This Day in Rock History: October 12
On this day in rock history, the body of troubled Sex Pistols star Sid Vicious' 20-year-old girlfriend Nancy Spungen was found in a New York hotel room. Vicious, who joined the Sex Pistols in 1977 as a replacement for the band's original bassist, would be charged with murder.
Robert Plant and Jimmy Page's long-awaited reunion – though it didn't include John Paul Jones – clearly thrilled Led Zeppelin fans. No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded became the highest-rated Unplugged-era episode in MTV history when it debuted on this date.
Meanwhile, Billy Joel's 52nd Street may not be a better album than The Stranger, his preceding breakthrough project, but it gets darned close. Half a decade, and five albums, after his initial success with the Top 30 hit "Piano Man" in 1974, Joel solidified his fame with his most ambitious album yet.
Then there was Fleetwood Mac, who released a double album that went multi-platinum, broke the Top Five, spawned multiple hit singles, and spent months in the Top 40 – yet was initially regarded as a letdown after the record-smashing success of 1977's Rumours. A critical re-evaluation has since followed, as many have come to appreciate how the expansive 20-track Tusk explored every corner of the band's genius.
Watch an exciting recap of many of the day’s biggest rock anniversaries above, narrated by our radio host Zach Martin. And learn more about these important events by clicking the links below.
News Anniversaries:
Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious charged with murder (1978)
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant's No Quarter debuts on MTV (1994)
Album Anniversaries:
Billy Joel - 52nd Street (1978)
Fleetwood Mac - Tusk (1979)
Fleetwood Mac Albums Ranked Worst to Best