This Day in Top 40 History: February 1
On Feb. 1, 1994, Harry Styles was born in Worcestershire, England. He would later become a member of one of the most successful pop boy bands, One Direction. They placed…
On Feb. 1, 1994, Harry Styles was born in Worcestershire, England. He would later become a member of one of the most successful pop boy bands, One Direction. They placed at least six Top 10 hits in the U.S., including “Best Song Ever” and “Drag Me Down,” before announcing their indefinite hiatus in 2016. As a solo artist, Styles has scored two No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, “Watermelon Sugar” and “As It Was.” The three-time GRAMMY winner shared his birthday with Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie. Let's explore more important Top 40 history events from Feb. 1.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These releases from February 1 charted within the Top 40 on major music charts.
- 1972: Neil Young dropped his fourth studio album, Harvest. It would become his only No. 1 album in the U.S. Additionally, it spawned two of his three Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, “Old Man” and “Heart of Gold.”
- 1980: Blondie released her single “Call Me,” which was the theme song for the 1980 thriller film American Gigolo. Topping charts in both the U.K. and the U.S., the song is still one of their biggest hits.
- 1983: Journey's eighth studio album, Frontiers, came out. It stalled at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and produced one Top 10 single on the Hot 100, “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).” The record's “Faithfully,” “After the Fall,” and “Send Her My Love” cracked the Top 40 as well.
- 2024: Don Toliver released “Bandit,” which was from his Top Five album, Hardstone Psycho. The single peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Cultural Milestones
February 1 has seen various artists get married and share some exciting news with their fans.
- 1986: Diana Ross and Arne Naess tied the knot in Geneva, Switzerland. According to sources, Stevie Wonder sang his No. 1 hit “I Just Called to Say I Love You” during the wedding ceremony. Ross and Naess share two sons, Ross Arne and Evan Olav. The couple divorced in 2000, and Naess passed away in 2004.
- 2017: In an Instagram post that garnered more than a million likes within 30 minutes, Beyoncé announced that she and her husband Jay-Z were expecting twins. The “Drunk in Love” hitmakers, who were already parents to their first daughter, Blue Ivy, welcomed Rumi and Sir Carter on June 13, 2017.
Notable Recordings and Performances
On February 1, a few artists have delivered iconic, career-transforming performances.
- 1963: At a club in Winnipeg, Manitoba, 17-year-old Neil Young played his first gig with the Squires. This marked the start of his professional music career, which has spanned decades and seen him bag two GRAMMYs and receive nominations for more than 20.
- 2015: “I Kissed a Girl” hitmaker Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz knocked it out of the park at Glendale's University of Phoenix Stadium during the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show. Missy Elliott made a surprise appearance and performed an unforgettable medley of her Top 10 hits, “Work It,” “Lose Control,” and “Get Ur Freak On.”
Apart from hosting unforgettable performances and cultural moments, Feb. 1 has also marked the release of many timeless hits. This makes it a notable date in Top 40 history.
