Historic events this week from Dire Straits, R.E.M., Peter Gabriel, Foo Fighters, The Wallflowers, Soundgarden, Radiohead and Beastie Boys
MAY 17, 1985: BROTHERS IN ARMS BY DIRE STRAITS
Dire Straits‘ penultimate album, Brothers in Arms, was a huge one.
Containing the singles “So Far Away”, “Walk of Life” and “Money for Nothing”, the album went to #1 all over the world on its way to selling 30 million copies worldwide.
MAY 18, 1991: R.E.M.’S OUT OF TIME IS #1
R.E.M.’s first #1 album, Out of Time, spent two non-consecutive weeks at the top and contained the massive platinum selling #1 single, “Losing My Religion”.
Out of 7 Grammy nominations, R.E.M. won two for “Losing My Religion”, and one for Best Alternative Music Album.
Out of Time has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide.
MAY 19, 1986: PETER GABRIEL’S 5TH SOLO ALBUM, SO
So is far and away Peter Gabriel’s biggest album with over 5,000,000 copies sold in the US, thanks to four Top 5 singles:
“Red Rain” (#3), “Big Time” (#3), “Sledgehammer” (#1) and “In Your Eyes” (#1)
So peaked at #2. It was held off of the top spot by massive albums from Whitney Houston and Madonna.
MAY 20, 1997: THE COLOUR AND THE SHAPE BY FOO FIGHTERS
Foo Fighters’ sophomore album, The Colour and the Shape, was driven by defining singles like “Everlong,” “Monkey Wrench,” and “My Hero,” and captured a more aggressive, fully realized band sound. The album earned Grammy nominations for Best Rock Album and Best Hard Rock Performance for “Monkey Wrench.”
MAY 21, 1996: THE WALLFLOWERS’ BRINGING DOWN THE HORSE
The Wallflowers’ second album, Bringing Down the Horse, remains their biggest.
The #1 album has sold 4 million copies and earned them two Grammy wins out of five nominations.
“One Headlight” took home the prize for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song.
MAY 21, 1996: SOUNDGARDEN’S DOWN ON THE UPSIDE
Soundgarden’s Down on the Upside showcased a more experimental side of the band while still delivering standout singles like “Pretty Noose,” “Burden in My Hand,” and “Blow Up the Outside World,” all of which became key tracks from the album’s era.
“Pretty Noose” earned Soundgarden their second Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance, though the prize went to “Bullet with Butterfly Wings” by The Smashing Pumpkins.
MAY 21, 1997: RADIOHEAD RELEASE OK COMPUTER
Radiohead’s OK Computer became a defining album of the era, driven by standout singles like “Paranoid Android,” “Karma Police,” “No Surprises,” and “Lucky,” which helped expand the band’s global reach and influence. The album earned a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year and won Best Alternative Music Album, cementing Radiohead’s reputation for pushing rock into more experimental and atmospheric territory.
MAY 23, 1994: ILL COMMUNICATION BY BEASTIE BOYS
Ill Communication found Beastie Boys expanding their sound with a mix of hip-hop, punk, and funk, driven by standout singles like “Sabotage,” “Sure Shot,” and “Get It Together.” The Spike Jonze–directed video for “Sabotage,” styled as a chaotic 1970s cop show parody, became one of the most iconic music videos of the era and helped define the album’s visual legacy.
