This Day in Top 40 History: October 20
On Oct. 20, 2016, Little Big Town released the song “Better Man,” the lead single from the band’s eighth album, The Breaker. It was later revealed that Taylor Swift was…
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On Oct. 20, 2016, Little Big Town released the song "Better Man," the lead single from the band's eighth album, The Breaker. It was later revealed that Taylor Swift was the songwriter behind the track — she had intended to include it on Red but pitched it to Little Big Town instead. However, Swift recorded her own version of the song for her album Red (Taylor's Version) in 2021. Keep reading for more Top 40 music history from Oct. 20.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These artists celebrated significant achievements on Oct. 20:
- 1962: "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100. It was true then, and it's still true now — "Monster Mash" is the most famous and beloved Halloween song of all time.
- 1973: "Angie" by The Rolling Stones reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was the U.K. band's seventh song to top the charts across the pond.
Notable Recordings and Performances
The following albums captured the lived experiences of the artists at the time of release:
- 1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono released The Wedding Album, the third and final experimental album by the duo, which featured five tracks.
- 1979: Bob Dylan appeared on Saturday Night Live, performing three songs from his album Slow Train Coming. It was Dylan's only appearance on the show.
- 1992: Madonna released Erotica, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. This album is recognized for its influential themes and conceptual depth.
- 2003: Amy Winehouse released her debut album, Frank. While it achieved some initial success, the album's popularity surged significantly after the singer's untimely death in 2011.
- 2023: Cher released her first-ever Christmas album, featuring a mix of classics and original songs in her signature style. It included the singles "DJ Play A Christmas Song," "Angels in the Snow," and "Drop Top Sleigh Ride."
Industry Changes and Challenges
Oct. 20 saw these impactful events:
- 1971: Snoop Dog was born Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. He's one of the most influential rappers of all time, with 16 GRAMMY Award nominations and three Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.
- 1977: Lynyrd Skynyrd's chartered plane crashed, killing three band members, Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines, along with assistant road manager Dean Kilpatrick and two pilots. The tragic accident happened just three days after the release of the group's fourth album.
Happy birthday to Snoop Dogg. Now you need to decide whether to blast "Monster Mash" or "DJ Play A Christmas Song."
Megan ZahndWriter
