ContestsEvents

LISTEN LIVE

This Day in Top 40 History: September 18

On Sept. 18, 2021, Drake held nine of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Each song was from his album Certified Lover Boy, which he released on…

Drake speaks onstage during Drake's Till Death Do Us Part rap battle
Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images

On Sept. 18, 2021, Drake held nine of the top 10 spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Each song was from his album Certified Lover Boy, which he released on Sept. 3. The top three songs were "Way 2 Sexy," "Girls Want Girls," and "Fair Trade." Keep reading for more Top 40 history from Sept. 18.

Breakthrough Hits and Milestones

For some artists, topping the charts is the pinnacle of their career:

  • 2004: Ciara hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her song "Goodies." It was her first and only No. 1 hit (so far) and it spent seven weeks at the top.
  • 2010: Katy Perry topped the charts with her dreamy song "Teenage Dream." She performed the song during the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show, where the right and left sharks made a splash with audiences around the world.
  • 2021: Certified Lover Boy by Drake peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album featured a stacked lineup of feature artists, including Lil Baby, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Wayne, and Kid Cudi.

Notable Recordings and Performances

The pop girlies showed up on Sept. 18:

  • 2018: Taylor Swift performed in St. Louis, Missouri, as part of the Reputation Stadium Tour. The setlist included 19 songs, and she wowed the Missouri crowd with "Hey Stephen" as her surprise song.
  • 2021: Olivia Rodrigo performed at a music festival in Las Vegas. She was on a promotional run for her debut album, Sour.

Industry Changes and Challenges

The music industry reaches deep into the corners of our culture:

  • 1970: Jimi Hendrix tragically passed away at the age of 27. While Hendrix only had one No. 1 album, Electric Ladyland, he is widely considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
  • 1994: The US Postal Service issued a new stamp in honor of Billie Holiday. It featured a painted portrait of her on stage.
  • 2007: Britney Spears was dropped as a client by her management company. This came after a divorce and multiple public instances of erratic behavior from the young pop artist.

Artists constantly adapt to keep up with the demands of their fans, their label, and their own goals. Let's take a moment to celebrate all these artists who made history on Sept. 18.