This Day in Music History: 365 Days of Hits, Charts & No. 1 Songs
Every date has a soundtrack.
This Day in Music explores the songs, artists, chart breakthroughs, No. 1 hits and unforgettable moments connected to every day of the calendar — with a special focus on the history of the U.S. Billboard charts and Top 40 radio.
From legendary singles reaching No. 1 to massive chart jumps, blockbuster debuts, career-defining releases and the birthdays of artists who changed popular music, these daily guides tell the story of how the charts evolved one date at a time.
Choose a month below to start exploring.
Explore This Day in Music by Month
January
Start the year with historic No. 1 songs, major Billboard chart moments, breakthrough releases and artist milestones spanning generations of popular music.
Explore January by date
| [Jan 1] | [Jan 2] | [Jan 3] | [Jan 4] | [Jan 5] | [Jan 6] | [Jan 7] |
| [Jan 8] | [Jan 9] | [Jan 10] | [Jan 11] | [Jan 12] | [Jan 13] | [Jan 14] |
| [Jan 15] | [Jan 16] | [Jan 17] | [Jan 18] | [Jan 19] | [Jan 20] | [Jan 21] |
| [Jan 22] | [Jan 23] | [Jan 24] | [Jan 25] | [Jan 26] | [Jan 27] | [Jan 28] |
| [Jan 29] | [Jan 30] | [Jan 31] |
February
Explore February’s memorable Top 40 hits, chart-topping singles, major artist birthdays and landmark moments from across Billboard chart history.
Explore February by date
| [Feb 1] | [Feb 2] | [Feb 3] | [Feb 4] | [Feb 5] | [Feb 6] | [Feb 7] |
| [Feb 8] | [Feb 9] | [Feb 10] | [Feb 11] | [Feb 12] | [Feb 13] | [Feb 14] |
| [Feb 15] | [Feb 16] | [Feb 17] | [Feb 18] | [Feb 19] | [Feb 20] | [Feb 21] |
| [Feb 22] | [Feb 23] | [Feb 24] | [Feb 25] | [Feb 26] | [Feb 27] | [Feb 28] |
March
Follow the evolution of popular music through March’s No. 1 hits, chart breakthroughs, classic releases and unforgettable performances.
Explore March by date
| [Mar 1] | [Mar 2] | [Mar 3] | [Mar 4] | [Mar 5] | [Mar 6] | [Mar 7] |
| [Mar 8] | [Mar 9] | [Mar 10] | [Mar 11] | [Mar 12] | [Mar 13] | [Mar 14] |
| [Mar 15] | [Mar 16] | [Mar 17] | [Mar 18] | [Mar 19] | [Mar 20] | [Mar 21] |
| [Mar 22] | [Mar 23] | [Mar 24] | [Mar 25] | [Mar 26] | [Mar 27] | [Mar 28] |
| [Mar 29] | [Mar 30] | [Mar 31] |
April
Discover April’s biggest Billboard Hot 100 stories, legendary songs, artist milestones and singles that helped define their eras.
Explore April by date
| [Apr 1] | [Apr 2] | [Apr 3] | [Apr 4] | [Apr 5] | [Apr 6] | [Apr 7] |
| [Apr 8] | [Apr 9] | [Apr 10] | [Apr 11] | [Apr 12] | [Apr 13] | [Apr 14] |
| [Apr 15] | [Apr 16] | [Apr 17] | [Apr 18] | [Apr 19] | [Apr 20] | [Apr 21] |
| [Apr 22] | [Apr 23] | [Apr 24] | [Apr 25] | [Apr 26] | [Apr 27] | [Apr 28] |
| [Apr 29] | [Apr 30] |
May
Revisit May’s standout Top 40 songs, chart-toppers, blockbuster releases and major moments in pop, rock, R&B, soul, hip-hop and more.
Explore May by date
| [May 1] | [May 2] | [May 3] | [May 4] | [May 5] | [May 6] | [May 7] |
| [May 8] | [May 9] | [May 10] | [May 11] | [May 12] | [May 13] | [May 14] |
| [May 15] | [May 16] | [May 17] | [May 18] | [May 19] | [May 20] | [May 21] |
| [May 22] | [May 23] | [May 24] | [May 25] | [May 26] | [May 27] | [May 28] |
| [May 29] | [May 30] | [May 31] |
June
Explore the songs that became early-summer favorites alongside historic No. 1 singles, major chart climbs and memorable artist milestones.
