This Day in Top 40 History: August 18
Ringo Starr officially joined The Beatles on Aug. 18, 1962, after he was recruited to replace the original drummer, Pete Best. This was the first time the four members —…
Ringo Starr officially joined The Beatles on Aug. 18, 1962, after he was recruited to replace the original drummer, Pete Best. This was the first time the four members — John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Starr — played together as a band. Keep reading for more Top 40 music history.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Hits from the 1970s and 1980s continue to influence pop music today, including these from Aug. 18:
- 1971: John Denver's country ballad "Take Me Home, Country Roads" was certified Gold in the U.S. In 2014, the song became one of West Virginia's four official state anthems.
- 1973: Diana Ross' single "Touch Me In The Morning" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking her second chart-topping hit as a solo artist.
- 1979: CHIC's "Good Times" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The eight-minute, quintessential disco era hit was later ranked 68th on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time List.
Cultural Milestones
Certain moments, such as these that occurred on Aug. 18, stand out because of how they have impacted culture beyond the music industry:
- 1977: Close friends and family attended a private funeral for Elvis Presley at Graceland. Thousands of fans gathered outside the mansion to pay their respects.
- 1982: The City of Liverpool in England named four streets in honor of The Beatles. All four members of the band were born and raised in the city.
- 1997: The Rolling Stones drove across the Brooklyn Bridge in a 1955 convertible Cadillac prior to a press conference announcing their upcoming Bridges to Babylon tour. The bridge was shut down for the publicity stunt.
- 2017: Taylor Swift wiped her social media of all content as part of a marketing strategy for her forthcoming single. Three days later, Swift posted a video of a snake to promote "Look What You Made Me Do."
Notable Recordings and Performances
Recordings and performances are where musicians truly make art. The following from Aug. 18 are classic examples:
- 1984: The Red Hot Chili Peppers released their self-titled debut studio album. This band has achieved two No. 1 albums, three No. 2 albums, and three No. 3 albums on the Billboard 200 chart.
- 1986: Bon Jovi released their third studio album, Slippery When Wet, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band was in the middle of a promotional tour when the album dropped.
- 2023: Addison Rae established her place on the pop scene with the release of her debut EP AR. It featured a collaboration with Charli XCX, who has performed with Rae twice since they made this recording.
- 2023: Hozier released his long-awaited third album, Unreal, Unearth. Later that day, Hozier performed at the Duggal Greenhouse in Brooklyn as part of his ongoing tour, singing songs such as "Francesca" and "I, Carrion (Icarian)" from his new album.
From promotional album tours to publicity stunts, the events from Top 40 history on Aug.18 showcase various artists' dedication to their craft.
