This Day in Top 40 History: September 8

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1973: Marvin Gaye launched a two-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart with his hit, "Let's Get It On." The sultry ballad was one of Motown Records' biggest hits and became Gaye's signature song, having one of the most recognizable introductory riffs of all time.
• 1998: Everlast issued his second studio effort, Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. This album reached the Top 40 in several countries, including the U.S., where it peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200. Its most successful single was “What It's Like,” which landed at No. 13 on Billboard's Hot 100. 
• 2001: Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule reached No. 1 with their remix, "I'm Real." The song spent a total of five non-consecutive weeks at the top of the charts.
• 2001: The catchy pop song "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" by Kylie Minogue was released. It garnered Minogue's international success, becoming her first big hit in the U.S. since 1988.
• 2006: Featuring contributions from Timbaland, T.I., and will.i.am, Justin Timberlake's sophomore studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, came out. The record spent 106 weeks on the Billboard 200, reaching No. 1. It also delivered three chart-topping hits, “My Love,” “SexyBack,” and “What Goes Around…Comes Around.”
• 2009: JAY-Z released his 11th studio LP, The Blueprint 3, through Roc Nation. This 15-track project included guest vocals from Rihanna, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, and Drake. The album, whose first-week sales exceeded 460,000 copies, spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard 200. Four songs from it, including “Run This Town,” “Young Forever,” and “Empire State of Mind,” reached the Top 40 in the U.S.

Cultural Milestones

• 1979: Alecia Beth Moore, known to many Top 40 fans as P!nk, was born in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Her list of feats includes bagging three GRAMMYs, at least seven MTV Video Music Awards, and the BMI President's Award. Besides, P!nk received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010. She's also behind U.S. chart-toppers such as “Just Give Me a Reason” and “Raise Your Glass.” 
• 1987: Cameron Jibril Thomaz, better known as Wiz Khalifa, was born in Minot, North Dakota. His musical journey began at an early age, when he wrote and recorded songs. As of this writing, Khalifa is a 10-time GRAMMY nominee with at least six Top 10 hits on Billboard's Hot 100. These include his collaboration with Charlie Puth, “See You Again,” which ruled the chart for an impressive 12 weeks. 
• 1989: Klas Bergling and Anki Lidén welcomed their son Avicii. Born Tim Bergling in Stockholm, Sweden, he would master various music software and start creating remixes at 16. By 28, when he died by suicide, Avicii had many notable achievements, including attaining two GRAMMY Award nominations and placing Top 20 singles such as “Wake Me Up” and “Hey Brother” on the Hot 100. 
• 1994: It was a memorable night at the Video Music Awards. Michael Jackson and his new bride, Lisa Marie Presley, shared a sloppy onstage kiss, and MCA from the Beastie Boys rushed the stage after losing to R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts."
• 2005: A compilation album benefiting War Child International was released. Help!: A Day In The Life featured songs from many artists, such as Coldplay, Radiohead, and Gorillaz.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1978: David Bowie released a live album, Stage, which was recorded during concerts in Philadelphia, Providence, and Boston. The album peaked at No. 5 in the U.K., but only achieved No. 44 in the U.S.
• 2019: During the final show of her Be the Cowboy Tour, Mitski announced that she would be taking a hiatus from live performances. In 2021, her popularity soared as her music became a common choice to accompany TikTok videos.
• 2022: Lady Gaga performed in San Francisco, California, as part of her The Chromatica Ball Summer Stadium Tour. The outdoor concert was completely sold out, and Gaga sang tracks from A Star Is Born, previous albums, and, of course, Chromatica.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1990: A cartoon all about the New Kids On The Block made its debut on the ABC network. The cartoon only lasted one season on air.
• 2003: In a rare use of technological advancements, David Bowie performed an interactive concert with fans across 26 countries. The show was broadcast in cinemas around the world, and Bowie took requests from fans in real time.
• 2016: Prince Buster died in Miami, Florida, due to heart problems. He was 78. Buster was known for performing with popular bands such as the Folkes Brothers and The Vikings. He was among the first Jamaicans to score a U.K. Top 20 hit when his “Al Capone” reached No. 18 on the Singles Chart in 1967. In 1998, Buster landed another Top 40 single with the release of “Whine and Grine.” 
• 2017: Don Williams died at 78 in Mobile, Alabama. According to sources, he had emphysema. Williams, who was nicknamed the “Gentle Giant,” had 45 Top 10 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart, with 17 of them, including “Heartbeat In The Darkness” and “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good,” hitting No. 1.  His music had influenced successful artists such as Keith Urban and Joe Nichols. 
• 2020: McDonald's rolled out the Travis Scott Meal as part of their collaboration with the rapper. It was the restaurant's first celebrity menu collaboration since the 1992 McJordan.