3 Performances That Changed Rock History Overnight

One truly stellar performance can completely change everything. They create lightning-in-a-bottle moments, inspiring other musicians to be just as groundbreaking. Whether they produced a bit of iconography or completely reinvented themselves, the four rock artists below all made history with their most famous performances.

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Jimi Hendrix at the Monterey Pop Festival

Though it wasn’t the first time Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire, the moment his instrument went up in flames at the Monterey Pop Festival is widely considered historic. Hendrix delivered a mind-boggling performance, then cemented it with a tradition countless other musicians would adopt.

After seemingly thanking his name-making instrument for a job well done, Hendrix lit a match and let it go up in flames. After feeling satisfied with the burning, he finished the job by smashing it to pieces. Hendrix helped popularize this kind of on-stage destruction, which became a rock hallmark.

David Bowie on ‘Top Of The Pops’

Where would rock be without David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust? We can’t know for sure, but it would likely be far less developed than it is now. Bowie’s auburn-haired persona was embedded in the mainstream thanks to his 1972 appearance on Top Of The Pops.

This performance helped glam rock explode in the rock world. Countless subsequent musicians have counted this appearance as an awakening of sorts. Rock music was sent on a theatrical bend after Bowie proved its merit.

Nirvana on ‘MTV Unplugged’

Nirvana completely reinvented themselves with their MTV Unplugged performance. They swapped their regular high-energy, heavy sound for something far more subdued. This wasn’t the side of Nirvana many people expected to see, but it still excited audiences.

This performance set a new standard of authenticity for artists to measure up to. Seldom has an artist seemed as earnest as Kurt Cobain did in this stripped-down performance.

Janis Joplin at Monterey Pop Festival

Once Janis Joplin got on stage to sing at the Monterey Pop Festival, rock was never the same. Her howling vocals set her apart from anyone else who would take the stage after her, creating a star overnight.

Being a powerhouse in rock music meant something new after this Joplin performance. She made her name and completely shook up her peers in the same moment. She was certainly a shock to the system.

(Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images)