This Day in Top 40 History: April 4
April 4 has been a momentous day in Top 40 history. Madonna faced controversy, Justin Bieber stayed high on the charts, and New Kids on the Block announced their reunion…
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April 4 has been a momentous day in Top 40 history. Madonna faced controversy, Justin Bieber stayed high on the charts, and New Kids on the Block announced their reunion on The Today Show.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, and Halsey all had hits and milestones on April 4:
- 2017: Singer Halsey released her music video for "Now or Never," which featured graphic scenes of shootings, blood spatters, and broken windshields. This song was from her album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom.
- 2019: Now a superstar, a younger Ed Sheeran, known for his hit "Shape of You," performed at Taoyuan City Stadium in Taoyuan City, Taiwan. This was part of his ÷ Tour (pronounced Divide Tour).
Cultural Milestones
We saw fascinating and lasting cultural milestones on April 4:
- 1989: In a shocking move, the Pepsi-Cola company dropped its ad featuring pop diva Madonna and her song "Like a Prayer." The company stated they had received complaints and boycotts due to religious imagery used in the music video, and Pepsi said they would no longer use Madonna in their ads.
- 2008: Twenty years after the release of their Multi-Platinum album Hangin' Tough, the boy band New Kids on the Block reunited on The Today Show and announced they would go on tour. One of the most popular band members is Donnie Wahlberg, brother of the megacelebrity Mark Wahlberg.
- 2008: Pop star Beyoncé and rapper Jay-Z got married on April 4. They were wed in a top-secret ceremony at Jay-Z's 13,500-square-foot penthouse in Manhattan, New York. Today, both these musicians and performers are top names in their genre.
- 2022: Pop performer Doja Cat was named global ambassador for the audio company JBL. Doja Cat stated, "That is easy for me because I actually love their speakers and I carry them around with me wherever I go."
Notable Recordings and Performances
Pop stars had a big day of performances on April 4:
- 2018: Pop star and extravagant performer Harry Styles performed at the Unipol Arena in Casalecchio di Reno, Italy, for his Harry Styles: Live on Tour concert.
- 2023: On April 4, pop group The Jonas Brothers announced they would perform a one-night show at Yankee Stadium in New York on April 12.
- 2024: Justin Timberlake and Olivia Rodrigo headlined the Tecate Pa'l Norte Music Festival in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. Other notable performers included Green Day, Kings of Leon, and Massive Attack.
As with any genre of music in the performing arts industry, there are highs and lows. Some artists pick the wrong company to align with while others soar high on the charts. April 4 truly has been an interesting day in Top 40 music history.
Kristina HallWriter
