This Day in Top 40 History: January 7
On Jan. 7, 2012, Beyoncé and Jay-Z welcomed their first child, Blue Ivy Carter, in New York City. This was nearly four years after the couple, which has Top 10…
On Jan. 7, 2012, Beyoncé and Jay-Z welcomed their first child, Blue Ivy Carter, in New York City. This was nearly four years after the couple, which has Top 10 hits such as “Drunk in Love” and “'03 Bonnie & Clyde” to its name, got married in a private wedding ceremony in Manhattan. In 2012, Blue Ivy would become the youngest person to place a song on Billboard's Hot 100 when Jay-Z featured her on his track “Glory.” The song didn't crack the Top 40, though. Jan. 7 has hosted other interesting Top 40 history events.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Here's a list of some memorable Top 40 singles and albums from Jan. 7.
- 1985: The Cars dropped “Why Can't I Have You” from their Heartbeat City, an album that peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Debuting at No. 79 on the Hot 100, this track soared to No. 33 within a little over a month and spent 17 weeks on the chart.
- 2003: 50 Cent launched “In Da Club,” which was from his highly anticipated debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin'. Produced by Dr. Dre, the track dominated the Hot 100 for nine consecutive weeks and is still one of his biggest hits.
- 2022: The Weeknd's fifth 16-track studio LP, Dawn FM, came out. The set debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and topped charts in Canada, Australia, Sweden, and other regions. Additionally, it spawned several Top 20 singles on the Hot 100, such as “Take My Breath” and “Sacrifice.” The latter peaked at No. 10 in the UK.
Cultural Milestones
These significant Top 40 cultural events went down on January 7:
- 1994: Nirvana brought the house down at the Seattle House Arena while on their Utero tour. Unfortunately, this would be their last performance in the US, as their frontman, Kurt Cobain, died by suicide in April that year.
- 2006: Carey Hart and Pink, whose number-one singles include “Raise Your Glass” and “So What,” got married in Costa Rica. The couple shares two children, Willow and Jameson.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry has experienced the following changes on January 7:
- 1980: Louisiana native Larry Williams died by suicide. By the time of his death, he had scored a couple of hits, including “Short Fat Fannie” and “Bonie Moronie,” which cracked the Top 20 on Billboard charts and moved over a million copies. He had also landed roles in movies such as Drum and Just for the Hell of It.
- 2020: Rascal Flatts revealed that they were going their separate ways after their final Farewell: Life Is a Highway Tour. Scheduled to start in June that year, the tour would see the trio perform in multiple cities across the United States and Canada. However, they cancelled it in May due to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite their breakup announcement, the band reunited in 2025, when they began their Life Is A Highway Tour.
Thanks to these Top 40 history events, most members of the music community remember Jan. 7, even as they go about their daily lives.
