This Day in Top 40 History: August 12
On Aug. 12, 1968, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham played together during a rehearsal in the West End of London. Just one month later, they…
On Aug. 12, 1968, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham played together during a rehearsal in the West End of London. Just one month later, they officially became known as Led Zeppelin. The band went on to have seven No. 1 albums. Keep reading for more Top 40 history from Aug. 12.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Aug. 12 was the day for boy bands to thrive:
- 1988: New Kids on the Block released Hangin' Tough, their second studio album. It featured two No. 1 hits: "Hangin' Tough" and "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)."
- 1997: The Backstreet Boys released their self-titled debut album in the United States. It became a massive success and sold over 14 million copies.
- 2008: The Jonas Brothers' album A Little Bit Longer debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. The album included early 2000s bops, such as "Burnin' Up" and "Lovebug."
Cultural Milestones
Music is a powerful cultural connector, as evidenced by the following Aug. 12 events:
- 1982: New York's Museum of Modern Art opened a new exhibition called Performance Video. The exhibition explored how musicians present their work in front of a camera — think music videos.
- 1984: Lionel Richie performed a nine-minute rendition of his hit song "All Night Long" at the closing ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics.
- 1997: MTV aired Fleetwood Mac's reunion special, The Dance, marking the band's first time on stage together since 1982. The concert featured two soundstage performances taped earlier in the year.
- 2015: Elvis Presley was granted the honor of a second U.S. postage stamp bearing his likeness. Featuring a black and white photo, it was released as part of the Postal Service's Music Icon series, which began in 2013.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Can you imagine being one of the 700 lucky fans who got to see Mick Jagger on Aug. 12, 1989? New releases and live performances are always exciting:
- 1985: Neil Young released his 14th album, Old Ways. While Young is widely appreciated, this album was not.
- 1989: The Rolling Stones surprised 700 fans with an intimate concert at Toad's Place in New Haven, Connecticut, before their tour officially started.
- 1994: Woodstock '94 kicked off in New York with over 350,000 people in attendance. Sheryl Crow and Violent Femmes were among the performing acts on day one.
- 2023: The Jonas Brothers kicked off their Five Albums, One Night tour at New York's Yankee Stadium. The lengthy setlist included 66 songs from the band's five studio albums.
Whether you're a diehard pop music fan or simply an appreciator of all things music, Aug. 12 has something to offer you. This day was full of notable new music and wild moments in the industry.
