This Day in Top 40 History: February 11

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1989: Paula Abdul's “Straight Up” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for three consecutive weeks. This was a major run on the charts.
• 1997: Erykah Badu issued her debut album, Baduizm, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. One of the most successful tracks from the set was “On & On,” which stalled at No. 12 on Billboard's Hot 100 and hit No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. 
• 2007: Justin Timberlake takes home two GRAMMY Awards. "My Love" took home Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, while "Sexy Back" took home Best Dance Recording.
• 2013: Foals dropped their third studio album, Holy Fire. It peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. Albums Chart and spawned one Top 30 hit on the U.K. Singles Chart, “My Number.” In addition, tracks such as “Inhaler” and “Late Night” contributed to the album's commercial success.

Cultural Milestones

• 1964: The Beatles performed their first U.S. concert at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C., to 8,000 screaming fans. The band took a train from New York instead of flying due to a snowstorm, and fans went crazy when the band arrived.
• 1979: Brandy was born to William Ray Norwood Sr. and Sonja in McComb, Mississippi. At only 2, she was already a member of her local church choir. When her family moved to California in 1983, she began performing at talent shows, laying the foundation of her music career. Brandy has achieved at least four Top Five records in the U.S., including Full Moon and Never S-A-Y Never.
• 1981: Kelly Rowland was born in Atlanta, Georgia. She would become part of Destiny's Child.
• 1998: The handwritten lyrics to “Candle in the Wind, 1997,” written by Bernie Taupin and Elton John, were sold to the Lund Foundation. Funds from this foundation helped benefit disadvantaged children.
• 1998: Khalid was born in Fort Stewart, Georgia. He blew up after releasing his debut single, “Location,” which reached No. 16 on the Hot 100, in 2016. As of this writing, he has placed more Top 20 hits on the Hot 100, including “Talk,” “Better,” and “Love Lies,” featuring Normani. 
• 2023: Harry Styles, who was part of the former boy group One Direction, was a big winner at the BRIT Awards. He won Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year, Best Pop/R&B Act, and Song of the Year. Styles continues to have a major influence on pop culture.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1963: The Beatles recorded all 14 tracks of their debut album Please Please Me in one day at Abbey Road Studios in London, England.
• 1984: John Mellencamp's “Pink Houses” climbed the Billboard Hot 100 charts to No. 8. This song describes some of the harsher realities of living in the U.S.
• 1985: At the BRIT Awards, Sade won Best British Album, Prince won Best International Solo Artist, and The Police won Outstanding Contribution. These performers significantly impacted music culture in the U.S. and the U.K.
• 2011: Taylor Swift performed at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena, which is now known as the KSPO Dome, in Seoul, South Korea. She was on her Speak Now World Tour, which supported her chart-topping third studio LP of the same name. The setlist for this show featured hits such as “Back to December” and “You Belong With Me.”
• 2024: Usher performs at Super Bowl LVIII. Alicia Keys, H.E.R., Lil Jon, and Ludacris join him for "Yeah!."
• 2025: Paul McCartney and his band owned the stage at New York City's Bowery Ballroom. This was a surprise concert, as the “No More Lonely Nights” singer announced it on social media only hours before the scheduled start time. The set list featured a few Beatles classics, including “Hey Jude” and “Got To Get You Into My Life.”

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1965: “You're Sixteen (You're Beautiful And You're Mine)” singer Ringo Starr and his first wife, Maureen Cox, tied the knot in Westminster, London, with former Beatles manager Brian Epstein as their best man. The list of guests at the ceremony included John and Cynthia Lennon as well as George Harrison. Cox and the ex-Beatle had first crossed paths in Liverpool when she was 15. 
• 2012: GRAMMY Award-winning singer Whitney Houston died on Feb. 11. She accidentally drowned in a bathtub the night before the 54th GRAMMY Awards, and her death was a massive blow to the music industry.
• 2018: Vic Damone died in Miami Beach, Florida. He was 89. Damone's most successful hit was “You're Breaking My Heart,” which reached the summit of the U.S. Billboard chart. He also placed some Top 40 singles in the U.K., such as “On the Street Where You Live” and “The Only Man on the Island.”
• 2020: Paul English passed away at 87. He was best known as the drummer and manager of “Always On My Mind” hitmaker Willie Nelson. In addition, he is credited with helping shape the outlaw country sound, thanks to his standout minimalist drumming style. According to sources, Nelson died of complications of pneumonia while at a hospital near Dallas, Texas.