This Day in Top 40 History: March 24

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1986: Van Halen released 5150, their seventh studio album, and the first one with Sammy Hagar as the band's frontman. Although the project stalled at No. 16 in the U.K., it climbed to No. 1 in the U.S. Additionally, it produced three Top 30 singles, including “Dreams” and “Why Can't This Be Love.”
• 1992: Arrested Development issued 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of…, their debut album, whose title was inspired by the time it took for them to bag a recording contract since formation. The record was a commercial success, peaking at No. 3 in the U.K. and No. 7 in the U.S. Three tracks from it, “Mr. Wendal,” “Tennessee,” and “People Everyday,” cracked the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100. 
• 2004: Pop stars Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliott performed at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. This event showcased three formidable Top 40 female artists, making it a significant occasion.
• 2023: Pop king Harry Styles was able to perform live again after the COVID-19 pandemic when he took the stage at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. The former One Direction singer, known for his flashy style, became one of the hottest pop stars with hit songs such as “Over Again” and “Sign of the Times.”

Cultural Milestones

• 1960: Gabriele Susanne Kerner, better known as Nena, was born in Hagen, West Germany. She kicked off her music career by joining The Stripes. However, the group didn't attain as much success as she had anticipated. Consequently, Nena formed her self-titled band, whose Top 40 debut album delivered a No. 1 single in the U.K., “99 Red Balloons.” 
• 2008: Britney Spears made a guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother, playing the role of a receptionist who likes the main character, Ted. Thanks to the “...Baby One More Time” singer's performance, that became one of the show's most-watched episodes, with over 10 million viewers. 
• 2018: Ariana Grande sang “Be Alright” at the March for Our Lives protest rally in Washington, DC.  This rally, in which performers across the nation participated, was in protest against gun violence. Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus also performed at this rally.
• 2022: Megan Thee Stallion and her management company, Roc Nation, partnered with Times Studio to make a docuseries. This series showcased her challenges as she opened up about her personal life to the public, conveying a powerful message about the importance of resilience in overcoming obstacles to achieve goals.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1986: Lionel Richie performed his No. 1 hit “Say You, Say Me” at the 58th Academy Awards ceremony, which took place at Los Angeles' Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. This track, which was from White Nights, earned him an Oscar for Best Original Song. The list of performers at the event also featured the “The Way We Were” singer, Barbra Streisand. 
• 2009: Pop diva Britney Spears delivered an incredible performance at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, alongside the Pussycat Dolls.
• 2010: Superstar Lady Gaga performed at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne during her Monster Ball Tour, performing there from March 23 to April 9.
• 2020: Swizz Beatz and Timbaland faced off in the inaugural Verzuz battle on Instagram Live, kicking off the Verzuz series, whose initial run spanned a little over two years. At the end of this event, no formal winner was declared.
• 2023: Kane Brown thrilled fans at the Lexington Theater in Lexington, Kentucky. Brown is known for his pop/country music, with hits such as “One Thing Right” and “Good as You.” 

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1958: Accompanied by his family and friends, Elvis Presley arrived at the Memphis Draft Board, where he was sworn in as a private in the U.S. Army. This marked the beginning of his 2-year military service, during which he completed both basic and advanced training. Despite his fame, the “Good Luck Charm” singer received no special privileges during the period. 
• 1973: At the Century Theatre in Buffalo, New York, a fan jumped on stage and bit Lou Reed on his buttocks right after screaming “Leather!” The security personnel removed the attacker from the premises while the Sally Can't Dance artist continued to perform. After the show, Reed didn't talk much about the incident, save for commenting that “America seems to breed real animals.”
• 2009: “Little Red Corvette” hitmaker Prince launched his interactive, subscription-based website, Lotusflow3r.com, requiring fans to pay a $77 annual fee to access his music and exclusive content, which included unreleased videos. The platform promoted his triple album Lotus Flow3r/MPLSoUND/Elix3r, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. 
• 2020: With concert venues shut down due to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists made videos of themselves performing, including Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit singing “24 Frames.” Isbell plays across genres, including pop.
• 2020: Khalid had to delay his Asia tour due to the global pandemic. Many artists and festivals canceled events during the early stages of the pandemic, looking to reschedule soon. However, it took almost a year before live shows returned, and even then, they were held with social distancing measures.
• 2022: Pop queen Cardi B appeared on Nickelodeon's Baby Shark's Big Show! She guest-starred as Sharki B, alongside her husband, who voiced Offshark, and their young daughter, who voiced Kulture Shark.