‘American Bandstand’ Turns 73! Relive Its Most Iconic Musical Performances—From Jerry Lee Lewis To Jackson 5
Reminisce on your favorite moments and performances from the Dick Clark classic
The ultra-popular music television program, American Bandstand, just turned 73! After 37 seasons of the best musical acts and performances, the show became a legendary piece of popular culture and television history. From memorable performances by The Jackson 5 and The Beach Boys, American Bandstand is the place every teen would turn to for the latest on their favorite music and musical acts.
American Bandstand began on October 7, 1952, and continued until 1989. Hosted by TV personality Dick Clark, the musical series drew in massive audiences, with an approximate audience of 20 million viewers. Over the years, until it came to an end in 1989, some of the most iconic singers and groups have performed on the show. Take a look at some of the best acts from its 37-year run!
1. Jerry Lee Lewis performs ‘Great Balls of Fire’
The fans went wild for Jerry Lee Lewis’ performance of “Great Balls of Fire”. The song was released in 1957 and it was a massive success, having sold nearly one million copies within just 10 days of its release. It is clear in the performance that Lewis put his all into the song, playing the keyboard like no other artist, making this go down as one of the best acts from American Bandstand‘s history!
2. Jackson 5 perform ‘I Want You Back’
It’s no surprise that The Jackson 5’s performance of their iconic hit, “I Want You Back”, is one of the best from the show’s history. At the time of the performance, 2 million records had been sold, with the acquisition of a gold and platinum record. The Jackson 5 got on stage and poured their hearts into the performance and they certainly got the love back.
3. The Beach Boys perform ‘Don’t Worry, Baby’
The Beach Boys came onto American Bandstand to perform their new song, “Don’t Worry, Baby,” in 1964. The members—Brian, Dennis, Carl, Mike and Al—hit the stage and sang without their instruments, but the fans adored the performance. The song was a success, hitting the charts at No. 24 and selling over 1 million copies!
4. Cyndi Lauper performs ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’
The eccentric Cyndi Lauper came onto the musical series to perform her smash hit, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” as well as “Time After Time.” The former is considered one of the artist’s most popular songs, scoring the No. 2 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Meanwhile, “Time After Time” was Lauper’s first-ever No. 1 hit, stealing the top slot for two weeks!
5. Madonna performs ‘Holiday’
The year 1984 was a big one for American Bandstand, snagging some of the biggest artists like Lauper and the Queen of Pop, Madonna. The singer took to the stage floor to perform her hit, “Holiday,” using her dance moves to bring the performance to life. Although “Holiday” wasn’t exactly a No. 1 hit, it is one of her most widely recognized songs of all time! The song did, however, become her first major hit in several international markets, including the United Kingdom.
6. Pink Floyd performs “Apples and Oranges”
During Pink Floyd’s first tour to the United States, they made a stop at American Bandstand to perform their song, “Apples and Oranges.” Although they performed the song on the musical series that often promoted the biggest hits, “Apples and Oranges” didn’t chart for the band and is one of their most underrated songs.
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