This Day in Rock History: December 25
Lots of things have happened in the rock world on Christmas Day throughout the years. It’s when Santa got Ringo Starr his first drum kit and Led Zeppelin first set…
Lots of things have happened in the rock world on Christmas Day throughout the years. It's when Santa got Ringo Starr his first drum kit and Led Zeppelin first set foot in the U.S. but sadly also when the music world lost two titans. So, find a cozy place, grab a glass of eggnog, and keep reading to discover all the major events that happened on this day in rock history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Some of the biggest and most influential bands in history had milestone moments on Christmas Day. Some of them include:
- 1966: The Beatles' sixth studio album, Rubber Soul, reached the top of the U.K. album charts, where it spent nine consecutive weeks. The album holds a special place in the band's history, as it marked a shift from their pop-oriented style to deeper and more experimental music and lyrics.
- 1968: Led Zeppelin arrived in the U.S. for the first time to start their North American tour. The first stop was Denver, Colorado, where they were scheduled to perform on Dec. 26.
- 1977: The Sex Pistols played their final shows in the U.K. The venue was Ivanhoe's nightclub in Huddersfield, and they played two different sets: a matinee for children of firefighters who were on strike at the time and an evening show for their usual audience.
Cultural Milestones
Dec. 25 is also the anniversary of some important moments in rock history — though not all of them were fortunate. These are some of them:
- 1957: Richard Starkey, later known as Ringo Starr, received his first real drum kit as a Christmas present from his stepfather. It was a used, worn-out, and mismatched kit, but it ignited his passion for drumming.
- 2006: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and "Grandfather of Soul" James Brown passed away at age 73. He rose to fame in the mid-1950s and had a stellar career, influencing countless other musicians of different genres.
- 2016: The music world lost another icon on Christmas Day when George Michael passed away from pneumonia-related complications at age 53. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
From a young teen in Liverpool getting his first drum set to music icons leaving us, Christmas Day has been a pretty busy time of year in rock. Make sure to come back tomorrow and discover what happened on that day in rock history.
