This Day in Top 40 History: December 3
Ferlin Husky was born on Dec. 3, 1925, in Cantwell, Missouri. Throughout his career, he released multiple chart-topping hits, including “Wings of a Dove” and “Gone.” This day also celebrates…
Ferlin Husky was born on Dec. 3, 1925, in Cantwell, Missouri. Throughout his career, he released multiple chart-topping hits, including "Wings of a Dove" and "Gone." This day also celebrates John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne's birthday. His Top 40 songs include "Mama, I'm Coming Home," "Bark at the Moon," and "Changes,” which features a duet with his daughter, Kelly.
Another prominent figure born on Dec. 3 is Montell Jordan, the first R&B artist to sign on to Def Jam's Def Soul imprint. He rose to superstardom after releasing his No. 1 hit "This Is How We Do It" in 1995. The track later earned him a 1996 GRAMMY Award nomination. Continue reading to learn more interesting Top 40 history moments from this date.
Cultural Milestones
If you're a fan of love and people who defy the odds to achieve their dreams, you'll enjoy these cultural moments that occurred on Dec. 3:
- 1990: Madonna appeared live on ABC's late-night program Nightline to debut her video for her No. 1 hit, "Justify My Love." This came after MTV banned the song's music video, citing sexually explicit content. Madonna then released the video on VHS, and it sold more than a million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video singles of all time.
- 2005: Marilyn Manson, whose list of Top 40 hits includes "The Dope Show" and "Tainted Love," married his long-term partner Dita Von Teese at a castle in Ireland. Manson donned a black silk tuxedo, and Teese wore a stunning purple silk taffeta gown, which she complemented with a tricorn hat. Their union was brief, however, as they finalized their divorce about a year later.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Dec. 3 has hosted some industry changes and challenges, including the following:
- 1965: While The Rolling Stones were performing their chart-topping hit "The Last Time" in Sacramento, California, a power surge knocked Keith Richards unconscious after his guitar came into contact with his microphone stand. The electrical spike caused a sound so loud that some of his fans and the event's promoter, Jeff Hughson, thought someone had shot Richards. Thankfully, he survived the event and resumed performing the next night.
- 1979: While trying to claim unreserved spots at a The Who concert in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the Riverfront Coliseum, 11 people aged between 15 and 27 lost their lives in a stampede. The authorities worried the crowd would not respond well to a cancellation, so they let the show go on and told the promoters to hide the incident from the band until they finished their performance.
- 2015: Scott Weiland died in Bloomington, Minnesota, at 48 years old while touring with his band, Scott Weiland and the Wildabouts. As a member of Stone Temple Pilots, which included founding members Dean DeLeo and Weiland's brother, Robert, Weiland released multiple Top 10 hits, such as "Between the Lines" and "Interstate Love Song." He was also a member of Velvet Revolver, along with former Guns N' Roses members Matt Sorum, Slash, and Duff McKagan.
Dec. 3 has hosted many events that have influenced Top 40 history. While some Top 40 artists were born on this day, others, such as Marilyn Manson, got married.
