This Day in Top 40 History: May 7

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1996: Donna Lewis issued her debut studio LP, Now in a Minute. The album stalled at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 while “I Love You Always Forever,” climbed to No. 2 on the Hot 100.
• 2011: Lady Gaga had taped two shows earlier in the year at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where she performed with a 10-piece band and 10 backup dancers. The shows were broadcast on HBO on May 7 as a special titled Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden.
• 2013: Fitz and the Tantrums released their sophomore album, More Than Just a Dream. Notable hits from this record, which reached No. 26 on Billboard's Hot 100, included “Out of My League” and “The Walker.”
• 2022: Harry Styles hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "As It Was." The song spent 15 nonconsecutive weeks at the top of the chart.  
• 2022: Ed Sheeran's "Bad Habits" and "Shivers" were prominent in the Billboard Hot 100. They were accompanied by Justin Bieber's "Ghost" and Lil Nas X's "That's What I Want."

Cultural Milestones

• 1992: John Frusciante abruptly left the Red Hot Chili Peppers while they were on tour in Japan, citing disillusionment with the band's soaring fame and his heroin addiction. He would reunite with the “Dani California” hitmakers in 1998 and leave again in 2009 due to mental fatigue and creative differences. Frusciante reclaimed his place in the band in 2019 and is still an active member. 
• 2012: Lacey Buchanan and “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” hitmaker Jake Owen got married, a month after the latter popped the question. Their wedding ceremony was held on Vero Beach, Florida. The couple, however, broke up and announced their divorce in August 2015. They continue to co-parent their daughter, Olive Pearl Owen. 
• 2023: Pop diva Taylor Swift wrapped up the Nashville segment of her Eras tour with the rain pouring down at Nissan Stadium. At the end of the performance, Swift brought out special guest Aaron Dessner, her co-writer and co-producer and a founding member of The National, to play second guitar on Midnights.
• 2023: Pop star Ed Sheeran and rocker Alanis Morissette were guest judges on American Idol, as regular judges Katy Perry and Lionel Ritchie were in the United Kingdom for the coronation of King Charles III. Sheeran and Morissette performed while on their temporary gig as judges.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1968: At the Olympia Theatre in Paris, France, the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, performed and recorded her Top 20 second live album, Aretha in Paris. This set featured at least 10 songs, including “Chain of Fools,” “Respect,” “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction,” and “Baby, I Love You.”
• 2016: Adele had a stellar performance at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany, as part of her Adele Live 2016/17 tour. Her setlist included fan favorites "Hello," "Rumour Has It," and "Set Fire to the Rain."
• 2017: Singer/songwriter Travis Scott stopped by Bayfront Park in Miami, Florida, as part of his Bird's Eye View tour. The fan favorites he performed included "Way Back" and "90210."
• 2025: Katy Perry's electrifying performance at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, blew her fans away. Playing songs such as “Chained to the Rhythm” and “WOMAN'S WORLD,” she was on her video game-inspired concert experience, The Lifetimes Tour. This trek promoted her seventh studio LP, 143.
• 2025: Beyoncé took her Cowboy Carter Tour to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Apart from supporting her chart-topping eighth studio album of the same name, the trek honored Black country pioneers and American resiliency. “ALLIIGATOR TEARS,” “DESERT EAGLE,” “RIIVERDANCE,” and “Irreplaceable” were among the songs on this concert's setlist. 

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1968: Reginald Dwight, born in May 1947, changed his name to “Elton John,” which was a combination of the names of his two Bluesology bandmates. John would later attain incredible success as a solo artist, placing up to 29 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word.” 
• 1998: Steve Perry left Journey after helping the band place singles such as “Open Arms” and “Who's Crying Now” in the Top 10 of the Hot 100. The “Oh, Sherrie” hitmaker had suffered a hip injury during a hiking accident and refused to undergo surgery to be able to perform again. As such, he could no longer tour with his former bandmates.
• 2003: Pete Townshend of The Who was cleared of child pornography charges. After a four-month investigation, officials from Scotland Yard concluded that the “Let My Love Open The Door” hitmaker didn't download or possess any indecent images of children. Even so, he was listed on the U.K. sex offenders registry for five years. According to sources, Townshend is also a victim of child sexual abuse.
• 2010: As part of the National Association of Music Merchants' National Wanna Play Music Week, May 7 was  National Store Appreciation Day. This part of the week's awareness campaign directed music lovers to visit and support their local music store to learn more about the power of music and the local community.
• 2024: Drake's security guard was shot and seriously injured outside the pop/rapper star's home in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Police didn't confirm whether the shooting was premeditated or a drive-by incident.