This Day in Top 40 History: January 6
On Jan. 6, 2017, Ed Sheeran released “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill,” as the lead singles from his third studio album, ÷. While the former reached the summit…
On Jan. 6, 2017, Ed Sheeran released “Shape of You” and “Castle on the Hill,” as the lead singles from his third studio album, ÷. While the former reached the summit of Billboard's Hot 100, the latter peaked at No. 2 on the same chart. The tracks' high chart placement undoubtedly contributed to ÷'s success, as the record hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Jan. 6 has witnessed other impactful Top 40 history moments, including cultural events and notable changes. Read on to learn all about them.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Here are a few notable album releases from January 6.
- 1976: Peter Frampton launched his double live album, Frampton Comes Alive!. Unlike a majority of his previous releases, this project achieved massive commercial success. It hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and delivered three Top 20 hits on the Hot 100, including “Do You Feel Like We Do" and "Baby, I Love Your Way.”
- 2015: Rae Sremmurd dropped their eleven-track debut album, SremmLife, featuring guest vocals from Young Thug and Nicki Minaj. Several tracks from this project charted within the Top 40 on the Hot 100, such as “No Type,” “Throw Sum Mo,” and “No Flex Zone.”
Cultural Milestones
The following Top 40 cultural events from January 6 are still on the minds of many music enthusiasts.
- 1951: Kim Wilson was born in Detroit, Michigan. He is the frontman of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, whose most notable hits are “Roll of the Dice” and “Struck Down.” Both cracked the Top 30 on the UK Singles chart.
- 1957: Elvis Presley graced the Ed Sullivan Show for the third and final time. CBS censors did not allow the King of Rock ‘n' Roll's entire body to be shown because of his gyrations, so viewers could only see him from the waist up. Nevertheless, he hit it out of the park, performing Top 40 singles such as “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Too Much,” and “Love Me Tender.”
- 2019: Kanye West launched his weekly Sunday Service series at his home in California. During the inaugural event, he performed a gospel-style rendition of “Jesus Walks,” which stalled at No. 11 on the Hot 100. Among the attendees were renowned artists such as DMX, Tyler, The Creator, and Kid Cudi.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry has experienced various changes and obstacles on January 6, including:
- 1986: Following his long-term struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as a failed suicide attempt, Rob Halford, Judas Priest's frontman, began his sobriety journey by going to rehab. As of this writing, he has been sober for nearly four decades. His recovery has certainly played a role in Judas Priest's success. Speaking of which, they have placed four Top 40 singles in the UK, including “Breaking the Law” and “Living After Midnight.”
- 1987: Elton John underwent throat surgery in a private hospital in Australia after experiencing throat problems while on tour. The doctor advised him to rest his voice for a few months, so he canceled all his upcoming performances that year, including multiple US shows.
As we've seen, these Top 40 history events from Jan. 6 have truly changed the music industry.
