Some people remember the excitement of watching the Fab Four perform during the Ed Sullivan Show. Others might recall the groovy festival they attended in Woodstock or Madonna’s scandalous performance at the Video Music Awards. No matter the memory, music can elicit powerful emotional reactions, and when an event resonates with millions, it changes the world. Here are 15 of the biggest moments in music history. These moments not only defined their eras but continue to influence artists and fans alike today.
Bob Dylan Plugs In at the Newport Folk Festival
In 1965, Bob Dylan played a controversial set at the Newport Folk Festival. Already beloved for his old-time acoustic folk songs, Dylan did something different: he performed with all-electric instruments. He and his band played electric guitars, basses, and keyboards. Some fans in the audience were outraged that Dylan “went electric” and proceeded to boo. While he disappointed some, his foray into folk rock helped usher in a new era of rock ’n roll, sparked by the titillating screech of electric guitar.
Guido d’Arezzo Invents Music Notation
In the 11th century, an Italian monk named Guido d’Arezzo forever changed how music was shared. He invented the modern staff—a notation system with five lines and four spaces. The notes placed on it denote how high or low a pitch should be sung. This new system allowed composers to record their compositions on paper and share them with others. The notation system is still considered the standard in Western music. Thank Guido.
Birth of the Electric Guitar
Les Paul was a musician, luthier, and inventor credited as an early pioneer of the solid-body electric guitar. Gibson, originally a mandolin manufacturer, produced a Les Paul model that would be played by world-famous artists such as Jimmy Page, Slash, Ace Frehley, and Billie Joe Armstrong. Fender, Gibson’s competitor, came up with their own design called the Stratocaster, which would be embraced by guitar heroes like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Electric guitars became favored for their amplified sound—they could cut through a band. Fender and Gibson remain prominent today.
Miles Davis Records Kind of Blue
In 1959, Miles Davis enlisted Bill Evans, John Coltrane, “Cannonball” Adderley, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones to record one of the greatest albums ever. During the session, Davis introduced compositions that centered around different modes. Whereas bebop and hard bop featured intricate harmonic changes and fast tempos, the new sound was much slower and more relaxed; even before this album, Miles Davis was the epitome of cool. Kind of Blue solidified his status, and the album remains the best-selling jazz album.
Elvis Presley on the Milton Berle Show
By the time Elvis Presley performed on the Milton Berle Show in 1956, he was accustomed to being on television. The Tennessean singer put on an excellent performance; however, on the Berle show, he decided to do something different: he set his guitar down and performed an uptempo version of “Hound Dog,” gyrating his hips. When you watch the performance today, it seems innocent and mild, yet it stirred quite a controversy in the late ’50s and earned him the title “King of Rock ’n Roll.”
Beatlemania Arrives in the U.S.
When The Beatles arrived on U.S. soil, it was like a bomb went off. Scores of hysterical teens clawed their way through barricades hoping to get close to the four lads from Liverpool. This effect became known as Beatlemania, and their mass appeal opened up a new market: teenagers. Although some fans renounced their allegiance after John Lennon declared they were “bigger than Jesus,” their widely popular music has continued to influence many, and fans still enjoy their songs today.
Jimi Hendrix plays “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock ‘69
Woodstock ‘69 was a huge music festival that defined the decade. Thousands of young people flocked to a New York farm for a weekend of peace, love, and music. Among many highlights was Jimi Hendrix’s rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” On a cloudy Sunday morning, the guitar god distorted our national anthem with trills, bends, and other artistic flourishes. While it seemed like an act of patriotism, it was intended to show opposition to the Vietnam War. Either way, it was rad.
New York City in the 1970s
In the 1970s, New York City was a disaster zone. Sex, drugs, and crime were rampant, but the harsh conditions also cultivated an underground revolution in music. In the Bronx, DJs experimented with record players and MCs delivered impressive raps during breakdown sections, giving rise to hip-hop. At CBGB’s, a different scene brewed as the punk movement began with The Ramones—kids with shaggy hair in black leather jackets. New Wave exploded with groups like Talking Heads and Blondie. Though the future looked bleak, new musical styles took over the mainstream.
Live Aid Brings People Together
In 1985, musicians came together for a concert to raise money for the famine in Ethiopia. The bill featured Queen, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, The Who, and U2—some of the most popular artists of the time. The event, called Live Aid, consisted of concerts at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia and Wembley Stadium in London. Broadcast to an estimated 1.9 billion people in 120 nations, it became one of the most-watched live broadcasts in history.
The Rise of MTV
“Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles was aired on MTV, a television network that launched in the early ’80s. The network primarily showed music videos, and its growing popularity changed how people consumed music; artists could now market their singles visually. Appealing to young adults, MTV became the trendsetter for popular music into the 2000s.
Thomas Edison Invents the Phonograph
The great inventor Thomas Edison didn’t just invent the light bulb; he invented the first recording device. Called a phonograph, the device could listen to sound and play it back exactly as it was heard. What was the first-ever recorded content? “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” From there, technology continued to advance, improving sound quality and editing features. If it weren’t for Edison, the only time we would hear music was at the symphony.
The Rise of Madonna
Madonna was still making a name for herself when she performed “Like a Virgin” at the 1984 Video Music Awards on MTV. The set featured Madonna in a wedding gown emerging from a wedding cake. Mid-song, she went off script and rolled sensually on the floor, exposing her underwear. Conservative audiences were outraged, but the stunt led to her meteoric rise and earned her the title “Queen of Pop.” Madonna paved the way for other female artists to openly express their sexuality in their music.
Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Explodes
When a small-town band from Aberdeen, Washington, released “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” little did they know they were about to change the world. The song starts with aggressive guitar strums, and when the drums kick in, a colossal sound follows. Nirvana and their album Nevermind sold millions of records, thrusting them and the grunge movement into the limelight. Their music became the disgruntled voice of a generation, prompting record labels to scour underground clubs for their own Nirvana cash cow.
Napster Goes Online
In the early 2000s, the internet turned into a worldwide phenomenon. Many companies and entrepreneurs tried to capitalize on a new market, including Napster—an online file-sharing website that allowed users to download music for free. While the concept seemed novel at the time, it took away artists’ revenue streams and faced heavy criticism. Napster eventually shut down, but its influence on modern-day streaming services remains undeniable.
Radiohead Releases In Rainbows Online for Free
By the 2000s, the English alternative rock band Radiohead had achieved worldwide fame following several critically acclaimed albums. In 2005, without any prior announcement, the band self-released In Rainbows as a digital download, asking fans to pay whatever they wanted. This was before surprise album drops became common. At the time, many artists were still bound by record labels, and Radiohead’s move soon inspired other major recording artists.
