June 13 was an odd day in Top 40 music history. We learned Ava Max would headline a pride festival, multiple popular artists made it to the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cancellation of one group’s Phoenix, Arizona, tour date.
Cultural Milestones
Pop star Ava Max, among others, dominated the milestones for June 13, including:
- 2017: Ariana Grande performed in Spain for her Dangerous Woman Tour. She had planned more venues, but after the May 17 terror attack at her Manchester Arena show, where 22 people were killed, she wanted to move on to other countries.
- 2024: Ava Max announced she would headline the free Atlanta Pride celebration for the 2024 Atlanta Pride Festival held in October. Max’s music of self-expression and individuality resonates with the LGBTQ+ community, and fans of her music were thrilled to have her headline this important festival.
Notable Recordings and Performances
There were loads of chart-topping Top 40 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 13, including:
- 2015: The Billboard Hot 100 saw a lot of Top 40 artists and their songs make it into the Top 10, including “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar, “Sugar” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, and “Sugar” by Maroon 5.
- 2020: Pop hits such as The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain On Me,” and Drake’s “Toosie Slide” dominated the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
- 2021: Notable songs and performers that made it to the Billboard Hot 100 charts were fan favorites, such as “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo at No. 2, “Peaches,” by Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar & Giveon at No. 4, and “Save Your Tears” by the Weeknd and Ariana Grande at No. 6.
Industry Changes and Challenges
Some odd things happened on June 13, including:
- 2001: A pair of radio DJs started a rumor that swirled around the globe that Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake had died in a car accident the night before. Of course, the pop stars did not die on June 12, as Timberlake recalled being in Philadelphia at the time and Spears was alive and well in Los Angeles.
- 2020: AJR’s June 13 performance at the Arizona Federal Theatre was cancelled due to the COVID-19 lockdown. This three-brother group is known for their unique songwriting skills with songs such as “World’s Smallest Violin” and “Yes I’m a Mess.”
Throughout the years, June 13 has seen pop stars stand up for human rights, fill the Top 10, and respond to unprecedented times.
