This Day in Top 40 History: May 3

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1976: Aerosmith's fourth studio LP, Rocks, came out. It broke into the Billboard 200 and climbed to No. 3. In addition, the record delivered two Top 40 hits on Billboard's Hot 100, “Last Child” and “Back in the Saddle.”  Even better, Rocks made it to Rolling Stone's compilation of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020. 
• 1988: Sade dropped their third studio album, Stronger Than Pride, in the U.K. via Epic Records. This project peaked at No. 3 on the Official Albums Chart and spawned one Top 30 hit in the region, “Paradise.” Note that Sade issued this album in the U.S. on April 5 of the same year, and it stalled at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. 
• 1997: The Billboard Hot 100 included "Foolish Games/You Were Meant for Me" by pop/country star Jewel, which peaked at No. 2 and was on the chart for 23 weeks. Paula Cole's soulful song, "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone," was No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 for May 3, and the Spice Girls' "Wannabe" dropped slightly after 15 weeks.
• 2000: Britney Spears released her sophomore album, Oops!... I Did It Again. In addition to debuting at No. 1 in the U.S., it sold at least 1.3 million copies in its opening week. This project also delivered several Top 40 singles, including the title track, which cracked the Top 10 on the Hot 100, as well as “Stronger” and “Lucky.”
• 2003: The Billboard Hot 100 saw Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey featuring Flipmode Squad's "I Know What You Want" reach No. 7, and King of Pop Justin Timberlake's "Rock Your Body" climb the charts to No. 10.
• 2014: John Legend's love song "All of Me" was No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, with Pharrell Williams' "Happy" at No. 1 and 16 weeks on the charts. Katy Perry and Juicy J's “Dark Horse” started to drop after 31 weeks, and Justin Timberlake's "Not a Bad Thing" climbed from No. 12 to No. 8.

Cultural Milestones

• 1903: Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma, Washington. In his early 20s, he moved to Los Angeles, California, with his friend Al Rinker to pursue music. They would form the music duo Two Boys and a Piano and perform on countless stages on the West Coast. Crosby would then build a successful solo career that enabled him to score up to 11 U.K. Top 40 singles, including “Silent Night” and “Around the World.”
• 1933: James Brown was born in Barnwell, South Carolina. He had a difficult childhood — his parents separated when he was young, and he was shipped to Georgia to live with an aunt who managed a brothel. Since they were poor, Brown worked many odd jobs to make ends meet. Despite these challenges, he would become the “Godfather of Soul,” releasing classics such as “It's a Man's Man's Man's World” and “Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.”
• 2019: Pop diva Ariana Grande performed at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, with her unique style of pop with electronica vibes. Today, Grande is a mega sensation, with numerous awards, including winning a GRAMMY for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Wizard of Oz musical adaptation, Wicked.
• 2024: Kane Brown successfully crosses genres with country and pop, and he announced on May 3 that he and dance music artist Marshmello made a new song titled "Miles on It." Brown is known for his philanthropic work and recently received the CRB Artist Humanitarian Award.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 2016: The fourth Shaky Knees Music Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, featured The Lumineers, The 1975, and Walk the Moon, who played their hit song, “Shut Up and Dance.”
• 2024: Fans flocked to Redondo Beach, California, for the BeachLife Festival to see Seal, City and Colour, and Sting. 
• 2024: At the Lovin' Life Music Fest in Charlotte, North Carolina, fans saw Post Malone, Maggie Rogers, and The Chainsmokers, among other pop and cross-genre artists.

Industry Changes and Challenges 

• 1969: Customs agents at Toronto International Airport took Jimi Hendrix into custody and charged him with illegal possession of narcotics. This was after they found the substances in his luggage. The “All Along the Watchtower” singer faced up to 20 years in jail, but thankfully, he was acquitted because the prosecution could not prove he knowingly possessed the drugs. 
• 1991: Andy Williams and Debbie Meyer, who first met through a mutual friend, got married. The couple remained together until the former's death in September 2012.  Williams was known for his successful music career, which saw him score five Top 10 hits on the Hot 100, such as “It's the Most Wonderful Time Of The Year” and “Can't Get Used to Losing You.”
• 2014: Robert J. "Bobby" Gregg passed away at 78. As a drummer, he teamed up with many Top 40 artists to deliver multiple timeless hits. For instance, he collaborated with Bob Dylan on his 1965 single "Like a Rolling Stone,” which soared to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Gregg also contributed to Simon and Garfunkel's No. 1 hit, “The Sound of Silence.”