Explore June by date
| [Jun 1] | [Jun 2] | [Jun 3] | [Jun 4] | [Jun 5] | [Jun 6] | [Jun 7] |
| [Jun 8] | [Jun 9] | [Jun 10] | [Jun 11] | [Jun 12] | [Jun 13] | [Jun 14] |
| [Jun 15] | [Jun 16] | [Jun 17] | [Jun 18] | [Jun 19] | [Jun 20] | [Jun 21] |
| [Jun 22] | [Jun 23] | [Jun 24] | [Jun 25] | [Jun 26] | [Jun 27] | [Jun 28] |
| [Jun 29] | [Jun 30] |
July
Dive into summer chart history with massive radio hits, legendary No. 1 records, breakthrough singles and unforgettable moments from across the decades.
Explore July by date
| [Jul 1] | [Jul 2] | [Jul 3] | [Jul 4] | [Jul 5] | [Jul 6] | [Jul 7] |
| [Jul 8] | [Jul 9] | [Jul 10] | [Jul 11] | [Jul 12] | [Jul 13] | [Jul 14] |
| [Jul 15] | [Jul 16] | [Jul 17] | [Jul 18] | [Jul 19] | [Jul 20] | [Jul 21] |
| [Jul 22] | [Jul 23] | [Jul 24] | [Jul 25] | [Jul 26] | [Jul 27] | [Jul 28] |
| [Jul 29] | [Jul 30] | [Jul 31] |
August
See which songs ruled the height of summer with major Billboard Hot 100 hits, artist breakthroughs, landmark releases and enduring classics.
Explore August by date
| [Aug 1] | [Aug 2] | [Aug 3] | [Aug 4] | [Aug 5] | [Aug 6] | [Aug 7] |
| [Aug 8] | [Aug 9] | [Aug 10] | [Aug 11] | [Aug 12] | [Aug 13] | [Aug 14] |
| [Aug 15] | [Aug 16] | [Aug 17] | [Aug 18] | [Aug 19] | [Aug 20] | [Aug 21] |
| [Aug 22] | [Aug 23] | [Aug 24] | [Aug 25] | [Aug 26] | [Aug 27] | [Aug 28] |
| [Aug 29] | [Aug 30] | [Aug 31] |
September
Follow the soundtrack of early fall through classic No. 1 songs, major chart debuts, record-setting runs and important artist anniversaries.
Explore September by date
October
Explore October’s biggest Top 40 hits, from rock and disco classics to pop blockbusters, hip-hop milestones and modern chart-toppers.
Explore October by date
| [Oct 1] | [Oct 2] | [Oct 3] | [Oct 4] | [Oct 5] | [Oct 6] | [Oct 7] |
| [Oct 8] | [Oct 9] | [Oct 10] | [Oct 11] | [Oct 12] | [Oct 13] | [Oct 14] |
| [Oct 15] | [Oct 16] | [Oct 17] | [Oct 18] | [Oct 19] | [Oct 20] | [Oct 21] |
| [Oct 22] | [Oct 23] | [Oct 24] | [Oct 25] | [Oct 26] | [Oct 27] | [Oct 28] |
| [Oct 29] | [Oct 30] | [Oct 31] |
November
Revisit November’s memorable Billboard chart history, enduring hits, major artist milestones and singles that became defining records of their time.
Explore November by date
| [Nov 1] | [Nov 2] | [Nov 3] | [Nov 4] | [Nov 5] | [Nov 6] | [Nov 7] |
| [Nov 8] | [Nov 9] | [Nov 10] | [Nov 11] | [Nov 12] | [Nov 13] | [Nov 14] |
| [Nov 15] | [Nov 16] | [Nov 17] | [Nov 18] | [Nov 19] | [Nov 20] | [Nov 21] |
| [Nov 22] | [Nov 23] | [Nov 24] | [Nov 25] | [Nov 26] | [Nov 27] | [Nov 28] |
| [Nov 29] | [Nov 30] |
December
Close out the year with holiday-season chart battles, year-end smashes and legendary releases. Explore December’s biggest No. 1 songs, memorable Billboard chart moments and seasonal classics that return to the charts year after year.
