This Day in Top 40 History: September 13

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1965: The Beatles released "Yesterday" in the U.S., where it hit No. 1 on the charts. The band did not release the song in the U.K. until 11 years later.
• 1986: On the tail of Top Gun, "Take My Breath Away" went to No. 1 in the U.S. The film generated multiple hit songs, including Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone."
• 1994: The Notorious B.I.G. released his debut studio effort, Ready to Die. It landed at No. 15 in the U.S. and spawned Top 40 hits such as “One More Chance,” “Juicy,” and “Big Poppa.” This project is credited with reviving East Coast hip-hop, so it's not surprising that it was added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry in 2024 for its historical and cultural significance. 
• 2005: The Fray dropped their debut studio LP, How to Save a Life, a 12-song set that delivered two Top 40 singles, the title track and “Over My Head (Cable Car).” The album reached No. 14 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart. According to sources, aspects that may have driven this project's success included introspective lyrics and radio-friendly production. 
• 2006: Fergie's debut studio album, The Dutchess, was issued, with guest contributions from will.i.am, Ludacris, John Legend, and Rita Marley. The record spent 90+ weeks on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 2. It also delivered five Top Five singles on Billboard's Hot 100, including three chart-toppers, “Big Girls Don't Cry,” “London Bridge,” and “Glamorous.” 
• 2013: Hozier released his debut single, "Take Me To Church." The song topped the charts in 12 countries, in part due to the music video, which addressed homophobia in Russia.

Cultural Milestones

• 1978: Swizz Beatz was born Kasseem Daoud Dean in The Bronx, New York. He began honing his music production skills at only 16. Beatz would later establish his own label, Full Surface Records, and sign artists such as Eve, Mashonda, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Besides, he has scored one Top 10 record in the U.S., One Man Band Man, which reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200. 
• 1993: Niall Horan was born to Bobby and Maura Horan in Mullingar, Ireland. He was a member of One Direction, who are currently on an indefinite hiatus. The band's first four records, including Up All Night, Take Me Home, and Midnight Memories, flew to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. As a solo artist, Niall has placed two Top 20 singles on the Hot 100, “This Town” and “Slow Hands.” 
• 1996: Tupac Shakur passed away on Sept. 13 after spending six days in the hospital as a result of a drive-by shooting. Shakur's contributions to West Coast rap and hip-hop were significant, and his work continues to influence the genre today.
• 1998: Jimmy Gulzar and Mel B of the Spice Girls tied the knot in Buckinghamshire. Following their marriage, Mel B went by “Melanie G.” Five months later, in February 1999, the couple welcomed their daughter Phoenix Chi Gulzar. However, their union was short-lived, as they separated and divorced in 2000.
• 2013: Fleetwood Mac continued its trend of band members leaving and returning when Stevie Nicks announced that former bandmate Christine McVie would rejoin the group for two shows on their upcoming tour.
• 2018: Hailey Baldwin secretly married Justin Bieber at a New York City courthouse. While the couple kept the civil ceremony private, they hosted a second, larger wedding ceremony in 2019.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1979: ABBA kicked off their first — and only — North American tour. They played a warm-up show in Edmonton, Canada, before performing in the U.S.
• 2000: Elton John was set to appear at a sold-out show in Lisbon, Portugal. However, the audience was slow to leave the preshow VIP dinner, which frustrated John, so he flew home without playing a single song.
• 2010: Eminem performed “Cleanin' Out My Closet,” “Love the Way You Lie,” “The Real Slim Shady,” and other songs at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York. This show was part of the Home & Home Tour, which he co-headlined with Jay-Z. Speaking of, the Brooklyn native lit up the stage at this venue as well, playing “Young Forever,” “Run This Town,” and “Empire State of Mind.” 
• 2013: At the First Niagara Pavilion in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, Little Big Town opened for Keith Urban, performing hits such as “Pontoon” and “Bring It On Home.” Urban was on his Light The Fuse Tour, supporting his eighth studio record, Fuse. The set, which was released in September of the same year, spent a week at the summit of both the Billboard 200 and the Top Country Albums Chart. 
• 2024: Chappell Roan played a concert in Manchester, England, as part of The Midwest Princess Tour. The sold-out show was one of Roan's first-ever U.K. appearances.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1969: Kim Fowley unknowingly started an iconic concert tradition by asking fans to raise their lighters for Eric Clapton and John Lennon during the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival.
• 2019: In the movie Hustlers, Lizzo, Cardi B, and Jennifer Lopez all played strippers. This was a film debut for Cardi B, who had worked as an exotic dancer before she started her career as a musician.