September 3: What Happened On This Day In Rock History

September 3 has consistently delivered moments of both triumph and tragedy in the world of music. This date has witnessed groundbreaking concerts, monumental legal battles, and the loss of influential artists, solidifying its place as a day of significant events in the history of rock and popular music.

Here’s What Happened In Rock Music on September 3

2024 – Spotify won a legal victory in a long-running court case brought by Eminem's publisher, Eight Mile Style. The publisher had accused the streaming giant of using the rapper's music without permission since 2019 and sued for £30 million in lost royalties. Despite the judge finding that Spotify did not have a proper license to stream the tracks, they ruled that the company would not be liable for the lost royalties.

2023 – An album sleeve for Led Zeppelin's Houses Of The Holy, signed by all four members, fetched an astonishing £15,000 at auction, significantly surpassing its estimated value of £1,200 to £1,800. The item was especially rare due to drummer John Bonham's 1980 death and the band’s subsequent split. The seller had acquired the autographs during a chance encounter with the band at Gatwick Airport in 1977.

2022 – A star-studded tribute concert for the late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins was held in London at Wembley Stadium. Sir Paul McCartney, Queen, and AC/DC were among the legendary artists who paid their respects. The emotional event saw Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl break down in tears while performing the song 'Times Like These,' pausing on the lyric, "It's times like these you learn to love again."

2019 – Sir Elton John was honored with a new set of Royal Mail stamps in the UK, celebrating his career. He became only the second individual music artist to receive such an honor, following David Bowie, who was featured on a set in 2017.

2017 – Walter Becker, co-founder and guitarist for the US band Steely Dan, passed away at 67. The band, named after a sex toy from the book Naked Lunch, released their first album in 1972 and went on to have a number of hits, including 'Reeling In The Years.' Steely Dan also won a Grammy in 2001 for Album of the Year for Two Against Nature.

2010 – Mike Edwards, a founding member of the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), was tragically killed in a freak accident when a 600 kg bale of hay rolled down a hill in Devon, England, and crashed into his van. The 62-year-old cellist played with ELO from their first live gig in 1972 until his departure in 1975 to become a Buddhist.

2008 – Heavy metal band Slipknot secured their first US number one album with All Hope Is Gone, but only after a recount put them narrowly ahead of rapper The Game's latest release. Slipknot sold 1,134 more copies, securing the top spot.

2005 – Blues musician Fats Domino was rescued from New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The 77-year-old singer had been reported missing since the storm hit, and his whereabouts were unknown for several days.

2004 – Songwriter and producer Billy Davis died in New York. He was the co-writer of Jackie Wilson's 'Reet Petite' and the iconic jingle 'I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke.' His songs were recorded by music legends such as Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and The Supremes.

2003 – The Libertines singer Pete Doherty was sentenced to six months in jail on burglary and drug possession charges. The sentence was later reduced to two months on appeal.

2002 – The Rolling Stones kicked off their 40th-anniversary Licks tour at the Fleet Centre in Boston. The worldwide tour would see the band play more than 100 shows to an audience of over 2.5 million fans.

1999 – The largest music bootleg bust in US history was carried out. The operation confiscated nearly one million CDs and tapes and recording equipment valued at $250,000. It was estimated that this single bust was responsible for over $100 million in lost revenues.

1991 – During their European tour, Nirvana recorded three songs—‘Dumb,’ ‘Drain You,’ and ‘Endless, Nameless’—at the BBC's Maida Vale studios in London for the legendary John Peel show.

1991 – Ike Turner was released from prison after serving 18 months of a four-year sentence. In an interview with Variety, he claimed to have spent over $11 million on cocaine.

1983 – UB40 earned their first UK No. 1 single with 'Red Red Wine,' a cover of the 1968 Neil Diamond hit. The song would later become a No. 1 hit in the US in 1988 after it was re-released.

1982 – The three-day US Festival, bankrolled by Apple Computers founder Steven Wozniak, took place in San Bernardino, California. The festival featured a diverse lineup of artists, including Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, The Police, The Cars, and the Grateful Dead.

1977 – A month after his death, Elvis Presley dominated the UK charts with 27 albums and 9 singles in the Top 100. His album Moody Blue was No. 1, and his single 'Way Down' also topped the charts, giving him a total of 17 No. 1 hits and putting him on par with The Beatles.

1977 – Studio engineer Keith Harwood was killed in a car crash shortly after leaving a recording session with The Rolling Stones. Harwood was noted for his work with David Bowie and Led Zeppelin, and The Rolling Stones dedicated their album Love You Live to his memory.

1975 – An all-star jam session was held at a party for actor Peter Sellers' 50th birthday. The group, which named themselves the Trading Faces, featured Bill Wyman, Ronnie Wood, Keith Moon, Joe Cocker, and David Bowie, among others.

1970 – Alan Wilson, guitarist and songwriter for Canned Heat, was found dead at the age of 27. Wilson performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock, where his vocals on 'Going Up the Country' made it the festival's unofficial theme song.

1970 – Arthur Brown was arrested at the Palermo Pop '70 Festival in Italy after he set his helmet on fire during a performance of his hit 'Fire' and then proceeded to strip naked on stage. He was held in solitary confinement for four days.

1968 – Ringo Starr rejoined The Beatles after a two-week absence. He returned to the studio to find his drum kit decorated with flowers as a welcome-back gesture from the other band members.

1966 – Donovan hit No. 1 on the US singles chart with 'Sunshine Superman.' The song, which featured then-Yardbird and future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, was written for Donovan’s future wife, Linda Lawrence.

1965 – A Rolling Stones concert in Dublin, Ireland, ended in a riot when 30 fans stormed the stage. Mick Jagger was knocked to the floor as the rest of the band fled.

1962 – After a lunchtime show at The Cavern Club, The Beatles played the first of three Monday night gigs at The Queen's Hall in Widnes, Cheshire. Tickets for the show cost 3/6.

Rock Birthdays: September 3

• 1934 – Freddie King (Blues Guitarist / Singer / Songwriter)
• 1942 – Al Jardine of The Beach Boys (Musician / Singer / Songwriter)
• 1944 – Gary Leeds of The Walker Brothers (Musician / Singer / Drummer)
• 1945 – George Biondo of Steppenwolf (Musician)
• 1947 – Eric Bell of Thin Lizzy (Guitarist)
• 1948 – Donald Brewer of Grand Funk Railroad (Drums)
• 1955 – Steve Jones of Sex Pistols (Guitar)
• 1979 – Tomo Milicevic of 30 Seconds to Mars (Guitar)
• 1980 – Jay 'Cone' McCaslin of Sum 41 (Bass)

September 3: On This Day In Rock History

September 3 consistently delivers moments that define the diverse and evolving narrative of rock music. From record-breaking performances and innovative releases to moments of both celebration and challenge, this date continues to remind us of the enduring power and cultural impact of music across generations. The stories from this day underscore the rich legacy and ongoing influence of artists and events in rock history.