This Day in Top 40 History: January 22
On Jan. 22, 1959, Buddy Holly recorded his last songs at his New York City apartment, performing them with just his guitar and a tape recorder. The songs included the…
On Jan. 22, 1959, Buddy Holly recorded his last songs at his New York City apartment, performing them with just his guitar and a tape recorder. The songs included the popular "Peggy Sue Got Married" and "That Makes It Tough." The following day, the singer would depart on his The Winter Dance Party Tour and, two weeks later, get killed in a tragic plane crash.
While this is a sad part of music history, it had a profound effect on the industry. Here's more Top 40 history from the archives of Jan. 22, including breakthrough hits, cultural milestones, notable performances, and industry changes and challenges.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The Top 40 chart saw many breakthrough hits on Jan. 22 throughout history, and there were some big milestones, too:
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- 1966: Making it to the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 was "We Can Work It Out" by the Beatles.
- 1972: The American Pie album by Don McLean made it to No. 1 on the American album chart and stayed there for seven weeks.
- 1980: Steve Martin's "Comedy Is Not Pretty" achieved half a million certified units for a Gold certification.
- 2016: Zach Herron releases his first solo single, "Timelapse." He would later join the boy band Why Don't We.
- 2019: Jason Derulo's single, "In My Head" earned 3x and 4x Platinum digital certifications with four million certified units.
- 2020: Mark Ronson's "Nothing Breaks Like a Heart," featuring Miley Cyrus, earned Gold and Platinum digital certifications with one million certified units.
- 2021: Sabrina Carpenter releases "Skin." Many fans speculate the song is a response to Olivia Rodrigo's "Driver's License." The drama between the two singers began with a potential love triangle with Joshua Bassett.
Cultural Milestones
Cultural milestones in the top 40 history from Jan. 22 have had a big impact on the music industry, including:
- 1940: Addie Harris, singer for the all-female group The Shirelles, was born. The band was the first all-female black group to have a No. 1 hit album.
- 1998: Billboard introduced the Top 40 Tracks chart to reflect airplay from mainstream, rhythmic, and adult top 40 radio stations, encompassing a broader range of pop music airplay.
- 2015: Rihanna wins her years-long legal battle with Topshop, a British fashion retailer, over a T-shirt featuring her image without her consent.
- 2025: Tickets for the FireAid Benefit Concert went on sale. The concert was to help raise funds for the victims of the Los Angeles fires. The performance was held on January 30 and included artists like Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Tate McRae, Olivia Rodrigo, and more
Notable Recordings and Performances
These notable recordings and performances from Jan. 22 made history and left an impression on fans and the industry:
- 1966: The Beach Boys made their way to Gold Star Studios to record "Wouldn't It Be Nice," which earned a GRAMMY lifetime achievement award.
- 2010: Many stars performed at the Hope for Haiti Now telethon to raise money for the Haiti earthquake relief. Some of the most recognizable performances include Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Madonna, and Justin Timberlake.
- 2020: The Weeknd performed "Blinding Lights" on Jimmy Kimmel Live when promoting his latest album, After Hours.
- 2024: Madonna performs at Madison Square Garden for her Celebration Tour.
What happened in the past sets the tone for the future, and these Jan. 22 events are still influencing top 40 history to this day. From breakthrough hits and cultural shifts to memorable recordings and industry challenges, these are the moments kept alive through their continued influence.
