This Day in Rock History: December 7

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1963: The Beatles' second studio album, With the Beatles, went to No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart and remained at the top spot for 21 weeks. It replaced the band's debut record, "Please Please Me," which spent 30 weeks at No. 1.
• 1967: Otis Redding recorded his biggest hit, "(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay." He sadly passed away in a plane crash just three days later, but the song was released posthumously and earned two GRAMMY Awards.
• 1968: The Beatles' self-titled album, commonly known as The White Album, reached the top of the U.K. albums chart, where it spent seven weeks. It was the first album the band released on their own Apple Records label, and it has sold over 30 million copies.
• 1991: George Michael and Elton John's live duet of the latter's 1974 song "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" topped the U.K. singles chart. It was recorded during Michael's show at London's Wembley Arena on March 23 of the same year, where John appeared as a surprise guest.

Cultural Milestones

• 1949: Singer and songwriter Tom Waits was born in Pomona, California. Waits' music combines many genres, including rock and funk, and has influenced countless other artists.
• 1999: The Eagles announced during a press conference that their album, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, became the best-selling record in U.S. history, surpassing Michael Jackson's Thriller. The compilation includes a selection of songs from the band's first four albums and has sold over 38 million copies in the U.S. alone.