This Day in Top 40 History: April 17

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

• 1970: Paul McCartney released his debut solo studio effort, McCartney. The album spent 33 weeks on the U.K. Official Albums chart, peaking at No. 2. It also delivered a number of well-received tracks, including “Maybe I'm Amazed,” “Junk,” and “Every Night.” 
• 2007: Nine Inch Nails dropped Year Zero, which soared to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from many critics because of its cohesiveness and memorable songwriting. The album produced two singles, “Survivalism” and “Capital G.” While the former reached No. 14 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart, the latter stalled at No. 25. 
• 2012: Neon Trees' sophomore album, Picture Show, came out.  The project landed at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and spawned one Top 10 hit on Billboard's Hot 100, “Everybody Talks.”

• 2010: Headliners on the second day included Muse, Faith No More, and Kaskade. Vampire Weekend, the Specials, and Passion Pit were among other notable performers.
• 2011: Big names headlining on April 17 included Kanye West, The Strokes, and PJ Harvey. Duran Duran, Lightning Bolt, and The National were some of the supporting acts. 
• 2016: The headliners on this day included Calvin Harris, Sia, and Major Lazer. Fans also sang and danced to Cold War Kids, Peter Yorn, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.
• 2022: Swedish House Mafia, Doja Cat, and The Weeknd were the headliners on April 17. Other performers included Ari Lennox, Run the Jewels, and Joji.

Cultural Milestones 

• 1967: Liz Phair was born in New Haven, Connecticut. She is best known for “Why Can't I?” that cracked the Top 40 on the Hot 100. Additionally, some of her records, such as Whip-Smart and Whitechocolatespaceegg, landed in the Top 40 on the Billboard 200.
• 1997: “I Wanna Talk About Me” hitmaker Toby Keith and his wife Tricia Lucus welcomed their only son, Stelen Keith Covel. Despite growing up in a musical household, Stelen has pursued a different path. He's an entrepreneur and real estate investor who runs businesses such as 405 Burger Bar and Tequila Chulo. 
• 2009: Brad Paisley, who has placed 18 No. 1 hits on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart, became a father again, this time to his son, Jasper Warren. The “She's Everything” hitmaker and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, share another child, William Huckleberry.

Notable Recordings and Performances

• 1982: Vangelis hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with "Chariots of Fire," which was written for the movie of the same name about the 1924 Olympic Games. The soundtrack stayed on top for 27 weeks and won an Academy Award for Best Original Score.
• 1991: Nirvana graced Seattle's OK Hotel, where they delivered their first live performance of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” At the time, they were still a little-known band trying to make their way to the top. According to sources, Nirvana played that concert because they wanted to raise gas money and drive to Los Angeles to record their No. 1 album, Nevermind. 
• 2013: Beyoncé brought the house down at the Arena Zagreb in Croatia. She was on her The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, which supported her chart-topping self-titled fifth studio album and celebrated her identity as Mrs. Carter, Jay-Z's wife. The setlist for this event featured over 20 tracks, including “Run the World (Girls)” and “Halo.”
• 2022: Lady Gaga performed at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada, during her Lady Gaga Enigma + Jazz & Piano concert residency. She sang hits such as "Rags to Riches" and "Mambo Italiano."
• 2024: Bad Bunny thrilled fans at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, during his Most Wanted Tour. The performance was cowboy-themed, and fans received lanyards with battery-powered cowboy boots as part of the festivities.

Industry Changes and Challenges

• 1960: While heading to Heathrow Airport in London after a concert in Bristol, Eddie Cochran died in a car accident. The 21-year-old was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California. Despite his young age, Cochran left a mark on the rock & roll industry. He had already scored U.S. Top 40 hits such as “C'mon Everybody” and “Summertime Blues” by the time of his death. 
• 1998: Linda McCartney died at 56 following a three-year battle with breast cancer. She was the wife of ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney. Linda and Paul shared four children — Heather, Mary, Stella, and James. After Linda's death, the Egypt Station artist settled down with Heather Mills, with whom they have a daughter, Beatrice. 
• 2008: Danny Federici died of melanoma at New York City's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.  He was best known as a founding member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, whose notable records include Live In New York City and Ties That Bind: The River Collection. 
• 2009: Singer Morrissey walked off stage during his performance at the Coachella festival after claiming he could smell burning flesh and that it was making him feel sick. As a vegetarian, the artist was offended by the smell of barbecued meat.
• 2020: Taylor Swift announced she was cancelling all her 2020 live performances, including her Lover Fest Tour dates, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement posted on Twitter, Swift said, “I'm so sad I won't be able to see you guys in concert this year, but I know this is the right decision. Please, please stay healthy and safe."