October 22: What Happened On This Day In Rock History

October 22 is a date marked by iconic releases, career milestones, and unexpected real-life drama within the rock and roll world. This day saw the launch of one of rock's most influential albums, the very first concert by a legendary grunge band, and the moment one of music's greatest hoaxes was publicly addressed.

From multi-million-selling albums to a heartwarming story involving a lost waxwork head of a former Beatle, the events of this date highlight the enduring commercial and cultural power of rock music across generations.

Here’s What Happened In Rock Music on October 22

2017 – Australian musician, songwriter and record producer George Young died aged 70. The brother of AC/DC's Angus and Malcolm Young, he was a member of The Easybeats and co-wrote their 1966 hit ‘Friday On My Mind.’

2009 – Former KISS drummer Peter Criss revealed that he had been diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2007. Now a cancer survivor, he kept his condition a secret at the time, fearing ridicule in the press.

2008 – A homeless man claimed a £2,000 reward by returning a waxwork head of ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney which had been left on a train. The wax model sold the following week for £5,500 at auction.

2002 – Foo Fighters released One by One, their fourth studio album. It included the successful singles "All My Life" and "Times Like These," and won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2004.

2000 – Pearl Jam appeared at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, California, celebrating the tenth anniversary of their first live performance as a band.

2000 – The Beatles' official autobiography Anthology hit No. 1 on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list, where it would remain for three straight weeks.

1998 – Bob Dylan played in his hometown of Duluth, Minnesota, for the first time since the 1960s. The show sold out in just five hours.

1996 – It was announced that, "The Beatles were now bigger than The Beatles," based on sales that year which saw the band's back catalogue and Anthology albums projected to exceed 20 million copies.

1993 – Oasis signed a six-album deal with Creation Records for a £40,000 advance.

1991 – Neil Young and Crazy Horse released the live album, Weld.

1990 – Pearl Jam played their first ever concert when they appeared at the Off Ramp in Seattle.

1988 – U2 scored their fourth UK No. 1 album with the double set and film soundtrack Rattle And Hum, featuring their first UK No. 1 single "Desire."

1988 – Elton John sold out Madison Square Garden for a record 26th time.

1988 – Phil Collins started a two week run at No. 1 on the US singles chart with his version of "Groovy Kind Of Love."

1969 – Paul McCartney publicly denied rumors that he was dead. The "Paul is Dead" hoax was actually started as a prank by a writer for a student paper at the University of Michigan.

1969 – Led Zeppelin II was released on Atlantic Records in the UK. The Jimmy Page produced album went on to become one of the most influential rock albums ever recorded.

1966 – The Beach Boys' ‘Good Vibrations’ made its debut on the US singles chart. The track was recorded over six weeks in four different Los Angeles studios, at a high cost for the time.

1965 – After achieving massive success with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," The Rolling Stones released "Get Off My Cloud" in the UK.

1964 – The Who, then known as The High Numbers, received a letter from EMI Records, asking them for original material after their recent audition for the company.

1961 – Chubby Checker sang a medley of "The Twist" and "Let's Twist Again" on The Ed Sullivan Show. The performance sparked renewed interest that pushed the original song back to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 the following January.

Rock Birthdays: October 22

• 1956 – Stiv Bators of Dead Boys and Lords Of The New Church (Vocalist / Guitarist)
• 1946 – Eddie Brigati of The Rascals (Vocalist)
• 1945 – Leslie West of Mountain and West Bruce & Laing (Guitarist / Vocalist)

October 22: On This Day In Rock History

October 22 stands as a powerful date in the history of rock, marking the release of era-defining albums like Led Zeppelin II and the very public, yet highly successful, comebacks of bands like the Foo Fighters and U2. The day also captured the unique, often strange, life of rock celebrity, from a bizarre waxwork recovery to the necessity of Paul McCartney denying his own death.

From the tragic early death of punk rocker Stiv Bators to the commercial dominance of Elton John and the fraternal bond of rock's most successful families (the Youngs of AC/DC), this date perfectly encapsulates the drama, creativity, and lasting legacy of artists who define the genre.

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