This Day in Top 40 History: May 2

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1983: New Order issued their sophomore studio album, Power, Corruption & Lies. The record peaked at No. 4 in the U.K. and delivered “Age of Consent,” “Leave Me Alone,” and “Your Silent Face.” Flaunting a rhythmic and more innovative sound, it was notably different from the band's debut album, Movement, which featured a dark, melancholic tone. 
• 2006: Jewel put out Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, which sold over 80,000 copies in its opening week and soared to No. 8 on the Billboard 200. In addition, this 13-song project also produced a couple of Top 40 hits on Billboard's Adult Pop Airplay chart, including “Good Day” and “Again and Again.”
• 2025: Andy Bell dropped Ten Clowns, featuring “Breaking Thru The Interstellar” and “Heart's a Liar,” which included guest vocals from Debbie Harry. This album peaked at No. 14 in the U.K. and received praise from many critics, owing to its euphoric pop sound and powerful emotional range. 

Cultural Milestones

• 1950: Lou Gramm was born Louis Andrew Grammatico in Rochester, New York. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Foreigner, whose first eight singles cracked the Top 20 on the Billboard 100. This made them the first band to achieve such a feat since The Beatles. Gramm has co-written most of Foreigner's hits, including “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “Hot Blooded,” contributing to over 75 million albums sold worldwide. 
• 1985: Lily Allen was born in Hammersmith, England. Among Allen's notable achievements are bagging a GRAMMY and a Laurence Olivier Award, thanks to her outstanding acting skills. Additionally, three of her albums, including It's Not Me, It's You and Alright, Still…, cracked the Top 30 in the U.S.
• 2016: Pop diva Taylor Swift attended the Manus x Machina Fashion in an Age of Technology Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Swift wore a custom silver Louis Vuitton dress and black strappy heels to the event.
• 2021: Emmy, GRAMMY, Academy, Oscar, and Tony Award winner John Legend gave the commencement address to undergraduates at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. After the speech, Legend received an honorary degree for advocating for civil rights, addressing domestic violence, advancing African American history, and protecting the environment.
• 2024: Pop singer and actress Selena Gomez launched her cooking show, Selena + Restaurant, on Food Network. Gomez is known for her hit songs such as "Calm Down" and "Lose You to Love Me."

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1938: At Decca Studios in New York, Ella Fitzgerald recorded her "A-Tisket, A-Tasket"  with the Chick Webb Orchestra. Hitting No. 1 on the charts, this song would become Fitzerald's ticket to superstardom. In 1986, the track was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, and it remains a favorite among many Top 40 history fans. 
• 1965: The Rolling Stones performed “The Last Time” and “Little Red Rooster” on the Ed Sullivan Show. All band members wore sports jackets during this event, which made them appear more polished in their first appearance on the program. 
• 2023: Pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter rocked the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, during her Emails I can't Send Tour. Carpenter's greatest hits include "Espresso" and "Please, Please, Please."
• 2024: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit played on this day at the Mission Ballroom in Denver, Colorado. They performed a cover of Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman" and fan favorites such as "Save the World" and "Middle of the Morning." Isbell is best known for his radio hit "Be Afraid."

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 2006: Keith Richards was released from a medical facility in New Zealand, where he was receiving treatment for a mild concussion. The Rolling Stones' guitarist and co-songwriter had suffered a head injury following a fall from a palm tree in Fiji while he was on vacation. 
• 2012: Greg Ham's funeral took place at the Fitzroy Town Hall in Melbourne, Australia. He had been found dead in his home in April of the same year, but his cause of death was not disclosed.  While alive, Ham was recognized as a member of Men at Work, whose “Down Under” and “Who Can It Be Now?” reached the summit of the Hot 100.
• 2013: Jeff Hanneman died of liver failure at 49 while in a hospital in Hemet, California. He was a founding member of Slayer, who have placed at least eight Top 40 records on the Billboard 200, including Divine Intervention and Undisputed Attitude.
• 2013: It was announced on this day that the Spice Girls musical Viva Forever! would close on June 29 after a seven-month run at the Piccadilly Theatre in London, England. The theatrical performance showcased the story of a girl band's rise to stardom, but was met with little enthusiasm, hence the premature closure.
• 2024: Universal Music Group's chairman, Lucian Grainge, sent a memo discussing the new licensing agreement with the troubled TikTok platform. Musicians and artists had been caught in the crossfire of the feud between the social media platform and the mega music company over AI-generated music.