This Day in Top 40 History: September 23
On Sept. 23, 2006, Justin Timberlake was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “SexyBack,” a song inspired by David Bowie, David Byrne, and James Brown. It was part…
On Sept. 23, 2006, Justin Timberlake was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "SexyBack," a song inspired by David Bowie, David Byrne, and James Brown. It was part of Timberlake's second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds. The track also received the GRAMMY Award for Best Dance Recording. Here are more events from this day in Top 40 history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These chart-toppers defined their own eras of music on Sept. 23:
- 1974: John Lennon released "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" in the U.S. The song was Lennon's only No. 1 hit in the U.S. as a solo artist.
- 1977: David Bowie released "Heroes," which was widely considered one of Bowie's most influential songs, resonating as an anthem of resilience.
- 1977: Steely Dan issued their GRAMMY-winning sixth studio LP, Aja, featuring “Peg,” “Deacon Blues,” and “Josie.” This album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and No. 5 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart.
- 1982: Billy Joel's eighth studio effort, The Nylon Curtain, was released, delivering two U.S. Top 40 singles, “Allentown” and “Pressure.” This record spent 35 weeks on the Billboard 200, stalling at No. 7.
- 2000: Madonna spent the second of two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Music," a song inspired by a Sting concert.
- 2003: OutKast dropped Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, their fifth studio album. This project featured guest contributions from Killer Mike, Sleepy Brown, Kelis, Norah Jones, and other artists. It spent over five weeks at No. 1 in the U.S.
- 2008: Jazmine Sullivan launched her debut studio LP, Fearless, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. In addition to spawning two U.S. Top 40 singles, “Need U Bad” and “Bust Your Windows,” this record received at least five GRAMMY Award nominations.
Cultural Milestones
Music legends Ray and Bruce were born on Sept. 23, while Justin had an eventful night out:
- 1930: Ray Charles, who was born in Georgia on Sept. 23 and went blind at age 7, was a legendary musician who laid the foundations for the soul and rock genres.
- 1943: Julio Iglesias, the father of “Bailando” hitmaker Enrique Iglesias, was born in Madrid, Spain. As of this writing, Julio has sold more than 300 million records worldwide. He's also behind U.S. Top 40 albums such as Crazy and 1100 Bel Air Place.
- 1949: Born in New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen has had 11 No. 1 albums and 12 Hot 100 Top 10 hit songs.
- 1972: Jermaine Dupri was born in Asheville, North Carolina. His list of achievements includes winning a GRAMMY and the Billboard Otis Redding Excellence Award. Dupri also founded So So Def Recordings and has collaborated with big names such as Bow Wow, Nelly, Usher, and Mariah Carey.
- 2011: As a thank-you gift for selling out STAPLES Center multiple times, Justin Bieber received a private showing of Titanic and a candlelit dinner, accompanied by his then-girlfriend Selena Gomez.
- 2013: California's Hollywood Boulevard was shut down for Paul McCartney's 15-song set that featured Beatles classics and a few tracks from his No. 3 album, New. The ex-Beatle's performance, which an estimated 10,000 fans witnessed, began on the roof of the El Capitan Theater and then proceeded downstairs.
Notable Recordings and Performances
These titans of the music industry left their mark on Sept. 23:
- 1973: Elvis Presley recorded "Are You Sincere?" and "I Miss You" at his residence in Palm Springs, California.
- 1980: Bob Marley performed for the last time at the Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh.
- 2010: While on their Chinese Democracy Tour supporting their No. 3 album of the same name, Guns N' Roses delivered a historic show at the Beogradska Arena in Belgrade, Serbia. According to sources, this trek spanned over 200 shows across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
- 2010: Drake's Away From Home Tour stopped at the Moran Theater in Jacksonville, Florida. He blew his fans away with memorable performances of “Best I Ever Had,” “A Night Off,” and “The Resistance.”
- 2011: Demi Lovato's An Evening With Demi Lovato visited Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California. For this show, the Camp Rock star sang “Unbroken,” “Skyscraper,” and “My Love Is Like a Star.”
- 2023: The Chicks took their 2023 World Tour to the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. They performed a 22-song setlist that featured classics such as “Not Ready to Make Nice” and “Cowboy Take Me Away.”
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry is constantly evolving, but artists need to remember what truly matters:
- 1998: The Country Music Hall of Fame inducted Elvis Presley posthumously. It was momentous because of Presley's beginnings in Tennessee and the fact that the Grand Ole Opry once rejected him.
- 1998: Geffen Records announced that the members of White Zombie, Rob Zombie, Sean Yseult, John Tempesta, and Jay Yuenger, had decided to go their separate ways. The band's most notable record was Astro-Creep: 2000, which cracked the Top 30 in both the U.K. and the U.S.
- 2010: Sesame Street pulled a segment that featured Katy Perry bantering with Elmo after complaints about the modesty of her outfit. Perry later made fun of the incident on Saturday Night Live.
- 2019: Robert Hunter died in San Rafael, California. He was 78. Hunter was best known as the primary lyricist for the Grateful Dead, whose In the Dark reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200.
From new Elvis songs to final performances, Sept. 23 had plenty of significant moments in Top 40 history. Bob Marley performed for the last time at the Stanley Theatre in Pittsburgh, while Elvis Presley recorded "Are You Sincere?" and "I Miss You."
Dawn Palmer-QuaifeWriter
