This Day in Top 40 History: January 30
On Jan. 30, 1951, Phil Collins was born in London, England, to June and Greville Collins. He has built an enviable music career that has seen him place two No….
On Jan. 30, 1951, Phil Collins was born in London, England, to June and Greville Collins. He has built an enviable music career that has seen him place two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, No Jacket Required and …But Seriously. Additionally, at least seven of his songs have hit No. 1 in the U.S., including “Another Day in Paradise” and “Two Hearts.”
More successful artists whose birthdays fall on Jan. 30 are “Day 'N' Nite” artist Kid Cudi and Jefferson Airplane's co-founder, the late Marty Balin. If you want to learn about other consequential Top 40 history events, you're on the right page.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Jan. 30 has served as the release date of many Top 40 albums and singles. Here are a few that caught our attention:
- 1995: Simple Minds dropped their tenth studio album, Good News From The Next World. Although this project missed the Top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart, it reached No. 2 on the U.K. Official Albums chart. It also delivered two U.K. Top 20 hits, “She's a River” and “Hypnotised.”
- 1996: Ministry's sixth studio album, Filthy Pig, was issued. Its top singles were “The Fall,” “Reload,” “Brick Windows,” and “Lay Lady Lay.” The set cracked the Top 20 in the U.S., peaking at No. 19.
- 2007: Norah Jones issued her third studio album, Not Too Late. It featured over 10 tracks, including “Wish I Could,” “Wake Me Up,” and “Not My Friend.” While none of these charted within the Top 40 in the U.S. or the U.K., the album reached No. 1 in both regions.
- 2017: Bruno Mars launched “That's What I Like,” a single from his third studio album, 24K Magic. It peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and spent over 50 weeks on the chart. The song's success may have contributed to 24K Magic's strong chart performance, as it cracked the Top Five in the U.S.
Cultural Milestones
Noteworthy Top 40 cultural moments from Jan. 30 include:
- 1994: “Pink Cadillac” hitmaker Natalie Cole sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl XXVIII in Atlanta, Georgia. To add a touch of patriotism, she tossed in some elements of “America the Beautiful.”
- 2025: A FireAid benefit concert was held at the Kia Forum and Intuit Dome in Los Angeles to support victims of the California wildfires, which had killed over 20 people and destroyed many homes. The list of performers featured big names such as Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, and Rod Stewart.
Industry Changes and Challenges
These events from January 30 impacted Top 40 history in various ways.
- 1972: During a protest in Derry, Northern England, a bunch of trigger-happy British soldiers fired at 26 unarmed civilians, leading to 13 immediate deaths. This tragic moment, which would later be called “Bloody Sunday,” inspired Paul McCartney to write “Give Ireland Back to the Irish” for his band, Wings. The song cracked the Top 30 in both the U.S. and the U.K.
- 2013: Patty Andrews died in Northridge, California. The 94-year-old was best known as a member of the Andrew Sisters, who released over 40 Top 10 singles.
After witnessing these events, Jan. 30 will always be a special day in Top 40 history.
