This Day in Top 40 History: July 28

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1986: R.E.M. released their fourth studio LP, Lifes Rich Pageant, which flaunted impressive vocal and lyrical clarity. This record missed the Top 40 on the U.K. Albums Chart, but it climbed to No. 23 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Standout tracks from the set included “Fall On Me,” “Begin the Begin,” and “These Days.” 
• 1987: Kylie Minogue released her debut single “The Loco-Motion.” The dance-pop cover launched Minogue's successful career as the "Princess of Pop."
• 1990: With his album Sleeping with the Past, Elton John kicked off a five-week run at No. 1 on the U.K. album charts.
• 2008: Ida Maria launched her debut album, Fortress Round My Heart. This project delivered “Oh My God” and "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked,” which reached No. 13 on the U.K. Singles Chart. Additionally, the record cracked the Top 40 in the U.K., reaching No. 39. 
• 2023: Travis Scott's album, UTOPIA, was issued, featuring The Weeknd, SZA, Future, Young Thug, and Beyoncé as guests. The album flew to No. 1 in multiple countries, including the U.S. and the U.K. In addition, it produced several Top 40 singles, including “FE!N,” “K-POP,” and “DELESTRO (ECHOES).”

Cultural Milestones

• 1954: The Crew Cuts' cover of "Sh-Boom," originally by The Chords, reached No. 1 on the U.S. charts. It remained in the top spot for nine weeks.
• 1957: Jerry Lee Lewis, also known as The Killer, made his television debut on The Steve Allen Show. His appearance on the program turned him into a national sensation, making way for him to score chart-toppers such as “There Must Be More to Love Than This” and “To Make Love Sweeter For You.”
• 1984: The Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of July 28 featured two songs from hit movies that summer. Ray Parker Jr.'s “Ghostbusters,” from the movie of the same name, held the No. 2 spot, while "Almost Paradise" from Footloose sat at No. 12.
• 1990: Soulja Boy was born DeAndre Cortez Way in Chicago, Illinois. He shot to fame in 2007 when his debut single, “Crank That (Soulja Boy),” rose to No. 1 in the U.S. After the self-released hit, Soulja Boy scored more Top 40 singles, such as “Kiss Me Thru the Phone” and “Turn My Swag On.”
• 1992: Mary J. Blige debuted on the music scene with her album What's the 411? It reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
• 1999: Gloria Hallelujah Woods, better known as GloRilla, was born in Memphis, Tennessee. As of this writing, she has placed several Top 40 singles on Billboard's Hot 100, including “Tomorrow 2,” which reached No. 9, “TGIF,” and “Yeah Glo!” Some of these hits are collaborations with big names such as Cardi B.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1966: The Beach Boys performed "God Only Knows" for the first time at a club in Massachusetts. While the song didn't see commercial success upon release, it eventually became known as an all-time pop classic.
• 2016: On the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Katy Perry performed two of her hits: "Roar" and "Rise."
• 2018: Paul McCartney performed an intimate two-hour gig in Liverpool. He played classic Beatles' tracks along with music from his solo career.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1969: In response to the new wave of electric music, police in Moscow reported that phone booths had been vandalized. Thieves stole parts from the booths to convert their acoustic guitars into electric ones.
• 1987: Yoko Ono and The Beatles filed a lawsuit against Nike for using "Revolution" in its TV advertisements. Nike continued running the ads, and the suit was settled out of court.
• 1996: Marge Ganser died of breast cancer. She was a member of the Shangri-Las, whose other members were her identical twin, Mary Ann Ganser, and sisters Betty and Mary Weiss. The group's most notable single was “Leader of the Pack,” which hit No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 11 in the U.K.  When the Shangri-Las went their separate ways in 1968, Marge left the music industry and started working at a telephone company. 
• 2000: Jerome Smith died at 47 following an accident at a construction site in Miami, Florida. As a member of KC and The Sunshine Band, he contributed to five chart-toppers on Billboard's Hot 100, including “I'm Your Boogie Man” and “Please Don't Go.” Drug-related problems, however, forced him to part ways with other group members in 1979. According to sources, Smith was contemplating rejoining KC and The Sunshine Band at the time of his death. 
• 2004: George Williams died in Maple Shade, New Jersey. He was best known as the lead vocalist of The Tymes, who were behind Top 40 singles such as “You Little Trustmaker” and “Ms. Grace.” Additionally, the group's “So Much in Love” was on the Songs of the Century list by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2001. The track has also been covered by a number of Top 40 acts, including Talking Heads and Art Garfunkel.  
• 2020: British music magazine Q released its final publication. The magazine was first released in 1986 and covered new releases, compilations, album reviews, and more.