This Day in Top 40 History: July 30
On July 30, 2021, 19-year-old Billie Eilish released her sophomore album, Happier Than Ever. Eilish recorded the album with her brother Finneas O’Connell, who played every instrument on the album….
Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images
On July 30, 2021, 19-year-old Billie Eilish released her sophomore album, Happier Than Ever. Eilish recorded the album with her brother Finneas O'Connell, who played every instrument on the album. Keep reading for more Top 40 history from July 30.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Every hit song has to start somewhere:
- 1977: Andy Gibb, younger brother of family musical group the Bee Gees, had his own success with the single "I Just Want to Be Your Everything." The song was his first of three No. 1 hits in the U.S.
- 2001: The Strokes released their debut album, Is This It. The album included three hit singles, "Hard to Explain," "Someday," and "Last Nite."
- 2006: Shakira's most recognizable song, "Hips Don't Lie," started a four-week run at the top of the U.K. charts. The dance track featuring Wyclef Jean became one of the biggest-selling singles by a female artist in the 21st century.
Cultural Milestones
Music often reflects culture, and vice versa. Here are a few examples from July 30:
- 1965: The Rolling Stones released Out of Our Heads, their fourth studio album. It was their first album to reach No. 1 on the U.S. album charts.
- 1983: The Police's single "Every Breath You Take" completed its fourth week at No. 1. It enjoyed a total of eight weeks at the top spot.
- 2021: The Bleachers released their third studio album, Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night. It was the first album from the group in four years, and peaked a No. 27 on the Billboard 200.
Notable Recordings and Performances
History is constantly being written in the music industry:
- 1955: Johnny Cash recorded one of his most well-known songs, "Folsom Prison Blues." The song reached No. 4 on the charts, but the live version recorded at Folsom Prison had even greater success.
- 1987: The American leg of David Bowie's Glass Spider Tour kicked off in Philadelphia. At the time, it was the largest touring set ever, complete with a giant spider that required 43 trucks to transport.
- 2003: Justin Timberlake performed at Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto, the largest Canadian concert ever. He was greeted with boos from the audience because his pop set interrupted a slate of rock musicians.
Industry Changes and Challenges
In an ever-changing industry, artists constantly adapt to keep up:
- 1986: An article in Variety magazine reported that RCA had dropped John Denver from their label due to his anti-war song, "What Are We Making Weapons For."
- 2014: After a campaign led by musicians, the U.K. lifted a ban on steel-string guitars in prison cells. The aim was to increase access to music and instruments for people in the prison system.
- 2016: Jack White of the White Stripes launched a turntable into space. The record played in space for 80 minutes before coming back down to Earth.
Sting wrote The Police's best-known song, "Every Breath You Take," in the middle of the night in Jamaica. You never know where inspiration will strike, and artists can never predict how one single could change the course of popular music.
Megan ZahndWriter
