July 8 has been a big date in music history. Major artists hit milestones and culture-shifting events happened on this day.
Breakthrough hits and milestones
– 1980: Blondie’s “Call Me” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became one of the decade’s defining songs.
– 1995: TLC’s “Creep” began a seven-week run at No. 1 on the Hot 100. It was their second U.S. chart-topper.
– 1996: The Spice Girls released “Wannabe” and instantly exploded onto the pop scene with their girl-power message.
– 1997: Smash Mouth released their debut album Fush Yu Mang, which reached No. 19 on the Billboard 200. Its single “Walkin’ on the Sun” was a major radio hit.
– 2000: Enrique Iglesias’ “Be With You” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
– 2008: On his 38th birthday, Beck released Modern Guilt. The album hit No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and No. 9 in the U.K.
Cultural moments
– 1954: Elvis Presley’s single “That’s All Right” was played on the radio for the first time, kicking off Elvis mania.
– 1958: The RIAA presented its first gold album to the Oklahoma! soundtrack for selling 500,000 copies.
– 1961: Country star Toby Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma. He went on to earn 20 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. He died in February 2024.
– 1992: Garth Brooks and then-wife Sandy Mahl welcomed their first daughter, Taylor Mayne Pearl Brooks. Garth has two other daughters, August Anna and Allie Colleen, the latter pursuing country music too.
– 1998: Jaden Smith was born in Malibu. He later released Top 40 albums like SYRE and ERYS and teamed with Justin Bieber on “Never Say Never,” which reached No. 8 on the charts.
July 8 keeps showing up as a turning point in music. Fans love the hits and the history tied to this date.
