This Day in Top 40 History: February 26
On Feb. 26 in Top 40 history, we’ve seen Lady Gaga hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, bands playing their final concerts, and copyright infringement lawsuits. In addition, pop stars have won at the Grammys and notable performances have happened on this day.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Several songs and albums with staying power are linked to Feb. 26, including:
- 2002: Norah Jones released her debut album, Come Away With Me. This album became a wild success with hits such as “Don’t Know Why” and “I’ve Got to See You Again.”
- 2010: Sweet-voiced John Mayer performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Mayer was on a world tour promoting his fourth studio album, Battle Studies.
- 2011: Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” landed No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. This event is especially significant as her song was the 1,000th Billboard Hot 100 song to hit No. 1.
Cultural Milestones
Certain artists and bands have a lasting influence on the music industry and culture, including these milestones from Feb. 26:
- 1928: Fats Domino was born on this day. His hit song “Blueberry Hill” hit the pop charts in 1956. In 1987, he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award after having over 25 gold single songs and selling over 65 million records.
- 2002: The pop band The Bee Gees played their final performance at the Love and Hope Ball in Miami, Florida, as a benefit for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation. Brothers Barry and Robin Gibb retired the band’s name after this concert.
- 1997: First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton won a Grammy Award for the Best Spoken Word Or Non-Musical Album for the audio version of her book It Takes a Village.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Performances and recordings that have stood out on this day include:
- 1975: Harry Chapin, best known for hits such as “Cat’s in the Cradle” and “Taxi,” opened his Broadway Revue, The Night That Made America Famous. This show featured Chapin along with a host of performers and closed on April 5, 1975.
- 1997: The 39th Grammys held at Madison Square Garden in New York City had big winners. Celine Dion won Best Pop Album and Album of the Year.
- 2009: Crooner Chris Isaak aired the first episode of his talk show, The Chris Isaak Hour, on The Biography Channel. The one-hour show went on to feature guests such as Jewel, Cat Stevens, and Glen Campbell.
Industry Changes and Challenges
From the live stage to TV, and from stars getting unusual honors to facing lawsuits, Feb. 26 has been an interesting day in music history:
- 2014: The “Milkshake” singer Kelis debuted her cooking show Saucy and Sweet on the Cooking Channel.
- 2024: Wham! singer George Michael had a memorable coin manufactured by The Royal Mint in Britian. The coin depicts Michael wearing his trademark sunglasses and pays tribute to his song “Faith.”
- 2019: The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers filed copyright infringement against several venues across the country. This was for the venues playing their music without authorization.
Memorable musical performances and notable recordings have had a lasting impact on the music industry and its listeners. Feb. 26 is sure to go down in Top 40 history.
