This Day in Top 40 History: August 10
On Aug. 10, 1963, a 13-year-old Stevie Wonder reached the top of the charts with his song “Fingertips Pt. 2.” With this achievement, Wonder became the youngest singer to reach…
On Aug. 10, 1963, a 13-year-old Stevie Wonder reached the top of the charts with his song "Fingertips Pt. 2." With this achievement, Wonder became the youngest singer to reach the top of the charts, and the song was the first live recording to do so. Continue reading for more music history events that occurred on Aug. 10.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
While pop music acts as a time capsule, the greatest hits last forever:
- 1959: "A Big Hunk O' Love" by Elvis Presley hit No. 1 on the charts. It was recorded during Presley's years of service in the U.S. Army.
- 1974: Back Home Again, John Denver's eighth studio album, reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S. The album featured two hit singles, including "Annie's Song" and "Back Home Again."
- 2013: Katy Perry's single "Roar" was released to radio stations in the U.S. It eventually climbed to No. 1 on the charts, becoming the fastest song of Perry's to reach the top of the charts.
Cultural Milestones
These albums, released on Aug. 10, made waves when they were first released:
- 1979: Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, released his fifth solo album, Off the Wall. Billboard Magazine named it the No. 1 Black Album of the Year 1980.
- 1984: The Red Hot Chili Peppers entered the music scene with their self-titled debut album. While it did not make the charts, they had later commercial success with Californication and Stadium Arcadium.
- 1985: Madonna made history with Like a Virgin. The provocative album was the first by a female artist to sell 5 million copies.
Notable Recordings and Performances
On this date, music truly came alive in the recording studios and at concert venues throughout the years:
- 1970: Elvis Presley performed on the first night of his Summer Festival at a hotel in Las Vegas.
- 1976: Elton John launched a 10-night series of shows at Madison Square Garden. Ticket sales from this run of concerts broke the previous record set by the Rolling Stones.
- 2005: To promote their upcoming tour, the Rolling Stones held a surprise gig in Toronto. The venue only held around 1,000 people, and tickets were just $10.
Industry Changes and Challenges
As the music industry evolved, artists have also adapted and innovated to stay relevant:
- 1972: Paul McCartney and his wife Linda were arrested backstage for possession of marijuana. It was mailed to them on the road, and the couple paid $1,200 for their release.
- 2018: On YouTube, Doja Cat released her quirky single "MOOO!" The song went viral on social media and quickly became a meme.
Aug. 10 has hosted many significant events in music history, including Katy Perry's success with "Roar" in 2013. On this day in 2008, she also achieved similar success with her single "I Kissed A Girl," which was already at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also topped the charts in over 20 countries worldwide.
