This Day in Top 40 History: February 17

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1965: The English band The Kinks' "Tired of Waiting for You" was released on this day. This catchy song is still heard on the radio.
• 1966: Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" hit number one on the U.K. charts. Many felt this sassy song portrayed unconventional feminism, especially for the era. 
• 1978: Kate Bush launched her debut album, The Kick Inside, via EMI Records. The 13-track set peaked at No. 3 in the U.K. and spawned one No. 1 hit, “Wuthering Heights.” Additionally, “The Man with the Child in His Eyes” from this album cracked the Top 10 on the U.K. Singles Chart.
• 1984: The Thompson Twins dropped Into the Gap, which hit No. 1 in the U.K. and stalled at No. 10 in the U.S. This record delivered at least four U.K. Top 40 hits, including “You Take Me Up” and “Hold Me Now.” The latter charted within the Top Five in the U.S.
• 1998: Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album on Colombia Records after a failed run with Elektra Records. The song "No, No, No" from the album reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Cultural Milestones

• 1966: Sgt. Barry Sadler's single "Ballad of the Green Berets" won gold from the Recording Industry Association of America. This song is about the Special Forces unit fighting in Vietnam.
• 1972: Billie Joe Armstrong was born in Oakland, California. He's the frontman of Green Day, whose Top 20 hits on the Hot 100 include “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” Thanks to Armstrong's exemplary songwriting skills, the band has also placed chart-topping albums such as American Idiot on the Billboard 200.
• 1976: The Eagles, with their harmonies and fun-to-sing-along songs, released the album Their Greatest Hits. They were and remain a hugely influential band with songs such as "Peaceful Easy Feeling," "Take it Easy," and "Lying Eyes."
• 1979: The Clash kicked off their first U.S. tour with a show-stopping performance at Palladium in New York City. This show garnered massive media buzz, helping to solidify the band's reputation in the region. In the years that followed, they placed two Top 30 hits in the U.S., “Rock The Casbah” and “Train in Vain (Stand by Me).”
• 1991: Ed Sheeran was born in West Yorkshire, England. He issued his first set of tracks when he was only 13. At 17, he relocated to London to pursue his music career. Sheeran started out performing at local venues, which helped him build a solid fanbase and attract the attention of renowned publications such as The Independent. He now has a number of Top 10 hits to his name, including “Shape of You” and “Thinking Out Loud.”
• 2010: Newcomers to the music scene, Mumford & Sons, appeared on Late Show With David Letterman. This was their U.S. debut on a TV show, and songs such as "I Will Wait" and "Little Lion Man" became massive hits.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1962: Gene Chandler's "Duke of Earl" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song stayed in that position for three weeks.
• 1966: Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys began recording “Good Vibrations” at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood. They got the job done after 17 sessions at four different studios. Upon release, the track soared to the top of the charts in the U.K. and the U.S., and sold over 220,000 copies in its first week. 
• 1969: Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan walked into Nashville's CBS Studios to record their rendition of “Girl from the North Country,” which the latter featured on his Top Five album Nashville Skyline. Neither Cash nor Dylan released the duet as a single, though, so it didn't enter any charts. Still, their version of the song was the most well-received by fans. 
• 1971: Soulful singer James Taylor debuted on The Johnny Cash Show. He sang two of his biggest hits: "Fire and Rain" and "Carolina on My Mind."
• 1984: The movie Footloose debuted in theaters. It featured performances by Kenny Loggins, Bonnie Tyler, and Karla Bonoff.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1982: Thelonious Monk, a jazz pianist who influenced pop/fusion stars such as Steely Dan, died on this day. Music historians claim that Monk was one of the most inventive pianists across all genres and a genuine master of American music.
• 1988: A 12-year-old Mötley Crüe supporter from Florida tried to recreate a stunt from the band's “Live Wire” music video but ended up setting himself on fire. This incident prompted the “Smokin' In The Boys Room” hitmakers to release a “don't try this at home” warning. 
• 1997: The Monkees had a television reunion show on the ABC network. All four band members appeared on the hour-long show and proved that fun pop music was still alive.
• 2015: Afroman was taken into custody after physically assaulting a female fan during a show in Biloxi, Mississippi. He was later released on a $330 bond. Afterward, the “Because I Got High” hitmaker apologized, stating that he was under a lot of pressure because of the concert, and he was seeking help to manage his anxiety. 
• 2018: Legendary trumpet player Herb Alpert displayed his artwork at the Heather James Fine Art Gallery in Palm Desert, California. His show, Herb Alpert: A Visual Melody, highlighted his mixed-media artwork and demonstrated his talent as a visual artist.