On this day in 2005, Mary J. Blige released her album *The Breakthrough*, featuring guest appearances from stars like will.i.am and Jay-Z. The album soared to the top of the Billboard 200, marking her third No. 1 album. It also included the hit single “Be Without You,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 32 on the UK Singles Chart.
Here are some other notable music events from December 20:
In 1990, JoJo was born in Brattleboro, Vermont. She began her music career as a child, performing at local talent shows. At just 13, she released her debut single “Leave (Get Out),” which topped the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart, making her the youngest solo artist to achieve a No. 1 hit in the U.S. Other hits include “Too Little Too Late” and “Baby It’s You.”
In 2019, My Chemical Romance reunited for their first performance in seven years at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Fans eagerly lined up for hours to see them play hits like “Welcome to the Black Parade” and “I’m Not Okay (I Promise).”
On the industry side, in 1957, Elvis Presley received his U.S. Army draft notice while his song “Jailhouse Rock” was topping the charts. He had to pause his music career for two years to serve in Germany, but many fans viewed his service as patriotic.
In 2004, Paula Abdul was involved in a hit-and-run incident in Los Angeles. She faced charges and was placed on probation. In 2012, Fat Joe pleaded guilty to tax evasion, admitting he failed to file returns on over $3 million in income. He was sentenced to four months in prison.
December 20 is also remembered as the day Bobby Darin passed away at 37 after heart surgery.
