This Day in Top 40 History: July 14

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1986: Paul McCartney released "Press" from his sixth solo studio album. The synth-heavy song was well-suited for the era, peaking at No. 21 on the Hot 100 chart.
• 1987: Prince released his hit single "U Got the Look" off his double album Sign o' the Times. The song achieved No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• 1992: Megadeth dropped their fifth studio effort, Countdown to Extinction. Some of the notable tracks from this set were “Symphony of Destruction,” “Sweating Bullets,” and “Ashes in Your Mouth.” The album rose to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart. 
• 1998: The Beastie Boys' Hello Nasty was released, featuring contributions from Biz Markie, Brooke Williams, Mihi Hatori, and Jill Cunniff. This GRAMMY-winning record reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 680,000 copies in its opening week. In addition, it spawned “Intergalactic,” which reached No. 28 on Billboard's Hot 100. 
• 1999: Destiny's Child issued their sophomore album, The Writing's on the Wall. The project peaked at No. 5 and No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart, respectively. It also delivered chart-topping classics such as “Say My Name” and “Bills, Bills, Bills.”
• 2009: Owl City released their second studio album, Ocean Eyes, which became certified double-Platinum and received a Billboard Music Award nomination for Dance/Electronic Album of the Year. The single from this album, "Fireflies," became a viral hit with its electronica-style intro and whimsical lyrics.

Cultural Milestones 

• 1949: Thomas Daniel Mottola, Jr., better known as Tommy Mottola, was born in The Bronx, New York City. During his tenure as the CEO and chairman of Sony Music Entertainment, Mottola helped shape and build the careers of many Top 40 artists, including Destiny's Child, Shakira, Celine Dion, and his ex-wife, “Always Be My Baby” singer Mariah Carey.
• 1986: Daniel Campbell "Dan" Smith was born in London, England. Although he began penning songs at 15, he dreamed of becoming an editor or a film director. Still, he found himself in the music world. As of this writing, Dan is the frontman of Bastille, whose biggest hits are “Pompeii” and “Happier,” both of which landed in the Top Five on the Hot 100. 
• 1987: Daniel Coulter “Dan” Reynolds, the lead singer of Imagine Dragons, was born in Nevada. One of his most notable Top 30 hits is “I Bet My Life,” which he penned to honor his relationship with his parents. Over the years, he has contributed to the band's other successful singles, including “Believer,” “Radioactive,” and “Thunder.”

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1962: Audience members paid just $0.70 to watch The Beatles play their first-ever gig. The newly formed band played in Wales at the Regent Dansette.
• 1969: Bob Dylan surprised the audience at the Mississippi River Rock Festival by joining The Band onstage. He performed three songs in his first public appearance since 1966.
• 1973: During a show at Knott's Berry Farm in California, Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers stormed off the stage to signal the duo was splitting up. Throughout their career, the successful duo had 26 Top 40 hits and 35 Top 100 hits.
• 1988: Michael Jackson kicked off the seven-show U.K. part of his Bad World Tour at Wembley Stadium. The show was part of his 123-show world tour in promotion of Jackson's seventh solo studio album, Bad.
• 2018: Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour, which promoted her No. 1 sixth studio album of the same name, stopped at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 14-time GRAMMY winner had a five-act setlist featuring “This is Why We Can't Have Nice Things,” “Blank Space,” “Wildest Dreams,” and “I Did Something Bad.” 
• 2025: Imagine Dragons performed “Fire in These Hills,” “Whatever It Takes,” “Walking the Wire,” and other tracks at Refshaleøen in Copenhagen, Denmark. They were on their Loom World Tour, which they launched to support their sixth studio record of the same name. According to sources, this trek featured over 90 shows across North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. Notably, Loom peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2025: Billie Eilish took her HIT ME HARD AND SOFT Tour to London, England. Her concert was held at the O2 Arena, where she sang “bury a friend,” “What Was I Made For,” “ocean eyes,” “WILDFLOWER”, and “bad guy.” Comprising more than 90 shows, this trek promoted Eilish's No. 2 record Hit Me Hard and Soft. 

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1977: The Sex Pistols were featured on the BBC's Top of the Pops to perform their hit, "Pretty Vacant." This ended the BBC's ban on the band that was placed a few months prior due to their controversial song, "God Save the Queen."
• 1988: Eleven years after the tragic and sudden death of Elvis Presley, a Nashville, Tennessee, radio station Y107, The Outrageous FM, offered $1 million to anyone who could prove Elvis was still alive. The prize was never claimed.
• 1989: Cyndi Lauper released the music video for "My First Night Without You," a single that stayed in the Top 100 for six weeks. This marked the first time closed-captioning was used in a music video.