This Day in Top 40 History: August 26

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1975: Glen Campbell topped the Billboard Hot Country charts with his single "Rhinestone Cowboy." Two weeks later, the single also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• 1995: After Seal's song "Kiss from a Rose" was included in the film Batman Forever, it reached No. 1 on the charts. Seal attributed his success to the film's director, Joel Schumacher.
• 2008: Solange issued her sophomore studio album, Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams. This project, which featured guests such as Bilal and Lil Wayne, delivered songs such as “Would've Been the One,” “I Decided,” “Valentine's Day,” and “God Given Name.” It stalled at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 but climbed to No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. 
• 2016: Britney Spears issued her ninth studio LP, Glory, through RCA Records. The album cracked the Top 10 on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 3. Additionally, it spawned hits such as “Slumber Party” and “Make Me…” which landed at No. 17 on Billboard's Hot 100 and included guest vocals from G-Eazy.
• 2016: De La Soul dropped their eighth studio effort, and the ANONYMOUS NOBODY. This project included collaborations with Jill Scott, Usher, Estelle, Snoop Dogg, David Byrne, and Damon Albarn. While it reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200, it climbed to No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Some standout tracks from this set were “Drawn,” “Pain,” and “Snoopies.” 
• 2023: Oliver Anthony debuted at No. 1 with his single "Rich Men North of Richmond." He was the first artist to debut at the top of the charts without any previous chart history.

Cultural Milestones

• 1968: The Beatles released "Hey Jude" in America. The song went to No. 1 within a month and was the longest-running No. 1 hit that year.
• 1970: Jimi Hendrix's commissioned recording studio, Electric Lady Studios, opened for business. Multiple famous musicians would record there, including John Lennon, Stevie Wonder, and Hendrix himself.
• 1978: "Grease" by Frankie Valli hit No. 1 on the charts. It was the title track to the film, which had been a smash success.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 2007: The Rolling Stones wrapped up their A Bigger Bang World Tour with a show in London. It was the band's biggest-grossing tour yet, earning over $560 million.
• 2014: Kate Bush began a series of 22 shows at the Eventim Apollo in London. It was her first time performing live since 1979.
• 2016: twenty one pilots took their EMØTIØNAL RØADSHØW WØRLD TØUR to Little John's Farm in Reading, England. During this show, they performed 11 tracks, including “Heathens,” “Stressed Out,” and “We Don't Believe What's on TV.” This trek supported their 2015 album Blurryface, which debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. It featured more than 120 shows across Oceania, Europe, and North America. 
• 2017: Jason Aldean performed “Take a Little Ride,” “The Only Way I Know,” and 20 other songs at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia. This concert was part of the They Don't Know Tour, which he launched to promote his No. 1 record of the same name. The trek visited more than 30 cities across the U.S. and featured supporting acts such as “Heaven” hitmaker Kane Brown and I'm Comin' Over artist Chris Young. 
• 2019: Ed Sheeran concluded his ÷ (Divide) tour with a show near his hometown in England. The two-year tour set the record for earnings, bringing in over $775 million across 255 shows.
• 2025: Shakira brought the house down at the Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico, where she played “Hips Don't Lie,” “Monotonía,” “Loba,” and other songs. She was on her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour supporting her Top 20 record of the same name. Featuring 86 shows, this trek brought in over $420 million, becoming the highest-grossing tour by a Latin musician. 

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1967: During a press conference held in Bangor, Wales, The Beatles announced that they had stopped using hallucinogenic drugs and become followers of their new spiritual guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. When the band's manager, Brian Epstein, died the next day, on Aug. 27, following an accidental drug overdose, Yogi would help them deal with his loss. However, the Fab Four eventually fell out with the Indian spiritual master. 
• 1987: Sonny Bono (of Sonny & Cher) announced his plans to run for mayor of Palm Springs, California. He won the 1988 election and eventually became a congressman; quite an unexpected career change for Sonny.
• 2006: "Do I Make You Proud?" by Taylor Hicks dropped out of the Hot 100 just eight weeks after hitting No. 1. Normally, No. 1 hits stay on the charts for much longer — Hicks' eight-week run set a record at the time for the shortest stay on the chart for a No. 1 hit.
• 2009: Ellie Greenwich died in New York. She was 68. Greenwich teamed up with her then-husband Jeff Barry to write big hits such as The Shangri-Las' “Leader of the Pack,” The Ronettes' “Be My Baby,” and Ike & Tina Turner's "River Deep – Mountain High.” According to sources, the Brooklyn native also discovered Neil Diamond, whose most successful record is the chart-topping Home Before Dark.