Explore December by date
| [Dec 1] | [Dec 2] | [Dec 3] | [Dec 4] | [Dec 5] | [Dec 6] | [Dec 7] |
| [Dec 8] | [Dec 9] | [Dec 10] | [Dec 11] | [Dec 12] | [Dec 13] | [Dec 14] |
| [Dec 15] | [Dec 16] | [Dec 17] | [Dec 18] | [Dec 19] | [Dec 20] | [Dec 21] |
| [Dec 22] | [Dec 23] | [Dec 24] | [Dec 25] | [Dec 26] | [Dec 27] | [Dec 28] |
| [Dec 29] | [Dec 30] | [Dec 31] |
What Happened on This Day in Music History?
Popular music history is often told in decades: the 1960s, the disco era, the MTV years, the rise of hip-hop or today’s streaming era. But looking at history one calendar date at a time reveals connections that are much easier to miss.
The same date might have seen a Motown classic climbing the charts in the 1960s, a disco record reaching No. 1 in the 1970s, a future superstar breaking through in the 1980s and an entirely different genre dominating the charts decades later.
That is the idea behind Top40Weekly’s This Day in Music archive. Each daily page brings together significant chart movement, No. 1 songs, artist birthdays, important releases and other moments connected to that date.
For a wider look at how the sound of popular music changed over time, explore Top40Weekly’s A Year in Music: 1960s–1990s collection, which follows the artists, songs and trends that shaped four decades of Top 40 history.
Billboard Chart History & No. 1 Songs
At the heart of this series is the story of the American singles chart. The Billboard Hot 100 has documented changing tastes in popular music since 1958, while earlier national sales, radio and jukebox rankings help tell the story of the years before the Hot 100.
Top40Weekly’s extensive U.S. Top 40 chart archive lets you explore that history week by week, while the complete list of U.S. No. 1 songs makes it possible to follow the records that reached the top from the 1950s onward.
Across the daily This Day in Music pages, you’ll find songs reaching No. 1, major Top 10 and Top 40 breakthroughs, dramatic chart jumps, important debuts, record-setting runs and career-defining hits.
Few questions capture a moment in pop culture quite as quickly as “What song was No. 1?” From Elvis Presley and The Beatles to Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift, the top of the American charts provides a soundtrack to changing generations.
You can go even deeper by exploring complete yearly archives such as the top songs and weekly charts of 1960, 1970 chart archive, 1980 chart archive and 1990 chart archive.
These charts reveal more than which song finished first. A record remembered today as an undisputed classic may have spent its original run battling another famous release—or may never have reached No. 1 at all. That context is a major part of what makes chart history so fascinating.
Explore Artists, Eras & More Music History
The Top 40 has never belonged to one genre. Rock and roll gave way to the British Invasion, Motown and soul; funk and disco reshaped the 1970s; new wave, arena rock, R&B and dance-pop defined much of the 1980s; and hip-hop, alternative rock, country crossover, Latin music and streaming-era pop continued changing what a hit could sound like.
You can explore these shifts through Top40Weekly’s decade and song collections, including the Top 100 Songs of the 1970s and top songs of the 1980s. For the performers behind the records, collections such as the Top 100 Artists of the 1980s provide another way to explore how individual careers intersected with the charts.
The daily archive also highlights notable artist birthdays, career milestones and releases. One calendar date might connect the birth of a legendary soul singer with a future pop superstar reaching No. 1 generations later.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Day in Music
What is This Day in Music?
This Day in Music is Top40Weekly’s daily music-history series covering notable events associated with every calendar date, with a strong emphasis on U.S. chart history, No. 1 songs, Top 40 hits, artist birthdays and important releases.
What song was No. 1 on this day?
That depends on the year. Each daily page explores important No. 1 records and chart events connected with the same calendar date across multiple decades. You can also browse Top40Weekly’s U.S. No. 1 songs archive to explore chart-toppers chronologically.
Does This Day in Music cover every day of the year?
Yes. The archive covers January 1 through December 31, with February 29 included for leap years.
What eras of music are covered?
The series stretches from early U.S. chart history through rock and roll, soul, Motown, classic rock, disco, pop, R&B, hip-hop, alternative music and contemporary hits. For a broader year-by-year view, visit A Year in Music.
Start Exploring Music History
There are 365 days in a year—and thousands of songs, artists and chart stories connected to them.
Choose a date above to discover what happened on this day in music history, then follow the charts backward and forward through the decades to see how one hit led to another, how new stars emerged and how the sound of the Top 40 continually reinvented itself.
Pick a month. Choose a date. Start exploring.