This Day in Top 40 History: December 4
Did you know that Jay-Z celebrates his birthday on Dec. 4? The Brooklyn-born mogul is known for No. 1 hits, such as “Empire State Of Mind,” “Crazy In Love,” and…
Did you know that Jay-Z celebrates his birthday on Dec. 4? The Brooklyn-born mogul is known for No. 1 hits, such as "Empire State Of Mind," "Crazy In Love," and "Run This Town." Some of these hits have seen him collaborate with other Top 40 artists, including his wife Beyoncé, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, and Kanye West. In addition, he has won over 20 GRAMMY Awards and is among the solo artists with the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart. Keep reading to discover more Top 40 history moments from this day.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
You may have listened to Top 40 hits from these albums that were released on Dec. 4:
- 2012: Wiz Khalifa launched his fourth studio album, O.N.I.F.C., which debuted at No. 2 on Billboard's 200 chart and sold nearly 150,000 copies in its first week. The single "Work Hard, Play Hard" reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- 2015: Jeremih dropped his third studio album, Late Nights: The Album, featuring contributions from J. Cole, Big Sean, Migos, and Ty Dolla $ign. The album had several Top 40 hits, such as the singles "Don't Tell ‘Em" and "Oui."
Cultural Milestones
This day has hosted memorable concerts and other significant events, such as star unveiling ceremonies and the release of memoirs:
- 1988: Roy Orbison performed what would be his final show at the Front Row Theater in Ohio, dying from a heart attack two days later at the age of 52. Orbison's music career spanned over three decades, and he released several No. 1 hits, including "Running Scared" and "Only the Lonely."
- 1991: Paula Abdul received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has had multiple No. 1 singles on Billboard's Hot 100, such as "Opposites Attract," "The Promise of a New Day," and "Forever Your Girl."
- 2001: Gene Simmons released his autobiography, Kiss and Make-Up. The book offered fans a peek into his life, starting from his birthplace in Haifa, Israel, to being raised by a Holocaust survivor and joining Kiss.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry has lost some beloved artists to cancer on this day, while others were ready to end their marriages:
- 1987: Madonna filed for divorce from her then-husband, Sean Penn, in a Santa Monica, California Court, citing irreconcilable differences, but then the "Justify My Love" singer filed a petition to dismiss her request to dissolve her two-year marriage almost two weeks later. The couple remained together until 1989 when Madonna filed for divorce again.
- 1993: Frank Zappa died from prostate cancer in his home in Los Angeles, California. The 52-year-old was known for his Top 40 single "Valley Girl," featuring his then-teen daughter Moon, and the track was also nominated for a GRAMMY in 1983.
- 2002: Bernie Dwyer died from lung cancer at a hospital in England. He was among the original members of Freddie and The Dreamers, who released multiple Top 10 hits in the U.K. Some of these were "I'm Telling You Now," "You Were Made For Me," and "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody."
After witnessing these events, it's clear that Dec. 4 belongs on the list of the most important days in Top 40 history.
