JAN 12-18: Historic events this week from Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Ozzy Osbourne, Fleetwood Mac and Eric Clapton
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JANUARY 12, 1969: LED ZEPPELIN’S DEBUT ALBUM
Led Zeppelin’s debut album took a total of 36 hours and less than *£2,000 to record (*equivalent to $51,368 in 2025).
The debut album contains the classic rock radio staple “Good Times Bad Times”, as well as “Dazed and Confused”
and “Communication Breakdown”.
JANUARY 12, 1971: JANIS JOPLIN’S PEARL
Janis Joplin’s final album, Pearl, was released 3 months after her death.
The album spent nine consecutive weeks at #1.
Containing “Me and Bobby McGee” and “Mercedes Benz”, Pearl went on to sell over 4 Million copies in the US.
JANUARY 12, 1986: “SUICIDE SOLUTION” LAWSUIT
A family’s lawsuit alleges the lyrics of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Suicide Solution” lead to their son’s death by suicide.
It’s solution as in liquid, not a way out. The song’s about the dangers of alcoholism. It’s just a terrible case of misinterpretation.
Ozzy Osbourne
It was determined the fan’s suicide was not a “foreseeable result” of the song, and the case was dismissed.
JANUARY 14, 1978: RUMOURS IS #1 FOR 31 WEEKS
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours spent 31 non-consecutive weeks at #1 in the 49 weeks after its release.
The albums that briefly surpassed Rumours during that time were: Hotel California, Barry Manilow Live and Simple Dreams by Linda Ronstadt.
JANUARY 16, 1992: ERIC CLAPTON UNPLUGGED
Eric Clapton’s iconic Unplugged performance was recorded before a small audience in England.
Unplugged is currently the best selling live album of all time with 26 million copies sold worldwide.
The album also won six Grammy awards including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year.
