This Day in Top 40 History: September 5
On Sept. 5, 2018, Ariana Grande performed a stripped-back set at the BBC 1 Live Lounge to promote her album, Sweetener. Grande performed “no tears left to cry,” “God is…
On Sept. 5, 2018, Ariana Grande performed a stripped-back set at the BBC 1 Live Lounge to promote her album, Sweetener. Grande performed "no tears left to cry," "God is a woman," and a cover of "Them Changes" by Thundercat. It was an intimate, powerful display of Grande's stellar vocals. On this date, many artists reached significant milestones and had chart-topping hits that remain popular.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Sept. 5 delivered chart-topping music that shaped artists' careers:
- 1964: The Animals topped the charts in the United States with their rendition of "House of the Rising Sun." This traditional folk song, also previously sung by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, was given new life by the band and went on to inspire a generation of folk singers.
- 1981: Stevie Nicks enjoyed some solo success as her album Bella Donna topped the charts. The album included "Edge of Seventeen" and "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around."
- 2015: "Cheerleader" by OMI topped the U.S. charts. The hit single was an earworm well beyond the 18 weeks it spent on the Hot 100 chart.
Cultural Milestones
This date saw some musicians celebrated for their cultural impact and others drawing inspiration from the world around them to create meaningful art:
- 1981: Soft Cell hit No. 1 in the U.K. with "Tainted Love." The song hit Top 40 in the United States a year later and solidified itself as a staple of '80s music.
- 2013: Ariana Grande released a teaser for her music video to her song "Baby I." The video channeled the '90s and was filmed in Los Angeles' Koreatown.
- 2016: It's hard to overstate the impact Freddie Mercury had on the music industry and mainstream culture. On this day, what would've been Mercury's 70th birthday, an asteroid was named after him.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From recording future chart-toppers to performing as a new band, Sept. 5 was full of interesting moments:
- 1967: The Beatles began recording "I Am The Walrus," a song written by John Lennon. To this day, fans are puzzled — who exactly is the walrus?
- 1970: Janis Joplin recorded her version of "Me and Bobby McGee." The song topped the charts after Joplin's sudden passing in the same year.
- 2018: Fleetwood Mac performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to debut the band's new lineup. Neil Finn and Mike Campbell had replaced Lindsey Buckingham.
Industry Changes and Challenges
On Sept. 5, some said goodbye to a popular show while other musicians expanded their influence by exploring other avenues:
- 1987: American Bandstand aired its final show on network TV. The Dick Clark-hosted show enjoyed a 30-year run on ABC and was famed for "New Year's Rockin' Eve."
- 2014: The then-married couple Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton opened a bed and breakfast, The Ladysmith. Unfortunately, the quaint hotel closed its doors in 2016.
These events from Sept. 5 showcase how varied the Top 40 really is and how far our culture has come.
