This Day in Top 40 History: August 22

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1964: The Supremes hit No. 1 on the charts with their single "Where Did Our Love Go." It was the girl group's first song to reach the top of the charts.
• 1969: Santana's self-titled debut album was released by Columbia Records. It included "Evil Ways," which peaked at No. 9 — the album itself rose to a lofty No. 4 on the album chart.
• 1987: Madonna went to No. 1 with her single "Who's That Girl." The song was featured on the soundtrack for the movie of the same name, and it was her sixth chart-topper.

Cultural Milestones

• 1947: Donna Jean Godchaux was born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. She was the only female vocalist of The Grateful Dead, who scored one Top 10 hit in the U.S., “Touch of Grey.” However, Donna left the band in the late 1970s, along with her husband, Keith Godchaux, who was also a member. Notably, she collaborated with multiple other Top 40 acts, including Elvis Presley, Cher, and Neil Diamond. Donna died in 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. 
• 1973: Howie D was born in Orlando, Florida. He is best known as a member of The Backstreet Boys, which also includes Nick Carter, AJ McLean, and Brian Littrell. As of this writing, they have sold more than 120 million records worldwide and placed hits such as “I Want It That Way” and “All I Have to Give” in the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100. In addition to singing, Howie D is an entrepreneur — he owns and operates a real estate brand with his brother, Dorough Brothers Development & Consulting. 
• 1979: Led Zeppelin released their eighth and final album In Through the Out Door. It was the band's seventh album to top the charts, and it held the No. 1 spot for seven weeks.
• 1995: Dua Lipa was born to Anesa and Dukagjin Lipa in London, England. Dua started sharing her cover songs online when she was 14. When she released “New Rules” in 2017, the song blew up, expanding her fan base and making way for collaborations with big names such as Calvin Harris. As of this writing, the three-time GRAMMY winner has over 10 U.S. Top 40 singles, including “Levitating,” which stalled at No. 2 on the Hot 100. 
• 2020: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's hit "WAP" topped the charts in the U.S.
• 2024: After being featured in the movie Deadpool & Wolverine, Madonna's 1989 single "Like A Prayer" topped the charts in the U.K. once again. It had been an international success upon its initial release.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1968: Ringo Starr walked out of a recording session and took off to Italy. His hasty departure led to Paul McCartney's subpar drumming performance on "Back In The U.S.S.R.."
• 1998: At a concert in Anaheim, comedian Jim Carrey joined Elton John onstage. The unlikely duo performed "Rocket Man" together, and when the song concluded, Carrey slammed his head into the piano keys.
• 2001: Stevie Nicks had to postpone two live performances after getting diagnosed with acute bronchitis. These shows were part of her tour in support of Trouble in Shangri-La.
• 2017: Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey brought the house down at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. While the former played hits such as “Stuck On You,” “Hello,” and “All Night Long (All Night),” Carey sang “We Belong Together,” “Hero,” and other songs. Both acts were on their North American co-headlining concert tour, All the Hits. According to sources, the trek attracted more than 200,000 fans and grossed over $17 million. 
• 2024: Justin Timberlake set the stage on fire at the Olympiahalle in Munich, Germany. Among the notable titles on this event's setlist were “Mirrors,” “Like I Love You,” and “Say Something.” Timberlake was on the Forget Tomorrow World Tour, which supported his No. 4 2024 studio effort, Everything I Thought It Was. This trek, which took the Tennessee native to South America, North America, and Europe, featured over 20 dates.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1962: A new machine was introduced at the Radio Show in London. It allowed people to sing along to records, marking it as an early form of the now-popular karaoke.
• 2011: Lindsay Lohan sued Pitbull, Ne-Yo, and DJ Afrojack after they referenced her in the song "Give Me Everything (Tonight)." Lohan lost the suit, and the single went to No. 1.
• 2011: Nick Ashford died at 70. He was one half of Ashford & Simpson, whose other member was his wife, Valerie Simpson. As performers, they scored a couple of Top 40 singles in the U.S., “Found a Cure” and “Solid.” The duo, however, found even more success as songwriters, penning hits for big names such as Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, and Chaka Khan. In 2002, they were unsurprisingly welcomed into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 
• 2018: Vampire Weekend lead singer Ezra Koenig and Rashida Jones became parents, welcoming their son, Isaiah Jones Koenig, in Los Angeles, California. According to sources, the couple had been together since 2016, but had kept the pregnancy under wraps until their child was born.