This Day in Top 40 History: January 11
On Jan. 11, two influential music artists, Big Bank Hank and Mary. J Blige, were born. The former, whose real name was Henry Lee Jackson, was a member of The…
On Jan. 11, two influential music artists, Big Bank Hank and Mary. J Blige, were born. The former, whose real name was Henry Lee Jackson, was a member of The Sugarhill Gang. Their hit "Rapper's Delight" became the first rap song to crack the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single has influenced several hip-hop and rap artists. Blige earned the honorific "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" after putting out a string of hits, including Top Five singles "Be Without You" and "Family Affair." Here are more defining Top 40 history events from Jan. 11.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Jan. 11 has seen some exciting Top 40 recordings and performances, such as:
- 1965: The Beach Boys recorded "Do You Wanna Dance?" on this day. Its energy, dynamic production, and layered harmonies set it apart from Bobby Freeman's original version. This hit appears on the band's The Beach Boys Today! album, and it reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded "Purple Haze," which, according to Hendrix, was inspired by an encounter in New York. The band released the song in the U.K. in March of the same year, and it quickly climbed the Singles Chart and peaked at No. 3. Although "Purple Haze" didn't crack the Top 40 in the U.S., it amplified the band's reach in the country.
- 1985: Queen, known for their hit, "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," performed at the inaugural Rock in Rio festival in Brazil. Other acts at this event, which took place from Jan. 11 to 20, included Whitesnake and Erasmo Carlos.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry lost an iconic musician on Jan. 11. Other challenges on this date include:
- 2000: Whitney Houston was flagged by Kona International Airport security in Hawaii for allegedly possessing marijuana. She was about to board a plane to San Francisco with her then husband, Bobby Brown.
- 2005: Spencer Dryden of Jefferson Airplane died from colon cancer at 66. He contributed to the creation of the band's biggest hits, including "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love," which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. After leaving Jefferson Airplane in 1970, Dryden joined New Riders of the Purple Sage.
- 2017: Richard Carpenter of the Carpenters, who placed No. 1 singles such as "Please Mr. Postman" and "(They Long To Be) Close To You" on the Billboard Hot 100, sued Universal Music Group and A&M Records over unpaid digital royalties. According to Carpenter's lawsuit, they had paid him only a small fraction of what they owed, and he sought at least $2 million in damages.
These Top 40 music highlights leave no doubt that Jan. 11 is a noteworthy day. Come back to this page tomorrow to discover what happened on that day in Top 40 history.
