On This Day in 1993, Rock Legend Scored a Posthumous No. 1 34 Years After His Death

Thirty-three years ago today, one of rock and roll’s earliest pioneers achieved a remarkable chart milestone.

On February 20, 1993, Words of Love, a compilation album by Buddy Holly and The Crickets, reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming one of Holly’s posthumous chart-toppers more than three decades after his death.

Released by PolyGram in 1993, Words of Love featured many of Holly’s most enduring songs, including “That’ll Be the Day,” “Peggy Sue,” “Everyday,” “Rave On,” and “Oh, Boy!” The album ultimately spent nine weeks on the UK chart and was later certified gold.

It was not the first time Holly had reached the top of the UK albums chart after his death. In 1978, the compilation 20 Golden Greats—known in some markets as Buddy Holly Lives—also climbed to No. 1, underscoring how prolific and beloved his catalog of songs was and continued to be after his tragic death in 1959.

Holly died on February 3, 1959, in a plane crash shortly after performing at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. The crash also claimed the lives of fellow musicians J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson and Ritchie Valens, as well as pilot Roger Peterson, a tragedy that would later be immortalized as “The Day the Music Died.”

Though his life was cut short at just 22, Holly’s influence on rock music proved lasting. Artists from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones cited him as a formative inspiration, and his songwriting and sound helped define early rock and roll.

The chart success of Words of Love in 1993 served as another reminder that Holly’s music never truly faded. Decades after his death, his songs once again resonated strongly enough with listeners to send a collection of his work to No. 1—a rare and enduring posthumous achievement.