This Day in Top 40 History: September 6

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1975: Glen Campbell kicked off a two-week run at No. 1 with his country crossover hit “Rhinestone Cowboy.” The song was nominated for two GRAMMYS and was the Country Music Association's 1976 Song of the Year.
• 1989: Lenny Kravitz exploded onto the rock scene with his debut album, Let Love Rule, which spawned the hits “Let Love Rule,” “I Build This Garden for Us,” and “Mr. Cab Driver.” The project peaked at No. 61 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 56 on the UK Albums chart.
• 2005: The Rolling Stones released A Bigger Bang, their last album with drummer Charlie Watts. The album reached No. 3 in the U.S., but the single “Streets of Love” failed to enter the charts.

Cultural Milestones

• 1943: Roger Waters of Pink Floyd was born in Surrey, England. He achieved critical acclaim and commercial success in the 70s with albums such as Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), and The Wall (1979). Besides his work with the group, he has released four solo albums and performed with luminaries such as Joni Mitchell, Bryan Adams, Sinead O'Connor, Cyndi Lauper, and Van Morrison.
• 1969: Bob Dylan showed his range with the song “Lay Lady Lay,” which peaked at No. 7 on the charts on this day. On this record, he sang in a low vibrato instead of his usual nasal tenor.
• 1971: Rock icon Dolores O'Riordan was born in County Limerick, Ireland. She achieved international fame as the vocalist and guitarist for the alternative rock band The Cranberries. The band's 1992 debut album, Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, topped the UK Albums chart and reached No. 18 on the US Billboard 200. It produced some of the band's biggest singles, including “Dreams” and “Linger,” which went to No. 42 and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. 
• 1974: Swedish singer Nina Persson was born in Örebro, Närke, Sweden. She is the lead vocalist and songwriter for The Cardigans, best known for their 1996 hit single “Lovefool,” which hit No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart. She also appeared on the Manic Street Preachers' 2007 single “Your Love Alone Is Not Enough,” which also went to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
• 1980: Kerry Katona was born in Warrington, Cheshire, England. She was an original member of the English pop girl group Atomic Kitten from 1998 until her departure in 2001. Some of the group's early hits include “Right Now,” which reached No. 10 on the UK Singles Chart, and “Whole Again,” which made it to No. 1.
• 1989: Neil Young won Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards for “This Note's for You.” The video had previously encountered some legal issues because it mentioned several corporations by name. 
• 2023: The Rolling Stones revealed details about their new album, Hackney Diamonds. It was the band's first album of original material since 2005 and their first release since Charlie Watts, the band's drummer, passed.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1968: In a rare show of collaboration, George Harrison invited Eric Clapton to record a guitar solo for “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” The solo would become legendary for The Beatles, commonly known as The White Album.
• 1997: Elton John performed a rewritten version of his song “Candle in the Wind” to honor his friend, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, after her tragic death. When John released the rewritten tribute, it topped charts around the world.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1988: Elton John auctioned off a huge collection of memorabilia and art in London. He made over $8 million by selling more than 2,000 items, including the oversized boots he donned in Tommy.
• 1990: Tom Fogerty died at the age of 48 from complications due to AIDS, which he acquired during a blood transfusion. He was the rhythm guitarist for the rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, with whom he would achieve mainstream success in the late 60s and early 70s. Their breakthrough second album, Bayou County (1969), reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200, while its follow-up, Green River, released the same year, became their first record to top the chart.
• 2001: Britney Spears shocked the crowd and the public by bringing a live snake on stage as she debuted “I'm a Slave 4 U” at the MTV Video Music Awards.
• 2024: Amid a growing trend of oldies revival, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opened in theaters with a soundtrack full of hits from the 1970s, including “Margaritaville” and “Right Here Waiting.”
• 2024: GRAMMY-winning lyricist Will Jennings passed away at the age of 80. He wrote lyrics for some of the biggest hit songs in pop music history, including Eric Clapton's “Tears in Heaven,” Steve Winwood's “Higher Love,” and Celine Dion's “My Heart Will Go On” for James Horner's soundtrack for the film Titanic. The latter would win him a Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Song. 
• 2025: Rick Davies of the British rock band Supertramp died of multiple myeloma at the age of 81. He was the band's co-founder and only constant member. He is credited with writing or co-writing some of their most popular hits, including “My Kind of Lady,” “I'm Beggin' You,” and “Goodbye Stranger.”