The last day of April has hosted several significant events and achievements in Top 40 history. Harry Styles topped the charts, Adele and Ed Sheeran climbed the Billboard Hot 100, and NYSNC received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 30.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Hits and milestones on April 30 over the years include:
- 2022: “As It Was” by pop crooner Harry Styles — formerly with the boy band One Direction — returned to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 after charting for three weeks. The Glass Animals’ song “Heat Wave” remained at No. 3 in its 66th week on the chart, previously peaking at No. 1, while the former No. 1 hit song “Stay” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber was at No. 6 for the second consecutive week.
- 2022: Other hits on the Billboard Hot 100 for April 30 included Adele’s “Easy On Me,” which was at No. 17 after peaking at No. 1, and Ed Sheeran’s “Shivers” at 14 – previously reaching No. 4. Pop/country singer Morgan Wallen’s “Don’t Think Jesus” debuted at No. 7.
Cultural Milestones
Celine Dion, a force in the pop world for decades, was among the artists who featured on April 30:
- 1988: A young Celine Dion won the Eurovision Song Contest with her performance of “Ne partez pas sans moi.” Winning this award helped to launch her wildly successful career, which included hits such as “My Heart Will Go On” and “I’m Alive.”
- 2018: NSYNC, including Justin Timberlake, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The boy band sold over 30 million records in the U.S. and over 42 million units worldwide, dominating the Top 40 charts and music scene with hit songs such as “I Want You Back” and “I Drive Myself Crazy.”
Notable Recordings and Performances
Female Top 40 artists had notable performances on April 30, including:
- 2016: Pop diva Rihanna gave an exciting performance at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The “Love on the Brain” and “Don’t Stop the Music” singer thrilled fans on this stop for her “ANTI World Tour.”
- 2024: Pop star SZA was in Melbourne, Australia, for her SOS Tour, performing songs such as “Love Galore,” “Ghost in the Machine,” and “Nobody Gets Me.”
Industry Changes and Challenges
From marriages to domestic challenges, Top 40 stars faced changes on April 30:
- 2008: Pop diva Mariah Carey and actor Nick Cannon were married at her estate in the Bahamas on April 30. They had a whirlwind romance, and Mariah even got a tattoo saying Mrs. Cannon before the wedding, but they divorced in 2016 after becoming parents to twins in 2011.
- 2020: Top 40 stars, including Britney Spears, have to stay in shape to endure long performances. However, on April 30, Spears accidentally burned her home gym down and had to find another place to work out to stay strong for her shows.
Top 40 artists continue to dominate the music industry with strong performances, great recordings, and honorary awards. With May approaching, seeing what late spring holds for the music industry will be interesting.
