This Day in Top 40 History: February 20
Feb. 20 is a significant day in Top 40 history. We saw the birth of pop star Rihanna, the kick-off of Katy Perry’s 124-show tour, and the beginning of Cher’s divorce from her then-husband Sonny Bono. Big stars like Bruno Mars went on tour on this day, and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” held No.1 on the Billboard charts.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
The following milestones and hits emerged on Feb. 20:
- 1988: Superstar Rihanna was born on Feb. 20 in Saint Michael, Barbados. She won 34 Grammy nominations, nine wins, and over 100 million Recording Industry Association of America gold and platinum certifications.
- 2008: Kylie Minogue won Best International Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards on Feb. 20. This Australian Princess of Pop hit songs include “I Should Be So Lucky,” “All the Lovers,” and “Padam Padam.”
- 2011: Vocalist and performer Katy Perry launched her California Dreams Tour in Lisbon, Portugal. On this tour, Perry played 124 shows ending in 2012 in Pasay, Philippines.
Cultural Milestones
The following producers and artists influenced Top 40 culture:
- 1991: Record producer and performer Quincy Jones won Album of the Year at the 33rd Grammy Awards. Throughout his career, Jones won 28 awards and is the second-highest winner in Grammy history.
- 2013: Billboard began using YouTube views of music singles to help determine Billboard Hot 100 hits, illustrating the influence of YouTube viewing on the music culture.
- 2022: Multi-Grammy winner Billie Eilish performed at a sold-out show at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Eilish has made waves in the music industry since age 14. At the 2024 Grammys ceremony, she won Song of the Year for “What Was I Made For?”
Notable Recordings and Performances
Songs and performances that occurred on Feb. 20 include:
- 1993: Whitney Houston’s chart-topping song, “I Will Always Love You,” was still No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. By the end of Feb. 20, this song had remained in this spot for 15 weeks.
- 2013: Bruno Mars announced his massive “The Moonshine Jungle World Tour,” which supported his Unorthodox Jukebox album.
- 2023: The Backstreet Boys performed at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, for their DNA World Tour. The Backstreet Boys’ hits included “I Want It That Way” and “Quit Playing Games.”
Industry Changes and Challenges
Weddings, divorces, and illness created changes and challenges in the music industry.
- 1974: Cher, of the husband-and-wife pop duo Sonny and Cher, filed for divorce from Sonny Bono. Soon after her divorce, Cher married rock star Gregg Allman, and they had a son together.
- 1992: Superstars across industries faced challenges. Pop diva Paula Abdul announced her engagement to actor Emilio Estevez. They wed but divorced after two years.
- 2017: Teen heartthrob and musician David Cassidy from the Partridge Family TV show announced he had dementia. Because of his diagnosis and failing health, Cassidy stopped touring and performing as a musician.
Popular Top 40 musicians and performers have a lasting impact on the music industry and their fans. Feb. 20 has seen several events that still influence the Top 40 today.
