This Day in Top 40 History: January 31
January 31 has many breakthrough musical milestones including hit songs by the Jackson Five, notable Super Bowl performances, and the end of an era of New Wave music. January 31 is a memorable day in Top 40 music.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
On January 31, songs we know by heart and ones that topped the Billboard charts happened on this day.
- 1979: The Jackson Five pop band’s “I Want You Back” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This milestone helped launch the band’s ultra-successful career.
- 1981: Pop band Blondie had their third #1 song with the reggae-inspired “The Tide Is High.”
- 2015: The super fun and danceable “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson is on its fourth week on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2020: Zac Brown Band’s “Homegrown” reached Double Platinum, and “Beautiful Drug” and “Loving You Easy” received Platinum certifications.
Cultural Milestones
January 31 saw numerous milestones that impacted culture for future trends.
- 1981: The wildly popular pop star Justin Timberlake was born on this day. Often referred to as the Prince of Pop, Timberlake is best known for his time with the boy band NSYNC and his solo hits like “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”
- 1988: The influential New Wave British rock band, the Cars, broke up. New Wave rock hit the shores of the United States strong, but with the ending of The Cars, this genre of music faded away.
- 1993: Country music star Garth Brooks performed the National Anthem at Super Bowl XXVII. Having a country star sing the National Anthem highlighted the growing mainstream appeal of the country crossover in the Top 40 genre.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Notable recordings and performances for January 31 ranged across music genres.
- 1993: “Billie Jean” is among one of the songs Michael Jackson performs at Super Bowl XXXVII.
- 1994: American singer-songwriter Tori Amos released her second album, “Under the Pink.” This album became a huge hit, vaulting Amos to commercial success.
- 1999: Stevie Wonder performs at Super Bowl XXXIII halftime at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, FL.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Music industry changes and challenges occur all the time, including:
- 2019: Female rapper Card B won Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards. This highlights how the industry is changing its views by acknowledging female rappers.
We are seeing the absorption of Top 40 elements and artists transitioning into crossover country music. Some musicians feel this will impact country artist’s integrity. Will we continue to have country, rap, R&B, and rock artists delve into the Top 40 industry? Time will tell.
