This Day in Top 40 History: September 19
On Sept. 19, 2015, Justin Bieber unseated The Weeknd with his song “What Do You Mean?” It rose to the top of the charts, with Bieber stating that the song…
On Sept. 19, 2015, Justin Bieber unseated The Weeknd with his song "What Do You Mean?" It rose to the top of the charts, with Bieber stating that the song was loosely inspired by his relationship with Selena Gomez. Here are other memorable moments in Top 40 history from Sept. 19.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These chart-topping albums left their mark on popular music:
- 1993: At the peak of the grunge era, Pearl Jam released their sophomore album, Vs, which set a new record for sales in the first week, and topped the Billboard 200 chart for five consecutive weeks.
- 1989: Janet Jackson released Rhythm Nation 1814. The album included seven songs that were Top 5 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including "Rhythm Nation" and "The Knowledge."
- 1999: The Chicks made history as the first country group to top the Billboard 200 with their album Fly. It debuted at No. 1 and included hits such as "Cowboy Take Me Away" and "Without You."
Cultural Milestones
Sometimes, the next great thing is waiting for you just around the corner, just like how Josh Duhamel was waiting for Fergie:
- 2004: The Black Eyed Peas appeared on the TV show Las Vegas. The front woman, Fergie, met her future husband, Josh Duhamel, during filming.
- 2009: The Black Eyed Peas spent their 11th of 13 weeks at No. 1 with their club classic "I Gotta Feeling."
- 2020: Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion enjoyed their fifth and final week at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 with "WAP." Despite its sensual lyrics, the song was an instant classic.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Here are some memorable concerts from Sept. 19:
- 1981: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel held a reunion concert in Central Park, 10 years after the release of the duo's final studio album. Over 500,000 fans attended the gig.
- 2014: Taylor Swift performed at a music festival in Las Vegas, using the five-song set to demonstrate her artistic shift from a country artist to a pop star.
- 2024: Chappell Roan performed at a show in London as part of The Midwest Princess Tour.
Industry Changes and Challenges
It's hard to imagine pop music today without certain types of technology or influences:
- 1997: AutoTune, a new pitch-correction software, hit the market. It became widely used, particularly in pop, after Cher topped the charts with her AutoTuned song, "Believe."
- 1991: Michael Jackson made a guest appearance on The Simpsons.
Sept. 19 had plenty of moments in Top 40 history, including Simon and Garfunkel's reunion concert, the launch of AutoTune, a new pitch-correction software, and Justin Bieber unseating The Weeknd with his song "What Do You Mean?"
