This Day in Top 40 History: October 21
On Oct. 21, 2022, Taylor Swift released her 10th studio album, Midnights. The album explores darker themes and was produced in collaboration with Jack Antonoff of Bleachers. Swift announced the…
On Oct. 21, 2022, Taylor Swift released her 10th studio album, Midnights. The album explores darker themes and was produced in collaboration with Jack Antonoff of Bleachers. Swift announced the album at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards and it quickly became the best-selling album of 2022. She released three singles from the album: "Anti-Hero," "Lavender Haze," and "Karma." Keep reading for more Top 40 history from Oct. 21.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These chart-topping albums and singles reveal how pop music reflects the spirit of the moment, year after year:
- 1972: Curtis Mayfield kicked off a four-week stint at the top of the Billboard 200 with his album Super Fly. It was a soundtrack for a movie of the same name and had greater commercial success than the film.
- 2015: One Direction released a new single, "Home." The song was part of the Perfect EP, which was the boyband's first release without former member, Zayn Malik.
- 2016: Leonard Cohen released You Want It Darker just a few weeks before he passed away. Cohen had spent his final days pouring his energy into this project.
- 2016: Lady Gaga released Joanne, her fourth studio album. It topped the charts around the world with singles such as "Million Reasons" and "Perfect Illusion."
Cultural Milestones
From the arrival of Doja Cat to the announcement of a new Adele album, these moments contributed to music history:
- 1995: Doja Cat was born Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini. Now, she's one of the best-selling rappers of all time, with hits such as "Say So," "Kiss Me More," and "Paint the Town Red."
- 1997: The Guinness Book of World Records declared Sir Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 97" the best-selling single of all time. The song was John's rendition dedicated to Diana, Princess of Wales.
- 2015: In an emotional open letter, Adele shared details about her upcoming album, 25. In the letter, she described the upcoming album as a "make-up" record that explored identity and making up for lost time.
- 2017: Former One Direction bandmates Harry Styles and Niall Horan both performed solo sets for the We Can Survive benefit concert in Los Angeles. The concert was in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
What would it take to get Harry Styles and Niall Horan back on stage, performing together? These highlights from Oct. 21 paint a picture of the Top 40 over the years.
