This Day in Top 40 History: December 26
On Dec. 26, 1979, Chris Daughtry was born to Sandra and James Daughtry in North Carolina. Daughtry rose to fame as an American Idol contestant in 2006. After finishing in…
On Dec. 26, 1979, Chris Daughtry was born to Sandra and James Daughtry in North Carolina. Daughtry rose to fame as an American Idol contestant in 2006. After finishing in fourth place, he went on to form one of the most successful bands of the 21st century, Daughtry. Today, they have placed two consecutive No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 chart, including their debut self-titled LP. Many of their singles, including "It's Not Over" and "What About Now," have cracked the Top 40 on the Hot 100. Keep reading to discover more Top 40 history moments from Dec. 26.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Here are some popular Top 40 hits released on Dec. 26:
- 1963: Capitol Records launched the Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in the U.S. Capitol initially planned to release the song in January 1964, but its impressive chart success in the U.K. prompted the record label to roll it out earlier. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" would become the band's first No. 1 single in the U.S., dominating the charts for seven weeks until "She Loves You" dethroned it.
- 1994: The Human League released "Tell Me When." Listeners enjoyed the song for its radio-friendly sound and catchy melody, and it reached No. 6 on the U.K. Singles Chart and peaked at No. 31 on Billboard's Hot 100.
- 2010: The Wanted launched "Lose My Mind" from their self-titled debut studio album. The track didn't chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but it did enter the U.K. Singles chart, peaking at No. 19, after the group performed it on The X Factor.
- 2014: Philip George dropped his debut single, "Wish You Were Mine." Featuring sample vocals from Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour," it earned the favor of listeners worldwide and peaked at No. 2 in the U.K.
Cultural Milestones
Here are unforgettable Top 40 cultural events from Dec. 26:
- 1968: Led Zeppelin opened for Vanilla Fudge at the Auditorium Arena in Denver, Colorado. This marked the former's first performance on American soil, paving the way for their songs to chart in the U.S. In 1969, Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" entered the Hot 100 and peaked at No. 4. More of their singles reached the Top 40, including "Immigrant Song" and "Black Dog."
- 1999: The music community lost a former member of the Impressions, Curtis Mayfield, after he passed at age 57 due to complications from Type 2 diabetes. Some of his Top 10 hits on the Hot 100 include "Superfly," which reached No. 8.
- 2016: P!nk became a mother for the second time and named her son Jameson Moon Hart. She shared the news with her fans on Instagram two days later. P!nk has placed over 20 Top 40 songs on the Hot 100, including her four No. 1 singles, "Lady Marmalade," "Just Give Me a Reason," "So What," and "Raise Your Glass."
From hosting the release of classic hits to the births and deaths of various artists, Dec. 26 remains a memorable date in Top 40 history.
