This Day in Top 40 History: August 29
Aug. 29 was the night of the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. Outkast took home Video of the Year for “Hey Ya!” and Beyoncé and Jay-Z made their first-ever red-carpet…
Aug. 29 was the night of the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. Outkast took home Video of the Year for "Hey Ya!" and Beyoncé and Jay-Z made their first-ever red-carpet debut as a couple — what an iconic night. Keep reading for more Top 40 music history from Aug. 29.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Here's proof of how hit songs can become hilarious memes or inspire romantic comedies years after their release:
- 1964: "Oh, Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and later went to No. 1, where it remained for three weeks. It was also the inspiration for the film Pretty Woman over 25 years after its release.
- 1987: Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" was at No. 1 for five straight weeks in the U.K. before topping the charts around the world. Rickrolling had to have its start somewhere.
- 2018: Ariana Grande reached No. 1 on the U.K. charts with her album Sweetener. It had peaked at No. 1 in the U.S. just a few days prior and became her best-selling album to date.
Cultural Milestones
As an artistic expression, music is deeply intertwined with popular culture:
- 1990: Sinead O'Connor finished up the soundcheck for her show in New York, donned a disguise, and joined protesters outside. The twist is that she was the reason the protesters were there. They were out in response to her petition that the national anthem not be played before her concert.
- 1993: The late pop superstar Liam Payne was born in Wolverhampton, England. Payne had immense success during his time with One Direction before his untimely and tragic passing in 2024.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Fans of both the San Francisco Giants and The Beatles got to witness the band's final show at their team's old stadium, and Nirvana fans in Boston got to hear this band's whole debut album on the radio:
- 1966: The Beatles wrapped up their tour in San Francisco with a show at the now-demolished Candlestick Park. It was the group's final public performance, as the rigors of tour life had caught up with them.
- 1991: A radio station in Boston played Nirvana's new sophomore album Nevermind from beginning to end. The album included "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Come as You Are," two long-standing hits from the grunge rock group.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry has its ups and downs, as these moments from decades past reveal:
- 1964: Billboard magazine announced guitar sales had soared to the highest they had been since the advent of Elvis Presley. This was largely due to the British Invasion, in which British rock groups such as The Beatles, The Animals, and The Kinks took the music world by storm.
- 2002: Pepsi scrapped its commercial with rapper Ludacris after Bill O'Reilly accused him of antisocial behavior. Although the ordeal was challenging for the rapper, his career was mostly unharmed, and he went on to enjoy the success of three No. 1 albums.
Whether you've headbanged to Nirvana, attempted to sing along to an Ariana Grande song, or played a few Beatles tunes on your guitar at some point in your life, there's something for everyone from Aug. 29.
