This Day in Top 40 History: February 18
On Feb. 18, music stars got married, had birthdays, and some had legal battles. We enjoyed mega-hits, such as “Fire to the Rain” by pop diva Adele, as well as “Flowers” by chart-topping Miley Cyrus. Britney Spears was photographed on her honeymoon without authorization, causing a verbal attack on the magazine that published the photographs.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
We saw several breakthrough hits and birthday milestones on Feb. 18.
- 1966: Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys recorded “Good Vibrations”. This beachy, feel-good song became a huge success.
- 1994: The South Korean pop star J-Hope from BTS, Jung Ho-Seok, was born on this day. The music of BTS is some of the most popular K-pop in the world.
- 2012: Adele’s “Fire to the Rain” was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song was her third No. 1 hit on the U.S. charts. Today, Adele is one of the hottest pop singers in the world.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Feb. 18 has had some well-known recordings and performances.
- 1954: The actor, dancer, and musician John Travolta was born on Feb. 18. While best known for his acting career, Travolta has also recorded music hits, including “Summer Nights” and “You’re the One That I Want” from the movie Grease.
- 1978: Swedish super-pop group ABBA scored No. 1 on the U.K. charts with the hit song “Take a Chance On Me.” This was their third No. 1 hit song in the United Kingdom.
- 2023: “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Feb. 18 is a day notable for superstars experiencing challenges with public notoriety and other stars getting married as the music industry evolved.
- 1973: Elvis Presley was performing in Las Vegas when four men jumped on stage and tried to shake his hand. Presley gave one of the men a karate-style kick to knock him off the stage, and band members tackled the other intruders.
- 2001: Singer/songwriter James Taylor married his longtime girlfriend Caroline “Kim” Smedvig in a Boston church. Ms. Smedvig was an executive producer for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
- 2005: Pop diva Britney Spears attacked a magazine that posted photos of her and her new husband, Kevin Federline, while on their honeymoon. She claimed the photographers violated her privacy.
The music industry continues to have ebbs and flows, and musical artists and performers must face the challenges that come with being in the limelight. Feb. 18 had its share of hit songs and milestones that continue to influence up-and-coming artists with their lasting power.
