This Day in Top 40 History: September 18
On Sept. 18, 2021, Drake held nine of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Each song was from his album Certified Lover Boy, which he released on Sept….
On Sept. 18, 2021, Drake held nine of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Each song was from his album Certified Lover Boy, which he released on Sept. 3. The top three songs were "Way 2 Sexy," "Girls Want Girls," and "Fair Trade." Keep reading for more Top 40 history from Sept. 18.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
For some artists, topping the charts is the pinnacle of their career:
- 1967: The Beach Boys released Smiley Smile, their twelfth studio effort. Although it missed the Top 40 in the U.S., it broke into the Top 10 in the U.K. Hits from this project included “Good Vibrations,” which landed at No. 1 on both Billboard's Hot 100 and the U.K. Singles Chart.
- 2000: Madonna dropped her eighth studio LP, Music. In addition to debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, this album sold an impressive four million copies within its first 10 days. It also delivered Top 40 hits such as the title track, which spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100, and “Don't Tell Me.”
- 2004: Ciara hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her song "Goodies." It was her first and only No. 1 hit (so far), and it spent seven weeks at the top.
- 2010: Katy Perry topped the charts with her dreamy song "Teenage Dream." She performed the song during the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show, where the right and left sharks made a splash with audiences around the world.
- 2015: Lana Del Rey's fourth studio album, Honeymoon, was released. This album delivered tracks such as “High By The Beach,” “Salvatore,” and “God Knows I Tried.” It climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and spent 17 weeks on the chart.
- 2021: Certified Lover Boy by Drake peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album featured a stacked lineup of feature artists, including Lil Baby, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Wayne, and Kid Cudi.
Cultural Milestones
Here are some Top 40 cultural moments that September 18 has hosted:
- 2000: Alex Warren was born in Carlsbad, California. Warren's father, who died when he was only 9, introduced him to artists like Coldplay, Linkin Park, and Train. According to sources, he inspired his 2021 single, "One More I Love You." As of this writing, Warren's most notable hit is “Ordinary,” which spent an impressive 10 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100.
- 2002: At the Adopt-A-Minefield Benefit Gala, which took place at Los Angeles' Century Plaza Hotel, Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson took the stage and performed a duet of the Beach Boys' Top 40 hit, “God Only Knows.” According to sources, the ex-Beatle considered the song one of the greatest tracks ever written.
- 2004: With 27-30 guests in attendance, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline tied the knot at a private wedding ceremony in Studio City, Los Angeles. Their marriage would last less than three years, a period during which they welcomed two sons, Sean Preston Federline and Jayden James Federline. Following their divorce in 2007 and Spears' public mental health crisis, the “...Baby One More Time” singer lost custody of both Sean and Jayden.
Notable Recordings and Performances
The pop girlies showed up on Sept. 18:
- 2011: While supporting her No. 3 album, Loud, Rihanna took her tour of the same name to the Estádio Jornalista Felipe Drummond in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. She performed 21 songs, including “Only Girl (In The World),” “Man Down,” and “Cheers (Drink To That).” The Loud Tour would see Rihanna play in over 20 countries and bring in approximately $90 million in revenue.
- 2016: Justin Bieber's Purpose World Tour visited Cologne, Germany. During this stop, the two-time GRAMMY winner played a 22-song setlist including hits such as “Love Yourself,” “As Long As You Love Me,” and “What Do You Mean?.” Supporting Bieber's chart-topping album of the same name, the Purpose Tour featured over 140 shows across Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. This trek grossed an estimated $257 million, as per sources.
- 2017: Mumford & Sons set the stage on fire at the United Palace Theatre in New York, performing “I Will Wait,” “The Cave,” and “Believe.” This concert was part of their Wilder Mind Tour, a trek that promoted the band's third studio LP of the same name. Upon release in May 2015, Wilder Mind soared to the top of the Billboard 200.
- 2018: Taylor Swift performed in St. Louis, Missouri, as part of the Reputation Stadium Tour. The setlist included 19 songs, and she wowed the Missouri crowd with "Hey Stephen" as her surprise song.
- 2021: Olivia Rodrigo performed at a music festival in Las Vegas. She was on a promotional run for her debut album, Sour.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry reaches deep into the corners of our culture:
- 1970: Jimi Hendrix tragically passed away at the age of 27. While Hendrix only had one No. 1 album, Electric Ladyland, he is widely considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
- 1994: The U.S. Postal Service issued a new stamp in honor of Billie Holiday. It featured a painted portrait of her on stage.
- 2007: Britney Spears was dropped as a client by her management company. This came after a divorce and multiple public instances of erratic behavior from the young pop artist.
Artists constantly adapt to keep up with the demands of their fans, their label, and their own goals. Let's take a moment to celebrate all these artists who made history on Sept. 18.
Dawn Palmer-QuaifeWriter
