On July 24, 1965, The Byrds hit No. 1 in the U.K. with their electric cover of Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man.” That recording helped push folk-rock into the mainstream.
Breakthrough hits and milestones
– 1976: Elton John scored his first U.K. No. 1 with the duet “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” with Kiki Dee. It became a worldwide smash.
– 1977: Donna Summer reached No. 1 in the U.K. with the disco single “I Feel Love,” which stayed at the top for a month.
– 2001: Jimmy Eat World released Bleed American. The album peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard 200 and gave them the hit “The Middle,” which reached No. 5 on the Hot 100. Other singles like “Sweetness” and “A Praise Chorus” also did well on alternative charts.
– 2007: Tegan and Sara put out The Con. It hit No. 34 on the Billboard 200 and No. 10 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums. Notable tracks included “Back in Your Head” and “Hop a Plane.”
– 2020: Taylor Swift quietly released folklore. The indie-pop record debuted at No. 1 and spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200.
Cultural notes
– 1957: Singer Pam Tillis was born in Florida. She later topped the Hot Country Songs chart and won a GRAMMY, with multiple Top 10 hits.
– 1965: Bob Dylan’s single “Like a Rolling Stone” entered the Hot 100 at No. 91 and climbed to No. 2, marking his first big U.S. chart presence.
– 1969: Jennifer Lopez was born in the Bronx. She’s logged several Hot 100 No. 1s and rose to film stardom after playing Selena.
– 1982: Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” written for Rocky III at Sylvester Stallone’s request, spent six weeks at No. 1.
– 1987: The film La Bamba, about Ritchie Valens, was released, bringing his story to a new audience.
