Famous First Performances

Faust by Charles Gounod was the first opera to be performed at the Metropolitan Opera House on October 22, 1883.

DeFord Bailey, a harmonica player and singer, was the first African American to perform at the Grand Ole Opry on November 28, 1925.

The Beatles performed four songs on their debut appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964. The first song they performed was 'All My Loving'.

The Rolling Stones were the first rock band to perform at Madison Square Garden on November 9, 1969.

Elvis Presley performed three songs on his debut appearance on The Milton Berle Show on June 5, 1956. The first song he performed was 'Blue Suede Shoes'.

Ignaz Moscheles was the first classical pianist to perform a solo recital at Carnegie Hall on October 5, 1891.

Quincy Jones was the first African American to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1984 for his album 'Thriller'.

Joan Sutherland was the first opera singer to perform at the Sydney Opera House on October 20, 1973.

The Animals were the first artist to perform at the Glastonbury Festival on September 19, 1970.

ABBA performed two songs on their debut appearance on the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974. The first song they performed was 'Ring Ring'.

U2 was the first rock band to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2002.

Stevie Wonder was the first African American to win the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1974 for his song 'Superstition'.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the first classical composer to perform his own compositions in public, starting in the 1760s.

Pearl Jam was the first artist to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 1999.

Madonna performed two songs on her debut appearance on MTV in 1984. The first song she performed was 'Like a Virgin'.