This Day in Top 40 History: July 26

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1968: Even the biggest names in music history had to start somewhere — on this day, sibling group The Jackson 5 signed their first one-year contract with Motown Records. The group released their first single, "I Want You Back," the following year.
• 1975: With their album One of These Nights, The Eagles finally broke into the big time, starting off a five-week run at the top of the U.S. album charts and sealing international success.
• 1980: The Rolling Stones kicked off seven weeks at No. 1 in the U.S. with their album Emotional Rescue. It was the band's eighth time reaching the top of the U.S. album chart, and it wouldn't be their last.

Cultural Milestones 

• 1928: Joseph Jackson was born in Arkansas. He was the father of the Jacksons, who comprised brothers Tito, Jermaine, Jackie, Marlon, and Michael Jackson, as well as “Together Again” singer Janet Jackson. During his tenure as the Jacksons' manager, the group scored multiple Top 40 singles in the U.S., including chart-toppers “The Love You Save,” “I Want You Back,” and “I'll Be There.” 
• 1984: Purple Rain, a musical drama inspired by the life of Prince, premiered in Hollywood, California. The “When Doves Cry” hitmaker played the lead role of “The Kid,” the talented frontman of The Revolution, who spends most of his time rehearsing and honing his performance skills despite challenges such as an abusive home environment. 
• 2015: At Cleveland State University, a Black Lives Matter conference turned into a protest after the police detained a 14-year-old boy on charges of public intoxication. According to sources, the officers used excessive force, and one of them even pepper-sprayed the activists who had gathered. Unfazed, the group started chanting the chorus of Kendrick Lamar's “Alright,” which reached No. 24 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. 

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1986: The soundtrack to the hit movie Top Gun began a three-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. album charts. The record included popular songs such as "Danger Zone" and "Take My Breath Away."
• 1987: Billy Joel started the Soviet leg of his The Bridge tour with a show in Moscow, far behind the Iron Curtain. He later released a live album recorded during his concerts in the Soviet Union.
• 2013: Taylor Swift's The Red Tour, which promoted her chart-topping fourth studio LP of the same name, stopped at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. She performed a five-act setlist featuring 16 tracks, including “I Knew You Were Trouble,” “You Belong With Me,” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
• 2017: Kendrick Lamar set the stage on fire at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan. He was on The DAMN. Tour, which supported his fourth studio effort of the same name. Released in April of the same year, D*MN. spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album also spawned Top 40 singles such as “LOYALTY.” “LOVE.” and “HUMBLE.”
• 2017: One Republic performed “Counting Stars,” “I Lived,” “All The Right Moves,” and other songs at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton, Pennsylvania. They were on the 2017 Honda Civic Tour, which featured over 30 shows in the U.S., plus additional stops in Canada and Asia. 

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1990: Brent Mydland of The Grateful Dead was found dead in his Lafayette home in California. According to sources, Mydland battled alcohol addiction, which often landed him in legal trouble and could have triggered his depression. His cause of death was an accidental drug overdose. At the time, Mydland was the third member of The Grateful Dead to pass away, after Ron "Pigpen" McKernan and Keith Godchaux. 
• 2000: Napster, a popular site that allowed people to trade copyrighted files, was ordered by a court to cease operations. This was a result of Metallica suing Napster for copyright infringement and racketeering.
• 2006: The iconic BBC show Top of the Pops completed recording on its final installment. Countless artists had performed on the show during its run, including Madonna, the Spice Girls, and The Rolling Stones.
• 2015: Bobbi Kristina died at 22. She was the only child of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston. Kristina had been on life support since January of the same year, when she was found unresponsive in her bathtub. Notably, this incident happened a few weeks before the third anniversary of Houston's death. The “I Will Always Love You” singer was found unconscious in a Beverly Hills hotel room in February 2012.
• 2023: Sinéad O'Connor died at 56. Born in Dublin in 1966, O'Connor started performing at local pubs when she was young. She would score her biggest hit in 1990 when she released a cover of Prince's “Nothing Compares 2 U.” The song flew to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and spent four weeks at the top.