Glenn A. Baker
An Australian music journalist whose encyclopedic knowledge and infectious passion made him a global ambassador for rock 'n' roll history.
Born 1952 (age 74)·Australian journalist·Birthday: July 28·Baby Boomers
Biography
Glenn A. Baker is less a journalist and more a force of nature in the world of rock music. His career, built on a foundation of sheer, joyous obsession, has seen him operate as a writer, broadcaster, band manager, and tour promoter. As the Australian editor of Billboard for over twenty years, he was a crucial conduit between the local scene and the world. Baker’s voice, whether in print or on radio, is authoritative yet fanatical, capable of detailing the lineage of a 1960s B-side with the excitement of a fresh hit. He didn't just report on music; he actively shaped it, managing bands and bringing international acts to Australia, all while collecting stories and artifacts that cement his status as rock's premier archivist and evangelist.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Glenn was born in 1952, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Glenn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1952
#1 Movie
The Greatest Show on Earth
Best Picture
The Greatest Show on Earth
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Glenn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1952Born
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Started school
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1965Became a teenager
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Could drive
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1970Could vote
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Turned 21
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1982Turned 30
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 40
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 50
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 60
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 70
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 74 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the BBC's "Rock Brain of the Universe" quiz competition three times in the mid-1980s.
- Served as the Australian editor for Billboard magazine for more than two decades.
- Won the Australian Travel Writer of the Year award twice, in 1995 and 2000.
- Authored numerous books on rock music history and managed Australian bands like Ol' 55.
Did You Know?
He is a renowned collector of rock memorabilia and owns one of the largest private collections in the Southern Hemisphere.
He once worked as a roadie for the 1960s Australian band The Easybeats.
He has been a regular commentator and host on Australian radio for decades, known for his deep, resonant voice.
“Music is the most powerful tool for communication that we have. It crosses all borders.”
