May 1 has hosted the Billboard Music Awards, with Drake winning several awards, and witnessed big hits charting the Billboard Hot 100 charts and pop stars performing at large venues. Over the years, Joe Jonas got married on this day in Las Vegas, and Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson had to give writing credits to a week-known 1970s band.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Billboard Music Award winners and charting artists on May 1 include:
- 2019: The Billboard Music Awards were held at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Drake won 12 awards, including Top Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, and Top Radio Songs Artist.
- 2019: BTS won the Top Duo/Group award, Juice WRLD was named Top New Artist, and Ariana Grande received the Billboard Chart Achievement and Top Female Artist awards.
- 2021: Silk Sonic, featuring Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak jumped from No. 3 to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the song “Leave The Door Open, while Polo G’s “Rapstar” remained at No.1 for the second consecutive week. Other charting hits included “Peaches” by Justin Timberlake, Daniel Caesar, and Giveon, which climbed from No. 4 to No. 3, and Olivia Rodrigo’s “deja vu” at No. 11, up from No. 15 the previous week.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Entertaining performances on May 1 over the years include:
- 2010: Calvin Harris performed at the Gaymers Camden Crawl in London, England. His song set included “Ready for the Weekend” and “Colours.”
- 2024: Superstar Bad Bunny performed at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, during his Most Wanted Tour. The Top 40 rapper is known for his Latin-inspired pop/rap style, with songs such as “Tití Me Preguntó” and “Maldita Pobreza.”
- 2024: Pop group AJR held a concert at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California, as part of their AJR: The Maybe Man Tour. Fans enjoyed songs such as “Yes I’m a Mess” and “Burn the House Down.”
Industry Changes and Challenges
From marriages to copywriter issues and drug possession, Top 40 music has had its share of changes and challenges on May 1:
- 2014: Pop star Justin Bieber’s personal assistant and aspiring rapper Xavier Domonique Smith was ordered to perform community service and undergo a drug treatment program after police charged him with ecstasy possession.
- 2015: Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson had to give five members of The Gap Band writing credit for the massive hit “Uptown Funk.” The Gap Band claimed the song had strong similarities to their 1979 track “Oops Upside Your Head.”
- 2019: Just hours after performing at the Billboard Music Awards, Joe Jonas of the pop group The Jonas Brothers married his girlfriend Sophie Turner in Las Vegas. Country/pop duo Dan + Shay sang their hit song “Speechless” while the couple walked down the aisle.
Music is an integral part of culture, and Top 40 and adult contemporary artists bring music for all to sing and dance to. As the industry evolves, the blend of pop, country, and R&B is evident in modern music.
