This Day in Top 40 History: April 17
April 17 is significant in Top 40 music history, with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Lady Gaga’s Jazz & Piano residency in Las Vegas, and Bad Bunny’s thrilling…
INDIO, CA – APRIL 24: DJ Calvin Harris performs onstage during day 3 of the 2016 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival Weekend 2 at the Empire Polo Club on April 24, 2016 in Indio, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella)
April 17 is significant in Top 40 music history, with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Lady Gaga's Jazz & Piano residency in Las Vegas, and Bad Bunny's thrilling cowboy-themed performance in Boston all taking place on this day. It also saw Taylor Swift announce the cancellation of her 2020 tour due to the pandemic and one of the most popular songs of 1982 hit the Billboard charts.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Mid-April sees the Coachella Music Festival in Southern California, including the following April 17 dates:
- 2010: Headliners on the second day of the festival included Muse, Faith No More, and Kaskade. Vampire Weekend, the Specials, and Passion Pit were among other notable performers.
- 2011: Big names headlining on April 17 included Kanye West, The Strokes, and PJ Harvey. Duran Duran, Lightning Bolt, and The National were some of the supporting acts.
- 2016: The headliners on this day included Calvin Harris, Sia, and Major Lazer. Fans also sang and danced to Cold War Kids, Peter Yorn, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.
- 2022: Swedish House Mafia, Doja Cat, and The Weekend were the headliners on April 17. Other performers included Ari Lennox, Run the Jewels, and Joji.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These April 17 performances and recordings were remarkable:
- 1982: Vangelis hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with "Chariots of Fire," which was written for the movie of the same name about the 1924 Olympic Games. The soundtrack stayed on top for 27 weeks and won an Academy Award for Best Original Score.
- 2022: Lady Gaga performed at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada, during her Lady Gaga Enigma + Jazz & Piano concert residency. She sang hits such as "Rags to Riches" and "Mambo Italiano."
- 2024: Bad Bunny thrilled fans at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, during his Most Wanted Tour. The performance was cowboy-themed, and fans received lanyards with battery-powered cowboy boots as part of the festivities.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Touring performers experience challenges. April 17 has seen artists face personal offenses and COVID-19 restrictions:
- 2009: Singer Morrissey walked off stage during his performance at the Coachella festival after claiming he could smell burning flesh and that it was making him feel sick. As a vegetarian, the artist was offended by the smell of barbequed meat.
- 2020: Taylor Swift announced she was cancelling all her 2020 live performances, including her Lover Fest Tour dates, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement posted on Twitter, Swift said, “I'm so sad I won't be able to see you guys in concert this year, but I know this is the right decision. Please, please stay healthy and safe."
Top 40 musicians and artists continue to thrill fans with live concerts, from intimate settings to large multistage venues. As April continues, you can look forward to more shows from popular performers.
