens for the first time in her career in 2007 with a performance on the Late Show with David Letterman, belting out her soulful anthem “Rehab.” Post-show, her album Back to Black witnessed a surge in sales, ultimately resting at the No. 2 position.

The industry was also shaped by famous recordings and performances that occurred on March 12:

-Elvis Presley spent a monumental 12-hour session in 1961 recording all 11 tracks for his album “Something for Everybody.” The album soared to the top of the charts in the U.S. and clinched the No. 2 spot in the U.K.
-1971 witnessed The Allman Brothers Band taking the stage at the Fillmore East in NYC for the first of two electrifying live shows, recording a historic performance that would forever influence the rock music scene.

These moments reflect the diversity and dynamism of rock music history, with March 12 emerging as a date etched in the annals of renowned achievements and groundbreaking performances.