February 28 – (1983) U2 releases their 3rd album War which debuts at #1 in the UK and produces the band’s first international hit single.
(1984) Recovering from the scalp burns sustained a month earlier, Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards out of twelve nominations at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, breaking the record for the most Grammys won in a single year. He wins seven for the album Thriller (including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for “Beat It”) and one for his work on the audiobook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
March 1 – (1984) Sting plays his last concerts with The Police at the end of the Synchronicity tour; the band takes a “pause” after the tour and only play a few special events together after this, until 2007, when they would organize a reunion tour.
March 2 – (1983) Compact discs go on sale in the United States. They had first been released in Japan the previous October.
March 3 – (1991) An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers. Within hours, riots lasting six day began in Los Angeles.
(1982) Happy Birthday to Jessica Biel, American actress, singer, and producer.
March 4 – (1982) Frank Zappa’s son Dweezil and daughter Moon Unit form Fred Zeppelin.
March 5 – (1982) Comedian and Blues Brother John Belushi is found dead of an apparent drug overdose in the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.
March 6 -(1982) Philosopher and writer Ayn Rand dies at age 77.