This Day in Top 40 History: September 11
On Sept. 11, 2001, the world watched in horror as New York City endured an attack on the Twin Towers. In the aftermath, music played a significant role in the…
Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images
On Sept. 11, 2001, the world watched in horror as New York City endured an attack on the Twin Towers. In the aftermath, music played a significant role in the healing and recovery process, with several benefit concerts taking place to raise funds for the victims. Read on to discover interesting Top 40 history from Sept. 11.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These big hits and outstanding achievements from Sept. 11 demonstrate the diversity of Top 40 music:
- 1965: The Beatles hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with their album Help! and remained on top for nine consecutive weeks.
- 1971: The Jackson 5ive TV series premiered on ABC. All characters in the animated series, which only lasted for two seasons, were voiced by actors rather than the actual group members.
- 1982: American Fool by John Mellencamp (then known as John Cougar) began a nine-week run atop the Billboard 200, making him the only male artist to have a No. 1 album and two singles in the top 10.
- 2015: The Jackson 5's song "ABC" gained a new lease on life when "Easy Love," a track sampling the 1970 hit, reached No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart. The original version peaked at No. 8.
- 2021: "Butter" by the South Korean boy band BTS claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for the 10th consecutive week. The hit song topped charts worldwide, reaching the top 10 in over 30 countries.
- 2024: Taylor Swift won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Collaboration for her song "Fortnight" featuring Post Malone. She used her acceptance speech to honor the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Highlight performances and stand-out releases from Sept. 11 include:
- 2001: The Strokes' debut album, Is This It, was released on vinyl. Due to the 9/11 attacks, the CD release was delayed and had its track list amended, with the song "New York City Cops" being removed and replaced with the newly written "When It Started."
- 2001: Madonna, Janet Jackson, Aerosmith, and other artists with performances scheduled on this day cancelled in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City.
- 2024: Chappell Roan stood out during the MTV VMAs for her tense exchange with a photographer on the red carpet, her fiery performance of "Good Luck, Babe!" dressed in medieval-inspired armor, and her win for Best New Artist and dedication to the queer community.
Despite the tragedy and hardships of Sept.11, music provided a bright spot for many in the years that followed.
Megan ZahndWriter
