This Day in Top 40 History: September 29

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1980: Stevie Wonder's 19th studio album, Hotter than July, was released, featuring Top 40 singles “Master Blaster (Jammin')” and "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It.” The record reached No. 2 in the U.K. and No. 3 in the U.S.
• 1984: Prince and The Revolution topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the song "Let's Go Crazy," the opening track on Prince's iconic Purple Rain album.
• 1990: American duo Nelson topped the charts for the first and only time with their song "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection."
• 1991: MTV aired the music video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Within a few weeks, the song by up-and-coming band Nirvana topped the charts.
• 1992: Alice in Chains launched their sophomore studio album, Dirt. It stalled at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 and delivered singles such as “Down in a Hole,” “Them Bones,” “Rooster,” and “Angry Chair.” 
• 1998: Jay-Z released Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. The album was the rapper's most commercially successful release, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
• 2001: Alicia Keys was at the top of the charts with "Fallin'," a single from her debut album, Songs in A Minor. Keys went on to win three GRAMMY Awards for the song, including Song of the Year.
• 2009: Paramore issued Brand New Eyes, their third studio LP, via Fueled by Ramen. This set peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It also delivered “Brick by Boring Brick” and “The Only Exception,” which reached No. 24 on Billboard's Hot 100. 
• 2009: Lynyrd Skynyrd put out their 13th studio album, Gods & Guns, including “Still Unbroken,” “Unwrite That Song,” and “Simple Life.” It stalled at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and broke into the Top 10 on the Top Rock Albums Chart. 
• 2017: Miley Cyrus dropped Younger Now, which spawned one Top 10 hit, “Malibu.” This project, which featured guest vocals from Dolly Parton, reached the Top Five in multiple regions, including the U.S., Australia, and Ireland.

Cultural Milestones

• 1935: Jerry Lee Lewis was born in Louisiana. Nicknamed “The Killer,” he placed more than 20 Top 10 singles on Billboard's Hot 100. That list features chart-toppers “There Must Be More to Love Than This” and “To Make Love Sweeter for You.”
• 1987: Joshua Farro was born in New Jersey. A self-taught artist, he co-founded Paramore and co-wrote some of their early hits, including “Misery Business.” Farro, however, left the band in 2010, alongside his brother Zac, citing differing artistic beliefs and directions.
• 1994: Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, better known as Halsey, was born. In her career, Halsey has scored two No. 1 hits: "Closer" and "Without Me."
• 2012: Patrick Stump and his long-time partner Elisa Yao tied the knot in Chicago, Illinois. Yao and Stump, who fronts Fall Out Boy and has helped place Top 10 hits such as “Sugar, We're Goin' Down” and “Dance, Dance” on the Hot 100, share two sons, Declan and Antero Stump.
• 2021: A judge removed Jamie Spears from his role as conservator of Britney Spears' estate and finances. Her father had held the role of conservator since 2008.
• 2021: In Detroit, Michigan, Eminem joined forces with Union Joints Restaurant Group to open Mom's Spaghetti. The restaurant's name was inspired by the lyric "mom's spaghetti" from his 2002 hit single, “Lose Yourself,” which ruled the Hot 100 for 12 weeks.
• 2023: For the first time since 2002, NSYNC released music as a band. The song "Better Place" was featured on the soundtrack for Trolls Band Together.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1989: Bruce Springsteen pulled up at Matt's Saloon in Prescott, Arizona, on his motorcycle. Once he was inside, he played some of his greatest hits, including "I'm on Fire" and "Born in the U.S.A.," with the house band.
• 1994: Oasis band members Liam and Noel got into an argument and altercation onstage in Los Angeles. The band temporarily split but reconciled later on the tour.
• 2012: At the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Justin Bieber played an 18-song setlist featuring “As Long As You Love Me,” “All Around the World,” and “Never Say Never.” He was on the Believe Tour supporting his No. 1 record of the same name.
• 2017: While on the Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour, The Weeknd brought the house down at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. The setlist for this concert included 23 songs, including chart-toppers “The Hills” and “Can't Feel My Face.”
• 2017: Kesha's Rainbow Tour stopped at Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, Georgia, where she played “TiK ToK” and “We R Who We R.” This trek, which featured concerts in Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia, promoted her No. 1 third studio LP, Rainbow.
• 2021: Harry Styles' Love On Tour visited the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The former member of One Direction hit it out of the park, performing “Adore You,” “Watermelon Sugar,” and “What Makes You Beautiful.” 
• 2024: Sabrina Carpenter headlined Madison Square Garden for her Short n' Sweet Tour. This show occurred just one week after her album was certified Platinum.