This Day in Top 40 History: January 25
Did you know Etta James commemorated her birthday on Jan. 25? Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California, in 1938, she began singing at an early age. Her big break,…
Did you know Etta James commemorated her birthday on Jan. 25? Born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles, California, in 1938, she began singing at an early age. Her big break, however, didn't come until 1960 when she signed with Chess Records in Chicago. This saw her release some of her iconic Top 40 hits, such as "All I Could Do Was Cry" and "Trust In Me."
Born on this date as well is Alicia Keys. Her list of notable feats includes placing at least four number-one singles on Billboard's Hot 100, including “Fallin'” and “No One.” Keys has also bagged 17 GRAMMYs as of this writing. Here are more Top 40 history events that are worthy of mention.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Here are a few career-defining projects that were released on Jan. 25.
- 1989: N.W.A's debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton, came out. This record was a commercial success as it sold millions of copies and cracked the Top Five on the Billboard 200 chart. The title track peaked at No. 38 on the Hot 100.
- 1994: Alice in Chains launched their EP, Jar of Flies, featuring tracks such as “No Excuses” and “Swing on This.” Its first-week sales in the U.S. exceeded 130,000 copies. Additionally, it became the first EP to debut atop the Billboard 200 chart.
- 2000: D'Angelo unveiled his sophomore album, Voodoo. It entered the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1 and sold over 300,000 copies in its first week alone. This set also delivered one Top 40 single, “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” which reached No. 25 on the Hot 100.
- 2019: Bring Me the Horizon dropped amo, their sixth studio album. It included pre-released singles such as “Mantra” and “wonderful life.” The album cracked the Top 40 in both the U.S. and the U.K., peaking at No. 14 and No. 1, respectively.
Cultural Milestones
Significant Top 40 cultural moments from Jan. 25 include:
- 1999: The Rolling Stones performed at California's Oakland Arena, marking the beginning of their No Security tour, which supported their Top 40 album of the same name. This event's setlist featured “Jumpin' Jack Flash” and “Undercover of the Night.”
- 2001: Celine Dion welcomed her first son, René-Charles Angélil, in Loxahatchee, Florida. To offer him more stability and spend more time with her family, she decided to move to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Industry Changes and Challenges
The music industry has experienced some notable changes and setbacks on January 25, including:
- 2003: Billy Joel was involved in a car crash in Long Island, New York, after his Mercedes-Benz veered off the road. He was rushed to the Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment and discharged the next day.
- 2024: Morgan Wallen and Eric Church announced that they had teamed up again, this time to acquire Field & Stream magazine. They shared plans to bring back the publication's biannual print editions, which were discontinued in 2020, and redesign its online platform.
Events from Jan. 25 have impacted various aspects of the music industry. The birth of Celine Dion's son, René-Charles, on this date, for instance, prompted her to put down roots in Las Vegas.
