This Day in Top 40 History: December 20
On this day in 2005, Mary J. Blige released The Breakthrough, featuring guest vocals from several big names, including will.i.am and Jay-Z. It reached the top of the Billboard 200…
On this day in 2005, Mary J. Blige released The Breakthrough, featuring guest vocals from several big names, including will.i.am and Jay-Z. It reached the top of the Billboard 200 and became her third No. 1 album. The set also delivered "Be Without You," which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 and No. 32 on the UK Singles Chart. Read on to discover more Top 40 historical events from Dec. 20.
Cultural Milestones
Here are some notable Top 40 history cultural events from Dec. 20:
- 1990: JoJo was born to Diana and Joel Maurice Levesque in Brattleboro, Vermont. She kicked off her music career as a child, entertaining crowds at local talent shows. At 13, JoJo released her debut single, "Leave (Get Out)," which topped Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 chart and made her the youngest solo artist to score a No. 1 hit in the United States. Her other Top 40 singles include "Too Little Too Late" and "Baby It's You."
- 2019: My Chemical Romance performed for the first time in seven years at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The show's setlist featured some of their top hits, including "Welcome to the Black Parade," which topped the UK Singles Chart, and "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)." This was one of the most anticipated reunions in Top 40 history, and fans lined up outside the venue for hours to secure a chance to watch the band play.
Industry Changes and Challenges
You might be unaware of these industry changes and challenges from Dec. 20:
- 1957: While his "Jailhouse Rock" dominated the charts in America, Elvis Presley received his U.S. Army draft notice. This event significantly impacted his career, as he had to leave the music scene for two years to serve at a U.S. base in Germany. Still, many of Presley's fans deemed his military service patriotic, making his music more appealing. Presley also met his wife and the mother of his daughter, Lisa Marie, during that two-year stint in the army.
- 2004: Paula Abdul, who has had at least six No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, was involved in an alleged hit-and-run accident while changing lanes on the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles. Although nobody was hurt during the incident, Abdul was later charged with a misdemeanor hit-and-run driving offense in early 2005. The "Rush Rush" singer was placed on two years of informal probation and ordered to pay a fine and cover the cost of damage to the other vehicle.
- 2012: The "What's Luv?" hitmaker, Fat Joe, pleaded guilty in a New Jersey federal court to federal tax evasion, admitting that he had neglected filing his tax returns on over $3 million of income earned from 2007 to 2010. In 2013, he was sentenced to four months in prison and fined $15,000.
Some music lovers also remember Dec. 20 as the date Bobby Darin passed away at 37 after open-heart surgery. The "Dream Lover" artist's death in 1973 cemented his legacy as a versatile artist who defied expectations.
