This Day in Top 40 History: October 15
On Oct. 15, 2021, Benson Boone announced that he had signed with Night Street Records after leaving American Idol. Boone has released two albums with this label, including Fireworks &…
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On Oct. 15, 2021, Benson Boone announced that he had signed with Night Street Records after leaving American Idol. Boone has released two albums with this label, including Fireworks & Rollerblades and American Heart. His sophomore album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, largely due to his increasing popularity on social media. Keep reading for more Top 40 history from Oct. 15.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Whether you garner success from "American Idol" or by covering a Neil Diamond song, the charts don't lie:
- 1977: Debby Boone began a record-breaking 10-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her song "You Light Up My Life." At the time, it was the longest a single had ever spent at the top.
- 1988: New Jersey by Bon Jovi reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, where it stayed for four consecutive weeks. The hit album included enduring rock classics such as "Bad Medicine" and "Born to Be My Baby."
- 1988: With their cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine," UB40 snagged the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The cover is now one of UB40's most identifiable songs.
- 2016: Halsey and the Chainsmokers dominated the charts with their song "Closer." It spent a total of 12 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2022: "Bad Habit" by Steve Lacy was at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second week. It was the second single from Lacy's album Gemini Rights.
Cultural Milestones
These moments from Oct. 15 highlight how music continues to permeate the culture that surrounds it:
- 1997: Michael Jackson wrapped up his HIStory tour in South Africa. During the tour, Jackson played 82 shows to over 4 million fans around the world.
- 2003: In New York City, the Louis Armstrong House Museum opened to the public in the jazz musician's former residence.
- 2007: Britney Spears was photographed and fingerprinted at a Los Angeles police station in relation to a hit-and-run incident from earlier in the month.
Musicians aren't just artists; they're culture creators. These events from Oct. 15 reveal how interconnected pop music is with the rest of the world.
Megan ZahndWriter
