This Day in Top 40 History: April 27
On April 27, 1992, Morgan Mason and Belinda Carlisle, the lead singer of The Go-Go’s, welcomed James Duke Mason, their only child, in Los Angeles. Duke is a writer who…
On April 27, 1992, Morgan Mason and Belinda Carlisle, the lead singer of The Go-Go's, welcomed James Duke Mason, their only child, in Los Angeles. Duke is a writer who has earned bylines on major publications such as The Hollywood Reporter and Huffington Post. Apart from witnessing his birthday, April 27 has hosted many other Top 40 history moments, including the following.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Here are some Top 40 albums from April 27:
- 2018: Post Malone issued his sophomore studio album, beerbongs & bentleys. The record debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 400,000 album-equivalent units in its opening week. It also spawned up to five Top 40 hits in the U.S., including two No. 1 singles, “rockstar” and “Psycho.”
- 2018: Janelle Monáe dropped Dirty Computer, her fourth studio LP, featuring “Django Jane,” “I Like That,” “Make Me Feel,” and “PYNK.” The album, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200, included guest appearances from Pharrell Williams, Zoë Kravitz, and Brian Wilson.
Cultural Milestones
Top 40 historical and cultural moments from April 27 include the birthdays and weddings of some artists, as well as iconic performances by others.
- 1947: Pete Ham was born in Swansea, Wales. He was best known as the lead singer of Badfinger, who placed Top 40 singles such as “Baby Blue” and “No Matter What” on Billboard's Hot 100. After a night of heavy drinking with bandmate Tom Evans, Ham died by suicide on April 24, 1975, fueled by despair over Badfinger's mismanagement. In 1983, Evans hanged himself, too.
- 1969: Joe Cocker sang a memorable version of Dave Mason's “Feelin' Alright” on the Ed Sullivan Show. At the time, he was still riding on the success of his 1968 chart-topping cover of The Beatles' “With a Little Help From My Friends.” The track, which was his first U.K. Top 40 hit, resonated with many Americans, enabling Cocker to break into the U.S. market as well.
- 1981: “You're Sixteen, You're Beautiful (And You're Mine)” hitmaker Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach tied the knot in a small civil ceremony in London. Among the guests who witnessed their union were fellow Beatles George Harrison and Paul McCartney, as well as their wives. The couple's children from previous marriages attended the wedding, too. As of this writing, Starr and Bach are still together.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Historic performances from April 27 include:
- 2016: Beyoncé kicked off her The Formation tour with an exciting performance at Miami's Marlins Park in Florida. With a setlist featuring more than 25 songs, this concert promoted her sixth studio effort, Lemonade, which flew to the summit of the Billboard 200. Some of these tracks were “Formation,” “Run the World (Girls),” “Count Down,” and “Naughty Girl.”
- 2024: Vampire Weekend performed at the Fair Grounds Race Course, New Orleans, LA. They were on their Only God Was Above Us Tour, an over 40-show trek supporting their Top 30 album of the same name. Hits on the setlist included “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” “Diane Young,” “Oxford Comma,” and “Unbelievers.”
April 27 saw "The Whole World Lost Its Head" singer Belinda Carlisle become a mother, while other artists released successful albums, exchanged vows with their loved ones, and delivered mind-blowing performances. These moments make this date memorable for Top 40 history fans.
