This Day in Top 40 History: April 12
Plenty of interesting things happened in music on April 12. While Garth Brooks was just making his debut, established stars like Mariah Carey and the Backstreet Boys were experiencing the…
Plenty of interesting things happened in music on April 12. While Garth Brooks was just making his debut, established stars like Mariah Carey and the Backstreet Boys were experiencing the peak of their glittering careers. Come with us on a journey to discover the most noteworthy events that happened on this day in Top 40 history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Today's milestones and breaking moments include two historical moments in modern music history, plus a legend's spectacular return to the spotlight.
- 1954: Bill Haley & His Comets recorded their iconic hit "Rock Around the Clock." It was the first rock 'n' roll record to dominate the charts, as it topped the pop charts in both the US and the UK while also spending two weeks at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
- 1969: The Fifth Dimension's song "Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In" got to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it spent six weeks. Part of the musical Hair, it was the band's first chart-topper and also won them a GRAMMY for Record of the Year.
- 2005: Mariah Carey had a spectacular return to superstardom with the release of her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi. It was her highest-selling release in the US in a decade, earned her eight GRAMMY nominations, and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Cultural Milestones
Today's milestones include a famous birthday and the tragic passing of one of the most successful record producers of all time.
- 1950: David Cassidy was born in New York City. He rose to fame on the musical television show The Partridge Family and then transitioned to a successful musical career that included a US Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with "I Think I Love You," a few UK No. 1s, and several other Top 10 singles.
- 2025: Legendary record producer Roy Thomas Baker died at the age of 78. He produced many hugely successful albums across six decades, including five Queen albums.
Notable Recordings and Performances
April 12 has also had its fair share of huge releases. Some of them are:
- 1989: Garth Brooks released his self-titled debut studio album via Capitol Nashville. It eventually got a Diamond certification for selling over 10 million copies, and spawned his first No. 1 single, "If Tomorrow Never Comes," which topped the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
- 1999: The Backstreet Boys released "I Want It That Way," the third single off their third studio album, Millennium. It's one of their most successful ever singles, peaking at No. 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and topping charts in several other countries.
- 2011: Foo Fighters released their seventh studio album, Wasting Light. It debuted at No. 1 in 12 countries and got the band their first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
These are the biggest Top 40 moments from April 12, with legends like Mariah Carey and the Backstreet Boys sharing the spotlight. Come back tomorrow to see what happened on that day in Top 40 history.
