This Day in Top 40 History: February 3

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1964: Capitol Records released the Beach Boys' surf-inspired song, "Fun, Fun, Fun" which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• 1979: Blondie's "Heart of Glass" hit No. 1 on the U.K. charts, and this song was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2015. 
• 1997: David Bowie issued his 21st studio album, Earthling. It peaked at No. 6 in the U.K. and delivered a couple of Top 40 hits in the region, including “Dead Man Walking” and “Little Wonder.”
• 1997: Texas released their chart-topping fourth studio album, White on Blonde, via Mercury Records. The set produced multiple UK Top 10 hits, such as “Say What You Want” and “Black Eyed Boy.”
• 2002: The Beatles' Paul McCartney sings at a pre-game Super Bowl event with his song "Freedom" which was inspired by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
• 2008: Adele's debut album,19, topped the charts in the U.K. Since then, this album has sold over eight million copies around the world.
• 2017: Sampha's debut album, Process, came out, featuring “Blood on Me” and “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano.” While the latter reached No. 7 on the UK Independent Singles Chart, the former stalled at No. 36. Additionally, the record cracked the Top 10 on the UK Albums Chart.

Cultural Milestones

• 1960: Fueled by a desire to own his masters and enjoy more artistic freedom, Frank Sinatra established his own record label, Reprise Records. The “Strangers In The Night” singer was the first artist to achieve that feat. In 1963, Sinatra sold two-thirds of the company to Warner Brothers. 
• 1968: The Beatles begin work on their hit "Lady Madonna" at the famous Abbey Road Studio in London, England. Music and performances by the Beatles created Beatlemania and changed the pace of rock and roll in the U.S. 
• 1976: Daddy Yankee was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He has placed over 100 hits on Billboard's Hot 100, and at least seven of them, including Luis Fonsi's “Despacito” and “Shaky Shaky,” have reached the chart's summit. Yankee also has five GRAMMY nominations under his belt. 
• 1990: Sean Kingston was born in Miami, Florida. He shot to fame in 2007 after dropping his No. 1 hit, “Beautiful Girls,” which spent over 20 weeks on the Hot 100. In 2010, he teamed up with Justin Bieber to release “Eenie Meenie,” a track that stalled at No. 15 in the U.S.
• 1992: Michael Jackson announced he would begin a world tour sponsored by the Pepsi brand. This tour's proceeds went toward Jackson's Heal the World Foundation benefiting children worldwide.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1966: Paul McCartney witnessed Stevie Wonder perform at The Scotch of St. James nightclub in London. The ex-Beatle was so impressed that he waited for Wonder backstage to express his admiration. In 1982, they collaborated on a duet, “Ebony and Ivory,” which reached No. 1 in the U.S.
• 1968: The Lemon Pipers' "Green Tambourine" was No. 1 on the U.S. charts and No. 7 on the UK charts. This was the Lemon Peppers' only chart-topper and was considered a one-hit wonder.
• 1978: The prog-rock band Emerson, Lake, and Palmer played for fans at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada.
• 2013: “Naughty Girl” artist Beyoncé sang during the Super Bowl halftime show at New Orleans' Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Former Destiny's Child members Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland joined Beyoncé on stage, delivering an incredible performance that drew in more than 100 million viewers.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1959: While on the Winter Dance Party tour, a tragic plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, claimed the lives of “It Doesn't Matter Anymore” singer Buddy Holly, J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and Ritchie Valens. Don McLean would later refer to this date as “The Day The Music Died” in his No. 1 hit “American Pie.”
• 1969: After the death of Brian Epstein in 1967, George Harrison, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr appointed Allen Klein as the Beatles' new business manager, against Paul McCartney's wishes. The “Silly Love Songs” singer felt that Lee Eastman, his father-in-law, would be a better fit. This decision contributed to the band's breakup in 1970. 
• 2003: Music producer Phil Spector was arrested for possible murder when a woman was found dead at Spector's home. In 2009, Spector was found guilty and sentenced to 19 years in prison, highlighting that fame cannot save you if you break the law.
• 2021: Jim Weatherly, who sang hits such as “I Still Love You” and “All That Keeps Me Going,” died in his Tennessee home at 77. Weatherly was also known for penning "Midnight Train to Georgia." Gladys Knight and the Pips' version of the song peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100.