This Day in Rock History: August 11

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1958: Elvis Presley's song "Hard Headed Woman" became the first rock and roll single to earn a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. He would go on to earn 171 Gold certifications, which is more than any other band or solo performer.
• 1962: Neil Sedaka achieved his first No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart with his hit single "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do." The song was covered by many other bands and artists throughout the years, and even Sedaka himself recorded an alternative version in 1975.

 Cultural Milestones

• 1966: The Beatles held a press conference at the Astor Tower Hotel in Chicago, where John Lennon apologized for his earlier remarks that The Beatles had become "more popular than Jesus." They also performed at Chicago's International Amphitheater the following day.
• 1999: KISS received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All four original members attended the ceremony, and Hollywood's honorary mayor, Johnny Grant, proclaimed this date "KISS Day".

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1979: Led Zeppelin performed in front of over 200,000 fans at the Knebworth Festival in Hertfordshire, England, just weeks before releasing their album In Through the Out Door. Sadly, this would be their last-ever performance in England that featured all the original members, and In Through the Out Door would prove to be their final studio album.
• 2009: Pearl Jam played a special, intimate show at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, U.K. The Rolling Stones' guitarist Ronnie Wood joined them on stage for a cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."