Why December 21st Matters In Rock History

Sir Elton John and David Furnish's Civil Partnership Ceremony

Photo: Getty Images

It’s December 21st and here are some reasons why this day matters in rock history:

In 1980, 18 days after he is shot to death, John Lennon’s song “(Just Like) Starting Over” tops the singles chart. 

In 1985, Bruce Springsteen’s album, Born in the USA, passed Michael Jackson’s Thriller to become the second longest-lasting LP in the top ten of the Billboard 200. It stayed there for 79 weeks.

In 2005, Elton John and his longtime partner, David Furnish, registered as a civil partnership at a ceremony in London. On this day in 2014, they formally converted it to a marriage.

In 2010, the Kings of Leon had to postpone their London concert when two of their buses caught fire while parked in the lot of the O2 Arena. It took 60 firefighters to put out the flames, which took too long to douse, causing the band to be unable to set up for the sold-out show.

And in 2012, 65-year-old Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood married 34-year-old Sally Humphries at a ceremony in London. Keith Richards, Rod Stewart and Paul McCartney were all in attendance. 

And that’s what happened today in rock history

(H/T This Day in Music)