This Day in Top 40 History: July 6
On July 6, 1957 in Liverpool, England, the music industry changed forever when Paul McCartney and John Lennon met for the first time as teenagers. Lennon later invited McCartney to…
On July 6, 1957 in Liverpool, England, the music industry changed forever when Paul McCartney and John Lennon met for the first time as teenagers. Lennon later invited McCartney to join his group, which was renamed The Beatles. From fateful first meetings to chart-topping releases, July 6 holds several memorable moments in Top 40 history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Not every single or album is a hit, but many artists have enjoyed breakthrough moments on July 6 over the years:
- 1973: Queen released "Keep Yourself Alive," the band's first single. While this song did not chart, Queen eventually notched two No. 1 hits and sold an estimated 300 million records.
- 2016: Drake matched Michael Jackson's 1983 U.S. chart record, when his album Views and single "One Dance" simultaneously claimed the top spots on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 singles charts and remained there for seven weeks.
- 2017: Less than a week after it's release, Jay-Z's album 4:44 went Platinum in the U.S., despite only being available online.
Notable Recordings and Performances
From live TV appearances to concerts that amassed huge crowds, July 6 has seen many noteworthy performances:
- 1967: Pink Floyd made their first appearance on British television, performing on Top of the Pops to promote their new single, "See Emily Play."
- 1968: The Woburn Music Festival kicked off with performances from Al Stewart, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and more. The two-day festival took place in Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire.
- 1980: Bob Marley played his first and only show in Ireland at Dalymount Park in Dublin. With around 23,000 people in attendance, this show is fondly remembered in the Irish music scene, as it was one of the last outdoor shows Marley performed before his untimely death.
- 1984: The Jacksons performed the first show of their North American Victory Tour in Kansas City, Missouri. The tour, which incorporated 55 concerts, grossed around $75 million, and Michael Jackson famously donated a large sum of the proceeds to charity.
- 2019: Lil Nas X's single "Old Town Road" broke the record for the longest-running No. 1 hip-hop song on the Billboard Hot 100. It held the top spot for 13 weeks.
Music charts from past years reveal trends and patterns in the industry and society. Artists who reach the Top 40 enter an elite group and cement themselves in music history. From the first whispers of the Beatles to R&B chart records, July 6 marks a pivotal day.
