June 30 has been big for Top 40 artists.
On June 30, 1985, Faheem Najm—better known as T-Pain—was born. He’d become a major hip-hop and R&B artist with smooth vocals and multiple chart hits.
Breakthrough hits and milestones:
– 1973: George Harrison reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, knocking a song by Paul McCartney & Wings from the top spot. It was the only time former Beatles members held the top two positions.
– 1984: Bruce Springsteen wrote a new hit after being told his album needed one. The song hit No. 2 on the Hot 100 and stayed there for four weeks.
– 1984: Huey Lewis & the News’ Sports knocked Footloose from No. 1. Sports became one of 1984’s best-selling albums.
– 1990: New Kids on the Block scored a No. 1 single that stayed atop the Hot 100 for three weeks.
– 2001: Blink-182’s Take Off Your Pants And Jacket debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200—the first pop-punk album to do so.
– 2001: A collaboration by Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa, and P!nk reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 for five weeks and won a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
Cultural moments:
– 1943: Florence Ballard was born. She co-founded The Supremes, who went on to multiple No. 1 hits.
– 1984: Fantasia Barrino was born. She left school at 17 and won American Idol at 19, becoming the show’s youngest winner then. She later scored Top 40 singles and a Grammy.
– 2006: Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson finalized their divorce after three years of marriage. The pair had met in Los Angeles, dated, toured together, and recorded a duet before splitting.
June 30 has delivered hits, chart milestones, and key moments in pop music history.
