This Day in Top 40 History: January 9
On Jan. 9, 1944, Jimmy Page was born in Middlesex, England. He is best known as a member of the Yardbirds, who eventually evolved into Led Zeppelin. They have achieved…
On Jan. 9, 1944, Jimmy Page was born in Middlesex, England. He is best known as a member of the Yardbirds, who eventually evolved into Led Zeppelin. They have achieved multiple No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, including Led Zeppelin II and In Through the Out Door. On the Hot 100, the band has placed a number of Top 40 hits as well, such as “Whole Lotta Love,” “Immigrant Song,” and “Black Dog.” Page shares his birthday with several successful artists, including Sean Paul and Crystal Gayle.
In addition to birthdays, Jan. 9 hosts the following important Top 40 history moments.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These albums and singles released on January 9 charted within the Top 40 on major music charts.
- 1984: Van Halen unveiled their 1984 album, which arguably missed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart because Michael Jackson's Thriller was at the top. Among the Top 20 hits the record delivered were “Panama” and “I'll Wait,” which both stalled at No. 13 on the Hot 100.
- 2012: The Maccabees' third studio album, Given to the Wild, came out in the UK, featuring “Child,” “Feel to Follow,” and eleven other tracks. While the set didn't break into Billboard's 200 chart, it entered the Official Albums chart in the UK and peaked at No. 4.
- 2015: Meghan Trainor launched her debut LP, Title. It quickly reached the summit of the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales exceeding 200,000 copies. In addition, the album delivered Trainor's only number-one single on the Hot 100 as of this writing, “All About That Bass.” It's hailed as one of the best female empowerment anthems. Other Top 10 hits from the set include “Like I'm Gonna Lose You” and “Lips Are Movin.”
Cultural Milestones
Unforgettable Top 40 cultural events from January 9 include:
- 1973: Lou Reed and Bettye Kronstad got married. When the couple met, Kronstad was 19, studying at New York's Columbia University. However, their marriage lasted less than a year.
- 2005: Mötley Crüe frontman Vince Neil, who has contributed to Top 10 singles such as “Without You” and “Dr. Feelgood,” married Lia Gerardini, his fourth wife, in Los Angeles, California. Tommy Lee is credited with introducing them. The couple parted ways in 2010.
- 2013: The People's Choice Awards were aired. On the list of nominees were Top 40 artists such as Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera, who also performed during the event. The pool of winners featured many big names, including Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Adele, and One Direction
- 2016: Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister's funeral service was held in Los Angeles. He had died from cancer on Dec. 26, 2015, at 70. While alive, he was best known as the frontman of Motörhead, who have achieved at least 7 UK Top 40 singles as of this writing. In attendance were renowned artists such as Mikkey Dee, Judas Priest's Rob Halford, and Metallica's Robert Trujillo.
These moments from January 9 have certainly impacted the personal and professional lives of various Top 40 artists. While some, such as Lou Reed, celebrated love on this date, others received coveted accolades for their works.
