This Day in Top 40 History: September 24

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1981: Kool & the Gang launched Something Special, their 13th studio LP. The album stalled at No. 12 on the Billboard 200. Additionally, it produced two Top 20 singles on Billboard's Hot 100, “Take My Heart” and “Get Down On It.”
• 1991: Bryan Adams' sixth studio effort, Waking Up the Neighbors, came out. It spent 75 weeks on the Billboard 200, reaching No. 6. Six singles from this project landed in the Top 40 on the Hot 100, including "Can't Stop This Thing We Started," "There Will Never Be Another Tonight," and "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You,” which ruled the Hot 100 for seven weeks.
• 1991: Nirvana released their breakthrough album, Nevermind. The album eventually sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. and included the hits "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are."
• 1991: The Red Hot Chili Peppers released Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The album sold over 10 million copies and included the hit singles "Under the Bridge" (No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100) and "Give It Away" (GRAMMY Award winner).
• 1996: Weezer issued their 10-track sophomore album, Pinkerton. This record, which spawned songs such as “El Scorcho,” “Pink Triangle,” and “The Good Life,” stalled at No. 19 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2012: Mumford & Sons released Babel, their second studio album. It became the fastest-selling album in the U.K. that year.

Cultural Milestones

• 1941: Linda Louise Eastman, better known as Linda McCartney, was born in New York. She collaborated with her husband and ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney, to form Wings. The band scored multiple Top 40 singles in the U.S., including the chart-topping “Band on the Run.”
• 1962: Elvis Presley received an invitation to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in the U.K. His manager declined the offer due to movie commitments — but the truth was that Elvis' manager was concerned about his immigration status.
• 1971: Peter Salisbury was born in South West England. He's a founding member of The Verve, who have landed several Top 40 records in the U.K. These include Urban Hymns and Forth, both of which hit No. 1.
• 1999: Britney Spears appeared on the TV show Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. She danced with Sabrina during the episode "No Place Like Home."
• 2023: Taylor Swift showed up to an NFL game in support of her new love interest, Travis Kelce. The appearance prompted a spike in viewership and jersey sales.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1957: Elvis Presley released "Jailhouse Rock," and the song became an instant classic. It was Presley's ninth No. 1 hit.
• 1964: The Supremes appeared on TV for the first time on The Steve Allen Show. The group performed their song "Where Did Our Love Go."
• 1990: AC/DC released The Razors Edge, their 11th studio album. The album hit No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
• 2003: The Dave Matthews Band played their largest concert (at that time) in New York City's Central Park. The concert was recorded and released as The Central Park Concert album.
• 2015: Ariana Grande played tracks such as “Love Me Harder,” “Honeymoon Avenue,” and “Hands on Me” at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. This concert was part of The Honeymoon Tour, which supported the three-time GRAMMY winner's No. 1 album, My Everything.
• 2018: Drake took the Aubrey & The Three Migos Live! Tour to New Orleans' Smoothie King Center in Louisiana. He performed a 33-song set that featured “God's Plan,” “Nice For What,” and his collaboration with Rihanna, “Work.”

Industry Changes and Challenges 

• 1997: Larry Hall died of cancer at 57. Born in Hamlett, Ohio, Hall was a one-hit wonder, as only one of his songs, “Sandy,” cracked the Top 40 in the U.S. The track peaked at No. 15 on the Hot 100. 
• 2009: Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne announced on Twitter that he had finally passed his driving test after six decades and a mind-blowing 19 failed attempts. To celebrate this milestone, the “Mama, I'm Coming Home” singer bought a  Ferrari, which, unfortunately, crashed in 2010.
• 2014: George Hilliard died at 73. He was best known as the lead vocalist of The Tymes, who scored a number of Top 40 singles in both the U.K. and the U.S. Some of these were “So Much In Love,” which topped the Billboard pop charts and stalled at No. 21 on the U.K. Singles Chart.
• 2024: Cat Glover died at 62. According to sources, she began her dancing journey at only 5. She would go on to work with “When Doves Cry” hitmaker Prince. She contributed to his 1987 film Sign o' the Times and 1988 Top 10 hit “Alphabet St.”